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I haven't trialed a dog in 8 years. Usher has never trialed. There is an AHBA course coming up quite close to home. My trainer thinks I should enter the 2nd course (looks like a road map) Pat is judging and another person I haven't heard about.

 

Would it be good experience for me to get my nerves out and Usher on a trial field to actually "see for himself" what is expected of him and how things work? The field is pretty large about 3 acres. As you all know, I have dystonia, which is a form of Parkinson's and when I get nervous I really start shakin' .

 

I'd like to hear if this would be a good experience for me and my dog. Thanks in advance for your answer.

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Guest carol campion
I haven't trialed a dog in 8 years. Usher has never trialed. There is an AHBA course coming up quite close to home. My trainer thinks I should enter the 2nd course (looks like a road map) Pat is judging and another person I haven't heard about.

 

Would it be good experience for me to get my nerves out and Usher on a trial field to actually "see for himself" what is expected of him and how things work? The field is pretty large about 3 acres. As you all know, I have dystonia, which is a form of Parkinson's and when I get nervous I really start shakin' .

 

I'd like to hear if this would be a good experience for me and my dog. Thanks in advance for your answer.

 

 

Hi Diane

 

Good question!

 

I do not know your dog and do not know what his level of training, so my response to you will be based on how I decide these things for myself and my dogs. Ultimately, you will decide for yourself.

 

I like my dogs to be trained to at least one level about the class I am entering them in. Partly because I want them to feel confident and partly because I don't want to run the risk of them learning any bad habits. They can learn bad habits very easily and so, at a trial, unless it is a learning trial specifically set up to allow handlers to go out and help their dogs, you are not allowed to leave the post and help. Retire, yes, but train on the field—no. So if the sheep and the course are more advanced than you feel the dog is ready for, you may be setting him up for failure, risking undoing some good training and picking up bad habits. If the dog is the sort that gets to chasing when things go wrong, you may earn the dog a very bad reputation.

 

I feel dog trials are a testing ground and I want to be proving what I think they have accomplished, not finding out how bad a problem really is. Any problems a dog has in an environment where things are comfortable will be exaggerated where things are new.

 

And as a sheep producer that has held more dog trials than anyone I know, I can say, I don't want the sheep to be stressed.

 

You know how your dog deals with new situations. If you think you can both do it and it will be fun—go for it.

 

If you think this will help you both learn from it, without doing you or the sheep or the dog harm—go for it.

 

If you think it may be unpleasant and you are not sure how he will be and it will stress you both out—I would pass.

 

Go to a friends or see if someone can set up some "fun trials" where you can get his feet wet and see how he will be.

 

This is how I handle my own dogs. You will have to make up your own mind and decide what your goals are for yourself and your dog and decide if this one trial furthers you to reaching your goals.

 

Good luck if you go. Please—a full report!!

 

Carol

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Guest carol campion
Thank you, Carol. I'll let you know if I go.

 

I have been thinking more about you, Diane

 

I want to just say for you and anyone else struggling with this same issue, "You don't have to trial or even want to trial to have a border collie and train it". Some people are competitive by nature and they love the feel of competition. Others didn't get that gene!

 

There is nothing wrong with training along and just enjoying the learning process and seeing your training talents grow and your dog blossom.

 

You will know when you are ready to take him out and you may never want to. And that's OK!

 

Carol

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