May 2024 — BH (Begleithundprüfung or traffic-safe companion dog test)
Our first attempt as a team did not go quite as I had hoped, but we did pass. Still, I could not shake the feeling that all the hard work I had poured into training did not show in our performance. For the first time, I found myself wondering how I could put so much effort into something and have so little to show for it. Looking back, I think it was because I was laying so many foundations: agility, canine conditioning, obedience, building skills that would serve us in the long run. But at the time, my only benchmark was Chaos, who had set an almost impossible standard back in 2012. Training him always felt effortless. We earned high-in-trial BH on our very first attempt without the guidance of a club or any prior experience training a dog for competition.
Nuri is not Chaos. She is a constant reminder that every dog is different, and that I have to “train the dog in front of me”. We passed. We are learning. And that is enough.
September 2024: IPO-RH (Search and Rescue)
Our first “real” trial combined two phases: tracking/victim alert and obedience. It was a study in contrasts.
Tracking Phase: 96/100
Nuri was incredible during the tracking phase, earning an unexpected 96/100. As a complete newbie to tracking, I truly just held the other end of the leash and hoped for the best. It felt like the perfect partnership. I was trusting my dog to figure out what she needs to do and she did.
Obedience Phase: 75/100
The obedience phase, however, was a very different story. It began with a long stay in the sun, which set the stage for what turned into a tough and, frankly, painful experience. Adding to the challenge, one of the team members (who shall remain unnamed) displayed some unsportsmanlike behavior, goofing around between exercises. We were able to scrape by with a score of 75/100.
What I Learned
Nuri excels when she gets to problem-solve and use her brain. Modify an exercise in the middle of a trial? Check. Sniff the ground while heeling? Check. Obedience? Not sure what is that about. She has opinions about repetitive work, and she is not shy about sharing them. I am learning to meet her where she shines instead of forcing her into a mold she was never meant to fit.
Trial photo courtesy of Flash of Paws
