I am so freaking nervous!

[Scoutpout]

go and HAVE FUN! its supposed to be about spending time with your dog, having fun working (Playing) together. The showing-other-people-how-utterly-awesome-your-dog-is should be way down the list. Scout normally manages to get at least the high 80's, mostly low 90's in Rally trials. We haven't NQ'd in forever. Well last weekend on the Friday, we had 2 Obedience runs trying to finish his CD, and 2 Rally runs for hopefully another leg toward his RAE4. His 1st Obed run was just "ok", he Q'd but it wasn't pretty, and it made the folks watching smile (ok, there's a good thing, he made people smile!). The 2nd run was worse, but had people smiling even more "gotta love the labs", NQ. The Rally runs were a write-off, but again, he made everybody smile. We both, however, had fun! And the next day, he did great with the 4 Rally runs, 2 more legs for his RAE4, and still managed to make people smile, and the final day Sunday, he did really good and Q'd for his CD, although still managing to make people smile! ("smiling" and wagging at the judge during the heeling, and the stand for exam, and even the recall, then falling asleep for the Down and snoring!).

Its tough, and I still stress in the Obed ring, but by now the Rally is just about playing with him, and boy its lots less stressful on you when you can get your mind to that spot. Good luck!