I was feeling like doo-doo...

[TuMicks]

Here's what happened: The truck was parked quite a distance from where I was busy working a winger. I had no idea that Rocket Dog was squeeking and whining and getting herself worked up tight as a drum. So when I got her out of the box, walked to the holding blind I knew she was keyed up. When we went to the line, she came completely unglued. Went into status epilepticus. I could not send her when she'd crept out a body's length and wouldn't reheel. When I put her collar on her, it was like riding a bucking bronco. Talk about dog-angst! No aggression. But she went JFN on me.

She wasn't any better the next day. Still wild and crazy. I really thought I'd screwed her up for good.

OK... fast forward a week. She is wearing her bark collar in the crate now (even though her squeeks are at such a frequency that they defeat the collar... nevertheless, when she wears it, she's just calmer. I don't know why it works, but it does.) Then just doing basic obedience and good manners using a pinch collar, not any e-collar pressure when we're going from the truck to the blind and the blind to the line. Waaaay better. Shew!!! You know, you can't tell her she's a good dog and get her to settle down when she has herself worked into a lather.

It's tough having a high roller. But I'm learning as I go. Today she did a nice little water blind and a good mark that involved up and over a point and back into the water then up on the land. She did it quite well. Then we did some water handling drills and again, she was really working with me. Doing great.

Big relief.

I'm finding out, BTW that she is going to be a great water dog. With our drought and having come out of a cold winter, she's had such limited opportunities to have any water work. But she hits the water hard, can't get in fast enough. And even though she's had very little training, she will re-enter the water when being handled into it. I mean, if she beaches prematurely, she will take an over and smack the water hard getting back in. I don't know many dogs that do that!

[windycanyon]

Have you ever tried any other dog sports w/ her? Maybe she just needs MORE. I've got one that I've joked will maybe be steady by the time she's 7... well, I've got a few more months to go and I'm not sure that'll happen, lol. But she finished her Open obed at age 2, has done some tracking, some agility, etc too. She's really a great dog around home and has produced nice pups thankfully. Just a little wiley when it comes to water work esp!

[TuMicks]

I think she needs more. But (you know how it is) training with a group eats your day. We will go through sometimes 20 dogs. We manage. But all of us are exhausted afterwards, but when you think about it, the dogs have gotten like 15 minutes of intense work.

I'll have to think of how to add to her day.