Wow, I haven't written a blog post since 9/11 - sorry about that! Things have been busy with selling our current home and buying a new home - we close on both mid November! Really I haven't written a Pet Partners centered entry since Labor Day weekend about our last lesson with C. I didn't even finish discussing that last lesson as that post got so long. I left off saying I would discuss my nervousness during my next post; so here it is! I was nervous during that last lesson with C for two reasons: 1. I was nervous to work Georgia with other dogs. 2. I was nervous about this being our last lesson with C. Looking back I had no reason to be nervous about working Georgia with other dogs; all three dogs did so well together that day. Being nervous about not having C around anymore is just me, can't do much to change it. Honestly, if I could have a lesson with her twice a month every month that'd be amazing, but money doesn't grow on trees (I'm still hoping that one day happens!).
Since that lesson I have worked on training but not as I should. Then I got an e-mail that a testing day was coming up - October 29th. At first I was just going to turn it down and say we weren't ready because we'd been so busy with the moving business and that I'd put it off until the spring. Then I started to think...if I put it off that long there is a large chance I wouldn't ever do it and I can't let that happen. We've put too much time, money and energy into this. I at least have to try! So, I bit the bullet, signed up for a testing time slot, filled out the paper work, filed Georgia's nails and worked on training. She was a bit rusty when I said, "lay down" and she jumped up - OOPS! But she got better, I think the problem was that I was using cheese and she goes a little nuts for cheese. She'll just start doing all her commands to see if any one of them is what I want her to do in order to get the cheese. Literally I get out cheese, won't say a word and she'll lay down, then sit, then lay down, then roll over, then try to shake, jump up...it's pretty funny. We can't use treats during the test; it all has to be verbal praise, which is kind of good for her since she can go nuts for food sometimes.
I just found out the test got changed to this Sunday afternoon, which is fine. She is a bit more active in the afternoons so we'll go for a walk Sunday morning in hopes she'll be more calm a the test. Heaven knows we need her to be calm as I may get ill I'm so nervous! I'm really hoping I can pull it together and not let my nerves get the best of me or her. She will sense if I'm nervous so I need to stay calm for her. I want to pass this so badly, but it is only $15 to test, so IF we do not pass then we can take it again and it doesn't cost a fortune. I want to finish what we started and be successful so we can do something positive for others.
So, to wrap this up. Please send good thoughts/prayers our way on Sunday afternoon around 2:00pm that we can be calm and work well as a team to pass our test. Georgia is such a sweet, smart girl and I have faith in her, just not in me, but I know that she trusts me so I can't let her down. I will keep you all posted on how it goes! Thanks for following along on our journey. I'll leave you with a quote I found and currently have up in my house, "My goal in life is to be the person that my dog thinks I am."
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