The Dog In The Hat

It's been a long day today.

Our first heelwork competition of the year. Hard to find the money to do too many with no job. Also with Drake's foot and Cedar's Tummy bug and damaged claw it seems to have been a year of injuries and illness.

With everything going on it's been hard to fit in much training, so we went today to just have a nice time.

Teal will be ten years old this year and for a Bernese it's pretty old. She's still very fit but finds the four minutes of heelwork at advanced level hard to keep up with so we're having a go at freestyle. I did think about retiring her but she doesn't want to. She's in Novice, as is Drake.

Drake will be five in a couple of weeks and has been exceptionally hard work to train and it's been even harder to get him to perform in the ring. Today he worked through his routine and actually picked up some gusto towards the end. He got a seventh place out of quite a large class. After four years of blood, sweat and tears I have learnt to enjoy him for the mixed up 'little' chap he is. Very, very proud of him...better than any first for me. He is what he is and I love him.

Teal.....well after looking at her adoring crowds in the routine and making up what she fancied got a second place. She loves it. I love working her and people love watching her. Who could complain about that.

Some people would get mad, embarrassed, upset.......I go in expecting them to do everything except what I tell them...we only have them for a short time and we should enjoy every moment.

The bowler hat was mine, but it looks much better on Teal.

'Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year'.

Fred Allen

'How tragic that the very thing that could set us free--playing the fool--is the thing we will not do. When we're afraid to be fools, we end up being afraid to be anything'.

Mike Mason