Monday, August 24, 2009

Moe Strenfel Seminar and Group Photo

Jody, Lori and Vicki came down last week and stayed with us.  All 4 of us along with Cheryl (Spark's owner) went to the Moe Strenfel Foundation Seminar.  I took Fusion, Vicki had Dax, Cheryl had Spark, Jody had Rocky and Lori had Singe.  She was going to use her dog Rumor, but since Rumor is pregnant she is not up for much working lately.  Moe's seminar was awesome and I really can't figure out why more people don't want to do foundation work.  If it weren't for us this seminar would have only been half full.  Moe is great because she believes in foundation and she breaks the behaviors down.  So many people just want to work on the end behavior and don't have patience for all of the little steps leading up to the end behavior.  This is one of the main reasons I do not teach group classes.  I was tired of people asking me how many classes it would take them to be able to trial their dog.  When I told them about a year, they gave up.  I also found that people just want their dog(s) on the equipment.  If you start with all of the foundation stuff (in my area) they are a little upset and say "well I signed up to learn agility".  Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!
I do not like when people tell me they are entering their dog in a trial as soon as it is of age.  Why not say that you are entering your dog in a trial when it is ready.  When people tell me that I just laugh and say fine, but I will be the one winning the ribbons in Masters and Excellent.  I really don't care much about getting 1st places in Novice and Starters.  Of course we all love to get the blue ribbons, but that is not what it is about for me.  I am setting my dogs up for years later when we are in the finals.
If Moe is teaching a seminar near you I recommend going to it.

Since we had all these Hillcrest dogs at my place I HAD to take a picture.  We had 13 dogs in a stay and all of them did great.


Back Row: Rumor, Lash, Risk, Jen, Kate, Singe, Mick and Rocky
Front Row: Skarlet, Havoc, Fusion, Spark and Dax


Then they are off to the races.  I love looking at their eyes and expressions.


3 comments:

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

I was lucky enough to go to the Moe foundation seminar in my area last month and I LOVED it, it is a shame that more people do not go to foundation seminars, there is just so much great stuff to learn!

Unknown said...

If it was up to me I would train foundation forever. It's my favorite part, love watching them think and learn. It's the same everywhere even people on their 2-3rd agility dog can't wait to get out and trial. WHY?? It's so much more fun to train!!!

Hillcrest Border Collies said...

People constantly ask me when I am going to bring out "so and so". I say when I have trained them and they are ready. I have been in this for 15 years + and I am in no rush to get dogs in the ring anymore.