Good Ol' Moto

Just days away from the Sheltie specialty now and I'm going up and down emotionally about Blitz. We trained a bit yesterday and while it was OK, it was not his usual amazing performance. I'll take him to class tonight and let him do the opening group heeling and see what happens. If it's again just OK I will probably pull him. It will just about kill me but I need to think about his needs and put them ahead of mine. He loves to train and show, but if it makes him worse in the long run, it's better to keep him at home, love him, and give him the best life for however long God deems him to be here on earth.
So I've been focusing on Moto more and re-evaluating how I train him. I've done some pretty good things (patting myself on the back) but boy, have I made some mistakes, too. The biggest mistake is going too fast in my training. He is very intelligent and I've rushed past a few foundation elements that are now missing. Like the fronts - how long have I litanized that in this blog? So some backchaining all the way to foundation basics needs to be added back.
While he's not a drivey dog, he's been doing some pretty good stuff lately. He needs a lot of seasoning and I anticipate at least another year - if not longer - before he can enter "real" Obedience.
While I'm an emotional wreck over Blitz, I know I will have Moto at my side. I know what kind of performance he'll deliver. It won't set the world on fire but he will do OK. It's nice to know I have Trusty Moto to help me through Friday. That dog has been my rock through so many things now. I just appreciate him more and more.
I'll get to see the puppies again this weekend. Nary a peep whether or not the bi-black is going to be a pet, which probably isn't good news. However, a week in a puppy's life is a LONG time, and that nice bi-blue may have come more into his own. It will be interesting to see.