Our first NW3 trial

What a great location at a manufacturing business. Yeah, we had frieght trains going by all day. That was an inconvience. but since it is hard to find trial location, it was something I will put up with.

My mindset, what did we learn today?

We did interiors first, first room, 1 hide, nailed it. Second room no hides. Divine did a beautiful stop and stare at me to say, there is nothing here mom.

Third room, got the first hide in the first cibicle. Went to the second cubicle and she alerted the ssme spot she alerted to the first cubicle. I disbelieved it and tried to pull her away and push her deeper onto the cubocle, but she went back to that same spot and alerted.....no. :( Judge daid on dcore sheet, I sold that area. I wish we had video taping so I could review what we did.

I believed she alerted because she caught idor. She is notorious in alerting 18 inches to 2 feet away. I think she thinks she has odor. but needs to source it better.

The good thing is the search she false sletted, we quit. I think that sent a message to Divine.

Containers were in a Y configuration. We got our first odor, then for some reason Divine kept hitting on other boxes, I didnt trust her. Hit on 3 in a row. Went back, called one.....no. Judge said I was selling it. Maybe the second time around but why did she alert the first time? Ending and leaving the search area I think Divine learned.

Two search elements in a row is hard to take to get a no. I do feel she was overly false aletting.

I did try to push her snd go too fast. We will have to reanalyze this.

Next, exterior. There were only sbout 5 objects to check. She got two, I cslled finished. Yep! we got this one correct.

Last Vehicles. Three vehicles, went through, found 2. Said finished. We got thst one.

Out of 6 searches, we got 4.

Where I have improved,
my mental management was good. I was in the now. I remember what I did. I could snalyze and think.

Divine has been on a break about a year. We only got back into things two months ago.

I was not upset we didnt title. I use to get upset when I didnt title, but I am so over that waste of energy. I can analyze better when I am not updet. I can put to motion what needs to be done better. I was proud my mind management glowed yoday. It comes together and was a great journey.

However. I did start to get tired.

New phase of learning

It took 2 years before Divine got in her first NW3 trial. She actually got in 2, Tucson, AZ and Orange, CA.

She had been set aside for a year. I was so disheartened not getting in trials.

The ladt few months we have stepped up to training and it has been quite a revelation for me.

A lot of my mental game has played a huge role in getting my head right. I had such ego problems, they kept getting in the way of my success. I so badly wanted to prove myself. Which ends only in disaster. The mental game got me out of that terrible thinking. Now I can really grow as a handler. I am more open to listen what my instructors are telling me.

Ironically, of late, a lot in what I tell my students, is what my instructors tell me.

Don't block odor.
Don't pull your dog off odor.
Watch thresholds.
Don't cut corners.

Wait, I use to be much better! But that was with a different dog. The dance has changed. Divine steps at a different tune, a different thought and a different style. I need to dance with her. Not dancing to Mickey's tune. Even though I have been doing nose work with her for 6 years, I didnt start dedicating myself to her only but a few years ago. My heart still misses Mickey so much, but my heart needs to move on.

My new learning has been to relearn placement of myself. Relearn watching my dog. Stop over thinking. Let go. Dont make excuses but be open to listen.

I need to trust Divine more. She has finally gotten to the point I can. It is coming together. We are blossoming and growing.

it is hard shifting from a Ferrari to a cute VW bug. It certainly is a different ride

I learned today that I dont need to feed at source. But Divine needs more sourcing exercises

Now to take all my new learning the past few months and put it to play

Dec 8th is our trial, in 3 weeks.