# Thoughts to Ponder..



## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Allright so I need some input from my fellow Forum Members....

Maddie's thyroid panel came back and all is in the clear. But she's gotten to be in that funky mood again. I will say I'm not as dull as a post when playing with her and she has more energy. I'm all happy with this and we debut next weekend. Last week was ungoshly hot so I would work her at night. Tonight at class she got in that "mood" of hers again and it made me really think that maybe just a CD is all I can hope for with her. Yes, I would like a good score with her...I mean a 194 or above would be what I'm shooting for. I do want her up and happy in the ring so I'm not sure that I'll be getting that next weekend. 

If she gets too excited then she tends to give me that sign that she's ready to bolt out of the ring. It may be that she's in this funk due to her hips. I just know that with her Lymes disease it affected her joints quite a bit and her hips are just not as young as they used to be. 

Anyway, so what my thoughts were tonight was that we have 4 tries for our CD...and maybe I'd just retire her after we get the title. I am going off to college in the fall so training her in the middle of May to the end of August doesn't give us much 'bonding time' since I'll be 3 and a half hours away. I just want your guys' opinion on this, she will be 8 1/2 by next May (hard to believe!) 

Thanks!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

My sister's Sammy (the red head in my signature below) got his CD title (finally) when he was 7. 

He was about 6 when my sister left him with us when she got married. So she was living with her hub and expecting her first baby when she did her 'hurry up get the title before I pop'. So he got his title when he was 7. That was with limited training and her only seeing him once a week (when she took him to class). 

I'll be honest - he did agility for fun that following summer before we retired both him and his brother, but we didn't really have a chance of going further because he had never been trained in any of the open exercises (he had a horrible retrieve). 

I'm going to assume you have that advantage where you could go from novice to open. Maybe see how she does then?


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Hmm...she LOVES her dumbbell now...but I guess we could go for our CDX and end there..ya know?


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

I've figured it out!! It's kind of a slap in the face but lesson learned! Maddie gets BORED with the toys that I use....I have a ton of them but I guess using them more than a week she gets sooo bored with them, HA HA! 

Still would like some thoughts on retiring her or waiting for the CDX??


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

How far along is she on all the open exercises right now? It is one thig to take a long period off from training, do a little brushing up to refresh her memory, and then trial. It is another thing to have to come back from a long break, try to quickly teach new exercises and expect them to be ring ready.

If you can have her passing open run throughs by the end of summer, I think it would be possible to do a little training when you come home on breaks, take the first month of next summer for training, and then show in open the rest of the summer.


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Take one step at at time, get your CD and then see what lies ahead. 

I'm glad her thyroid panel came back normal and that you've figured out her "mood".

Enjoy your summer together!


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Hi guys, she knows her Open exercises pretty well. The only thing she'd need polishing on is the broad jump (not to cut the corner), as well as the retrieve over high jump, she tends to forget that's the whole point is to go over it. Other than that she has the rest down pat.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

I think you should focus on one thing at a time. Go for the CD and don't decide on the CDX just yet. It is good to accept the fact that CD may be the farthest you get with her--but keep your options open. Let Maddie and your available time tell you if it is right after you get your CD.

I remember when I was going to college and had to pull my old sheltie out--it was hard. We were doing obedience and agility but it was the right decision. She developed very bad arthritis and could not make the jumps.


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