Our first event........

Our first event took place in the middle of a Minnesota winter. Buuuuurrrrrr!!!

The cold didn't keep us from trying out this new and exciting sport! We waited in anticipation for February 21. The Minneapolis Convention Center was hosting the Pet Expo and we figured since it was so close to home, this would be a good chance to try it out. We packed up our gear the night before, the Tahoe was loaded down with stuff! Chairs, crate, blankets, towels. We headed out about 5 AM Saturday morning. Of course, it has snowed the night before and was still snowing on the way down. Made travel time slow way down and we were rushing to get there on time.

Here is a photo of Nallah watching me scurry around the house getting the last few things packed before we left.......I'm sure she was thinking......."Why are we up so early and WHERE are we going?! I want to go back to bed.........."

We made it to the Convention Center in the nick of time. Got our stuff hauled in and set up and it was time to JUMP! The moment we'd been waiting all winter for! I was registered as Nallah's handler in the first wave. Nerves were taking over.....I couldn't believe how nervous I was! I figured Nallah would have no problem jumping off the dock, the way she always did back home.

Much to our surprise....it didn't go as planned! We got up on the dock, I set her up in a sit/wait and called her down........she ran full speed to the end of the dock where she put on the brakes! No way was she jumping in that pool! I was a little discouraged that she didn't want to jump in, but I was told by several people this is how it is for most dogs their first time. "Give her time and she'll be jumping off that dock like she does at home". So for our first wave, no jump either time.

We switched handlers for the second wave and Jim gave it a try. He was a little more patient and relaxed about it and was trying some different approaches to get her in! : ) Jim tried getting her to stand up at the end of the dock and reach her toy out above the water.....which eventually got her to go in! YAY! Her first official jump was 2'4". Thats ok! We were so proud she actually went in!!! Now she kind of knew what she was supposed to do. Here's a few photos from our first event.

So we ended our first event with one jump. Not a monster jump by any means, but a jump! And it left us wanting more DOCK DOGS!!!!!!!