Pip is Very Particular about class and since this is a New One with New Stuff in the Ring and a New Teacher, she was having first day jitters.
She was SOOOO excited to go (cried all the way there) and then once we were in the ring she was like...these are not my beloved friends. This is not my beloved teacher. She did one beautiful retrieve, and then laid down and wouldn't move. Went back to crate, hung out. Didn't wanna come out. Would only come out if I was talking to someone else and not cajoling her, but then would happily work for cheese AS LONG AS we did not go back toward the ring. We were even doing the Open exercises. Just had to be outside the ring and periodically she would go back in her house and refuse to move still 😂 Our new teacher doesn't know her and was like "wow she is pretty timid isnt she" and I was like Well. She is just. Quirky....... Luckily some of the other students have seen her work and swore she was good most of the time 🤣 she just needs time to blossom lmao.
The teacher is veeery old school and usually this class doesn't do heeling patterns (supposed to have that down on your own) but twice I was able to get Pip to come in the ring with me near the end, and we used both times just to do some heeling with cheese so she could do something familiar. I really appreciated the grace.
I feel good because I could tell she was actually in a GREAT mood, she was being super silly in her crate and playing tricks on me. She was just still getting brave about showing our new skills lol.
Tbh most of the time she is weird for the first class or two if we are doing a fresh "subject" compared to our previous session. I think she had a picture in her mind of what we are going to do, and then it's something else, so it hurts her feelings lol. Vs a trial is just no expectations? Idk 🤣
