THE DOG I WAS MEANT TO HAVE

We had a great weekend at the K9 Sports TN USDAA Agility Trial. Marley ran well all weekend. She earned her first P2/Advanced Gamblers Q. She also earned her P2/Advanced Jumpers Title with 2 Q's. A first and a third. On the day she earned 1st, she was the only P2/Advanced dog to Q!!

We were super close to earning a Q in our very first attempt in the P3/Masters ring during Snooker. Marley took the wrong end of the tunnel on our very last obstacle. I'm sure my body sent her that way, but I couldn't have been prouder of her.

I had a great time. My parents came and my mom got to see Marley run agility for the first time. I had a fun time meeting new agility people and visiting with folks I had met before. My cousins even came up to visit.

I talked with a woman who also has a 'spirited' dog like Marley. Turns out her dog and Marley are just a month apart in age. She also hasn't had an easy time training her dog. She has also had the naysayers. She said she couldn't count how many times people have told her to give up on her dog. But she believes in her dog. She told me she wanted another agility dog b/c her other dog was getting older. That the dog she ended up with isn't the dog she would have picked out to be her agility dog. But she was the dog she was meant to have. That struck a chord with me.

Yes. Marley has been a challenge for me. Training her has been difficult. But a good friend always reminds me, if it were easy, everyone would do it. I have had to go through so much to find the best training environment for her. And I have found it. I am with the training group I am meant to be with. Getting to this point with her has made everything that I have had to go through worth it. We are with people who believe in me and in Marley.

Marley is a joy to me! She lives each day to the fullest and is always so happy. I have learned so much from her. Marley is the dog I was meant to have!