Getting Ready, Part 2

Sadly, our morning agility class was canceled due to scattered showers. I didn't notice any rain until I pulled into the parking lot! Of course we were the only ones there. So the Riffle and I went to Crane Creek Regional Park instead.

We started out on the creek trail, which is beautiful this time of year, and the best trail in the park. This is one of my favorite little picnic spots by the creek (which was running full)....


I decided to train Riff on sit/stays. He was nervous, at first. He's only been to this park twice before - once at about 6 months old, and once at about a year old - and he was wired for sound. Jumpy, reactive, and having fun taking in all the sights and smells....


....and he stayed nicely! I brought his orange ring along, so we had a good game of tug as a reward for each sit/stay/recall. We tried it again, farther down the trail.....


....Yes! Good dog!
We saw only three or four people in the park. Riff was so attentive and eager-to-please that I felt totally confident, letting him off-leash for a few minutes at a time.

We worked our way up to longer distances.

It was a great walk. We stopped at the top of the hill, to take in the view. I think this view is of the Santa Rosa plain....and that the city in the foreground is Rohnert Park. Someday I'll look it up on a map.

Riff was much more relaxed by this point in our walk. He enjoyed looking at the sheep pasture.

And that's our training for today. Ever onward!!!