I thought I'd never get to send this email, but we finally did it!
ZenMaster Max passed Utility yesterday earning that third leg at last for his
AKC Utility title! We've had a long hard climb to achieve this result.
I've never trained any dog in Utility before, let alone a Berner, and I fully
appreciate why this class is called "Futility". Max and I have struggled
with injury (to him), burnout, and frustration along the way. I"m sure I
made every training mistake there was to make, and as Max got older I felt
desparately that time was slipping away and we would never make this summit.
Yet I know I have been very, very lucky - It amazes me that Max - who is 8
1/2 - still competes at an age when many of our Berners have gone to the
Rainbow Bridge.
It has been an interesting journey and I have learned so much.
ZenMaster Max is my first Berner, and everything I have done with him has
been a first for me. He is an amazing teacher, and his lesson to me has
continually been to love life and the time we have together. As much as I
wanted him to earn his UD title, I had to realize that it was just having Max
with me and enjoying our companionship that was so important. What does a
title mean, really? I finally gave up my need to have the title, and
backed off on the showing and training. Once I let go and let my time with
Max be for fun again, the joy of our partnership returned. The show
yesterday was a delight - the ZenMaster showed like a puppy, barking and
hamming it up in the ring. Our score was far from perfect, but the harmony I
felt with this dog really was perfect. He knew that he had done something
special, and we celebrated like crazy kids when we left the ring. Max earned
Third place for this third leg in a class of 20 dogs - and many people came
over to tell me how nice it was to see a Berner compete at this level.
I have to say special thanks to all my Berner-L Buddies who gave me
support and advice along the way - Vilma Kistner Briggs, Kris Osojonicki, Pat
Tackett, April Rifenburg and Elizabeth Malcomson have all given us words of
wisdom and support that kept me going when times were pretty discouraging.
I really wasn't sure we would make it this far, but I wouldn't have
missed the journey for anything. Thank you, ZenMaster Max for your huge
heart - you continue to be my Best Teacher as well as my Best Friend!
Still on Cloud Nine in Seattle, WA - Ruth Nielsen and ZenMaster Max
Am/Can/Intl CH Schneehund Max von Mazama UD!!! Can CDX Am/Can DD
(with supporting performance from the Winter-boy - our cheering section!)
