More legs! Options

[ann]

This past weekend has been several months in the planning and much anticipated. We couldn't get into this show last year and one of my entries didn't make it this year, but we had a total of 7 entries over the 2 days in Rally and Obedience.

It didn't exactly start off on a high note First dog in was Toben who has only been shown breed. I've been working with him for months now, but he apparently thought I meant "stand" when I wanted him to sit! Not good so he NQ'd. Next came his son, Vince in Rally Advanced. I was more than a little concerned with the placement of the spiral which was used twice and was close to the entrance. He managed his way through the spirals though he was tempted to visit the judge. His final excercise was the off-set figure 8 with very large squeak toys sitting in the bowls. Thank goodness we had practiced HARD for two weeks straight on "leave it" which paid off since he only stopped for a sniff and didn't take off with the toys! He qualified and got his first leg.

Purdy was next in Novice B Obedience. Last time out (her first) she seemed to have forgotten why she was in the ring. This time she was distracted, but I was able to get her to focus on me and we PASSED!!!!! She got her first CD leg. Then my son Rob took Trikki in for Novice A Obedience. It was his first time in the ring and he did a GREAT job except he NQ'd on the stand for exam with a double command. He was crushed, but determined to come back and try again in a month.

Next day I had Rob take Toben in. Those two have always had a special bond and sure enough, he qualified! Rob said he found Rally much less stressful and now he wants to finish Toben's RN Trikki came next in Excellent and put on less than a stellar performance but still managed to qualify and get a 3rd in her class on time (she was tied).

By this time I was beat, but I still had one dog to go. Vince was the second to the last dog in for the entire show. He bounded over the jump, tagging my arm on the way to the next station. Had a grand time on "fast" to slam on the brakes for normal, went a bit wide on his next turn, grabbed my wrist on the moving down and finished out the course with tail wagging and positively pleased with himself. Rob came back and they had taken the scores down so he asked if he qualified which he had. I didn't tell him where he placed and his jaw hit the ground when they called my number for FIRST place! Not a great score, but it was the highest!

So not too bad a weekend. 7 runs with 5 passes and 1 near miss. We'll see how it goes in January, though we won't have so many entered because Rally Excellent and Advanced are filled. We're going to try the Obedience instead and Novice Rally for Toben.

[Karen]

I always looks at it as it could have always been worse - 5 of 7 I think is great!

I am trying to get Ryker into a very limited entry in January. Shelties get in first but Nov B is always so huge that I fear we did not get a spot.

If not next chance will be April I think.

[ann]

Oh, it could have been A LOT worse LOL! I was tickled with 5 out of 7. Now that's funny about the Novice B. When I asked if the entries were filled, Novice was still wide open (44 each day), but Advanced and Excellent had filled right away. No problem getting into obedience.

Well I hope you made the entry! I don't know when I'll be able to hit a Rally trial after January. I hate to enter the girls until they come into season because you know if I enter them now, they will come in for sure!

[Karen]

Oh, it could have been A LOT worse LOL! I was tickled with 5 out of 7. Now that's funny about the Novice B. When I asked if the entries were filled, Novice was still wide open (44 each day), but Advanced and Excellent had filled right away. No problem getting into obedience.

Well I hope you made the entry! I don't know when I'll be able to hit a Rally trial after January. I hate to enter the girls until they come into season because you know if I enter them now, they will come in for sure!

AWWWWW GEEEE! Come on! I did an Agility trial when Ryker was about 3 or 4 and the rectal orafice a couple dogs a head of us cleaned up his girl and ran her IN STANDING HEAT and then bragged about it later - his dog DQ'd and every intact male followed her exact same off course - including mine. Now I know we have to train for every distraction possible, but this is agianst rules.

[ann]

The guy bragged about it? Yikes! What a jerk. I don't enter them until AFTER they've come out of season so there is no chance of them being attractive and I bath them to boot!

Rob announced this morning that he is going to take Toben all the way to his RE title. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Toben listens to me, MOM". Hey, I'm tickled that I now have a partner in crime LOL!