April 17, 2005
OYRDTC Obedience Match
The day started out like any other �dog show� day, but
slightly later. This time the alarm went off at 6:15 instead of the ungodly
hour of 4am. It has been almost a year since I have entered anything doggish,
�The Corgi Fun Day In The Park� last May the last. I had taken the dogs to an
agility trial in October, but I was scheduled to work and the dogs went along
for the ride and hang out.
Recently, I have returned to Obedience Class with Sprout.
Anyone who knows me will roll eyes when they hear me talk about this sport. Put
bluntly, I hate it. Unlike every other performance sport, Obedience is nothing
but short commands, perfect performances, and rigid habits. If I hate the
routine, how can I expect any dog to like it?
Anyway, with Crumpet being retired from competitive agility
and Sprout not being a performance dog, I had to do something. Obedience keeps
the dogs for the most part, on the ground and both aging Corgis can be worked.
The problem is that it is Obedience, commonly referred by
me as Doggie Gestapo.
Did I mention how much I hate this sport?
Anyway, that is the way it goes and I drag Couch Potato
Sprout off once a week to class. In the sporadic two years of training that she
has under her belt, I have to admit that I have seen a dramatic improvement in
her work ethic. Instead of letting the �B� personality shine through like
normal, I am starting to see Crumpet�s drive more often. There are nights when
I really have to look to confirm that I brought the right dog to class.
Today the club that I train with for Novice work, ran a
�Show N Go� trial. I decided to support the club and to see where Sprout was in
completed ring routine. Crumpet came along for a shot in Open, but was more for
me to get ring experience. I knew that he would be happy to play show dog
again, getting to retrieve and jump. Sick dog.
The other part of the morning would be for Sprout to
attempt the �Canine Good Citizenship�. I love this test and have taken in more
dogs for other people. Light, airy, and common manners. Every dog that I have
handled has passed�.except Sprout.
Two months after Sprout had been returned to B, we
entered the Rotts and Sprout. Both larger dogs could not negotiate the steep
stairs and never made it to the test, Sprout broke her stay and barked the
entire three minute �leave with stranger� portion. Since then, I have had to
work through some interesting issues with Sprout, building confidence and
teaching a full blown �wait�.
The morning was as perfect as one can get. I have had it
with rain and being wet all day, only to pile wet stuff, dogs, and human into
the car to go home. Agility weekends are not missed simply for this reason. We
drove to the local state park, bathed in early spring sun and flowered
landscape. I did what I could to help set the rings up, then settled into the
job of gate steward for the Open ring. Both of my guys were to go last in
Novice and Open, with Sprout�s CGC test somewhere in the middle.
The morning began as it normally does, competitors
yelling and screaming about the running order and why this person got bumped
up. Another round of rolling eyes from me. This is what I hated about
Obedience trials and what Agility had become. Everyone is the most important
person there; of course every one of them was the top handler in the country.
Give me a break�.and that sent people back to their chairs. Hey, I have to go
last here.
As the morning wears to late, I get called up to the CGC
ring for testing. Sprout plots along, probably glad to be alone with me,
leaving Crumpet crated by the obedience rings. This test really is not that big
of a deal if one had control over the dog. Like I have said before, I have
taken numerous dogs through this test, most of them not mine.
I was curious to see how Sprout would handle this. I was
to not give out treats in between exercises and she was used to that constant
Corgi reward. I had to give verbal praise and keep things fun. The response
was confusion, but by the time we got to �sitting� then �downing�, Sprout was
literally throwing herself into the command. That got everyone to laugh myself
included, as I have only seen Fred flatten to the ground that fast.
We passed each exercise with flying colors; my heart
going into my throat when it was time to leave Sprout with the friendly
stranger. The new issue that has risen is that Sprout likes to bark when crated
and I have another dog. What I suddenly thought of was that she might connect
Crumpet down the hill with being left�which I had done the day before in �brush
up� practice. Sprout barked the entire time PG and Kang held her.
Time would tell and I told her that she would have to
wait with Mrs. Nice Tester while I went to hide. Then I went and hid
behind a tent for the three minutes. This time, it went faster and when we
rounded the corner and Sprout came into view, there she was alligatored to the
ground. From what I understand that is the position she immediately went into
after I turned my back�.and did not move for anything.
Needless to say, Sprout passed the test and is now
considered a Canine Good Citizen. That alone had already made the day.
We get back to the crate only to find out that they had
called Sprout at the Novice ring half an hour before. We are basically�..next.
I was allowed to take food into the ring because rules were very relaxed and I
opted for stuffing my pocket to let Sprout know that it was there. I figured
that she would have to go through the entire exercise then get the treat after
it was completed.
I have to say, for a dog that is really not ready for
formal competition, Sprout blew me away. Her on lead heeling was very nice,
completed with nice sits for each stop. Maintaining the working drive, the off
lead heeling was just as nice, with one little �leave Joyce to walk alone�
once�.all sits completed straight and close! (I cannot blame her here, the
grass was very tall and the ring placed on a hill.) I had to pop her into a
stand, but she let a total stranger walk up to her without trying to get out of
the way�.only one foot moved AFTER the judge walked away. That was a
breakthrough.
The recall was the crowning moment. No, it was not
perfect, but it was one of those events that burns into the memory. I leave
cute, little Fluff ball at the bottom of the hill and walk to the other side of
the ring. I turned around and there was Sprout surrounded by tall grass. This
poor dog. Once called, she tried like mad to haul butt towards me, lack of
coordination tripping her as she went. All I could hear was the Lassie
music�.because she looked like a miniature Collie (not Sheltie) trying to make
it over the fence in the opening credits. Rudd Weatherlax would be proud.
For the most part?
Sprout did a hell of a job for her
first attempt at formal Obedience. If I would just get serious and train I
could enter mid-summer. The judge gave me a few pointers about what I did wrong
with my own handling, which was deeply appreciated. There are a few things that
both Sprout and I need to work on, but that is the hard part when most of the
formal training is in the backyard and not with an instructor with a critical
eye.
What I did like? The dog did not shut down nor tune me
out, and felt comfortable making mistakes! She kept her dopey smilie face going
despite the hot afternoon and the stress of the day. That means a lot more to
me than a mistake here and there. Barring the sits and downs (which I did not
have time for), Sprout would have Qed. Who ever would have thought that?
I waited around for Crumpet�s Open run. Somehow I got
nervous just before ring time. That is unusual for me, but that is what needs
to be faced. I could see Crumpet go from a loose dog shifting in to working
focus. God, this dog is scary sometimes.
Yesterday was the first day that I ran him through the
exercises in over six months. That was a disaster and I figured that would be
how it would go today. I could not have been more further from miscalculation.
Crumpet was flying along the off lead heeling pattern as if he had been in class
all along. His retrieves, both on the flat and over the panel jump were
flawless.
The drop on recall has been a serious problem, more
because by the time Crumpet stops he is six feet in front of me. The first go
round, I thought I had Sprout and gave the wrong command. That brought an
ignored �down� and come to �sit front�. The judge yelled at me then sent us
back to start again. With the correct command of �front� Crumpie knew that
�down� was coming and performed perfectly. The judge asked me why this was
keeping me from doing serious trialing and my reply was that he normally does
not do this. We both laughed.
For the long jump, I screwed up, but the dog performed
another flawless exercise. Barring the sits and downs? Crumpet would have
finished with a 195 out of 200. How is that for a well rested dog that has not
seen obedience in over two years?
At this point and because I was the last dog, the judge
asked me who I was training with, found out that we had no CDX class, and
demanded for me to work with her at her club�not that far away. I guess she
does not realize that Crumpie is going to be ten years old next month. ;)
Sicker still? I am seriously contemplating the idea and
am looking forward to the new challenge.
So everyone was packed into PG�s car and we came home to
hang out with PG in the backyard�which is a totally different story unto itself.
What a most excellent day, but I do not miss packing the
car the night before nor the lugging of stuff at the trial.
I really need a
Sport Ut�������
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Last Updated on April 21, 2007
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