When you set the bar low, sometimes it’s pretty easy to jump over it.
And that’s just what Aidan did in his first time in the Advanced Rally ring in Toledo on March 7.
I set three goals for us.
- Stay with me in the ring and don’t bolt when the leash comes off.
- Jump the jump.
- Let me reattach the leash to his collar without theatrics before exiting.
As a reminder, both the Novice class and the Intermediate class are shown with a leash attached to the dog’s collar. In Advanced, Excellent, Master and Choice, once you walk into the ring and set up at the start line, you take off your leash and hand it either to the judge or a steward who then hangs it on the fencing.
Then once you cross the finish line, you put you dog on a sit stay, retrieve the leash from wherever it’s hanging, attach it to the collar and walk out of the ring with your dog under control.
Sounds pretty simple, huh?
Well, Aidan has always been a bit skiddish about me attaching the leash to his collar so I was concerned.
Notice I didn’t mention actually completing all the signs accurately, which is pretty much what showing for a score is all about? Or even qualifying, which is a score of better than 70 out of 100?
Perhaps I should have added those two things to the list, but as I stated above, I’d set the bar pretty low.
So, let’s just say there were a few glitches. It started out rather well, we got to the middle third and yup, he sailed over the jump and almost continued going – right out the out gate, but I called him back and he returned rather quickly.
On we went.
Then, for some reason, he got stressed. And decided to relieve it by scratching. He sat at the sign as commanded, then proceeded to scratch his neck with his hind foot. A really satisfying lengthy scratch, and I just waited him out. When he was done he remembered that he was in the ring, sat up beautifully and completed the sign. We did a few more signs and all was hunky-dory again … until we came to the now bugaboo “stop and down” sign.
Yup, the very same one we’ve lost points on several times before. And … yup, we lost points on it yet again, when he failed to down on command and I had to redo it. That’s minus 3 points right there, plus the few other little oopsies on a couple of other signs.
We completed the course, he shied away a wee bit when I put his leash on but overall, I was pleased. I’d calculated a score in my head and it was good enough to qualify plus, we’d met the goals I’d set for us.
Good job little buddy. I would have given us high 80’s maybe, the judge saw it differently and we scored a 93. Out of the top four placements but still a pretty respectable score.
(For those of you who followed Buzz and my rally journey, it was a rare occurrence when we didn’t place in the top 4 in the class, more so than not, as the first or second place winner.)
So, onto the next class … Intermediate, which is a similar course to Advanced but there is no jump. And it’s on leash. This time in, I was determined to clean up our mistakes with better handling at the signs as the two other goals I’d set previously were no longer in play.
And, we did … he was having a fabulous run on the course. All the little bobbles from the first class vanished. No stress scratching, cleaner sign execution. It felt great. Until … we got to the stop and down sign. And, he refused to down again. What the heck?
Only this time, when we redid it, he still would not down, so, off we went to the last few signs on the course having lost 10 points.
I left the course rather dejected and rather befuddled at the same time. He was having a picture perfect run. I’d practiced that darn sign a few times between classes and he nailed it every single time. So, I had every confidence he’d do it in the ring.
Until he didn’t.
What should have been a perfect 100 run turned into a 90 score and once again, we landed in the back row with the other qualifiers who weren’t in the top 4. As I like to call them, back row people. The dogs and handlers who place are called to a newly formed front line close to the judge as a sign of honor.
But you know what, I still went home with the best little red dog I could ask for. He hasn’t shown much and for some reason this venue stresses him out. But, that’s what dog shows are for. They are teaching tools for your training. And, obviously, Aidan and I need to work on that sign and make it more fun for him. So, lots of treats for getting it right in training from now on little buddy.
Bring on the next show Easter weekend in Ann Arbor at the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club.
While I have your attention, I’d also like to thank the following people who recently donated to Chelsea Update:
- Sandra Szufnar
- Stephanie and Larry Doll
- Elizabeth Jarratt
- Catherine Guinan
- Jenn Ridley
- Elizabeth Wilson
- Ruddock Consulting
- Florence Beach
- Margaret and Jack Ricketts
- John and Becky Chamberlin
- Roger and Debra Simpson
- Victoria Haehl
- Wendy Reinhardt
- Olivia DeTroyer
- Laura Damschroder
- Mary Gibbons
- Denise Lotz
- Jane Zawistowski
- Cathy Carter
- Mary and Jim Randolph
- Amanda Higgins
