We went to Bluffton, IN to do 4 shows this weekend! Left Friday night to get settled in beforehand and check in to our hotel. Ripley made herself right at home...
Going in Ripley only needed 10 more points and one more competition win.
On Saturday, Ripley and Derek won Best Female (against competition), Best of Breed and Group 4 under judge Diana Brumbaugh and finished her UKC Championship title (pending UKC)! Judge Diana pulled Derek aside and said she was really nice and she loved her. Derek and I both knew why she didn't place higher as Ripley was pacing a few times and Derek couldn't pull her out of it. Which she must be going through another growth spurt because she hasn't EVER paced the past 8 weeks in class. She paced one week at our first practice and then never again so everyone said it was due to growing, they all go through it. I told Derek to try gaiting and not looking down at Ripley, let her have some lead and flash the bait at her as she tends to pace when she feels that pressure.
It worked because Show 2 they went out there improved and Ripley won Best Female (competition), Breed, and Group ONE under judge Nancy Gallant!
Group 1
He will be changing his shoes and pants come Premier and AKC . He discovered he must have grown...(kidding) and his dress shoes he brought would make it look even more like he had high waders on LOL. Curses of a tall person. Half of the people in UKC don't even dress this nice so he was ok. Also, forgot to tickle her tail as we were in a rush since it started raining... ah well!
So eager waiting ringside for the next show.
Guardians were the last group of the day so the only other dogs left are Best in Show so not many people around! It was also a smaller show than ones we have been to.
Once we came back that afternoon we decided to take a nap. This was the result. Ripley didn't move ONCE for 3 hours.
Sunday they had a little pep talk before going in
Ripley and Derek took two BOBs and two Group 2s on Sunday! The Bernese they went up against every time in group was a very nice dog; a top ten guardian breed at #4! It was an honor to win against them and take Group 1 on Saturday and to be put up next to them on Sunday! On Sunday, Derek was also able to watch Ripley's gait and catch pacing the moment it happened, cued her and got her to hop out of it! We'll be continuing to work on reinforcing the cue at home/class by rewarding her the moment she breaks out of it on command. We are assuming its a growth thing since shes been very good until now!
Sunday's Guardian Group under Judge Kimberly Caines
Checking expression; something Ripley has been complimented on but she's all about that bait and if the judge doesn't have any, she ain't bothering LOL
Weekend haul
So proud of them both for all their hard work starting as complete newbies from that rambunctious puppy in fun matches at 4 months old to finishing her U-CH in the puppy class (6-12mos) at only 3x out. The sky is the limit for them both from here as they are going to continue to her GCH in UKC and will soon be showing in AKC too! They have two more UKC shows this month then Premier in June which is UKC's big national show so should be fun!
Going in Ripley only needed 10 more points and one more competition win.
On Saturday, Ripley and Derek won Best Female (against competition), Best of Breed and Group 4 under judge Diana Brumbaugh and finished her UKC Championship title (pending UKC)! Judge Diana pulled Derek aside and said she was really nice and she loved her. Derek and I both knew why she didn't place higher as Ripley was pacing a few times and Derek couldn't pull her out of it. Which she must be going through another growth spurt because she hasn't EVER paced the past 8 weeks in class. She paced one week at our first practice and then never again so everyone said it was due to growing, they all go through it. I told Derek to try gaiting and not looking down at Ripley, let her have some lead and flash the bait at her as she tends to pace when she feels that pressure.
It worked because Show 2 they went out there improved and Ripley won Best Female (competition), Breed, and Group ONE under judge Nancy Gallant!
Group 1
He will be changing his shoes and pants come Premier and AKC . He discovered he must have grown...(kidding) and his dress shoes he brought would make it look even more like he had high waders on LOL. Curses of a tall person. Half of the people in UKC don't even dress this nice so he was ok. Also, forgot to tickle her tail as we were in a rush since it started raining... ah well!
So eager waiting ringside for the next show.
Guardians were the last group of the day so the only other dogs left are Best in Show so not many people around! It was also a smaller show than ones we have been to.
Once we came back that afternoon we decided to take a nap. This was the result. Ripley didn't move ONCE for 3 hours.
Sunday they had a little pep talk before going in
Ripley and Derek took two BOBs and two Group 2s on Sunday! The Bernese they went up against every time in group was a very nice dog; a top ten guardian breed at #4! It was an honor to win against them and take Group 1 on Saturday and to be put up next to them on Sunday! On Sunday, Derek was also able to watch Ripley's gait and catch pacing the moment it happened, cued her and got her to hop out of it! We'll be continuing to work on reinforcing the cue at home/class by rewarding her the moment she breaks out of it on command. We are assuming its a growth thing since shes been very good until now!
Sunday's Guardian Group under Judge Kimberly Caines
Checking expression; something Ripley has been complimented on but she's all about that bait and if the judge doesn't have any, she ain't bothering LOL
Weekend haul
So proud of them both for all their hard work starting as complete newbies from that rambunctious puppy in fun matches at 4 months old to finishing her U-CH in the puppy class (6-12mos) at only 3x out. The sky is the limit for them both from here as they are going to continue to her GCH in UKC and will soon be showing in AKC too! They have two more UKC shows this month then Premier in June which is UKC's big national show so should be fun!