Rits
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Two weeks ago we started our obedience journey and entered two fun match runs the day before our obedience trial weekend. A few weeks prior to that we did a drop in run for practice and oh my god... the difference between Ripley anywhere else vs in a ring environment was awful. I was so disappointed in the moment, I didn't expect her to be so naughty and act like she hadn't been trained a day in her life! So we went home and focused on more engagement and play. The week leading up to the trial I did no training! I didn't want to burn ourselves out. We went into the fun match and she was THE BEST girl and stayed so in tune and engaged with me through the whole routine, twice! I was so proud of her and was looking forward to our weekend. The club member that acted like a judge said "Oh, you guys will have no problem Qing tomorrow."
Well, apparently Ripley used up all her good girl energy LOL. The following day we trialed in a different ring than the fun match. The matting was foam vs rubber matting (like in dog shows). There were two trials each day and we are first in every time. Ripley and I are on deck, warming up with a little engagement work and shes ON and focused on me. Unfortunately, there was a genetleman standing at the ring gate with his dog so I wait a bit and ask if he would please move aside so I may enter the ring. I should have waited for him to move away entirely from the area instead of him backing up and staying there but the judge was waiting on us. As we heel by, his dog snaps at Ripley and it was over for her. She lost engagement with me, her hackles are up, she's over stimulated and no matter what I did, I couldn't get her back to "okay we are doing heeling and obedience with mom". She subconsciously sat next to me and the judge asked if we were ready, Ripley looked at the ring and I could tell she was not. So I reset her and tried to get her back to me. Ripley's muscles twitch...she's ready alright, but ready to TAKE OFF as if she was in agility. So she twitches... I reset her one more time and knew I just needed to go at that point as I couldn't hold the ring up all day. The worst heeling in our lives. I wanted to cry but kept walking hoping she'd come back at some point. Exercise complete. I managed to get her back to me for the figure 8 and there's my dog! She's engaged and paying attention. We finish the rest of our routine as normal. The judge apologized and said everything from the figure 8 on was beautiful but understandably couldn't pass our heeling portion so obviously an NQ.
After the catastrophe of the first trial, we heeled smoothly in to our second like a well connected team. It was a long day at this point and I could tell she was tired so she got docked points for some lagging in the figure 8, go figure since that is usually her best exercise. A little lag on the about turn and a slow sit on the recall. Absolutely fantastic for everything else! Great focus and transitions for heeling, didn't move a paw for the sit exam, stayed rock solid for the sit stay while I walked around the large ring and she ran at high speed to me for her recall. Our first Q and we placed second out of 6! Whew, day one over.
Day two, MUCH better connection compared to day 1 but she was pretty over obedience at this point and felt flat. Slow auto sits to sometimes she just didn't feel like sitting!...never in her life has she done that. Honestly, I'm just going to chalk it up to the fact that it was a lot of work on her part, stressful environment to think and work in over a long period. I'm proud of her for what she did give me, the improvement we made each day and from day to day. I know we'll get better the more ring exposure we have. I'll keep practicing and try and find more ring practice opportunities so we can do way more playing inside the ring. We earn two more Q's, two more placements and we finished our Beginner Novice title!!!
The judge was laughing because Ripley being Ripley started vocalizing here
195, 190 1/2, 193
We played with her chuck-it ball after! Her favorite thing!
Although it wasn't our best we gave it our best and I'm proud that we accomplished our first obedience trial! This has been a dream of mine to get back out there since I haven't done any competition obedience (not counting rally) since my 4H days! It seems easy enough...but it feels so much tougher than rally...you can't talk to your dog during your exercise!! (well in BN you get ONE free "good girl") And the environment is nothing like doing this at home, backyard, front yard, park, lowe's, tractor supply, pet store etc. Nothing can replicate it.
I might go for her CD this year, it depends on how much practice we can get in in a ring like setting. That is really all that is setting us back from entering another trial; a way to gain more ring exposure to make rings more fun and less stress. Otherwise, I think we may play in barn hunt now as a little reward for us both! Hubby is focusing on finishing her CH by getting her two majors, then by fall they should be ready to play in agility! We absolutely love this girl and all that she is...
Pending AKC* Ripley is AKC ptd. / UKC BIS GCH Melrae's Houston We Have A Problem *BN* RI RA DJ BCAT WAC CGCA CGCU TKA SPOT-ON RACEN RATI
Well, apparently Ripley used up all her good girl energy LOL. The following day we trialed in a different ring than the fun match. The matting was foam vs rubber matting (like in dog shows). There were two trials each day and we are first in every time. Ripley and I are on deck, warming up with a little engagement work and shes ON and focused on me. Unfortunately, there was a genetleman standing at the ring gate with his dog so I wait a bit and ask if he would please move aside so I may enter the ring. I should have waited for him to move away entirely from the area instead of him backing up and staying there but the judge was waiting on us. As we heel by, his dog snaps at Ripley and it was over for her. She lost engagement with me, her hackles are up, she's over stimulated and no matter what I did, I couldn't get her back to "okay we are doing heeling and obedience with mom". She subconsciously sat next to me and the judge asked if we were ready, Ripley looked at the ring and I could tell she was not. So I reset her and tried to get her back to me. Ripley's muscles twitch...she's ready alright, but ready to TAKE OFF as if she was in agility. So she twitches... I reset her one more time and knew I just needed to go at that point as I couldn't hold the ring up all day. The worst heeling in our lives. I wanted to cry but kept walking hoping she'd come back at some point. Exercise complete. I managed to get her back to me for the figure 8 and there's my dog! She's engaged and paying attention. We finish the rest of our routine as normal. The judge apologized and said everything from the figure 8 on was beautiful but understandably couldn't pass our heeling portion so obviously an NQ.
After the catastrophe of the first trial, we heeled smoothly in to our second like a well connected team. It was a long day at this point and I could tell she was tired so she got docked points for some lagging in the figure 8, go figure since that is usually her best exercise. A little lag on the about turn and a slow sit on the recall. Absolutely fantastic for everything else! Great focus and transitions for heeling, didn't move a paw for the sit exam, stayed rock solid for the sit stay while I walked around the large ring and she ran at high speed to me for her recall. Our first Q and we placed second out of 6! Whew, day one over.
Day two, MUCH better connection compared to day 1 but she was pretty over obedience at this point and felt flat. Slow auto sits to sometimes she just didn't feel like sitting!...never in her life has she done that. Honestly, I'm just going to chalk it up to the fact that it was a lot of work on her part, stressful environment to think and work in over a long period. I'm proud of her for what she did give me, the improvement we made each day and from day to day. I know we'll get better the more ring exposure we have. I'll keep practicing and try and find more ring practice opportunities so we can do way more playing inside the ring. We earn two more Q's, two more placements and we finished our Beginner Novice title!!!
The judge was laughing because Ripley being Ripley started vocalizing here
195, 190 1/2, 193
We played with her chuck-it ball after! Her favorite thing!
Although it wasn't our best we gave it our best and I'm proud that we accomplished our first obedience trial! This has been a dream of mine to get back out there since I haven't done any competition obedience (not counting rally) since my 4H days! It seems easy enough...but it feels so much tougher than rally...you can't talk to your dog during your exercise!! (well in BN you get ONE free "good girl") And the environment is nothing like doing this at home, backyard, front yard, park, lowe's, tractor supply, pet store etc. Nothing can replicate it.
I might go for her CD this year, it depends on how much practice we can get in in a ring like setting. That is really all that is setting us back from entering another trial; a way to gain more ring exposure to make rings more fun and less stress. Otherwise, I think we may play in barn hunt now as a little reward for us both! Hubby is focusing on finishing her CH by getting her two majors, then by fall they should be ready to play in agility! We absolutely love this girl and all that she is...
Pending AKC* Ripley is AKC ptd. / UKC BIS GCH Melrae's Houston We Have A Problem *BN* RI RA DJ BCAT WAC CGCA CGCU TKA SPOT-ON RACEN RATI
I mean, she had head up, eyes locked onto me, precision heeling. Ugh, dogs! 
Great pictures! Congrats.
