In light of a bunch of posts in a few different dog groups I’m in about what to do if your dog gets distracted and won’t listen to you at a trial and people commenting about how great my dogs are, (Because no, I don’t post portions of our training sessions that are epic fail! *shocker!) On one thread, I shared a personal, funny, but extremely humbling story about mine and Samson’s first rally trial. I just re read it, proofing and editing it after posting and decided to share it here.
Moral of the story: SOMEONE ELSE HAS DONE WORSE THAN YOU!! AND THATS ME! Be it you play/compete in sports most normal people choose, horse sports, body building, dance, swimming- whatever there is out there that you’re competing in! Go for it! You can’t do worse than Sam and I!
My first rally trial ever, ever with Samson, my overly social butterfly Boxer, there was a little kid sitting right up close to the ring fence. Someone had given them a bag of chips or something equally as loud and obnoxious. When we were heeling right near the side of the fence, Samson suddenly lunges to where the kid is, puts his front feet up on the fence, tail wagging, butt wiggling, snorting, panting and snotting all over the place like “Hey there, can we share?? Mum’s not paying up right now, but I’ve been such a good boy!” 🤦♀️😭🤦♀️ I wanted to die! Why couldn’t the floor open up and swallow us then and there?!
I turned and looked at the judge in complete horror and embarrassment, fully expecting her to excuse us from the ring, right then and there... But she was kind enough to not do that! I quickly got my boy’s attention, thanked my lucky stars that he hadn’t actually knocked it down (I weigh 100 pounds and he’s 75 pounds of muscle and to those who don’t do dog shows and are actually still reading this nightmarish tale the fences at these things are thin, lattice. Like flimsier than a baby gate! So yes, it’s a legit fear). We somehow bumbled our way through the rest of the rally course, even tho we’d sooo NQ’d. I can’t even remember if I did the signs right. I thanked the judge profusely as we exited the ring after the last sign. I don’t remember her name, but I absolutely love that woman! ❤️ She probably saw that I was on the brink of tears, and clearly my dog, although a complete doofus, was harmless. And I so appreciate her letting us finish the course, even though it was a waste of time because we were disqualified. We were still able to end the experience on a positive note! And Samson performed beautifully through the last 2 or 3 stations.
This was like 3 or 4 years ago.... I laugh now whenever I think of it. I’m actually sorry now I don’t have a video of it. But at the time, when it happened, I went back to my car and cried, I was so embarrassed! Decided I was never doing this again! I went home, told Jason about it and he was in stitches over it! Jerk..
It’s a story I tell obviously new rally people on day 3 of the trial when they’ve bombed the previous 2 days and are questioning their life’s choices for thinking dog sports was fun for some reason... I always say- “My first trial we NQd because my Boxer jumped on the ring fence... You guys already did better than we did our first weekend!” And they always laugh and it makes me happy because there’s nothing worse than that story! When people say “There’s always someone who does worse than you!” Ummm... No. No, no... I have NEVER seen anyone’s dog at a trial jump up and onto the fence saying “Hi” to a child with a snack! I would gladly take knocking down cones or signs, defecating in the ring, excessive barking, hyperactive and unfocused, running around in zoomies around or out of the ring— all that is CHILD’S PLAY compared to your dog jumping on the fence at a small child!! 🤦♀️😂😂
Seen below: We went home after that epic bomb... We sulked, had a few glasses of wine and in due time went back to training. Handsome Samson progressed and graduated from Riot Dog at the trial to Good boy. One year after these horrific events mentioned above, at the exact same show, Samson and I got a 98/100 and a second place ribbon (YES it was on Sunday because we bombed terribly on Friday and Saturday... BUT AT LEAST HE DID NOT GET DISTRACTED BY A CHILD! 🙌🙌 ) So whether we’d gotten second place or barely making a Q or not- our second trial was a success!
#nevergiveup #itsoktolaughatyourself #weallwerebeginnersatsomepoint #theskydidntfall #rallydog
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