#dog trials

[charlie-mac-posts]

Let's go to the Show

[securityunit-ese]

facebook post: hey so dog-on-dog attacks have been really increasing at sport dog competitions, what can we as individuals do about this?

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people shouldn’t be so disrespectful by standing near us

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people should look where they’re walking and not walk close to us!

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: other dog owners should stop letting their dogs look at our dog

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: i’ve had so many near misses where my dog has nearly bitten someone. Give us space!

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people need to be more considerate of my dog and give us more space

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials; my dog is very well trained and i’m super great at management. he has only bitten once!

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: we need to breed dogs to be less aggressive

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people with friendly dogs need to control their dogs

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people need to train more focus i trialed my aggressive dog successfully for years and he was focused.  aggressive dogs need to be taught better focus for when they go in trials

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people shouldn’t be standing near entries and exits, crowding is the issue

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: the trial host should stop people from mingling

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: dogs should be crated at all times unless in the ring, so that my dog does not get distracted or realise other dogs are nearby

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: people have no sense and let their dogs near mine

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: dogs get loose without good recall and come near mine

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: agility changed my dogs life and makes him so happy and the ONLY way to do agility is to enter trials that have a busy atmosphere.

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: I’m so great at management. I recently misjudged my dogs arousal at a trial and he bit me. I think we need to educate people to manage their dogs better at trials.

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: I’ve worked so hard to train my reactive dog. I’m great at management and my dog is so well trained! We have had several close calls because of other people. Sometimes when getting ready people walk past me with a dog and he bites. Sometimes while getting ready another dog will look at my dog and my dog bites. One time this excited person ran past my dog and my dog turned around and bit me. It was so rude for that excited person to run past my dog and cause my dog to bite me and certainly wasn’t my fault for bring a wildly aggressive dog to a trial. People are so selfish and need to be more respectful of me and my dog and stop coming near us. It’s never my fault of responsibility.

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: i think reactive dogs should be able to trial if they are well trained. Only dogs that are badly trained act out.

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: I’m sick of friendly dogs being near my reactive dog and setting her off. People with friendly dogs need to control them.

owner of aggressive dog who enters dog in trials: why can’t our dogs wear muzzles at trials? being hit by a muzzle hurts but it hurts less than being bitten, we should be able to put muzzles on our dogs.

Normal person: There’s a lot of pressure in competitions, some dogs just shouldn’t be entered. I don’t think its a good idea for some dogs.

Normal person: I think you should discuss when people should draw the line in entering their dogs. What are the signs to stop entering?

[securityunit-ese]

Thyme did so good at the triple trial today! He got two first places and a second place! And his Rally Advanced title! He is so tired, I am very proud of him. He worked really hard and was very tuned in. Springers represent!

[securityunit-ese]

In an attempt not to dwell on an off day. The highlight reel!

LLW past all the dogs! Even the tiny yappy yorkie!

Toileting on request is always a lifesaver. Good big healthy poops from both.

Our best check in to date, didn’t have to drag her into the queue - just heavy coaxing and rewarding.

It was a pretty busy venue with small rings in close quarters, she did a good job staying with me, even when the concern wrinkle appeared.

Up until she took fright and froze/fixated on the judge following us, she was doing pretty good and had early recovered from taking fright from him! This was my poor management in the first place that had her notice him and get overwhelmed/feel trapped.

She didn’t bolt when she took fright! Sure a bark looks bad, but she didn’t turn and run or jump or scatter. Just crouched and barked. This is actually progress.

She did want to sniff a couple of random strangers. This is a big deal, Thistle NEVER wants to say hello to utter strangers!

She was only 1 point off a qualification! Pretty good for our first Excellent level and first trial in 8 months!

I think she wanted to greet the ridgeback too, also promising! She was not as concerned about dogs as she can get.

Good car manners on both dogs, only a couple of moments of barking.

I met lots of new people, as I do not usually attend the southern located trials. They were a nice batch.

All our spins in movement were good! This is a hard trick for Thistle as she is very long!

Nice lady gave us a bag of dried beef strips! So kind!

[securityunit-ese]

It might just be nerves but I’m second guessing tomorrow’s trials for Thistle.

In part because I was reading a blog post about not trialling work in progress dogs of any kind and it did touch upon things I secondguess a lot, which hampers my confidence.

Like she barked at the judge in the afternoon ring last week, and I know she had been acting off all day, but I’m finding myself obsessing over it right now. Even though I think he was willing to let us continue the course and I am the one who withdrew us (she barked. she’s been pushed too far and needs a break. i do not want to damage her confidence). It is a knock to confidence to me more than any loss of points, to have her act out as such.

I wish perhaps someone had been recording us so I could better evaluate if it’s a one time thing where we pushed too far too hard, or if it is a potential new habit of sorts. It is not normal for her to bark at people, so I am obviously hoping it was a combination of the latter. Plus we have had so much successes in the ring last year and even that morning so it is unusual.

She was back to normal the following day, much more engaged. I had the mock judge follow us obnoxiously close and while obviously concerned she only disengaged a bit and did not bark.

We have the same judge tomorrow for Trial 2, but I think after apologising for last week’s behaviour I will ask him if he is comfortable having us back in the ring. Should know by Trial 2 if she is ready, since trial 1 is I think with one of the Judges who has been helping to train.

(Would it be poor of me to only enter under judges she knows and is familiar with?)

There is a part of me concerned it will happen again. I adamantly won’t have a dog that barks at people in the ring. But then, we have been attending all these trial ready classes run by judges and they have gone fine so we’ve had a strong history of success and this is the outlier situation?

It probably is just my nerves building up and overthinking, I have that annoying sick feeling. I will hopefully feel better tomorrow as we get in the groove of things. This is hopefully a quieter venue with rings well placed apart. Last week’s venue was very crowded and packed. Not as bad as Geelong was last year, but it was still an unsually busy venue with dogs right up against the fence line plus she had been acting so weird and disengaged all day.

Tomorrow is going to be a hard one anyway. I hope we come away with a couple of qualifications, maybe a title for Thyme. I’ll know better what direction to take with Thistle after the day has ended.

The order catalogue isn’t out yet. It is tomorrow the trials, I would dearly like to know how much running between rings I’ll need to do, and how busy the day will be.

[securityunit-ese]

Dog sports new years resolutions: I’m gonna enter one trial every month! Pace ourselves! Steady does it!

Reality: Do nothing for 5 months. Enter 8 in one month. 6 of these trials are on the same day

[securityunit-ese]

Such a cold windy rainy day but they did their best and more importantly they had fun! Great end to the competing year. Lots of things learnt.

Highlights:

Thistle didn’t bark or growl at anyone!

While she did attempt one fear bolt, she recovered quickly and shook it off.

Thistle is getting pretty good at ignoring judges, barely any freezing.

Thyme ignored the aggro German shepherds.

Thyme didn’t get spooked by the flapping gazebos.

They both were having fun in the ring and being a bit silly outside it.

☺️

Things to work on:

Me giving clear physical cues (Thistle had one retry because I verbally said sit, but my body said front so Thistle went in front and dropped)

Speed. This is the third time we have had a score draw where we got the lower placed because slower time. I think this may come with confidence for us both.

Thyme consistently breaks position from a drop when I walk around him. This has happened in every trial with that particular sign. No big deal, I think partially uncertainty and partially confusion. Practice will help him fit both.

Thyme...offlead...in trial environment ... not for awhile! Needs more practice ☺️

[securityunit-ese]

Get in losers

We’re going home