CDSP Trial

The boys went to their very first CDSP trial yesterday.  I like CDSP as it allows you to talk to your dog during the exercises and even give treats in between exercises.  A great venue for new dogs or building confidence in older dogs.  Usually they are held in conjunction with APDT Rally trials so I haven't played before today.  Actually I really only signed up today since Lance's obedience instructor is a new judge and needed a certain number of novice dogs for it to count towards something judgy.


Lance Trial 1:
- Well it wasn't too bad I guess.  Started off ok but the sucker was forging too much and almost missed the first halt.  He ended up sitting almost perpendicular to me!
- Figure 8 I was ok with.
- Lance moved a paw on the moving stand right as I left him.  I also screwed up, although mine didn't cost us any points Lance!, as I forgot I had to return to him and held my hands in the position I would normally call to heel from.
- And I think it was a crooked front on the recall over the jump
Q with a 195

Vito Trial 1:
- Heeling was a bit forgy, but not as bad as Lance :)  He too was distracted on that first halt and almost missed it.  At least his sit wasn't horrid like somebody's!

- Before the figure 8 I went to hand the leash to our judge and Vito punched her for not looking at us right away!  The actual figure 8 wasn't the prettiest.  He needed a cue to sit on the first halt and was distracted by the judge each time he got close.  On the positive side he got back to work real quickly after each glance.  Overall we really need to work on our halts!
- Moving stand was great.  I was especially happy since I really haven't done this skill with Vito yet.
- Recall over the jump was great and another skill that I haven't formally practiced with him.  He only has to jump 14 in CDSP!
Vito punched the judge again when I went in search of my leash she forgot to hand back.
Q with a 195

Run offs!:
The judge pitted my two boys against each other for first.  Apparently they sucked equally bad :P
Lance must have known that he was defending himself against his little brother as he really worked hard.  Vito was a good boy just not as good.

Lance won.  Vito was sad.

 Lance Trial 2:
- I don't think Lance forged as much although the first halt did not come at a good moment!  I'm pretty sure Lance was a body length ahead of me on that sit.
- Figure 8 was nice although the judge really threw me as she called the halt immediately after I circled the first post.  I go to the right with Lance so perhaps I'm the one who confused her.  Then I wasn't sure when the 2nd halt would be and it ended up in the same spot so we were actually one loop short of the full figure 8.
- Moving stand was another perfect example of our forging.  Practically a body length ahead of me when I gave him the stand signal.  And then he moved his foot an inch on my return.
- Recall seemed fine.  I don't know why I sent him for a right finish, I never do that.  He got distracted by who knows what and looked away for a second so was crooked.
Q with a 194.5

Vito Trial 2:
Vito was being whiny in the crate from the start of the morning but was getting more unsettled.  His meds are actually making his anxiety worse, but that's a different post.  I wasn't sure how he was going to do but I wanted to give him a positive ring experience.
- Had a really difficult time getting him set up for the heeling but started fine once we got going.  There was a loud noise right at the halt and Vito felt he had to look for it.  Sigh and a verbal cue to get in heel.
- Figure 8 was a bit stressful at the start.  Some lagging in the beginning but on the first outside turn started to pick up when I asked where my dog was.
- Moving stand was just fine
- Recall over high was also fine.
Q with a 193