Club Fun Match

The club had their annual member only fun match today!  Sadly there are not very many members who actually compete with their dogs so it's always a small turnout.  But it's one of the few times each year where us obedience folks get to set up our rings on the agility side where open and utility are actually held during a trial!


Lance- Open
Lance was forging once again but it wasn't too horrid.  He also was really wide on his about turns, taking time to look around before he came back into heel. The figure 8 was set up real close to the high jump and Lance thought he was supposed to take it.  I saw the look in his his eyes before he really went anywhere so gave him another cue to heel.  Drop on recall was nice, retrieve on flat was perfect, crap front on retrieve over high, and  his broad jump looked weird.  But I suppose he has never done a broad jump with the new lower length he gets now that corgis are a 3/4 height breed.  Held both stays!

Vito- Open
Vito is not ready for open but I thought I would see where he is at.  Heeling was ok, he was a bit distracted at the start but not for long.  A little bit of forging but overall very nice.  Figure 8 was good except for a bit of a lag during the first outside turn.

On the drop on recall Vito took the high jump which was set a bit closer then normal.  I tried to interrupt him but was too slow and he was already taking off.  On the repeat Vito did a very nice drop on my verbal.  He has never practiced the DOR with jumps out so it was a good reminder of something I need to start proofing for.

Retrieve on flat had a crooked front despite my trying to help guide him in with my hand placement.  A little bit better for the retrieve over high.  Broad jump he ticked it and then was confused since he couldn't find a treat I did not throw!  Same thing on the repeat.

On the out of sight group stays Vito was pretty distracted on the set up.  I got Lance into position first and then Vito and he was giving me attention off and on.  He lied down on the sit at about 2.5min and I walked in to put him back up.  Held the down for the 5min.  All of his fronts and finishes were a bit crooked in open.

Lance-Utility
Our first attempt at utility!  On the signal exercise Lance was heeling much better.  Very little forging but was still wide on the about turns.  He did a very solid stand but then lied down on the judges signal.  I gave him a verbal correction, a verbal stand, and then finished the exercise.  I redid the heeling to stand walked out and waited while the judge gave multiple signals before walking back in to reward him.

While scenting my article and trying to get Lance to mark the article pile being put out, Lance noticed I was standing in front of lots of dirt on the ground.  He kept staring at the dirt instead of watching the pile so I told him leave it.  On the turn and send Lance stopped with me and told me he was being a good boy to leave the pile of dirt.  I told him he was an idiot and redid the turn and send which Lance did correctly but a little bit slower then normal.  He grabbed the right one pretty quickly and I told him yes when he started moving away from the pile with it.  I don't know if he would have dropped it like he has been doing at trials but I wanted to play it safe.  On the 2nd article Lance did the turn and send no problem but took him longer to make the decision on the right article.  He kept going to it but then researching the pile.  On the return he came straight, made a nice little curve around the dirt at the last second, and then fixed himself for the perfect front.

We had glove #1 and it was beautiful!  No confusion over whether to take the jump in either direction.  Moving stand was very nice.

On the go out Lance was once again wanting to mark the dirt pile.  When I finally felt confident he was staring straight ahead I sent him and he veered off to the left corner.  I called him back, went closer and sent him again.  This time Lance again veered off left but when I called him he went to the middle on his own.  I ran with him there, had him touch, and then went all the back to the start.  I send him full length, he does a strong touch to the gate, I reward, walk back out and send him over the jump.  It looks as though Lance didn't quite see the jump right away but did head in the right direction and then suddenly he found it and did a nice job.  The second real go out is very straight and fast and he does a nice jump. 
All of Lance's fronts were spectacular in utility!!!

Vito- Novice
It was an extremely long heeling pattern but I was kind've glad as Vito started a little bit distracted but then got better as we went.  The good thing is that a distracted Vito is still doing a decent job of staying in position, he's just not giving me eye contact.  The bad is that his fast time sucked.  Really good figure 8, great stand for exam, and much better off leash heeling.  Vito was distracted for the first 5 steps but then was in perfect heel and even gave me prancy feet :)  On the recall he stepped on my foot for the front and was crooked.  And then had a crooked finish.