Lance Obedience- UDX leg #4

The Corgi had a 2 day obedience trial this weekend!  Our first AKC trial since April.

Saturday Utility- Q
Articles- Very distracted by someone crinkling a treat bag right near the ring while we waited to go on the 2nd send.  Thankfully sent out, but a bit of a bobble on that article pickup.
Gloves- He didn't auto mark!!!!   But behind me on the pivot though.
Signals- Great first 2 about turns, but our normal issue on the 3rd about turn of going wide and looking around.  Almost anticipated the down signal.  He looked away ever so briefly, looked back and I could see his little brain thinking maybe he missed the signal.  Started to go down just as my signal started.  Big plus- at least he was going to anticipate the DOWN instead of sitting like he has the last few trials!  I think he was proud of himself as on the recall he punched me before sitting :)
Moving stand- he actually didn't forge as much as usual!
Go outs- crooked on the 1st one, better on the 2nd one.

Finishes looked much better and I had him do the nose touch after most exercise finishes.  We lost points on 2 of them, and actually only 1 front!   Q, 193.5

Saturday Open- Q
Heeling- bit off, looking around some.  About turns sucked, especially the 2nd one where the judge almost ran me out of the ring and Lance took the opportunity to look around.  Figure 8 was very nice though.
Drop on recall- I thought Lance was a little slow to down than usual.
Retrieve on flat- tiny bobble on the pickup.
No main issues on retrieve over high or on broad.

Finishes- lost points on 2.  But 3 fronts.
And of course he held his long sit!!!!  Super, happy!   Q, 195.5  And UDX leg #4!

Sunday Utility- Q
Lance was really on!
Signals- mostly great, a wide about turn again.  No real forging!  Did his down no problem!  then got excited and barked and took a step on the sit.
Articles- awesome.
Glove- poor pivot again, but didn't automark the glove for the second day in a row!
Stand- tiny forge.  Big props for being ok with the judge standing in between the handler and dog for a 2 second stare each time, then going around behind to start the exam.
Go outs- crap.  Veering off right and stopping short.  The second one was even worse.

Zero points lost on fronts and finishes!  Holy cow! (although I think he was blind on the moving stand)
Q with a 193

Sunday Open- NQ
I thought it was much more connected than Saturday's, but we had some issues.
Retrieve on flat- good.  Worked really hard to nail the front after he was a bit wide on the return.
Drop on recall- stopped and stared at me from a stand when I cued the down :(  I gave a 2nd verbal.
Retrieve over high- fumbled the db right before he took the jump.  Stared at me on the side close to me, I gave another verbal to go get it.  Had no problem with taking the jump 2 more times from a 2in take off.
Broad- good.  finish crooked.
heeling- awesome!  really good halts on the fig 8.  No forging on the heeling and a good 1st about turn, 2nd one was wide again.

Sit- held for a 4th trial in a row!!!   Previous longest streak was 3 days of trialing which he had done a few times, but never 4!  I thanked the judge and told her to mark me absent from the downs so we could have a jackpot party :)

I am so happy with this trial!
Did the down signal both days in utility!
Didn't auto mark the glove both days in utility!
Did the sit stay both days in open!
Pretty good ratio of nice finishes that only got better on day #2!
No forging issues on the heeling patterns!

Things still on the list:
Pivoting for the glove
Forging on the moving stand
Arching and turning in early on the go outs
Wide and thus laggy on the about turns
Fumbling retrieves (but not really on purpose so I'm not sure I can fix it?)
Some fronts and finishes

And on another note, I am so happy I was brave to leave the ring again after held his sit stay on day #2.  Of course already having NQed gave me the push to do it again.  But people need to lighten up about it.  Before going in the ring for stays I let the exhibitors on both sides of me know about my plan.  Person #1 was my friend and had no problem.  Person #2 was misinformed about the rules and was adamant that I had to say either me or my dog was sick or I would be taking away available OTCH points.  I calmly explained that I had already talked to a rep about in the past about the proper way to do it and that I would be marked as "absent" or "left ring" instead of excused and it wouldn't effect points.  He was still pushy so I calmly ended by just repeating, a few times, that I just wanted to let him know since he was next to me.  Lance did hold his stay, yay!!!  So as I calmly and quickly left the ring I told the judge "thank you, please mark me as absent from the down" and she didn't' say anything but rolled her eyes at me.  Not really appropriate, but at least she handled the scoring correctly.  People need to get over the idea that once we enter the ring we're chained to it.