We did it! UDX Corgi!!!

Finally!!!  It's been just over 2 years since Lance finished his Utility title and we started our quest for double Qs.  Year #1 we didn't show a whole lot but had a lot of NQs.  The year of every exercising breaking in utility.  We finished 2012 with 1 lonely UDX leg.  Year #2 we double the amount of shows entered for a total of 19 days and moved our total of UDX legs to 8.  Still lots of NQs on  the sit stay, signals, directed jumping, and even a few "stands" on recall.

Mission accomplished!

And weird side note- Lance has finished every single one of his obedience titles at this particular location.  A place I actually find pretty difficult for the dogs to concentrate due to the high level activity going on around the rings.  Either there's a shared barrier with another ring or there's crowd seating/isles on 3 of the 4 sides for each ring.

Saturday did not go as planned.  It started out pretty good in Open with the attitude department. Lance was forging in a way he hasn't done in, well the 2 years we've been working on the UDX.  Yes there were times his back feet were in line with me.  Fronts were not so good.  And then he made it through 2 minutes of the sit stay and laid down.  Sadness.  Usually if he makes it through the first minute he's fine.  Head was resting nicely on the floor when I returned and he looked very unstressed.

Utility was a meltdown.  Complete opposite in attitude from earlier in the day.  Lots of looking around.  He even missed my cue to heel on the moving stand and needed a 2nd verbal.  On go outs I was at least happy he completed them as he was clearly looking at his Daddy standing in the corner.  BOTH times I needed to cue a second verbal to sit instead of standing and staring at me blankly.  We managed to still be qualifying until signals where upon Lance stood on my signal but then sat as the judge told me to leave.  I stood him again, walked away, and he again sat right as I was turning around.  A repeat of the NOC error.  *Big sigh.*

Sunday was amazing.  Lance was ON in Open and even remembered where heel position was.  Only a a big forge on the right turn-slow time and poor halt.  Amazing fronts and finishes minus 2 fronts.  And the best part is that he held his sit!!!  Q with a 197 but out of placements.
I'm even more proud of him since the stewards had the wrong information on when they were going to put Lance in the ring.  The 2 exhibitors before us both has 2nd dogs so needed their stays separated. I was told they would do the individual exercises as listed, but just not join the first group of stays.  The judge switched that to a more common sense solution of just having them go after Lance and the first stay group.  Luckily I was warming up Lance and was about to put him back in the crate when they started switching the jumps.  Raced back to the crates to grab the dumbbell and raced directly into the ring!

Utility started out a little bit off as he didn't have full Corgi enthusiasm entering the ring and setting up.  Gloves were first and he had a very poor pivot.  But after that he did really well.  Go outs were arched but ended up dead center.  Heeling was lovely and signals were actually done as written!  Fronts and finishes were beautiful!!!  Only 1 crooked front!  Other points were for a dropped article and some walking as I left on the moving stand.   Yes I walked up to the very first person I saw when exiting the ring, a complete stranger, and asked for a high five!

We ended up in a run off for 2nd place!  He did pretty well but wasn't quite on.  Lost to a lovely Labrador who finished his OTCH on that run!  But Lance earned 5 more points with that 3rd place in the big show.

So our big goal is finished!!!  We will definetly keep showing though and learning more along the way.  If Lance finishes an OTCH that will be icing on the cake, but it isn't an official goal of mine.  I really want one, but since we've already exceeded my expectations I can't be disappointed if it doesn't happen.
Vito is here to teach me lots on dealing with stress/anxiety and building up WANT TO in dogs.   Lance is here to teach me how to keep criteria high without losing attitude, and how to fix EVERY single exercise as they crumble under repeated showing.  It's certainly been a journey.