Panic Now- Advanced Teamwork Entries

Our club's obedience trial is coming up this weekend and we're offering the Advanced Teamwork class again this year.  Basically it's Utility+ for those not familiar with the class.

While I really haven't practiced any of the exercises this year I decided to enter Lance in it both days just for fun.  I have convinced a few other members of the club to enter on Sunday and actually I only entered both days just so if someone else entered Saturday they wouldn't be alone.

And then I entered Vito on Sunday.  I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking.  Vito also hasn't had any practice with the exercises this year.  Just a little bit off and on since I mailed in the entry form 3 weeks ago.

Here's where we are at, in practice.

1. Heeling-  No problem doing any turns in slow time or fast time. Yay!

2. Object pickup and placement- Well Vito does have a very good distance sit and hold with an object, but we're at maybe 75% success with that piece as sometimes he ignores the sits and just comes.  Direct to cone was pretty easy, additional sit has same success rate as the original sit.  Drop at a distance, good.  Come without object only 50% success.  He really wants to bring me the object!

Chances of getting through the exercise, at home, moderate to low.

3. Scent work- I thought for sure this would be in the bag for Vito as he usually really likes scent articles and I rarely practice.  And then I tried it with all the new items and his brain exploded.  Frantic searching at first.  Thankfully I've done it a few times since then and he seems to get more relaxed with each session.  I think our chances of getting through the exercise is high.

4. Seek back- I don't know, never practiced!  I think this is one of the more simpler ones, especially if the dog sees the item drop as you heel.  If he doesn't see it then I'm not entirely sure Vito would go on my command to get it.  I think he will twitch and then send on a 2nd command to search.

5. Moving stand/sit/down- Moving stand and down should be easy as we do practice this on a regular basis as part of our heeling.  Moving sit I expected to be hard as Lance had a really hard time learning this last year.  But Vito's doing well.  Chance of success is high.

6. Baseball Gloves with DOR- Hmm, also not really practiced more than once.  Vito has a drop on recall and in theory should know the 3 casts.  Actually doing so, probably low.

7. Distance control sit/down/stand- This one I actually do practice with Vito quite a bit to help our signals.  He can have the most beautiful verbal stand at a distance.  Until he just twitches.  Chance of success- moderate.

8. Send Aways- ha!  No chance of Vito getting this one.  I think he could go to the cone, but he's not confident yet to go straight out vs veering off the wall/gate that we're standing right next to.  Then going parallel with the ring gates to the box is a foreign concept.  I've had a few lessons and there's no way he will even have the tiniest chance of getting it by this weekend.

So overall Vito kinda knows all the exercises minus the last one.  Fingers crossed the judge chooses Vito's best exercises!  But even then, I know our chances are even lower at a trial than in practice.  Stress will cause him to doubt himself and he will forget everything he knows. It should be entertaining.  Lance will only be slightly better with his odds again.