Corgi Obedience
Entered one day of the trial this weekend with the Corgi. A very squirrley corgi.
We were first in the ring and the judge started a little early so we didn't get to practice our squish. Straight from the crate and heeled into the ring. He's such a good dog.
Gloves were first and Lance did a very nice pivot to glove #2. Always hard for him in trials. Took off the glove a quarter of a second before I actually gave the verbal, the judge couldn't have detected the difference.
Then we had scent articles and were in for quite the delay. The articles weren't in the ring yet as this judge likes to grab them from the bag himself as it starts. So when the steward made it into the ring he grabbed his tongs and fished. Unfortunately the little hook right below the tongs got stuck on the canning ring. It was wedged in this circular trab and since the judge is not allowed to touch the article I had to try and pry it off. It felt like it took forever to finally maneuver it through an impossibly small gap. the judge said this has happened to him before with canning rings which is why he hates them! I never would have even thought it possible. Luckily the corgi is awesome and i tucked him to wait between my legs and on my feet like we do when outside of the ring. He barked once at me during the long process and the judge frowned and said he was taking a point off.
Actual article sends were fantastic. Lance sent around me very tight to the pile and must have scented on the way as both times he went straight to the correct article and immediately nabbed it.
Go outs were sadly our NQ. I hate go outs right after articles as it takes so long for hte pile to be gone and they were right where I was trying to mark Lance. I can't blame our mistake on that though as Lance DID mark correctly and knew where he was going . He pulled up quite bit short, possibly still qualifying?, but I gave an immediate 2nd cue to go out which Lance promptly did. Naughty corgi. Then Lance did not take the bar jump. Went in the correct direction and ran just 2 feet away from it instead. Very odd. And worries me. The 2nd go out he went all the way to the gate and I had him touch it before I told him to sit. Took the high jump just fine, with his bad stutter step before it.
Signals were full of forging. Forging like 2 years ago. Even before we stated I think he stook up when I answered the judge we were ready. Nailed the down signal though! And barked on the sit. Then I'm not even sure if the judge gave me a signal to call him in, he must have but I saw the judge's head down scoring the bark and Lance started to run towards me a step before he realized I didn't call him. Judge still didn't look up so I gave Lance the signal to come.
Moving Stand was more forging. I waited longer after the order to heel to make sure Lance wasn't going to anticipate again as Lance started to jerk forward before I was even asked if I was ready. Moved a bit on the exam so I told him to stay again.
Overall I was really happy with how Lance handled himself today. Very good focus, extremely engaged in between exercises and handled a very weird delay just fine. Thrilled that the down signal issue seems to be gone, for now at least. My only worry is the avoidance of the jump. I don't think it was a confusion issue but I suppose that is a possibility. But if Lance was avoiding it then perhaps he needs to be fully retired from AKC utility like I retired him from open after his injury this year.
Lance is entered both days of a big trial Thanksgiving weekend so we will wait and see how that goes.
