Back to Utility! And Corgi Barking!
It's been over a year and a half since Vito last entered the obedience ring. After our experiment, we had just started doing some rally trials last fall with great results in WCRL but still feeling the stress in AKC. I was optimistic that Vito could handle the low key CDSP atmosphere and wanted to see where we were at. I almost entered good old Open like I've done so many times with Vito in the past, but decided to be brave and try utility again with him. Vito technically has his CDSP utility title, but 2 of the 3 counting scores needed double signals given on the signal exercise so I don't really count them as a Q in my mind.
At the trial I took Vito out a few times in the hours before his run, just to walk around and sniff things. I didn't go into letting him offer work or play until about 15 minutes before his run. I was thrilled that as soon as I assumed the work available pose he took me up on it! I mainly did some play and a few down signals with lots of rewards before putting him back.
Right before his run I took him out again for more of the same, and then miscalculated our waiting time before entering the ring. I was a bit worried as he didn't want to do any of our "squish" position, but he did our 2nd style crouching "squish" ok.
And then in we went!
Love his ring entrance and go outs :) I let him go all the way to gate to take the point losses.
Articles he struggled a bit on both the setup and the actual selection. It's kinda hard to see the setup, but he was a bit distracted by the whole thing and then his article leaving. I am proud that he was able to think enough to eventually select the correct one!
Signals I was beyond thrilled. Some moving on the stand and then travelling on the down, but he didn't freeze or do it slowly! Vito has always hated downs and he offered me a pretty snappy one here! My favorite part of his run :)
Moving stand had a few glances at our judge and a wussy call to heel, but still good.
Gloves were ridiculous. I knew he was looking at the steward when I sent him but I couldn't get him to look away. Maybe I should have waited longer or just said screw it and reset completely. Had to check out who was standing suspicously on teh side. And then very odd with going to both the middle glove and then finally selecting the one farthest away.
On the 2nd glove he again wasn't confident on the seleciton so I helped him.
Both pivots were WAY better than they have been in a trial though!!!
So an NQ, but I was thrilled. The next CDSP trial isn't for awhile but I'm excited to try utility again with Vito :)
The Corgi also came along and got to do his rally. He just loves getting to strut around in rally! So much barking again. Our new theme! We alo had a few instances where he lost his auto sit in heel, but improvement from the last trial. I didn't notice any hind leg shakes in his runs so I think he was feeling better. Forging was a bit worse again than the fall, but more cute prancing :)
Trial 2 was a bit less barky, but also less left turns- definitely correlated :) He loves the bonus retrieve at the end :)
