Dixon Obedinece Day One Results Post

Tried for another UDX leg today. No Q in open or utility.

I decided to try something new. I was distressed last time we showed and Pie was so sad in the ring. I know Pie likes to work so she should enjoy showing. Therefore, it must be something I am doing that is causing, or at least contributing, to her stress. Usually I warm up with food or treats on me, then I put them down and warm up, and run to them. I'll practice heeling and some signals, maybe some pivots for the gloves.

Maybe my warm up felt like drilling and even though she was getting rewarded, something didn't click. I do know the more I would do the signals outside the ring, the more she would start refusing them, and I would quickly have to build her confidence back up before we went in. If she refused them outside the ring, I would just go in and put her in the down position. Nothing harsh or upsetting. Then when she was in the correct position I would praise and we'd do it again. I think on that particular warm up where I was going wrong was if she did it correct I would still do it again. That and I'd do it on the flexi but we never practiced on the flexi.

Today I did not warm up at all. We played with the ball, then put that away and she tugged and tugged and tugged on the leash. I spanked her and drug her around and wrastled and told her how good she was. I had her get into heel position one time, then as soon as she was there, broke and played and played more. We went into the ring not heeling, handed our leash over and were off. She as so happy. She did not lag at all, she came in so fast on the drop her drop was much slower than usual and she even kept up on the outside of the figure 8.

As always she passed individual exercises, then passed the sit, but as soon as I walked away in the down she started sniffing, then creeping, then I was out of sight and before too long I was called back to pick her up because she had been rolling around. We were next to Dream, the dog that won the National Obedience Invitational 3 (I think) years ago (beautiful prancing heeling!) and I was hoping some of that would waft over to Pie. Apparently instead Pie wanted to show off that na, na...! You are so good and I'm not!

No UDX leg today.

But we still had utility and I noticed there was a third ring set up. Turns out it was a practice ring and you could use it for 5 minuetes. Sweet! We don't have that in Southern CA! I took the ball in there and did signals three times and rewarded each time and she was perfect each time. Then we came out and put the ball away and just tugged, and spanked and then went in. She did the go outs nice. She did the moving stand well. She wiggled and wiggled but did not step towards the judge at all. Gloves were good. Articles-both- good also although there was a moment she put down the correct leather then came back to it and she really did not want to pick up the metal but finally did, chattering with it all the way back. Signals were last. She was distracted on the heeling- stress creeping in?- but did not lag until she missed an about turn and I had to do the fast. However, she caught up BEFORE the end of the fast so that is fine. Then I stood her and walked to the other end of the ring and she refused the down. I was disappointed.

However, her overall attitude was 110% better than at the Santa Barbara show so I am very, very pleased. Even though she didn't do the down signal she did the sit and come so I praised her as if she had done everything correctly.

Both times in the ring I was much more physical with Pie than usual. She likes spanking and pushing but in the ring you should try to be more formal. I have always done that in the past but I want my happy dog back so I was pretty crazy and she loved it. It is better if your dog is happy without you acting like a fool. I think we will be there someday (we will be subdued fools) but for now I want my dog to be happy so I will do anything legal and if we are too crazy and get excused that is fine with me.