What's the worst that can happen?
What's the worst that can happen while trialing in agility? While this list is far from complete, here are a few things the three OES bitches I've trialed so far have dreamed up: BELLE: - First agility trial, at our '01 national in my backyard, so had to enter even though she wasn't really ready: she did the first two obstacles, then ran past the dogwalk to the end of the, praise be!, gated ring to stand there barking at her breeder. I finally had to ask breeder to remove herself before Belle would commence working again. Breeder still hasn't forgiven me. - First real trial, gorgeous jumpers with weaves run until she took down one of the very last bars (I didn't get a good measure on her till months into her "career", so my 21.5" dog got her first four legs jumping 24") Handler instinctively said "####!" when she saw bar come down, remembered that profanities will get you whistled off course, so quickly apologized to laughing judge and left the course at high speed in total embarrassment. - Same trial. Belle, who loved to jump, decided the tape that served as ring gating was the last jump of the course so veered off after the finish to jump the tape. Unfortunately, tape was significantly higher than jumps so she misguaged and caught the tape with her rear which brought her to a rather rude stop. 
- Fast forward. Belle in excellent has decided she no longer needs to do anything on the table. At a big breed, obed and agility trial combo in St Paul with tons of spectators, including the general public, she acquired a bad case of selective hearing/eyesight and spent a full minute on the table just avoiding looking at me. Every time I moved, she turned around to stare in a different direction. My dogs run, usually, with two knotted topnots. Judge, in between clutching her sides, finally moaned: "Well, you DID give her HORNS!" Drove home in shame to sound of AC/DC's Hell's Bells. 
MAD: - I started Mad as a puppy in NADAC tunnelers. She spent the rest of her career believing that only tunnels mattered. One Touch N Go run (which, unfortunately included contact equipment), I lead out and she left me flat footed when she broke her stay and designed a beautiful course of 9 or so tunnels strung together at her trade-mark astonishing speed that could whip border collie butts (as long as only tunnels where involved mind you) I never got 15 feet past the startline. Judge was doubled over, screeching loudly with laughter, when she finished the course in fine style. Spectators where also screaming with laughter. Later discovered thanks to Sunny's astute detective work that the bitch had been hyped up on the remainder of a chocolate crispy creme donut I'd taken one bite of and couldn't face. Considered recommending mandatory drug testing of all OES running NADAC. - Once at an AKC trial she got so fed up with me calling her back to redo the weaves when there was a tunnel right beyond them (she kept popping the poles to do the tunnel) that she ran behind me and, head down, ran full force into my backside. Guess she told me! - same trial, bitch was a distance dog and way too fast for me so we did a lot of layering. This is not common in novice, which I discovered upon layering the dogwalk to a jumping sequence at the far end of the ring causing the poor judge to flatten himself to the dogwalk to avoid being run down by me. Her reputation must have spread because later at an outdoor AKC trial another judge, friend of almost-flattened judge, saw me walk up her to the startline and feigned playing chicken. We were not amused! OK, maybe we were a little amused 
Sybil follies to follow. Her list is already much longer!
If anyone else has anything to share, jump right in! Kristine |
|
|
| we have limited trialing experience - even more limited with Marley being "creative", but at her first DOCNA trial this spring it was quite cool (invigorating I guess you could say). The first run she decided after her first three obstacles that that tunnel was quite a bit of fun. Let's do it again, and again and again
The second run, oh joy of joys, there is a strange man sitting in the ring (barsetter). Being the flirt she is, Marley thinks all men adore her and can't avoid playing with her. It became a bit of a challenge for her to try to getg this one to do the same
At a trial in October she had three Q's going into her final run. for some reason someone int he three county area must have whispered her name mid-run. She stopped, put her head up and looked all around trying to find out who it was. Luckily she recovered enough to finish the run in second place. I am sure we have many new worst case scenarios to uncover. |
| How much more entertaining it is to run an OES rather than a border, aussie or some other breed that is too smart/zeroed in on the job to "have fun."
With an OES, you never know what you are going to get! A successful run is far greater achievement. |
| Dang I dont think I wanted to hear all those tunnel stories.
Its already apparent that the tunnel is Tiggy's most favorite of things. She would rather just do an about face at the end of the tunnel and keep running back and forward through it! Much better than running all the way back around to enter at the same end. Just wastes valuable time and energy.  |
My follies still waiting to happen...... 
I ponder tunnels as well. I don't have a tunnel at home, and of course he loves them anyway. I have 2 theories. 1) he loves the tunnels at class (and probably trials) because we don't have it at home, so he's super happy to see them. 2)Or, I buy a tunnel to "desensitize" him to the novelty and he becomes even more fixated on them......... 
hmmmmmm...... |
| well the "funny" part about my tunnel story was that Marley isn't atunnel sucker. Most times in class I have to convince her to go into the tunnel by running deep into it myself. That DOCNA trial was just bizarre. |
| How about.......
1) REFUSING to sit at the table
2) Jumping sideways into a Double Jump, and pulverizing it, because he missed it and if I was going to insist that he do it then he was going to do it on his terms.
3) REFUSING to sit at the table
4) Jumping off the side of the dog walk from the top plank after he randomly selected the next obstacle.
5) REFUSING to sit at the table
6) Unable to wait at the start line at the sight of the exciting first obstacle being a chute he took off before we were given the go, then as I stood there dumbfounded rooted to my spot at the start line he loops back to do it OVER and OVER and OVER again while the crowd is roaring in laughter.
7) REFUSING to sit at the table
These are just our more noteworthy "feats" on the agility course. You didn't ask about our rally embarrassments. And just for the record we have been denied a Q three times strictly as a result of the TABLE!!!!!!!
Unfortunately we have not kept a low profile at these agility trials (not me of course) so everyone knows who we are. Harry takes it to a level beyond being a large shaggy comical sheepdog. |
SheepieMommy wrote: How about.......
1) REFUSING to sit at the table 2) Jumping sideways into a Double Jump, and pulverizing it, because he missed it and if I was going to insist that he do it then he was going to do it on his terms. 3) REFUSING to sit at the table 4) Jumping off the side of the dog walk from the top plank after he randomly selected the next obstacle. 5) REFUSING to sit at the table 6) Unable to wait at the start line at the sight of the exciting first obstacle being a chute he took off before we were given the go, then as I stood there dumbfounded rooted to my spot at the start line he loops back to do it OVER and OVER and OVER again while the crowd is roaring in laughter. 7) REFUSING to sit at the table These are just our more noteworthy "feats" on the agility course. You didn't ask about our rally embarrassments. And just for the record we have been denied a Q three times strictly as a result of the TABLE!!!!!!!Unfortunately we have not kept a low profile at these agility trials (not me of course) so everyone knows who we are. Harry takes it to a level beyond being a large shaggy comical sheepdog.ROTFLMAO...This is my nightmare!! Garfunkel LOVES the chute and will also do it over and over no matter what you tell(yell)at him to do. |
Simon's Mom wrote: [ROTFLMAO...This is my nightmare!!
Garfunkel LOVES the chute and will also do it over and over no matter what you tell(yell)at him to do. It all depends on your expectations and your attitude. I loved the DOCNA trial - I saw a side of my dog I didn't know existed. I also love the trials when we get 4/4Q's or when we get 2/8. We go to have fun and to play and to spend time with nothing else to do. I always set a small goal for the day (and it never involves Q's) something I want to see if we can do. I have never had an unsuccessful trial - or for that matter a rally trial or breed show (even though we have only been to a few and have no points). But each time we went, we met our own goals - and had fun. My nightmare is not having the opportunity to play with my dog for as long as Kristine has played with Belle. |
kerry wrote: I always set a small goal for the day (and it never involves Q's) something I want to see if we can do.
Judi has days when she has a big party if he stays at the startline. If he sits on the table, champagne is probably involved (heck, I know I indulge when she calls me to tell me ) She also has a theory about his overly enthusiastic self which cannot be shared in mixed company, at least not a family oriented one  Often her goal is simply that he not, hm, prematurely do what males enjoy doing...metaphorically speaking, that is, when running agility that is, but never mind.
The hardest thing about running an OES is that you are so damn CONSPICUOUS. That's GREAT when you have a good day, a good run, someone manages to park his bottom on the table voluntarily, I mention no names  But it also means that NOTHING you do blends into the crowd. It's not like: did you see the border collie who bowled over the judge? (Not that a BC would, that's more in line with our guys). And it would be: which of the 258 border collies are you talking about?
Not us. THE OES takes on a whole new meaning. There you are, carrying the burden of the breed's reputation, because 90% of the people competing (or spectating, and then there's the judge) have probably never seen an OES compete other than yours. And so whatever they see is what sticks in their mind. Probably. Not always. Some days, you're proud that you're out there representing the breed. Other days you fear the OESCA board will bear down on you and demand you never take your clearly never been trained a day in her life, let alone knows her own name, caricarture of the breed out in public lest the breed's reputation be forever ruined
Now, none of the above is strictly true. But let me just say that there is nowhere to hide and the more you're out there, the more you realize how true that is. When Harry performed his interesting interpretation of the double the judge, who happens to be the instructor of a friend of mine in MN told her about it. My friend immediately asked me about it. I knew exactly who the dog in question had to be. How many handlers have their dog's exploits jovially and unmistakenly spread across three states almost before she's managed to slink home?
This is why we must remain committed to Total OES World Performance Domination! So it won't be so damn lonely out there when our dogs decide to do things their way...
Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: The hardest thing about running an OES is that you are so damn CONSPICUOUS. That's GREAT when you have a good day, a good run, someone manages to park his bottom on the table voluntarily, I mention no names
But it also means that NOTHING you do blends into the crowd. It's not like: did you see the border collie who bowled over the judge? (Not that a BC would, that's more in line with our guys). And it would be: which of the 258 border collies are you talking about?Not us. THE OES takes on a whole new meaning. There you are, carrying the burden of the breed's reputation, because 90% of the people competing (or spectating, and then there's the judge) have probably never seen an OES compete other than yours. And so whatever they see is what sticks in their mind. Probably. Not always. Kristine You know I don't think up here they watch any dogs they don't know, at least not in Novice, and we train at a small school so very few people know us and those who do know what to expect so to speak. I also find that when she misbehaves - which honestly is very seldom- people assume she is Gracie just because Gracie was there first and they know her name.
Of course at fun runs where people realize there are two of us - I am usually so busy laughing at how I lost the course or whatever I don't really notice other people's reactions. |
| I could see that. Things are very different in AKC. Dare I say it? Much more uptight.
When I think about it, to be honest, I do AKC primarily because those are the titles our breed club recognizes. Quite frankly, I have more fun running in other organizations. The most fun I ever had was running Belle and Yoda in pairs in USDAA. Kathi and I both knew it was just for fun. Running Mad in NADAC was always a thrill too. Mainly because that was her kind of organization. I had fun there with Belle too. So much more relaxed. And part of it too is having more runs in a given day. So what if one goes to hell if you have 7 more to play in? In most you can place even if you don't Q. In AKC the almighty Q reigns whether you like it or not. I think the addition of FAST was a good move, though. Loosened things up a little. Gives you a class that isn't so do or die. Judi knows what I'm talking about
Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: I think the addition of FAST was a good move, though. Loosened things up a little. Gives you a class that isn't so do or die. Judi knows what I'm talking about
Kristine Well....I'm glad Judy does because I am totally lost by what you just wrote! Maybe I'm too old to figure agility out?  |
ChSheepdogs wrote: Kristine Well....I'm glad Judy does because I am totally lost by what you just wrote! Maybe I'm too old to figure agility out? [/quote]
I don't think you're expected to know all about the various types of competition classes during your first few months of taking classes
In AKC for the longest time there were only two titling classes offered: standard (which has all of the obstacles including the table and the contact obstacles) and jumpers with weaves, which has, predictably, jumps and weavepoles and may (usually does) include tunnels. Actually, in the beginning there was only one class. A while back they added another titling class which in other organizations would be considered a "games" class. It is a titling class called FAST (Fifteen and Send) In essence, there are a bunch of obstacles out there which have various point values. There are also a couple or so obstacles out there behind a "send" line if you will. To qualify you need a minimum number of points at each level PLUS you have to complete the send. Which you can do at any point during your run. You have 30 or so seconds to do this for most of our dogs. It's a strategy game in that you have to design your own course, which you are wise to do with your dog's strengths in mind. And you have to start to develop a clock in your head because when the buzzer rings every second you're out there AFTER that you're losing points. Beyond that I'm fuzzy on the rules. It was new to me when I started running Sybil. Unfortunately it isn't offered very much around here but I've run it four times and she has her novice title. So don't ask me about anything beyond novice. Judi's Harry has his Open title so his next time out he could be in excellent FAST if she chooses. The nice thing is that if you blow something, unless it's in the send, it isn't an instant NQ. AKC is very much about NQing. There are many, many things that will immediately cost you the Q including a dropped bar, an offcourse in jumpers, a missed contact etc etc etc. Swearing because you forgot where you were supposed to be going... (actually, that will get you whistled right off the course, bye-bye, elimination - and I think that holds true of all organizations)
Don't worry. It will all be clear as mud as it is for Judi and I by the time you're ready to compete
Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: It's a strategy game in that you have to design your own course, which you are wise to do with your dog's strengths in mind.
Kristine Geesh - in CPE jackpot (which has a gamble as well) I usually try thr "let's see what she feels like taking" course |
| I am laughing my head off at work, picturing these guys having a blast at your expense. Naturally others ask what is so funny and when I tell them they give a blank stare you have to own one to appreciate them. |
Sheepdogrikki wrote: I am laughing my head off at work, picturing these guys having a blast at your expense. Naturally others ask what is so funny and when I tell them they give a blank stare
you have to own one to appreciate them.You don't even have to own one! You just have to know one! What clowns! But I'd have it no other way. Nothing like always being up for a challenge! |
| OK, I have a new one for the "worst that can happen" file even though it happened at a run-thru and not a trial.
First off, Pam, apologies - I forgot to remind you that Racine Kennel Club has their run-thru the fourth Friday of the month ( http://www.grkc.org/art.pdf ). I'll do better in February, and we also need to hit the one at WAG in Spring Grove IL ( http://www.wagagility.com/Matches.htm ) The next one is Feb 6th, while you're doing the demo at the PetExpo, but the one following that is March 20th. Mark it on your calendar! Anyway, I remembered last minute but since the Racine club is only 15 or so minutes away I raced over there and signed up. Ran Sybil. She did great. Ran Macy. She was acting a little funny. Ran nicely the first part of the sequence, then tried to leave the ring, which isn't like her. Ran some more, same thing. Finally when I sent her into a tunnel I figured out why. She went in, it was a really short, really curved tunnel so not much room for a big dog to pick up speed but what came next nonetheless almost made my heart stop: she came to the other end of the tunnel and with just her snout sticking out a little came to dead stop, like she was stuck! Oh my god! I raced over and bent down to see what she must have gotten caught up on just to see her all hunched up in the tunnel. Something was terribly wrong. Yeah, it sure was...She was hunched over POOPING! I've always said of all my dogs she reminds me the most of Belle and that must extend to her desire to not make a public spectacle of herself when taking care of business - Belle always prefers to be about three acres over Since I didn't take the hint and take her outside, she did the next best thing and the minute she found some privacy...
Bad handler! Bad! I pottied them before we ran in but we were in a rush. I'm used to Belle who if nothing else takes care of business on command. Sybil's getting better about hurrying as well, and Mace will generallly pee on command, but apparently we haven't worked out all of the kinks in the "produce now or hold your poop" requirement
Another thing to add to training regiment
Kristine |
|
Poor Sybil. She tried to tell you twice woman!
I give her an A+ for creativity in finding privacy. She was probably thinking "Please send me to the tunnel, I need to go to the bathroom." |
| well it is not nice to fool Mother nature. The way Molly likes to do it, it would be from one end of the tunnel to the other as she does not like to stand still to do her business |
Oh my!! Yep Bad Handler Bad Handler now I need a poor Macy icon too? |
kerry wrote: :D
Oh my!! Yep Bad Handler Bad Handler now I need a poor Macy icon too? Yes, well, in this case it's actually justified.
Poor bitch.
Kristine |
| Oops too early in the morning for me to be reading. I got my poor (insert name of Kristine's dog here) confused and misread which unfortunate canine had to be shamed by being ignored by her mother.
My apologies Mace.  |
| Oh my - Macy and Chewie share another sibling trait.....
At agility class a couple months ago Chewie started acting really odd - and ran off - away from me. Chewie NEVER leaves me - even when I WANT him to! (Hence our constant work on sending through a series of obstacles away from me...but I digress...) He finally wouldn't get on the table down at the far end of the course. At the time, the table was his A #1 favorite obstacle in the whole world....and I knew something was wrong.... so I said OK, Chewie....and he ran like a speeding bullet to the door and did the potty dance
Poor dog peed a lake and then pooped a huge one as well......then we went back in and all was well. Turns out this was a night I worked until 7 and class starts at 7:15 and Todd brought him in. He was in a hurry (sounding familiar?) and didn't potty him before they left
Is it Mace or Sybil that bite at the lead on their back?? |
SheepieMommy wrote: Oops too early in the morning for me to be reading. I got my poor (insert name of Kristine's dog here) confused and misread which unfortunate canine had to be shamed by being ignored by her mother.
My apologies Mace. Hehe. Just goes to show the powerful effect Kerry's defense of the Other Bitch, allegedly always maligned , has had on all of us.
kristine |
got sheep wrote: Is it Mace or Sybil that bite at the lead on their back??
Tsk, tsk! Bad husband! Bad!
The leash thing is a Sybil trait. She doesn't bite at it. If it touches her back, she just stops and refuses to move. They get that from Mad, though she outgrew it at a young age, while Sybil still throws a fit if the leash touches her
The odd thing is she's FINE with the tracking harness and line????
Otherwise, yes, Chewie and Mace are more similar to each other than they are to Sybil and both take after Belle more than anyone else. Sybil has a whole lot of Mad in her. Just with her own special "twist". Or should that be "twisted"?
kristine |
| Chewie is fine with his harnesses touching as well. The light touch of the lead must give some sort of tickle he can't ignore. He has to stop and try and grab at it.
And yes, I see Mace and Chewie happily joining Belle in the "perfect" club... Tell Sybil her previously sweet sister Martha is joining her on the dark side.... |
got sheep wrote: Tell Sybil her previously sweet sister Martha is joining her on the dark side....
This frequently happens, dare I say it? with bitches that Marnie has bored to tears.
Now, if she's half as sensitive as Sybil along with the ubersmarts (I wouldn't have pegged her for the latter, but I could be wrong, it's not like Marnie ever challenged her in the least - the perfect dogs are never the hyper smart ones, or they'd have BETTER things to do than anything you want ), whose entire DAY can be RUINED by being slighted as queen of the bed, she's much too stubborn for LeAnne. You can't cajole, bribe, correct or even BEAT this kind of dog into cooperating. Not saying any of us would do the latter. Just saying it's their way or the highway and it's an incredible intellectual game of convincing that type of dog it was THEIR idea. At which point you own them. And a few bottles of Excedrin migraine
Give her to Breanna who, as a miniature person, has probably already figured out how to make the adults around her to bend to her will. Martha should be a piece of cake
Kristine |
| It's actually kind of funny (when she's not into my stuff) how she has discovered she has a devious brain and has decided to use it. Talk about laying dormant for 3 yrs....lol
Perhaps the agility class and finding out she has supposed to have been having thought processes this whole time is on overload playing catchup! She certainly has enjoyed it.
I know Maggie the coonhound went through exactly the same phase when it occured to her. 
Good thing LeAnne is in her last semester of school!
Breanna is going to be popular. My friend Linda has dibs on her to handle Gabby in conformation. (as a joke) She (Linda) isn't known by the judges, and she had this thought that having a cute little blonde 7 yr old girl who can handle a dog just may be the ticket....lol |
Sheepdogrikki wrote: :lol: well it is not nice to fool Mother nature. The way Molly likes to do it, it would be from one end of the tunnel to the other as she does not like to stand still to do her business
Tiggy too! She's a walkin' and poopin' kinda girl. Wayne calls her Charlie Craplin as she waddles along leaving a little trail. |
Mim wrote: Sheepdogrikki wrote: :lol: well it is not nice to fool Mother nature. The way Molly likes to do it, it would be from one end of the tunnel to the other as she does not like to stand still to do her business Tiggy too! She's a walkin' and poopin' kinda girl. Wayne calls her Charlie Craplin as she waddles along leaving a little trail. LOL
I'm glad I'm not cleaning out tunnels after Molly or Tiggy! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|