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Big Dean Dog Brag!!


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This past weekend I took Dean to do Rally. Rather, I took Speedy to do Rally, but since Dean hates to be left home when I take the other dogs to trials, I always enter him if the environment is appropriate for him. He doesn't really do Rally. I took a Rally class with him a couple of years ago and he hated it. I think he found it to be way too much pressure. But we did a run through over the summer and he actually seemed to like it, so I put him into this trial. Speedy competed in the new Vets division and I put Dean in Level 1.

 

For those of you who haven't followed Dean's progress, he has several anxietites that make trialing difficult for him. First, is his noise phobia. That didn't come into play in this scenario. There had not been any thunderstorms in several days, no fireworks, no gunshots. The trial site was super quiet and it was a one ring trial, so there were no jump bars being dropped or signs falling over in the next ring!!

 

Dean also gets anxious in new places. He usually needs to go somewhere two or three times before he becomes comfortable enough to focus. This was a brand new place that he had never been to in his life.

 

Finally, Dean gets anxious in front of an audience. Back when we used to do Freestyle, he would freeze, staring at the audience. He is so sensitive to being watched that if he sees me watching him play, he will stop, drop what he is doing, and wait for me to do something that makes sense to him! There was an "audience" at this trial.

 

So, my one and only goal for Dean was to have him sit at the start line. That was it. Had he shown signs of stress, I would not have taken another step with him.

 

He was the second dog after walk through on the first day, so right after walk through I brought him in and put him on his mat. From the sidelines I had him look at the judge (who was in the ring, but visible from where we were outside the ring) and then I had him do a few hand touches. He showed no signs of stress - just interest in everything that was going on. Yet, he could focus to do hand touches. This was good!

 

So, in we went! In APDT Rally, there are certain places on the course where you can feed. Some judges will make it so there are minimal places to feed - even in Level 1. This judge was not that way!

 

The first sign was a 360 right and Dean did fine with that. Then there were three signs "married" together and after each I could give him a reward!! A call front-finish right, which is one of Dean's FAVORITE exercises. I've reinforced circling around me in that direction a lot and that's just a circle with a sit at heel. Then a sit-walk around. No problems there. Then a down, which is another move that Dean rocks!

 

After getting several rewards in a row, Dean had a pretty good idea of what we were doing and he went on through the course with nice focus. He didn't have his eyes on me the whole time, as Speedy tends to, but he was definitely "tuned in" to me.

 

At one point, on a left finish, he spun instead of doing the finish, but that was becuase I used the wrong cue. I used Speedy's cue, which Dean doesn't know, so he gave me his best guess!!

 

On the bonus, he broke the stay when I went to leave him, but I haven't really trained him to do that type of stay. In Agility I always sit him in front of me, back away a few steps, and then turn to leave him. He just came along with me thinking we were going that way!! It was really cute. When I turned around, there he was and he gave me a big hug like "here I am!!" Since it was the bonus, it didn't hurt us at all.

 

We qualified and he got second place!!

 

But the biggest accomplishment of all is that he enjoyed himself. No, he wasn't jumping off the walls shouting for joy, but he was extremely pleased with himself.

 

I saw the most beautiful thing in that Rally run - confidence!! Dean's demeanor through most of the course was, "I know what you want and I can do it!" That was amazing to see!!

 

No worries about being in a new place, no worries about the audience. He did look at the judge in obvious puzzlement a few times "WHAT is she doing?" But he never left me to go check her out, or even close!!

 

Then he went back and did it again the next day!! The beginning of the second course was a bit crazy, but once he settled in, he once again took on that confident attitude!! He did twirl on a "stand", another exercise I really haven't taught him to much fluency, but everything else was just about perfect!! And this time he got the bonus!! I used a second cue to make sure he understood what I wanted and it really paid off!!

 

Once he finishes learning his obedience stay and stand, I plan to start teaching him Level 2. If I choose his venues carefully, take training slow, and keep it fun, I think Dean Dog just might have a sport!!!

 

If anyone would like to see, this was Saturday . . . .

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXHCXxN7QYg

 

Speedy got his two Veteran's Q's, as well!! He was typical Speedy - both wild and crazy and breathtakingly lovely!! He'd rather dance, but he did a great job!

 

I was proud of my Border Collie boys!!

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Congrats to both of you :rolleyes: He does seem very relaxed, just out for a stroll, and minding you at all time. Oh, so different from another dog I know *cough*Ouzo*cough* and with whom I seem to have to keep my foot on the "break" all the time .

 

Dean was adorable at the end when he followed you :D

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Congrats to both of you :rolleyes: He does seem very relaxed, just out for a stroll, and minding you at all time. Oh, so different from another dog I know *cough*Ouzo*cough* and with whom I seem to have to keep my foot on the "break" all the time .

 

LOL!! Oooooooooh, I know what that's like!! Behold Mr. Speedy . . .

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4suH1VheS74

 

Brakes, brakes, brakes!!

 

I had to laugh at the beginning when he thought the judge barked!!

 

In Vets you can feed anywhere. That's why he got rewards at some really odd places!!

 

P.S. Doesn't Speedy look WAY too young to be in the Veteran's division? He almost looks like a puppy at the very beginning! He really is 8, though.

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Hehe - now that's the Border Collie I recognize :D A sports car that only needs to be gently touched on the speed pedal, or else it launches into orbit :D He is one good looking boy - you should take more pictures of him - I know Dean is your favorite subject, but Speedy needs equal air time :rolleyes:

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Congrats for you both. Makes me teary eyed for Dean.

 

Can I ask you a question? Do you use "Control Unleashed" techniques?

 

Yes, I do use Control Unleashed.

 

Hence, the mat work before going into the ring. We also played LAT judge from outside the ring on the first day. And, as much as he wanted to go love on the judge in the ring, he held himself in check all on his own - a result of lots and lots of Give Me a Break using a release to go love on (the instructor, friends, etc.) at Agility class!!

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Yes, I do use Control Unleashed.

 

Hence, the mat work before going into the ring. We also played LAT judge from outside the ring on the first day. And, as much as he wanted to go love on the judge in the ring, he held himself in check all on his own - a result of lots and lots of Give Me a Break using a release to go love on (the instructor, friends, etc.) at Agility class!!

 

Good to know it all works.

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