Heeling between stations.
Sit/walk around/pause/forward
More heeling
This photo is actually from a match at our Nationals last fall.
The kids display their ribbons!
Our first entry into Rally occurred in January 2005 at Novi when the first official trial was held in Michigan.
Molly scored 99, 98 and 86. Actually the third day was her best although her score doesn't reflect it. That was the hardest course and she really had to get down to business. After the first station she did just that and did a very good job.
Glennie scored 97, 99 and 65. He really did better on the third day than this reflects. Here is the whole story.
I liked this course because it started out with something that they had to use their brain on which got their attention much more than the circles did on the earlier courses. I suspect they both IP'd on the first station which was front, finish right, forward. In fact Molly threw in an extra sit. I looked at the judge and said "that's a retry" and started to turn her around but the judge said, "No, go ahead" so we went ahead to the next station. (Later, I wonder if she might have said "Oh, go ahead" and meant go ahead and retry it but I misunderstood.) Anyway we didn't retry thinking the judge told us not to. Molly got going after that and I thought did very well. If the first station was -10, she only lost 4 other points.
Glennie probably IP'd also because he was way slow and behind me on the go around (and I can't say if I moved forward quickly enough) but from there forward he was really doing well, I thought. (You have to know Glennie to realize that getting him to run on a fast is a real accomplishment). But coming around to station 12 the judge was standing maybe 4 feet away. It was a Halt, down, walk around dog. Well Glennie halted but he sat facing the judge. He then commenced to staring her down. I got his attention finally to get him into a down, still facing the judge and I walked around him. No problem because he was oblivious to me! Then I asked him to "heel" and he didn't hear a word I said, just continued to stare at the poor judge! Finally I looked at the judge and said, "OK a tight lead" and I popped it to get his attention. He immediately got up and came with me. He went to the next station which was a right turn and did it but his head was totally turned to the back so he could continue to watch the judge. Fortunately that was the end of the course. So I figure we must have had 3 IPs and 5 other points. Glennie was applauded all the way out of the ring and to our chair!! Everyone thought he was quite the character! He may go on Broadway instead of on to Dog Fame!
I did talk to the judge later and told her I liked her course and that Glennie has done this to many an agility judge. He is a rescue and this is a hangup he still has; we just write off those runs where he spots the judge and I realize it is something he has to work through. I do wish judges would stand further away (preferably in the next county) but I understand that it is my problem and not the judges.
This judge NQ'd several teams for consistently tight leads. She did the same in Novice B.
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