Our First Rally Advanced Trial
Riot competed in the advanced rally class for the first time today. We drove up to PA this morning to the Dauphin Dog Training Club for their Rally Trial.
I’ve been working a lot of hours so we haven’t been practicing as much as we should have been so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I pulled Riot out really early. So we could practice some before hand and get his focus on me. Riot can be a crazy spaz when I first get him out, but once he understands we’re working he settles down quite nicely. I also start working him away from distractions and gradually move him closer and closer. So we started warming up outside and eventually moved inside. Once we got inside he was doing a really nice job focusing on me for the most part. since we had been in there a while and they were still on the B class, we went for a nice little walk. Then we came back in and did some more warming up. I had him in a down-stay while they presented ribbons for the B class. I worked him a little bit more and then asked if he was ready. His eyes lit up and he barked at me. Whoops… fortunately no one was in the ring.
I think this was my first mistake. We were dog number 10 in the ring in the A class and after that, he was ready. I alternated warming him up and leaving him in a down while we waited. We moved over near the start gate 3 dogs before our turn. He was doing really well until the dog ahead of him walked over and then he was all over sniffing.
He was so excited by the time we got into the ring. I just love his attitude. But I knew because he had such a hard time sitting next to me at the startline, we were going to be in for a wild ride.
I was off at the first sign and started to do a 360° Right instead of Left. From that point on, I was a bit frazzled and I think Riot picked up on that. He had some great heeling and some really bad heeling throughout the course.
The second sign was a halt. Call Dog Front Finish Right Halt. One of the exercises we haven’t practiced much. He did a really nice job. His front wasn’t as straight as I’d have liked, but not bad.
Obstacle number three was a 90° pivot. I always forget that exercise is in advanced. He did a pretty decent job.
The next 6 obstacles were really nice. A Left Turn. A Halt Fast Forward From Sit. Normal Pace. Right Turn. 270° Left (this was a little messy). And a Call Front Finish Right Forward.
Then came the Halt Stand Walk Around Dog. Riot does not have a good stand. We work on it in spurts, but he’s not reliable with it. He’s been doing it since he was 6 months too. The first two times we attempted this exercise, he did a down — I get a down or a stand and then an immediate sit about half the time we practice, but he had been doing really well this past week. Finally the third time, we got the stand.
We followed this with a Left Turn and a Sit.
Then came the 270° Right. Which we did pretty well, until I got confused thinking it was supposed to be 360° so around we went again.
The last two were the jump and a Moving Side Step Right which were fine.
Then the steward holding the leash decided that she needed to body block the energetic golden to keep him from leaving the ring which excited him. She kept telling me to hurry up and leash him while grasping my leash with both hands. It was way more chaotic than it needed to be. He motions were getting Riot all excited. I finally got him in a down and my leash from her so I could get him leashed. If I wasn’t already frazzled enough….
We ended up with a 76. The lowest score of the 5 dogs who didn’t NQ. I think my mental mistakes probably cost us as many if not more points that Riot’s antics.
Overall I really can’t complain. We were in the ring off leash with plenty of distractions around. Considering the hours I’ve been working (I wasn’t sure at 11 o’clock the night before if I was going to be able to go or if I was going to have to skip out and work), I was not prepared as well mentally as I needed to be. I also didn’t walk the course as many times as I usually do or with as much attention — this was the largest rally walkthrough we’ve had.
