Raising a Riot

Living Up To His Name - PVGRC Speciality 2010

Riot and I had a wild ride this morning. It was the PVGRC speciality and I had him entered in Rally Advanced A and Wildcard Novice. Nothing counting towards any titles because I knew being outside on grass was going to be enough pressure for us. 

I knew going in the grass was going to be a challenge, but I didn’t realize exactly how big of a challenge it was going to be! 

Riot warmed up pretty nicely. He had a few minutes of excellent attention and the rest was not great, but adequate. He was really doing a great job even with all the distractions around and being on grass. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I completely lost his attention about 30-45 seconds before the judge called our number. We got to the entrance to the gate and I was continually having to pull his nose off the ground. The judge warned me that when we got into the ring I couldn’t do that or she’d take points off. I didn’t realize they could take points off before you actually started, so I guess that’s good to know. 

We got to the start line somehow and he sat with me with probably some of the best attention I’ve had from him at the start line. He was actually doing a very nice job watching me. 

The judge told us we could start, and I said heel and proceeded to walk forward. Riot sat there and looked at me. I said “heel” he continued to look at me. I said “heel” and he finally got up. I don’t know if I had told him to “stay” or “wait” at the start line while I was taking off the leash or what happened. Usually I don’t use any sort of word that means stay with a sit or down command since it’s redundant for him (his sit and down mean stay until I release or give you another command) and it does tend to confuse him when I give him a stay and then another command — he give you this look like, it that a trick?

He caught up to me (nose mostely on the ground) and somehow we got the sit at the first obstacle, which was a sit to a fast. Well the fast turned into a yee-haw lets run around the ring smelling everything. The judge yelled “block the gates.” I got him back around the normal sign, did a really messy left turn and then had a beautiful call front, finish left, halt. The next two signs he mostly kind of stayed with me, nose on the ground though, and then he had the jump, which he ran ahead of me, nose on the ground after. The next two obstacles were pretty much a mess.

And then we got excused. 

Ugh. She said she didn’t think Riot was ready for this. I knew it was going to be a challenge for us, but never in a million years did I think we’d get excused. 

Of course as soon as we leave the ring, he goes lunging for the closest dog to go visit. I gave him a good tug on the leash, and a pretty serious “no.” Which got me pulled aside and warned that I could get written up and reported for that on show grounds. Whoops. So I guess no correcting for inappropriate behavior at shows. 

I put him back in his crate and sat there for a while while he pulled himself together. He was being such a goof in his crate. Once he settled, I opened the door and we sat there calmly watching to other dogs pass. He was doing pretty good, but was trembling every once in a while. I’m not sure if it was excitement, nervousness, or if he was possibly a little cold. We sat there for a while with me debating whether or not we’d stick around for wildcard novice. 

I was really torn, because I wanted to see how he’d do. I did consider opting out of the off leash healing part and just doing the rest, but ultimately, I decided I was going to be too paranoid after his performance in rally and that I didn’t want him in the ring again if I couldn’t correct him for the nose on the ground or the lack of attention. 

I had so many people come up to me and say he sure was entertaining to watch and he was named quite appropriately. And I really can’t be mad at him. A little frustrated, yes — especially after seeing so much improvement in our obedience class over the last 6 weeks. 

On the way home we stopped off at the dog park and worked on our attention from the opposite side of the parking lot. He was doing a bit of avoidance initially where he’d kind of look at me and kind of not, but he got better as we worked more. We’ve got all summer to work on our attention in new places, so I think we’re going to take advantage of that. 

PVSSC Rally Trial - Sunday - Riot RA!

You know it’s been a wild ride when the judge hands you your leash at the end of the run and says “Yee-haw!”

Riot qualified today and came in 4th with a 93! A 13 point improvement over yesterday and all 7 points off were for heeling.

Riot warmed up really nicely today — both outside and when I brought him in the building. His heeling was tighter, his focus was better, and he just overall seemed more eager to please. 

I brought him over to the rally ring about two and half dogs before it was his turn and it was even tighter than it was yesterday. The best I could do warming up ringside was to work on “watch” and keep an eye out for wandering dogs invading his space all while blocking someone else’s view. 

Riot was very interested in the judge and I was half convinced he was going to go visit him when he came to take his leash from me. 

Overall the first half of the course was really nice. His heeling wasn’t as nice as I would have liked but it was much better than yesterday. The jump was so much better than yesterday, he actually returned to heel afterwards, didn’t back jump, and didn’t bark.

The second half of the course was a lot more open and all movement with no stopping exercies (other than the last) and two speed changes. This was going to be more of a challenge for us regardless and then the clapping started. In the obedience ring next to us (which we were facing at the time), they were awarding placements and clapping. This was a bit much for Riot to handle as he was convinced they had to be clapping for him and ran over to see what was going on. I told him to heel and he came right back to me. But from then on out it was a battle to keep him with me as things were just way too exciting.

We need to work on longer heeling patterns and more time between rewards when training. The 14 obstacles on course seems a bit hard on him and I think he would be better focused if he could be rewarded a few times throughout.

PVSSC Rally Trial - Saturday

We had a wild time at today’s Rally trial. I have so much fun with this dog, but he does keep things interesting.

This is the first time we’ve done rally since we started trialing in agility and I wasn’t sure what that was going to do to us. 

I brought him into the building right as dogs started running in his class (there were 7 dogs competing in advanced A). We worked in a separate room with very few distractions and I was able to quickly get him to focus. We found a quiet area in the main room and worked some more and he was doing really well. There was no real room to work close to the rings and we needed to pass by the regular obedience ring to get to the rally ring. We arrived ring side with 2 dogs to go and practiced some sits, some downs, and some very small heeling patterns. I had relaxed a bit as we headed in the ring.

I made the mistake of asking “Are you ready?” right before we headed in and he gave one loud definitive bark. We headed in and he sat very nicely at the start line — even with my fumbling to get his leash off. The first three exercises were okay. They weren’t as precise as I’d like and he was a bit ahead on his heeling, but we made it through. The 4th exercise I stopped mid step to remind him to stay before finishing my step and calling him to heel. The 5th exercise was the serpentine and he was so far ahead of me by the third cone I had to call him back into heel position. Our 90° right pivot was very nice and then came the jump. Oh boy.

He did a very good job staying with me until I said jump when he took off, did the jump and continued forward to the ring gate where he decided to sniff. I had to call him to come back. He came back, back jumped the panel jump, and then as I told him to heel came back to me giving me one loud disapproving bark (apparently one jump wasn’t enough for him?). Of course I’m trying not to laugh at this point.

We actually pulled it together pretty nicely after that. His heeling still wasn’t where I wanted it to be (he was a foot or two further from me than he should have been), but the right spiral was pretty nice and the remainder of the exercises were completed decently.

We got done the judge handed me the leash and said we qualified. I think I just stared at her. She said we had an 80. I stared harder — my eyes might have been popping out of my head. Then she told me to put the leash on my dog.

We finished in 5th place. The judge asked as she was handing us our green ribbon if the golden was obedience bred. I sheepishly relied “yes” thinking about all the OTCHs in his pedigree and his fabulous brothers and sisters. She said that we were going to do fine. I guess she recognized some potential in my spirited youngster ;-)

On our way out someone stopped me and said that he was “full of life.” He’s full of something for sure. 

There were a lot of positive things about today. First of all his behavior was so much better than at the Blue Ridge agility trial a couple of weekends ago. I was able to quickly get his attention and focus outside of the ring. Inside the ring, there was still a lot of stimulation and it was harder for him to focus, but overall he did well (we need more opportunities to work on off leash healing in new environments). He really is spirited and energetic, but that’s exactly what I wanted. And he keeps me laughing, I can’t help, but laugh at his antics. Guess that’s what you get when you name a dog “Riot.”

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.

Rally and Field Training

Riot had a busy weekend. Friday night, he had a rally lesson with Cisco and Berkley. Cisco and Berkley got to go first doing novice exercises so Riot had to wait about an hour before he got his turn. He was a very good boy and waited patiently for his turn.

This was his (and my) first exposure to the advanced level exercises. We learned what the exercises were and practiced them and ran through an advanced level course. The course we did twice. Once on leash and then again off leash. He did very well off leash. We probably would have passed. We do need to work some more on backing up, standing, and of course heeling. But overall he did quite well.

Saturday was our first field training class. It’s a beginning field training class offered by the PVGRC. There was a lot of talk so Riot had to wait patiently in the car (which he did). After that we brought the dogs out to see where they are. After all the work I’ve done with him getting him to bring back bumpers, he wouldn’t bring back a bumper on land. Not sure if it was the distance or the fact someone else was throwing the bumper or the new surroundings.

Next was water. After his refusal to bring back bumpers on land and the fact he’s been swimming exactly once and never retrieved anything on that swim, I had no idea what to expect. First we tossed two bumpers just a short distance into the water. The first time, Riot brought back a stick instead (I’ve never had him go after a stick). He did go back and get the bumper after that. The second bumper he also brought back without a problem. Yay! The next throw was a little further and in a narrow section of water between two pieces of land. He swam out no problem and Sue said even before he picked it up, he was going to bail and get out on the island. Sure enough him and the bumper ended up on the island. He came back to me sans bumper. After our experience on land, I really can’t complain.

We still have a lot of work to do with retrieving. Poor Chris has now been recruited for bumper throwing. His first assignment was Sunday night. Good thing we keep the sessions short.

RN! - Riot’s First Title!

Riot and I went to the Richmond Dog Obedience Club’s trial in Stafford, Virginia. The Rally trial was held from 3-10pm on Friday and Saturday night. I think more trials need to start at 3pm.

We were a little rushed getting there on Friday as Stafford was further away than I remembered it being and as usual 95-S was a parking lot. We got there just about 3pm. Fortunately, Novice B went first and then Novice A had a separate walk through after they were done. I checked in and went and got Riot’s crate out of the car and set up.

The facility Colonial K9, was really nice. There was the big room where all the activity was going on and then right next door there were the day care rooms that were also available for crating. I set Riot’s crate up in a daycare room where it was much more quite.

After we got situated, I took Riot into the big room and let him smell around and get accustomed to the noise — there were a lot of echoes in the room. Riot’s attention was okay, but not nearly as good as it could be. We went back over to the daycare room and started working. Initially he was still very interested in his surroundings, but as we worked his focus got better and better. We then went back to the big room and did some work in there. Much better. I put Riot back in his crate to chill and went and watched the rest of the Novice B class — they all qualified!

After our walk though I got Riot out for a potty break and then did a little warm up in the daycare room. We then headed to the big room and did some more warm up work. I had a moment of panic when I realized I brought him out way too early and if I kept working him his brain might get fried or he’d get bored and distracted if we just stood there. I put him in a down stay and watched a couple of dogs in front of us and then did just a bit more warm up with lots of treats right before it was our turn.

Riot did beautifully! His attention was great. I couldn’t have asked him to do any better. We got a 97 and second place for the run (first place was a 98 and there were 10 dogs in the class). I know we lost a point or two when he jumped on me in the Call Front, 1, 2, 3 Step Backward exercise and maybe for a really crooked sit? But I can’t complain at all. He did so well.

Saturday was much more chaotic as the obedience people were there in the morning and there were more than twice as many crates and chairs set up in the big room. We followed a similar routine to the day before except warming up in the big room was a bunch more difficult — I think we need a lesson in obedience trial etiquette as I think a few ladies were getting annoyed we were in their view of the ring and we came close to interfering with a few people trying to walk by with their dogs (I was trying to stay out of everyone’s way).

Riot had been much more distracted all day. Even at home before we left, his nose was on high-alert that there just HAD to be things on the floor. I’ve never seen him do that before. That distraction continued all day and even through a lot of our warm-up. We ended up with a 97 and first place, but I think the judge was quite generous. I would have called us for a tight leash about 3 times, forging twice, maybe a lack of team work on our serpentine as his focus was no where near me, and we had an absolutely horrible About “U” Turn. We got out of the ring and a guy said to me, “You did better than you think you did.”

That’s the second time someone has said that to me coming out of the rally ring. I wonder what kind of expressions I make when doing a course.

Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased with how Riot did, how well he’s handling the chaos of a show environment, and how despite the chaos, he’s able to focus one me (well at least this weekend was a lot better than the PVGRC speciality). And that’s really the whole point of having him out right now.

It turns out Rally is a lot of fun. Now we need to find out what else we need to know for the Advanced level and start working all this stuff off leash. We’re also going to work with Cisco and Berkley so they can play too.

Rally Novice A - First Place

Riot and I went to the PVGRC Speciality yesterday. Riot was entered in Rally Novice A. It was our first time doing an AKC Rally course.

The trial was at the Howard County Fairground and it was really rainy outside. We set up inside the building and I brought Riot out various times through out the morning to get used to the the surroundings. There were so many good things to smell. Riot’s focus was pretty limited at first when I tried to practice with him, but the more we worked the better he was doing.

Shortly before we got into the ring, I thought we were doing really well as our concentration had increased and we had some pretty nice heeling going on. Well all bets were off as we stepped into the ring. There was a new surface and new smells. Riot did pretty well through most of the turns, but any straight heeling pattern he was pretty unfocused.

We lost 10 points for an incomplete exercise — I think it was our little sniffing adventure in the middle of the serpentine. I thought maybe I should have started over, but I wasn’t exactly clear on the rules, so I got him back where we were and continued. Our final score was an 82 (out of 100 — needed 70 to qualify). We had a few points off for lack of team work (sniffing), lagging and forging. 3 of the 5 dogs in Nov A qualified. We tied with 82 points with one of the other dogs, but got first because we had the fastest time.

Everything we’re doing is for fun and exposure to new surroundings at this point. We need to take our heeling practice on the road. For a 9 month old, he’s doing great, but we have a long way to go.

First Rally Trial

Riot and I went to an APDT Rally Trial yesterday at Kamp Kitty in Falling Waters, WV. I was convinced to enter the puppy level where you’re allowed to treat them through the entire course (so really it is like a scored training session). I figured it would be really good practice for us and good for us to work at a different place — all of Riot’s agility, obedience, and private lessons have been at the same place so far.

I was completely surprised at how well we did. Riot got fourth place with a 203 in the first trial. And he got first place with a 205 in the second trial. Seriously? Both courses had a 90° Left Pivot in them (we had never done one until in the ring) and the bonus exercises in APDT Rally were completely new to us too.

Our morning course Riot was very busy checking out his surroundings as we had arrived only 45 minutes before the trial started and puppies were going first. So I didn’t have great attention from him throughout most of the course, he meandered with me, but was checking everything out as well.

The afternoon course was a fun course, but he was a little wild and unfocused coming to the line. He was first dog on the line after the walk-through. The first 4 obstacles were a little wild (nothing like having a dog bounce in a 360° right turn, but by the 5th obstacle, he had settled down nicely and his attention was fabulous. The bonus exercise was a halt with a recall to heel where you walk away from the dog and call them to come and sit at your side with your back to them. (This was another thing we had never practiced.) Well I left Riot, walked out ahead, and called him. He got up and took a few steps and stopped. I think he was trying to figure out if this was another one of my tricks or if he was actually supposed to come. I called him again, he came and I told him to sit as he got to my side. Almost perfect other than questioning me half way through.

Oh and even though I could treat him throughout the course… I completely forgot.

I wasn’t expecting him to do nearly as well. Now he has two out three legs needed for his RLP, so I guess I should probably find another trial to enter him in so he can get that third leg.

Busy Friday

Riot had a very busy Friday. He came to Blue Ridge Dog Training Club’s agility trial with Cisco and I and was a very good boy in his crate. We got to meet lots of people and dogs, including his “aunt” Kensey (her sire is Riot’s grandsire).

Riot is quite the kangaroo coming out of his crate he bounces up and down until I give him a command. As soon as I tell him to do something, he gets quite serious. and focused. He doesn’t do this out of his crate at home, but when we’re training or at an agility trial he does.

After a fun filled day at the trial, we made it home just in time to make it to his Rally lesson. We ran through two rally courses. The second course was for the most part better than the first. I’m not sure if it’s because we had time to sniff the floor enough on the first or because I was better about communicating and talking with him. Peny says he responded really positively to “good boy” on the course. So I need to remember to give him lots of feedback.

Saturday he stayed home while Cisco and I went to the trial. He was very good for Chris. When we got home I threw some bumpers for Cisco and Riot. Riot is getting a little bit better with the retrieve, but we still have a long way to go.

Classes start up again tomorrow.