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#1
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Dog with 2 legs
Two legs in a GOOD way!
Ranger and I took an "Intro to Rally" class last fall, and the group we're training with decided that we'd all enter the Des Moines Obedience Training Club trial this weekend and hold each others' hands. So we did. (I'd like to point out that Ranger is 12 years old or so, and I've owned him exactly 11 years. Other than the ONE fun match we went to last week, he's never been anywhere or done anything to prepare him for the showring atmosphere. But I figured that he's not getting any younger, and I'm not either.) I'm not sure what nervousness or tension Ranger is cuing off, but even when I think I'm relaxed and doing okay his heeling falls completely apart in the ring. Great attention in the warmup, great attention afterward, completely "la-la-la, I can't HEAR you" in the ring. On Friday, a Certain Dog and I completely blew the "call front, finish right forward" because *somebody* does a swing finish when his brain is out to lunch, and I was pretty sure we'd get the same result if we retried the station. Anyway, hideous heeling, blown station and all, Ranger got his first leg with an 88. Yesterday, the trial didn't start until 3pm, Novice didn't start until 6:30pm, and the weather was crappy. No snow, but high winds glazed parts of the roads. I took Rita and her grandson Tracy with me, and on the way down we watched a northbound truck pulling a car trailer spin out and slide into the median. I thought for sure it was going to keep coming into the southbound lanes, but it didn't. Very confidence-making. OTOH, any show nerves I had were being drowned in stress and adrenaline from the drive. A more difficult course, but no right finishes. Heeling was still hideous, but less so than the day before. Ranger got a second leg with a 95, and fourth place! Then he got to sit in the car while we had dinner. We white-knuckled the drive home at 15mph or more below the speed limit, being passed by some folks, but collecting a couple of similarly-minded drivers behind us, and seeing dozens of wrecks clumped around the bad spots. Showing in Iowa in February. What was I thinking? Anyway, we've got a month or two to wrestle the heeling into shape before trying for that last Rally Novice leg. Yay, Ranger! |
#2
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Dog with 2 legs
M Healey spoke these words of wisdom in
: Anyway, we've got a month or two to wrestle the heeling into shape before trying for that last Rally Novice leg. Yay, Ranger! Yay Ranger! |
#3
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Dog with 2 legs
"M Healey" wrote in message ... Showing in Iowa in February. What was I thinking? Anyway, we've got a month or two to wrestle the heeling into shape before trying for that last Rally Novice leg. Yay, Ranger! Yay is right!! i think rally is perfect for old fart dogs! |
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