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How to Become a Celebrity
in the Obedience Ring FTN Obedience Page Originally Published in Front & Finish, The Dog Trainers News in October of 1995. A True Story by B. Aloff First of all Breanna is in Open A. Today we NQ on only the High Jump, which Breanna jumps, then runs in a circle around the dumbbell thinking, "I know I'm forgetting something, I should have written it down!". Pausing thoughtfully she comes back over the jump, suddenly remembers why we are here; hops back over the jump, retrieves the dumbbell, then runs around the Jump. All of which any dog might do, right!?! I am tickled to death because her Heel work was great, and she executed our nemesis - The Broad Jump - with style. However, my day is just beginning - Breanna's ring and Punch's Novice B ring are conflicting, so I'm nervous because I know I'm not going to have enough time to get Punch out of the crate soon enough. The Judges are helpful in trying to schedule my dogs far enough apart, but there aren't enough entries between dogs so I can take Punch for the five mile run necessary to "get the wrinkles out," as my old friend and horse-trainer Bill Moore would say. I put Breanna in a crate, get Punch out of hers and report directly to the Novice B ring. The On Leash stuff is lively, but uneventful. Punch bounces happily beside me the whole time. During the Figure Eight, a button falls off my jacket that I'd recently purchased to show my dogs in, (for me to wear, not the dogs), and went rolling across the floor. I'm certain the crowd thinks treats are falling out of my pockets. Mr. Carlucci, The Judge, gallantly Retrieves my button and hands it to me. I give him a full thirty points on the Retrieve and Presentation. I optimistically hope that we are receiving similar scores for our Heel work. Then the stand: I give my leash to the steward, Stand my dog, and Leave. Punch is rooted to the floor, the only thing moving is her solemnly waving tail, which accelerates as The Judge approaches her. Mr. Carlucci reaches to touch her and she bounces straight up in the air, then comes down in a perfect stand, wagging her little tail ninety miles an hour. She hasn't moved forward at all, only up! Punch displays a wide-mouthed grin for Mr. Carlucci as he reaches to touch her again. Just as his hand nears her shoulder she launches herself into the air again, straight up, as if jet-propelled. He throws his hands up, smiles with good humour and says "Return to your dog". She holds the Stand impeccably as I Return. Aside from nearly bloodying Mr. Carlucci's nose, which Punch would have done if he had bent over her and didn't have quick reflexes, we have executed the exercise with style and a certain amount of precision. (I dare you to jump straight up in the air and land in exactly the same spot repeatedly!) Next we begin the Off Leash Heeling pattern. Punch frolics along beside me exuding that "true terrier character" - in short a party attitude, sitting neatly on the halts, gazing up at my face just as I've taught her to do. I feel a moment of pride. I have worked hard for many months to get focus. Anyone who has worked a dog (or a husband, or a child) will appreciate that warm glow of satisfaction you feel when your partner is actually responding to all of those "teamwork" lectures. We execute the first leg of the L. We turn left, we halt, we move forward again, we begin the about turn. "We're nearly half done. . . ", dare I breathe more easily? No, definitely not. This is where Punch feels a need to express herself again. She runs entirely around me once, charges over to Mr. Carlucci, jumps up on him joyfully as if to say "I'm so glad to be a Fox Terrier! I'm so glad to be here!", dashes back over to me and sits in perfect heel position, gazing up at my face proudly. "Mom, aren't you thrilled with me? Isn't this just a riot?!" We move forward again, do our right turn, and as we are passing the adjacent Open B Ring, the dog in that ring sails over the Broad Jump. Punch is so glad to see another dog having fun, too, that she jumps straight up in the air (high enough to get that important eye contact with me), circles completely around me twice, scampers over to The Judge, leaping high enough to nearly kiss his chin this trip, flits back to me, sits in perfect Heel Position and gazes up at my face (Boy are all those focus lessons ever paying off!). By this time there is a crowd forming at the Novice B Ring. They are applauding each bounce, and wishing that they, too, were having as much fun as Mr. Carlucci, Punch and me. At each "Exercise Finished," I throw open my arms and exclaim "Good Dog!", and praise Punch joyfully. What else am I to do? My only option at this point is to be as ecstatically happy as my exuberant little dog. (Is that what infectious enthusiasm means?) Mr. Carlucci, asks me if I would like to "try the Recall". My reply was a a rather indignant "Well of course, my dog comes when I call her!". I generously forgive him for his skeptical look. I must tell you that I have three Smooths. (note added years later: boy, those were the days...way more than 3 now!) Breanna comes at a brisk trot or a controlled canter; Jynx moves right along; but Punch, ah Punch, puts her little tail at the horizontal, stretches her neck and head out, lays her little button ears down close to her head (so as to be aerodynamic) and comes at a double suspension gallop. When she reaches me, she jumps and taps me somewhere above the belly button with her front feet, and then twists in the air and lands at heel position. (I know, I know: we're working on that separate Front and Finish, but we're not quite there yet. Since my goal with this particular dog is for us to end up in the same ring together at the completion of the Exercises, I figure that's the least of my problems!) I call Punch on Mr. Carlucci's signal, and here she comes flying across the mats, she springs off me. . . but forgets to twist in the air because something outside our ring has caught her attention. Not being one to waste time when there are other mice to catch, Punch gaily slips quickly and neatly between the slats in the ring partitions, into the crowd. Luckily Karen, (who is currently working a Manchester in Utility - not for the faint of heart either!) is here today. She approached me first when she saw me attempting to show my terriers in obedience (yes, folks, we are a genuine minority) when I was a wet-behind-the-ears novice just last year, (Today has certainly been interesting. I feel more experienced already!), and has been only supportive and helpful. Punch couldn't have chosen a better person (or worse, depending on the point of view) to try to slide by, because Karen knows what "terrorists" are all about, and she snatches Punch right up. Here is where I make a handler error. (The last of many for this day - the first being made two months ago when I filled out the entries for this show.) Instead of coaxing Punch back through the ring slats, I pick her up to get her back in the ring, whereupon the long-suffering Mr. Carlucci, tears of laughter streaking his face, orders "Out," pointing toward, appropriately, the out gate. Assuming he did not want me back for the sits and downs, (She will do a thirty minute down, and in public! No, really!) we leave amidst the thundering applause of, literally, a standing ovation. I hear Mr. Carlucci commenting to The Judge in the next ring, "I just got my first 200 of the day!" As Andy Warhol said, "Everyone is famous for fifteen minutes". I hope this was my time! I don't believe my ego can take much more fame. I decide on my way out of the ring that we can wait until Spring, perhaps even Summer, (year not specified), before we will inflict ourselves on the unsuspecting public again. But never fear, when you least expect us . . . After the ring was over and Mr. Carlucci looked accessible, I approached him and said, "I just want to present you with a bill for the entertainment." He took my comment with very good grace, just smiled, he didn't knock me down or anything, in fact he was even cordial. So I continued on with "I really want to apologize for entirely disrupting two rings". He not only accepted my apology, he even offered words of encouragement, which was very kind considering my dog could have disfigured or maimed him with her antics. Everyone that was at the Show deserves a commendation. First of all the AKC Judge who was understanding and kept his sense of humour in the face of adversity and mayhem (in other words, one of my Fox Terriers in Obedience). The Show Committee did not ban us from the grounds, and the Trial Secretary was very amiable and a lot of fun (another terrier aficionado). My friends met me outside the ring and still acted as if they knew me. Moreover, I had no less than twenty people, at least a dozen of whom I don't even know, come up to me and offer words of motivation and advice. "You'll have a High in Trial Dog there if you can ever get any control!" and "I'm so glad it was you and not me!" and "Wow, what enthusiasm!" Not to mention those who just came up and speechlessly placed a hand on my shoulder. But most notably, and the comment of which I was the proudest "You were such a good sport!" I must admit, we had a great time. Any dog that is enjoying life to the "utmost", deserves some credit! Not a leg on our CD perhaps, but credit all the same! And after all, isn't that what Showing and the Obedience Ring is all about? Enjoying your dog and the time you spend together, and enjoying the people you meet that all have something in common - love for their dogs and a wish to be the ultimate in any persuasion - real partners, a team. | |||
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