Shelby gets excused and Spot gets his first Q

Yesterday we went to the Bo Gee CPE trial in Deerfield, NH. We were only signed up for Saturday. Shelby was entered in Jackpot level 2, Wildcard level 3, Colors level 3, and 2 rounds of Standard level 2. Spot was entered in 2 rounds of Standard level 1.

The day started off a little hectic because Jackpot 1, 2, 3 was in one ring, while Wildcard 3, 4, 5, C was in another ring. I ended up running Wildcard first, then Jackpot about 5 minutes later. Shelby did well in Wildcard. The course was a jump a choice between the dogwalk (b) and the tire and tunnel (a), then the weaves, then a choice of single jump (a) and double jump (b), then a choice of single jump (a) or weaves (b), then a single jump, 180 to a single jump, then the tunnel, 180 to a single jump, and finishing with a single jump. I chose the dogwalk and the double as my 2 required b elements and then the single jump for my a element. Shelby did have trouble with the weaves. She entered, but then started sniffing. I restarted her but she did it again, so I just tried to get her back in where she popped out and she was able to finish. I thought we Qd, but it turns out we were 6 seconds over time, giving us 6 faults, and the limit is 5 faults. So if we had gotten those weaves the first time we would have made it for sure.

Next up was Jackpot. The jackpot challenge was that the handler had to stand in a box and do a pin wheel of 3 jumps and a tunnel. I knew Shelby could do it no problem and I had a good plan. Of course Shelby messed it up. My plan was tunnel, then A frame, then tunnel again, then the jackpot and a few jumps. Shelby went into the tunnel, but didn't come out and wasted all our time. We did get a few points, but I was bummed.

Then it was time for Colors. The course I picked was pretty easy. It was tire, a few jumps into a tunnel, then a jump, the A frame, a tunnel, a jump, the weaves and a jump. Shelby did great until the weaves. I asked her to weave but she went around to the left. I called her but she didn't come. I saw her zero in on something outside the ring and she took off. Turns out there were some people with some Papillons and Shelby went after them growling and chasing. I had a hard time grabbing her. I was really shaken up. Fortunately no one was hurt, human or dog. But it was very scary. Later the judge and the trial organizer came up to me and said that they would have to excuse her from the rest of the trial and send a report to CPE, since it was an agressive incident. I totally understand. I wouldn't feel safe running Shelby anymore, and if it were someone else's dog, I wouldn't feel safe running knowing a dog like that was in the trial. I had been waiting for some sign as to whether or not to keep competing with Shelby, and I think this was it. I may try to find a behaviorist to see what we can do to curb this prey drive response.

Well after all that, I at least had Spot's runs to look forward to. The course looked pretty easy-it was a big circle mostly. Spot was excited to be out there. He wasn't that interesting in setting up. I had to physically position him. He ran well, but was so excited he ran past a bunch of jumps and I had to call him back, but he came back each time. He did have an issue where he went into the tunnel instead of the A frame, and I called him back and he did it again! So we had some off course faults and were over time.

His next run was the complete opposite of the first. He was excited again, but this time he did the course in 37 seconds with 0 faults! He was out ahead of me for most of it, but I kept giving him cues and he took the obstacles in front of him. The opening was 3 jumps to the tunnel, the dog walk, a jump, then a 180 to 4 jumps, then another 180 to the tunnel under the A frame, to a jump, then another 180 back over the A frame then 3 jumps to finish. In the opening, he was ahead of me by the second jump, but he kept going into the tunnel. I caught up at the dogwalk and then he got ahead during the next series of jumps, but that let me get my rear cross in nicely. He took the tunnel no problem, but I didn't quite meet him in time at the other end because I had to run around the A frame, so he did stop and look for me. I directed him to the next jump, then did a front cross. I wasn't sure he would take the A frame, but he did and then we did the end no problem. I was such a great run-I wish I had it on tape. None of my friends saw it either! Turns out he took 1st place which was great. Second place was about 5 seconds slower, then third and fourth were about 30 seconds behind.