# Your Ring Nightmare!!!!!



## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

It was time for the heel off lead exercise & Nyg was a little too "up" & I was even having a problem getting him to sit by my side to start. Yes, I was concerned..... until we started the exercise. The judge said "Forward" and off we went. "Halt" & he stopped & sat. "Forward", "Left turn" and I continued - "Slow", "About Turn", "Right Turn", "Fast", "Normal" & "Halt". Exercise Finished. Well, not so as Nyg went & sat in the middle of the ring at the "Left Turn" and watched ME. The judge did comment that I did an excellent heeling exercise but unfortunately I was disqualified because the exercise was to include a dog!!!:doh::doh::doh: Nyg then RAN over to me full of enthusiasm!!!:uhoh::uhoh: Then came the recall - Leave your dog, "Wait", Call your dog, "Nygel, COME!". Well, he did come but he looked like he had been an abused dog & just about crawled at a snail's pace. The judge told me to call him again & I did. Nyg came barrelling at me at the speed of light, jumped @ me & sent me falling right onto my butt:doh::doh: The judge said to me "He's a nice working boy & things WILL come together".

They did!!!!!!


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## FranH (May 8, 2005)

:worthless


What a great "ring" adventure


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Great story!! We all have these moments. I recently got knocked on my back side by my lab in agility. I was in the WRONG place at the WRONG time, it was the first time I was GLAD my DH was not videoing!!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

LOL - I can so relate to your story. Just when we think they are ready for the ring, they choose to really make a point of showing us the error of our ways  At least now we can ask to be excused when things really fall apart ....

But, you know, I can honestly say that I still consider myself the winner that day because _I'm _the person who gets to take my dog home; they may not always showcase all the training and patience they are given, but they are always ready to 'forgive' us for bringing them to that place ROFLMAO


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Oh, I have more:doh::doh::doh: but this one dates back to 1983......

My golden girl Becky was VERY high strung (She was off the wall!!!!!!) and we were taking evening obedience classes. It was graduation night & back then you had to pass graduation in order to move out of the Basic class. Well, we had to travel about 1 1/2 hour each way for class so I'd get out of work, run home, load up Becky & hit the road. 

That evening I went home from work to discover that Becky had eaten a Sears catalogue - about 3 inches thick & shiny, glossy paper. All the way to class she emitted this horrible gas:yuck::yuck::yuck: but when I pulled the car over, she'd just act silly & nothing! 

In the meantime, it was our turn & I was nervous as I entered the ring with a farting dog. We started our heeling exercise and then I smelled it :uhoh::uhoh::uhoh: As we heeled, she was spewing this horrible smelling, green, & very liquid bowel movements all over the ring. :doh::doh::doh: 

My classmates started gagging & left the building. I was just flabbergasted & asked for something to clean it up. 

I was told by the instructor to leave the class & never return!!!! 

So, with our tails between our legs, we left that class & never did return! 

That was the end of Becky's formal training career.:uhoh::uhoh:


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Gwen said:


> Oh, I have more:doh::doh::doh: but this one dates back to 1983......
> 
> My golden girl Becky was VERY high strung (She was off the wall!!!!!!) and we were taking evening obedience classes. It was graduation night & back then you had to pass graduation in order to move out of the Basic class. Well, we had to travel about 1 1/2 hour each way for class so I'd get out of work, run home, load up Becky & hit the road.
> 
> ...


This is just too funny - my work mates are very curious why I'm laughing so hard.

My most embarassing ring experience was actually just recently. My Casey was entered in Open A and all seemed well until we actually entered the ring. He started lagging right off and then sat in the corner while I heeled by myself. Figure 8 time came and he didn't even start. I asked the judge to be excused and he said 'Sharon, that would be a fine idea'. 

The following day I went up just to work him around the rings a bit and yesterday's judge stopped by to verify I was not going into the ring LOL

In Casey's defense, I brought him to the vets and found he had both Lyme and Ehrlichiosis and he never has done well with people yelling (it was indoors and a conformation/obedience show).


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Great stories, thanks for sharing. 

I think especially for us newbies when things go wrong we think we are the only ones these things happen to (and are so mortified). It's nice to hear from experienced handlers that they have had their share of embarrassing moments too and have survived and thrived.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Gwen said:


> I was told by the instructor to leave the class & never return!!!!
> 
> So, with our tails between our legs, we left that class & never did return!
> 
> That was the end of Becky's formal training career.:uhoh::uhoh:


Gwne
I was laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks till I got to this point. What a HORRIBLE thing for an instructor to do. As the saying goes "S_ _ _ Happens! But hopefully not in the ring."


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Well I have a number of these, but not willing to share them ALL!
This one is similar to Gwen's first story. 
One time while showing Keeper in utility we set up to start the signals exercise. The judges says "forward" and I signal Keeper and accoss the ring I go. As I approach the other side for what was a "right turn" for everyone else up to that point, the judge says "about turn". Confused, but I comply and I do an about turn. As I do it I see Keeper sitting on the other side of the ring where we started, smiling and wagging her tail like crazy. The judge then said "exercise finished and now the rest is for practice".


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## gabbys mom (Apr 23, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> Well I have a number of these, but not willing to share them ALL!
> This one is similar to Gwen's first story.
> One time while showing Keeper in utility we set up to start the signals exercise. The judges says "forward" and I signal Keeper and accoss the ring I go. As I approach the other side for what was a "right turn" for everyone else up to that point, the judge says "about turn". Confused, but I comply and I do an about turn. As I do it I see Keeper sitting on the other side of the ring where we started, smiling and wagging her tail like crazy. The judge then said "exercise finished and now the rest is for practice".


I have about ten incidents like these- Gabby isn't an easy girl to show- she stresses a lot. 

A couple of times she would just go to the center of the ring, stand there and kind of cower like "my mommy beats me, please help, nice judge." SO AWKWARD!


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## S-Dog's Mom (Jan 9, 2009)

OMG, you guys.... this thread is GREAT!!!!!!

Again, sitting at work, laughing out loud, getting funny looks from my cubicle-mates.....

Keep 'em coming! 
I have my first "event" with Simon tomorrow- Dock Diving.

I especially like the ones with the slow "poor abused" crawl back to mommy..... Cracks me up!


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## AlanK (Jun 28, 2008)

I must admit those are a couple of great after lunch stories. It had to chuckle out loud


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Here is another

Keeper had been retired for a couple of years from obedience and I was starting to show her daughter Lucy. I decided I would enter Keeper in a show in both Open B and Utility B. It was our first time showing in the B classes and it was the first spring of the "shuffled order" exercises. Our first class that day was Open and when we got to the drop on recall the judge says "I will give you all hand signals" So off to the other side of the ring I go and the judge points at me. So I of course immediately raise my hand straight up and I see a strange expression on the judge's face as keeper complies and lies down. I then hear a voice from outside the ring chuckle and in a low voice says "Psst, it's OPEN not Utility". I realize instead of calling my Keeper to come I gave her the signal from the utility exercise to drop. :doh:


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

A couple of times she would just go to the center of the ring, stand there and kind of cower like "my mommy beats me, please help, nice judge." SO AWKWARD![/QUOTE]

That was my Ollie, God rest his soul! I trialled in 10 trials before I was able to get his CD!!!!!!!! and the main reason was his recall. Same thing as above.... slow, cowering, looking @ the judge as if to say "Don't make me go to her, she beats me". I was soooo embarrassed But, as soon as we had been disqualified and the judge says "Call your dog (again)", Ollie would come bolting in???????? 

I swear that they are secretly thinking "Hey, I got her, didn't I!!!!"

And at the end of the day, home we go and life goes on .......until the next trial!

Why do we do this????????:--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded:


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## Mandy's Dad (May 27, 2008)

Great stories everyone! Thanks for sharing!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Gwen said:


> Why do we do this????????:--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded::--dumbfounded:


 
For FUN, RELAXATION and the pursuit of HAPPINESS!!??!! :--crazy:


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

OMG--those are sooo good. Usually quite painful at the time, but at least you can look back on them and laugh.

I was competing with my sheltie at the fair one year when she did the unspeakable. We were heeling through the ring and I watched as the judge's eye widened and she began to scream and stamp her foot. I look down at my dog who was laying a nice one on the ground. I panic and chase her out of the ring whlie the judge is yelling at me. I took off to get my dog and the had the fair queen who was overseeing the show come and clean up the mess 

The other one is not mine, but I was there! Rusty and I were waiting for our turn in the agility ring. A little dog was running the course and seemed to be having an 'off' day. The handler was able to direct him onto the table but was having no luck getting that dog to sit. She tried repeatedly, "Rover sit! Sit!" Even using lots of hand gestures to no avail. Finally, the dog started to circle...and...out came the poop! The Judge was yelled, "Hey! She said sit not s*it!" Amazingly, the handler was quick on the draw and was able to lift that dog off the table before anything hit the table.


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## DCPakaMOM (Feb 15, 2009)

I just love this thread! Isn't it amazing at how embarrassed we can be and yet still love them soooo much. 

I remember showing at a specialty and one of my first times in novice. Small entry and, we did fine. My friend's dog left heeling to run out of the ring straight to her "jackpot" -- she ate her treats and ran right back into the ring and got in heel position. What a smart girl I thought! I know her owner was quite embarrassed. I thought it was priceless.

Move forward one year, same specialty. I have Bailey entered in Rally Excellent and Rally Advanced. Except, I am on crutches and in walking boot and Bailey hates those crutches. So, a friend I train with graciously agreed to take her in. Night before Bailey would have nothing to do with her - of course I thought she was pouting because I had been playing with Coda and everyone else's dogs. Next day, ring time ... I leave and let them work before going in the ring.

Sharon & Bailey go in the ring and I am on the opposite side of the building. Happened to be talking to the woman whose dog ran out last year. I said, I wouldn't be surprised if Bailey does it this year ... Not a split second later and all I hear is people yelling, "Bailey!!" and "get her" -- Next thing I know, she is at my side (where she belongs) -- I of course thought it was precious and truly I think she felt like she needed to be with me all wounded and everything... My diva girl who usually could care less where I am. I was secretly very proud of her loyalty - while Sharon - was mortified! I still chuckle about that one. Only thing I know for sure is that Sharon really won't be asking to show Bailey for me again.


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## peeps (Sep 12, 2007)

okay, I will share my first weekend of showing in Novice A stories. The first day we are in the ring and Danny is a bit happy to be out with mom. She's jumping around etc. so I grab her collar just as she is about to jump - her butt went up her head did not .... the judge said to me "easy" like I was rough handling my dog... I was mortified. Then comes the off leash heeling (which she did very well in the fun match the night before) Danny not only lags but trots over to the other side of me and heels there for a bit. Now we are on the recall (Dancer loves me and wants to be close all the time so our recall is usually bang on) I recall her expecting this to be our redeeming exercise - she just sits there looking at me with her ears perked..lol what a day. I have to admit to being scared for the rest of the trials to come lol! The next day they come to get me as I sam leaving the specials ring, I don't even have a leash(a very nice lady with a Berner gave me hers) we walk in the ring oh no it's the same judge. Well we do our exercises, Danny's recall is great, everything seems to be going better.....time for the long down - it goes well until I am returning and she sits up lol. The last day Dancer just walked away from me into the middle of the ring and wqas looking around at her audience  Whew can't wait until the next show lol


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

peeps said:


> .... I have to admit to being scared for the rest of the trials to come lol! ......
> ..... Whew can't wait until the next show lol


 
Well unless you are one of the LUCKY few the nerves will NEVER go away! :nervous:


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Here’s another one for me.

My Rowdy was in the Open ring, doing a really nice job. We get to the Retrieve on the Flat and he’s off like a rocket, grabs his dumbbell, turns around and for some reason went towards the high jump. He rethinks the high jump idea and turns back towards the center of the ring. He does an absolutely gorgeous delivery, perfectly straight and so very proud. But the judge just would not take that darn dumbbell - my laughing (and perhaps the spectators as well) finally called his attention back to me, he looks up at the judge, looks towards me, looks at the judge and back to me again and then spins and comes bounding towards me with his dumbbell for another perfect delivery – finally, someone willing to take his dumbbell J

How I loved his antics ...


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Sunrise I have a VERY similar story. 
This time it was my seet Kizmet. She had gotten her CD and had a couple of entries in Novice coming up a specialty show. She was doing real nice in class with her Open exercises I decided what the heck and moved her up to Open A. So we get to the retrieve over the high and i throw the dumb bell. I send her to get it and she goes over the jump picks it up and promptly brings it directly to the judge. Kizmet then looks at me and then I see THAT look in her eyes. She now attempts to deliver it to the judge's mouth by bounding up with the dumb bell and putting it right in the judge's face. The judge is in hysterics as red as a beet as I go over and get Kizmet's attention long enough to take it from her. I was so happy that this judge had a sense of humor.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Last October, Nyg was entered in two Novice trials in Gravenhurst, Ontario. The trials were held indoors and (2) rings were separated by ring curtains. The trials were held concurrent and it just happened that Novice was going on in both rings. I had finished my first trial & then immediately over to the next trial. 

While we were in the ring doing off lead heeling, a terror Manchester Terrier was in the next doing his thing. By doing his thing, I mean exactly that - he was running all over and both the judge & owner were attempting to catch this little beast. As we were doing our "left turn" which took us right beside the centre curtain, that little beast came through the curtain, right through Nyg's legs & started running around the second ring. This scared Nyg to death & he bolted from the ring - he has NEVER done this before. He was caught right away & he was cowering, snuggling, shaking - the poor boy didn't know what had happened. As well, he was a bit concerned that he had left the ring. 

The judge was great & asked us to redo the exercise but advised me that we had been disqualified. Ok:uhoh::uhoh: but not really fair to poor Nyg. I had him back in the ring & what a perfect heeling pattern he did!!!!! Yeah!!! 

Now comes time to do our Sit/Down exercises. Who is beside Nyg but the little demon Manchester. As soon as we left the dogs on the Sit/Stay, the demon started running around the ring. He was immediately captured this time. Now the Down/Stay exercises but we weren't so lucky this time. This beast started not only running around the ring but jumping on and running around the other dogs. Nyg STAYED & was the only one!!!!!!!!! :wavey::wavey::wavey: I was thrilled but the other former qualifiers were not!

We then had to go to the other ring for our second set of Sit/Down Stay exercises. The Manchester acted up within 10 seconds of the owner leaving on the sit/stay but he was quickly caught by the judge. This time, he was turfed from the ring with stiff words from the judge.

Now, I call this perseverence - the Manchester was almost 4 years old & had been in over 100 trials without a single leg!!!!!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

AmbikaGR said:


> Sunrise I have a VERY similar story.
> This time it was my seet Kizmet. She had gotten her CD and had a couple of entries in Novice coming up a specialty show. She was doing real nice in class with her Open exercises I decided what the heck and moved her up to Open A. So we get to the retrieve over the high and i throw the dumb bell. I send her to get it and she goes over the jump picks it up and promptly brings it directly to the judge. Kizmet then looks at me and then I see THAT look in her eyes. She now attempts to deliver it to the judge's mouth by bounding up with the dumb bell and putting it right in the judge's face. The judge is in hysterics as red as a beet as I go over and get Kizmet's attention long enough to take it from her. I was so happy that this judge had a sense of humor.


LOL - you've got to love them - my judge stood rock still I guess hoping Rowdy would notice. I have it on tape and it is just so priceless


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## gabbys mom (Apr 23, 2008)

My hubby kindly reminded me of the time Gabby left the ring to visit him and in the process, got distracted and visited several others before joining me back in the ring...


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Brandy and I were going for our third UD leg and she must have taken an opposite vitamin that morning. During the signals, I gave her the down, beautiful, then the sit she sat then the come she went down. We did the gloves I gave her the direction for glove one, she went for glove three. Then the articles, the first was leather, she brought back metal and visa versa. During the directed jumping the evil pill struck again, signal for high jump, bar, signal for bar, high. The crowd enjoyed it, I wanted to hide under a rock. Did I mention she failed each exercise with great joy, I had never seen her so happy in the ring. She knew, she knew.


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

Before our first trials last fall, my obedience coach told me, "Nobody in that room has never NQ'd in the ring. Not qualifying is not a disaster but a learning opportunity."
Thankfully, Casey did not NQ (although he visited the table steward and totally lost me at one point on the heel off leash). Trials are so named because they are so different from training and even practice matches. Sometimes you just never know if you are ready (or not) until in a trial situation. My guy is very laid back, so often looks kind of bored in the ring (unless sauntering off to visit stewards!). I sometimes wish that he had more "drive". However, my classmates with high drive dogs have problems of their own!


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## fuzzbuzz (Aug 3, 2008)

These stories are so funny! Years ago I had a Corgi, Ranger. First show for both of us and he did great both days earning 2 legs. Yahoo! Next weekend we were off to the next show. First day, all went well until the long sits. Judge told everyone, "IF your dog gets up and starts to walk toward you, bend down and let the dog come in to you." WELL, Ranger gets up and starts walking to me, I bend down, Ranger is looking at me and THEN decides to sniff the mat loosing eye contact. He finally stops and looks up but is looking at the man next to me and is to far for me to grab. He turned around, saw a cute little Scotty in line and took off! Got EVERY dog up before anyone could catch him. I wanted to DIE!! Needless to say we were excused. But the judge had everyone else redo the exercise. Thank heaven! Next day, the judge who witnessed the 'Escapades of Ranger' the day before was our judge. On leash heeling went fine until the end when he sat a foot behind me. Judge excused us right there and then. Said I didn't have control of my dog. I was relieved because I didn't want a repeat on the long sits and wasn't too sure about the off leash heeling.


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## hawtee (Nov 1, 2006)

What a riot..I love these stories.
The first time I showed Lilli in NovA she was doing fantastic then we got to the figure 8 and in the middle of the second round she decided to land a nice big pile..Our judge was awesome I asked to be excused and he said "No" you will now finish your run thru, I guess he knew if I left I would probably not show my face for the rest of the day lol...

Casey's first story was running agility in Novice A and getting on the table for a 5 count he stayed the whole time but when the judge said go he took off to the side of the ring and grabbed someones hotdog and ran back to the table and proceeded to eat it, thank heavens for judges with a sense of humor


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

our dogs love to humble us, don't they! thanks for the grins!
p.s. hi from the UKC premiere in Kalamazoo, which is where we are right now!!


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Warning, this is a long one:

My first weekend of trials with Jersey truly was a nightmare. The show was at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in a large industrial-farm-looking building. First day we go in the ring and he has a very nice class. So we're sitting in a corner waiting for the group exercises and he looks up at me... and something's wrong. I don't know what it is, but his eyes are red, the third eyelids (which I had never even heard of :doh were swollen, and he just looked "droopy". So I first panic that with all the excitement he hadn't had enough water and start trying to get him to drink. When that didn't help, I went over to the steward's table and told them I needed to be excused from groups because I had to bring my dog to the vet. They said, "Are you sure... he's qualifying up till now"... which I thought he wasn't.... he'd slightly moved his paw during the stand, but I didn't know at the time that if he does it after the exam it's only a deduction not an NQ. So I'm torn, but I'm panicked, so I left. Get to the vet's and they said it looked like an allergic reaction, had me put him on benadryl. 

So we go back the second day, I buy him a new bed to put down on the floor hoping that would help... hadn't been there more than 10 minutes and he was all puffy again. So we left without ever going into the ring and back to the vets to pick up a different antihistamine. By the time we got home he had cleared up... but late that night he completely puffed up on me again out of nowhere.... so it was off to the emergency vet. As I realized later, the flare up was my own fault... I was late with his medication and apparently it was only managing the symptoms at that point. They prescribed a steroid and eye goop (not drops, it was the consistency of neosporin) to keep things under better control and sent us on our way. 

I was a poor college student who had spent money I didn't really have on this show. Determined to get through just one class, we went back the third day. (Lest anyone think me cruel for going back, I was assured by both vets that his airways were in no way affected... whatever it was only irritated his eyes.) I kept him in the car until the person before us was almost done, rushed in... did our routine... and rushed him back out to the car. So far so good, we're qualifying. So we go back in just as everyone's heading in for groups. I set him up on a sit and walk across the ring. He's sitting well for about 15 seconds, and then catches a scent under him. So he's hunching down to sniff, then sitting back up straight, hunching down, sitting tall... he was doing doggie pushups. Apparently I didn't hold my composure well and was visibly grimmacing every time he started to hunch down. That was made clear to me when I realized the people sitting behind the ring were pointing and laughing out loud at me. Never broke the sit though, never so much as moved a paw, so we were still qualifying. Go back, put him in a down. Makes it through 2 minutes, 45 seconds... and gets up into a sit. So the weekend was offically a bust, with 3 vet visits to boot. 

Never did figure out what caused that allergic reaction and (knock on wood) it has never happened again. It was so bad that secomd night his eyes almost completely swelled shut. No green ribbons, but here's the picture I have to remember that weekend:









Julie and Jersey


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