# Rally Advanced A day one



## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

So awhile back I decided after never taking any formal obedience classes to take an 8 week rally class that taught us how to do the signs and we did all kinds of courses. At the end Tink and I took the CGC with one of their other training classes and passed and then entered a three trial show and earned our rally novice title. I then thought maybe I should take a real obedience class and learn some real foot work instead of the self taught stuff I had learned from watching and 10 years of the kids in dog 4-h. The only really good instructor I could find that was reasonably close has a pretty crazy schedule right now so far I have only had about 12 classes but she is teaching me tons.

I decided to go ahead and enter a few more shows and give the Advance Rally A a go and finally got my schedule to line up and just in time for four day cluster. Now Tink had about maxed out on day three of the last one so decided I would just do three days with her and take Blitz for fun on the fourth day. The show is close so we are only there about a half day. It was also held in the same place we trialed last time so I was hopeful she would be comfortable. I was pretty confidant on most of the signs except the offset figure 8 with distractions. Tink if food crazy and never left a food bowl unchecked and since she was off leash I am pretty sure she is going to try for it, she did in practice sigh~

Day one started off as one of those days got up way earlier then I needed too, Tink was in one of those moods where she did not want to engage did not want to pay attention or listen and did not want to run or play on her morning walk thru the woods. She doesn't get these moods often but when she does.... Off to the show Friday turned out to be the quietest day of the four so it was quick and easy to find parking and get set up. Last time my worry was Tink would be super distracted by the fact it was in a horse arena as she loves horse pucky but she never gave it hardly any attention but that was then. Friday was a different story her sniffer was on and her nose buried in the dirt if I took my eyes off her for even a second. She was diving for every scrap she could find and she didn't care I had food. Got our number and the course design and wow it was the hardest and trickiest I had seen. Even the excellent people were looking at the courses with a bit of shock and awe. That said no food distraction I was so relieved! 

We walked the course and judge was very hands on but used up so much of the time talking to us about the tricky bits, I only got to actually walk the course by myself twice and then was up first so had to run and get Tink and did not have much time to settle us before we went in. Had a bit of confusion walking in, both the ring steward and I thought the judge wanted me to hand off my leash at the gate but that wasn't what he meant and in the confusion Tink started pucky diving in the ring. I had to work super hard over the first three obstacles to get her back with me (where we lost our points) she finally mostly cued in I had to work so hard to keep her limited focus I was afraid I was going to walk into something or miss a sign. I don't hardly remember the course but we got thru it My friend said it was not as bad as I thought it just wasn't anywhere near what we normally felt like lol. In the end we got a 95 so not as bad as I felt.

Today lots more dogs we go in later but at least Tink is engaging today I was torn about going in early because of parking and unloading but she is very relaxed and I don't want to mess that up. Now to see if the food distraction will be there. I live in fear of it as I have been unable to proof her clean on it without mean mugging her. My trainer said that is one stubborn golden when it comes to food and I keep forgetting and stepping out to stop her something I am not supposed to do in the ring. Well onward what ever happens: happens so we will try our best and have some fun I hope.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Good luck in today's trial.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Well today was interesting, we headed out and Blitz had a anxiety attack his first as we were left. He apparently thought he was home alone and started to howl but stopped as soon as my son came out. The last thing I need is him developing separation anxiety so not sure what to do for tomorrow. Tink was on point and happy and up working well, till we went in the ring and suddenly she was heeling wide and lagging a bit not her normal way of going again I had to really work to get her round we did okay but just not doing what she should be. I can't decide if its because she has figured out I have no food or she has decided I won't get after her in the ring or both. If she starts it tomorrow I am tempted to risk the NQ and get a much firmer voice and attitude with her so she knows she can't do that in the ring. Our scores have been good but she is developing bad habits that will cost us once we do regular obedience.


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

She may be stressing a bit going through the gate. You're different (nervous about her acting up?) and it's impacting her. Doesn't help for tomorrow, but you know what areas to start working. As for knowing you don't have food, you can adjust your training to set the reward out of the ring and she gets treated after completion of the "course"...spread out the reward, so many signs good then end the exercise.

I know how you're feeling on the figure 8 w/ distractions, though for my girl it's the toys. Our first Advanced run it was the 2nd to last station. I had a nice focused pup, perfect eye contact when at "Ready". I said let's go our verbal to begin & she beelined for the toys, thankfully didn't pick it up but was able to get her to come back w/ a loud "No, here"--no points off for tone but did get dinged for out of control dog. We did a lot of leave its & thankfully haven't had a repeat.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

I'll never forget a couple of Rally runs with Raider. We breezed thru Novice, when we got to Advanced, though it was tougher. I think he was about 2 years old, which puts it about 10 years ago. On one of the runs, there was a figure eight with the bowls with food in them, wire thing on the top but it wasn't fastened. We started our run, he spied the bowls, ran over and wolfed down the food. I grabbed him, smiled at the judge and exited the ring. On another Advance run, he took off sailed over the first jump and proceeded to have a party running the course by himself. Again, I got a hold of him, smiled and exited the ring. We eventually finished our Advance title, but it wasn't pretty.


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## Goldhill (Jul 3, 2016)

The first time I took my girl in the ring for rally Novice A, I expected her to be distracted and only hoped we would make it through the course with a qualifying score, but she only had eyes for me and did the entire course beautifully - I was so proud of her. It was her first ever time at a dog show. I took a video of that show and now I look at it and wish I could get that dog back! Finishing her RN title was not so pretty. The next two times in the ring she did do it, but she was way over threshold and her nose was on the ground almost the entire time. We got two legs of her Advanced title with similar behavior, she did okay but I can't help but compare it to her first time. Her main crutch is her fear of other dogs so a dog show isn't exactly the most fun place for her to be, and I regret to admit a couple times I didn't exactly do my best to make it fun for her. I am back-tracking to how I worked with her in the beginning, she has long since learned all the signs but getting back the attitude is tough. I am hoping it's mostly just adolescence and with perseverance I can get that dog back.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Well day 3 went well and I was reminded we are the hardest on ourselves as a friend pointed out to me it looked good to her and evidently the judges thought so too. Looking forward I have a list of things to work on so that we will be ready for Excellent and to nip bad habits in the bud. We went three for three and got her NA today and no food distraction! I was almost giddy about that so silly.

I realized a few things I was doing that were working against me. I have been working my puppy and keeping treats in my hand and I didn't realize I was tending to play with them. I clued in today that I was on and off doing that with Tink instead of taking it out of my pocket after the work. So smart little Tink was being tipped off as to when I did not have food. We have been working on after work Jackpots but she doesn't really like that quite so much yet.

I really want do more traditional obedience after Rally so I really need her to stay engaged with me for her to be successful there. Oddly today to me felt like my worse day in the ring but it was our highest score but lowest placement we tied for second but lost on time she was lagging just a tad. Happy to go today but was ready to go as soon as we got there lol. So third place third leg to earn her third title if we count the CGC and why not lol. Here she is relaxing on the cool floor after we got home.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Congratulations. A new title and two blue ribbons !


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