# Funny/Embarrassing moments in the ring



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I know we have done this before but there are new members who might enjoy reading how some of us "veterans" have fared in the ring at times. Please join in with yours!! 

I believe it was my very first time in Utility A with Brandi. We were doing Scent Articles and as the judge left she said "You have given me metal #5". Brandi goes out to the pile and works REAL hard. After about 20 times through the pile she picks up TWO metal articles. As she come back I realize that neither one is #5. :no: AS I take them I then notice that she has returned with #2 + #3. I show the judge she smiles and says "If this was a math test she would get an A+ but unfortunately I have to give her a F today." :doh:


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

I think Brandi was just playing with the judge....cute story.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Once in a pre-novice class my older dog peed. Which is bad enough, being embarassing and getting disqualified... but he KEPT peeing. and peeing. and peeing. And we were there at least a minute.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I got Piper last fall the day before the big local show. Ruby was a bit put off by all the attention that Pi was getting. We were in Utility A on Friday. When we got to the Moving Stand, Ruby was so happy that someone was petting HER that she decided to flop right down in the middle of the ring so the judge could pet her belly!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I was showing in Open with Colby at an outdoor, covered arena that also had conformation. Colby took the high jump, but instead of getting his dumbbell he just kept on running. Ducked under the ring gates, crossed the aisle, and ran into the nearest conformation ring. I went to go get him, but he would not come to me. I tried luring him with treats, giving commands, sitting on the ground, but he was having fun playing "keep away" with me. 

A large crowd started growing, since a new breed was about start judging. I could hear the comments from the crowd, including "isn't that the little dog that has all those high in trials?" and "what kind of dog _is_ that?" (colby is a funny looking lhasa apso with a curly coat).

_Finally,_ I was able to convince him to come into heel position and I slipped a leash on. I picked him up, gave a bow, and everyone applauded.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

When I was a wee little 4-Her I was showing my sheltie at the county fair in obedience--off-leash heeling. Halfway through she pops a squat to poop and the judges eyes grew the size of saucer plates. Not knowing what to do, and being alarmed by the judge I ended up chasing Rusty out of the ring. The only redeeming part of the story is that they made the fair princess clean it up while I was chasing down my dog. LOL.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

I don't have any personal stories to tell, just a pet owner here, but I remember watching one of the Premiere Dog Shows a few years back and one of the dogs in the Sporting Group lost his bowels in the ring. Poor guy...=( I'm sure his handler was equally embarrassed.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Well let's see.....

Outdoor agility with Bender, she starts out doing well, fast, listening and so on.... then spots the pole setter sitting there and stops dead in her tracks and boots it over to see him. He of course looks up at the sky trying to ignore her while I call her... but no, she's got to meet this guy. Ends up climbing into his lap on the lawn chair, planting a paw on each shoulder and making eye contact with him and proceeding to give him a big golden kiss..... no, she'd never really met the guy before but wanted to thank him I guess. Meanwhile I sat and talked to the judge about life in general while the crowd killed themselves laughing. 

I did a hunting fun trial with my border collie as well as Bender years ago, he did very well for a 'non retriever' as they called him. Until we got to the water which was pretty gross. He hit the shore and stopped, studied the situation, ran both sides of the beach to see if there was a shorter route, stepped into the water a bit and gagged on the smell, backed out, looked around found a rake which he couldn't get loose from the ground, tried a log, too big.... picked up a stick and looked at me to see if that would work, I told him to get the bird and he gave me a look that was as close as giving the bird as a dog can give, then trotted back to the car without me. Had to laugh, it was comical!


Lana


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## roxanness (May 29, 2009)

Last year I travelled to a show up north with the idea to putting my beloved Cooper into his first
Utility A class......BIG MISTAKE

First, I screwed things up by _verbally_ telling him to "stand" and "stay" on the signal exercises. I realized it right after I had done it, but oh well, it didn't really matter because HE was so busy looking anywhere but at me that the judge got tired of waiting and told me to drop him.
Yeah, he dropped...after TWO signals and yes he sat, after TWO signals.

Then we moved on to articles, Cooper was quick to go out to the articles but of course he ran past them to get a good look at everyone in the bleachers...Yes, there were actually people sitting in the bleachers watching this spectacular demonstration of upper level obedience. Anyway, after he surveyed the bleachers, he got right down to business, he found the correct article, brought it three quarters of the way back to me, stopped, and for some unknown reason, made a sharp U-turn and took it directly back to the judge (one of the nicest fronts he has ever performed). On the second article retrieve he ran past the articles again, stood and wagged his tail at the people in the bleachers, turned around, picked up the correct article, decided against it, promptly dropped it, and instead brought me another one instead!

When it was time for the moving stand. I figured I could at least get him to do this one thing. I was 
wrong. When the judge said "Forward!", only one of us went forward, the other one dropped to his stomach. Oh, but the humiliation wasn't over yet. Need I even say that he raced out to glove #1 (the correct glove), circled it, barked and ran over to glove #2, picked it up, threw it up in the air, jumped up, caught it and brought it back to me....yup, he thought he was pretty **** cute.

For the directed jumping portion, I gave him his "Go Zoom!" command and rather than go straight, in his continual effort to outsmart me, he went to the right side of the arena and sat directly in back of the High jump. The judge promptly called "Bar", I gave him the signal for the bar, he barked back his acknowledgement of the command promptly ran diagonally across the arena and jumped the Bar jump almost completely sideways (I'm amazed he got over it, given the angle), some people in the audience actually applauded. On his second go-out, he went only to the center between the jumps, turned around and looked at me, I gave him the "_Get your little yellow ass out to the post_" look to which he once again barked at me and then he turned and went and sat PERFECTLY at the post. When the judge called "High", I gave him the signal for the High jump, he barked his acknowledgement yet again, and then ran like a bat out of hell straight back to me and did an automatic finish. 

The judge's only comment was "_Don't feel bad, I have Cocker Spaniels_"

As we left the scene of the crime, I kid you not, at least five people came up to us to tell us how "Cute" he is, "He's adorable, how old is he" and one lady said "I didn't realize obedience was so much fun to watch"

Sigh.


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

These are such great stories!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

roxanness said:


> Last year I travelled to a show up north with the idea to putting my beloved Cooper into his first
> Utility A class......BIG MISTAKE


Hey that just sounds like a normal day in utility A!


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Oh the stories I could tell. It got to the point where people would gather around the utility ring when they heard Brandy was going in. There was the one time she thought we were in opposite land. Every direction she too the opposite approach. Once in Reno NV. I was doing the signal exercise. No, really, I was doing the heel work. When I looked back Brandy was sitting next to the judge. I'll bet she wondered where her clipboard was. These were after she received her two legs toward the UD title. Always the show girl!!!!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Loisiana said:


> Hey that just sounds like a normal day in utility A!


I believe the proper term is "Futility" A? 

Most have probably seen this but as long as Laura is discussing crowds assembling when teams are about to go in the ring this is why we seem to draw bigger and bigger crowds each time we go in. And this was a "GOOD" day for us! :doh:

Yeah, yeah her enthusiasm is "wonderful".
Yeah, yeah she is just "too cute for words" 
Especially when you are standing on the outside of the ring!!


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Oh my goodness, too cute. She bounces beautifully!  I don't know what the scoring is predicated on, but it looked to me like she went were she was supposed to go, came when she was called, waited when she was told to wait, and enjoyed herself immensely while doing so! 

I love the way she looks at you, there's nothing but love there.

I had to turn the volume down, it attracted an audience. Ike and Hunter were extremely interested in where the doggie barks were coming from.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

That's my girl

Let's blame it on Glenda

teehee


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

I certainly can't top any of these stories!
Casey has been "Mr. Distraction" during many of our visits to the ring. He is devoted to table stewards (not ring stewards, just the table stewards), and I always hope that the judge doesn't have an about turn right in front of the table. If that is the case I usually discover that I have lost my dog, who is busy smoozing up the steward! He reluctantly comes when I am forced to give an additional heel command, but looks longingly back at the steward, as if he would rather be with them!
Casey also has a fondness for yellow dots that some judges use as position markers during indoor trials. He doesn't notice the darker colours, just yellow. The last time this happened he managed to break heel and visit each and every yellow dot (there were 5) around the ring.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

oh my, I hope I never have anything to add to this thread...! LOVE the video Hank! 

Layla acts like a **** fool at class sometimes & there was the week that I took Blush to practice by mistake...I just grabbed the yellow one in a rush & couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the crate!


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## Cassie (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the stories and the video Hank. NOW I know what you are talking about. We have no trial like that here.:no:


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> there was the week that I took Blush to practice by mistake...I just grabbed the yellow one in a rush & couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the crate!



Not *THAT's* funny!!!

I know I am not the only competitor that has had that sinking feeling on the way to a trial :uhoh:
"Do I have my dog???" 
And you have to actually look to be sure. :doh:


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## BearValley (Nov 30, 2008)

Mighty Casey's Mom said:


> ...Casey also has a fondness for yellow dots that some judges use as position markers during indoor trials. He doesn't notice the darker colours, just yellow. The last time this happened he managed to break heel and visit each and every yellow dot (there were 5) around the ring.


Too cute!

"Hey look! They are MY color!"


.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this thread. Oriana's video is a treasure. I've survived so many humiliating moments that I'll just give the top 3.

1) In Rally O, there is a sign that asks for a front, and then1,2,3 steps back at front. . Fine. The problem is I forgot to bring appropriate shoes so I wore my flipflops in the ring. Tally came front right on the tips of them, and when I took my step back, I was barefoot and the flipflops were just sitting in the middle of the ring. Crowd laughter/friends threaten Youtube.

2) Last CD leg in downpour rain at a big outdoor show at a fairgrounds. The steward's table is abuzz because something seems to be wrong with the judge- maybe dementia, maybe she is not well??? No one knows what's wrong. Tally and I are in the ring with this elderly judge, and she has us stand-stay so she can perform her exam. I back up. Tally stands. All is well, except that the judge has wandered away to the steward's table. The clock ticks. The crowd starts whispering, a few laughs and giggles. We stand and stand and stand and stand. Finally, one of the steward's points her back to us and she says exercise finished without looking at the dog. I am flustered, and say that I think we should do that again. She nods and we go through the whole stand-stay again, but this time she sort of loses her balances and catches herself by leaning hard right on Tally's back and he sways down but somehow, thank goodness, doesnt move his paws. We get through the rest of the test, and I estimate we have a 180-190ish. Somehow though, she gives us a 200, and we have the high score for A&B which we emphatically do not deserve, plus Tally is the high scoring golden retriever and someone has donated an amazing prize. I do a bumper leg with Tally in case that one gets disqualified the next day, and feel everyone hating my guts as we get a ridiculous blue ribbon and prizes I dont think we deserve unless there is one for the longest stand-stay in the history of the AKC. Yikes. 

3) I am late. Late, late. late. I forget to put on Tally's obedience collar,so and he is wearing an Orvis collar with his name stitched on it along with our phone number. Because Tally's ruffle/lion's mane is so long, the judge doesnt notice until a heartbeat before he is going to sign his book. But he gets a glimpse of Tally just outside the ring, calls me in to look at the pretty light blue collar with white writing on it, and says "Not in MY ring young lady". He takes our Q away. He says he is from CANADA, and I have no clue what he means by that but I just shut up and nod. Boo hoo. Lesson learned.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> Not *THAT's* funny!!!
> 
> I know I am not the only competitor that has had that sinking feeling on the way to a trial :uhoh:
> "Do I have my dog???"
> And you have to actually look to be sure. :doh:


I have never felt so dumb in my life! seriously, who brings the wrong dog...ME!:doh:


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> I know I am not the only competitor that has had that sinking feeling on the way to a trial :uhoh:
> "Do I have my dog???"
> And you have to actually look to be sure. :doh:


I do that probably once a month. I love that my dogs are so good in the car, but I wish they'd make a noise once in a while so I know they are back there.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

At Dusty's second agility trial (he was 2 1/2, I was 11), he was doing the whole zoomies thing, goes over to the judge, she turns her back. After a couple rounds of that he decides to jump on her back and knocks her over! The judge was fine, except that for the rest of the weekend she hid behind the A-frame from the "evil Golden." (And then 4+ years later at CPE nationals this random old guy decided to tell me that story, like "I saw this little gal with a Golden a long time ago," and he couldn't believe it was me and Dusty : )


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