Anutta Blog

Life With Poodles

Jazz Obedience Brag!!

by | Nov 9, 2014 | Our Dogs | 0 comments

We’ve had a good weekend here at Anutta!  As I stated in my previous post, I had Jazz entered in Novice Obedience this weekend down in Birmingham, AL.  My good friend Darcy said the site was small but quiet and would be a nice place to start Jazz out.  The first day we arrived about an hour before show time.  I set up her crate and let her settle in while I picked up arm bands and checked out the site.  We practiced a bit, then watched the judge call out the heeling pattern for Novice.  It has been 10 years since my last foray into the formal obedience ring at the Novice level.    Interestingly, I wasn’t really nervous.  As I watched the first few dogs go, I realized it was like coming home to play with an old friend.  I’ve never had Jazz in a formal obedience class.  I’ve practiced all these moves with her in different situations, but not once have we even done a run through at a fun match. though Darcy has been letting me crash her solo training on Monday night when we both have an open schedule and can hook up.  Still, I knew my girl would just go with it and do as I asked, who cares if it is something new.

As we started out she was a bit distracted, but doing well with the on leash heeling section.  She ‘forgot’ one of her automatic sits, but otherwise I was very pleased.  Next, the figure 8.  This is an exercise you do heeling the dog around two people in a figure 8 pattern.  It checks to see if the dog really knows how to heel because when they are on the inside between you and the  person acting as a post, the dog must slow down.  When the dog is outside going around the other post, they must speed way up to stay in heel.  Jazz was sloppy here, she checked one of the post for treats as well!!  Still, we made it through.  At this point everything goes off leash.  You hand your leash to one of the ‘post’ and the judge will ask you to stand your dog and move away from the dog about 6 feet.  Then the judge goes up to pet the dog on the head, back, and rump, then you are told to return around the dog back into heel.  The dog must not move.  Jazz aced this, due to all her conformation training.  Next you move right into the off leash heeling.  The exact same pattern is called for off leash as you had to do on leash.  You have your dog sitting next to you in the heel position.  The judge will say “Forward” and you can say “Jazz, HEEL”  then move forward with the dog walking next to you in heel until you are told to do something else.  No other speaking is allowed.  We moved halfway down the ring and the judge called HALT.  This means you stop, the dog should automatically sit when you stop.  No speaking to the dog, they must do it on their own.  Then the judge calls FORWARD again, at which point you can say “Jazz, Heel” but that is it once again.  As we made it close to the end of the ring, the judge called for a “LEFT TURN”, which checks to make sure the dog is paying attention and doesn’t bump you on the turn.  We continue on, changing to a slow pace.  With all pace changes you must make it absolutely identifiable that you are changing speed.  Then the judge called “Normal” and we were able to speed back up to our normal walking speed.   As we came near to the other ring edge the judge called an “about turn” meaning you turn away from your dog and go 90 degrees in the opposite direction.  We moved halfway down the ring and the judge called “RIGHT TURN” which had us coming up the center of the ring.  Next the judge called “Fast”, and we broke into a run followed by “normal’ and a quick “about turn”.  Halfway back down the center the judge called a HALT.  At no time can you talk to the dog during this event once you are moving.

As I stated, the on leash heeling was pretty good.  Sadly, her off leash heeling was a sorry sight.  She was lagging bad and very distracted.  You are allowed one extra ‘HEEL’ command.  If you use it you lose points, but are not disqualified.  I had to use my extra JAZZ HEEL as she was falling way behind watching the dogs retrieving in the ring next to me.  I thought I ‘probably’ salvaged the run, though it would not be a great score.  Lastly, we do a recall.  You set the dog up sitting in heel.  You leave the dog in a stay, go to the other side of the ring and when the judge tells you to call the dog, you say “COME” and smile for all you are worth and pray the dog remembers to stop in front and sit.  Jazz nailed the recall.  The judge will then ask you to ‘finish’ your dog.  The dog must move from the front to heel position with either a verbal or hand signal.  I did a verbal and she did a great job.  It was really pretty, even if she did spring up so high she kissed me on the nose as she bounced into heel.   I didn’t know for sure if we would have the points to qualify after her horrible heeling, but I figured we stood a good chance.

After all the dogs were done being judged on the above solo exercises, all the dogs entered in the class must go into the ring together and do group Sits and Downs.  Dogs are lined up, asked to sit next to you in heel, then the judge tells you to leave the dog.  You go across the ring, stand facing the dog and pray they do not lay down.  The time is 1 minute for Novice.  All the dogs did GREAT!  Sits and downs are often the bane of an obedience dog.  We return to our dogs and the judge ask us to down our dogs.  Once all the dogs are down we again leave and go across the ring, but this time we have to wait for 3 minutes.  This is a very very very long 3 minutes.  Jazz shifted her hip 2 twice, once when the dog in the next ring was retrieving the dumbbell, once when they were doing a recall.  Thankfully she did not break the down.  I can’t say the same for 3 of the other dogs who were not able to retrain themselves and all moved up into a sit, but none bothered any other dogs or ran over to their owners.

Did Jazz qualify?

Yes!!!!  She managed to pull off 4th place out of 9 dogs, as the other 5 all Non-qualified due to either breaking the stays or not completing the off leash heeling during their individual work.   She was awarded a nice toy as well, which has quickly become a household favorite!  Let’s hear it for the correct use of the extra HEEL command!

Once we arrived back home I started to mull over what to do about our issues.  I analyzed what we had done and how Jazz reacted.  I had two choices.  1.  Pull her from today so I don’t create a long term issue of laggy heeling.  2.  Change up the game.  You see, Jazz is very visually stimulated.  I’ve been working for years to bring her down to a controlled level.  I saw her yesterday and understood the issue.  I’ve got to much control.  I need to build her back up.  She’s mature, she is ready and I need to give my dog more freedom and stop boring the life out of her.  Oh she still had a good time yesterday.  The judge said she loved her animation and happy nature.  She wasn’t tail down, but she also wasn’t bouncing.  I needed some bounce.

I decided to go today and switch things up.  First I stopped at WalMart and bought her some Jack Links beef jerky.  She has never had it and I knew it would be something she would go crazy for.  Then, when we arrived at the show, I took her out to pee then showed her my new treat.  The attention she gave me was incredible.  We did a quick heeling pattern and I only gave her the treat once we were back at the car, but the amount I gave her was a jackpot, with lavish praise.  I put her back in the car and waited the hour we had without her in the building.  I wanted her keyed up, not tired.  I wanted her eager to play, wondering why she wasn’t inside crated watching the other dogs.  I did not want her bored and distracted.  When the dog ahead of us entered the ring, I brought her inside.  She was total focus, excited, and ready.  I figured we had a good shot.  On leash heeling was pretty, though she forgot to sit on the last HALT.  Figure 8 was sloppy and she checked pockets again and forgot to sit once.  Obviously this needs work.  Once we moved off leash she was incredible.  I made sure that after we finished one thing she and I had a good little party, lots of love and a few poodle bounces.  Her stand was perfect, as always.  Off leash heeling was spot on.  I increased my speed and kept a smile plastered on my face.  We were going to have fun, I was going to make sure she saw I was having fun.  It worked.  The heeling was as good as she has ever done in her life, she nailed all the halt sits, turns, and speed changes right at my side.  Recall she lost her sit, but she stopped in front and finished well.  The judge told me that if I had walked faster on the on leash heeling, she wouldn’t have forgotten to sit.  I was to slow.  I love a judge who gives feedback!  Sits and downs were beautiful.  All the dogs in Novice did perfect.  With all of these lovely qualifying dogs, Jazz was able to pull off 2nd place!  I was so very proud of my girl.

Jazz needs one more qualifying score to gain her AKC companion dog (CD) title.   Maybe if her handler doesn’t do anything stupid she can get it next weekend at the Nashville shows!

~Becky