Jill
05-17-2009, 06:19 PM
We had our first trial of the season this weekend.
As much as I had been looking forward to it, I was SO super nervous, with Reese now in Master. It's mostly off-lead, with a hunt-up through the woods, to the den. We had practiced a few times, and while he was pretty good about coming back when I called, he certainly had NO problem taking off to find those rats!
Saturday:
We got paired with a norfolk terrier and we were the 3rd brace. Reese stayed close, wandered a bit, and when he was out of my sight, I called him and there he came, running and hopping through the woods, as happy as a stinking clam. He was first to mark, and after a bit of frustration with the roller, made it in time, worked like a champ, and I was able to scoop him up. The honor was terrible. I knew we were going to have difficulty with this. I managed to get him to quiet down about half-way through, but I was certain we'd not pass. The other dog was done, and the judge came over. She had known it was our first time in Master. She was talking to both of us about the dog's performances etc. She said, I'm gonna PASS you, but you need to do some serious work on that honor. :faint: I COULDN'T believe it! I was a bit embarrassed by Reese's display, it was that bad. :rotfl: but she said that she looks at the WHOLE test, and he did excellent in the parts, and that he was a great little hunter...and because I was able to calm him down a bit during the honor! :cheer3: Oh, just for fun, I ran Reese in IQ, he had the fastest "to the rats" time out of the group...5 seconds. He's a maniac.
Bailey did better then I was expecting, given his performance and hesitation at the fun day a few weeks ago. He made it to the rats in time in both IQ and Junior, but he goes back and forth, lunging while he works, and inevitably ends up working too far away. He'll get there. :hearts:
Sunday:
We pull the norfolk again, and we are the FIRST brace. They had a different walkup in use today, so it was a different path to the den then yesterday. We are walking up a bit of a hill, and all of a sudden, Reese is gone. Out of sight. I am not too worried, but I call him, and he doesn't come. I call again, and there he comes, trotting away, looking at me, like what's taking you so long...We find our way to the den, and Reese marks first again. He makes it to the rats in 20 seconds, works, I pull him, and it's the dreaded honor time. Well, it wasn't as bad as yesterday, but it certainly wasn't great...sooo the judge comes over, while I am untying Reese and I see her clipboard. There is a clear P for Pass next to the Norfolk's name, and NOTHING next to Reese's. I have a feeling we didn't pass. The honor, combined with Reese being out of sight for a bit, I think we're not gonna pass. We are walking back and it's quiet. I want to ask her if we passed or not, but I don't want to seem pushy. Then she says, I'm gonna pass you. :FAINT: She said, the honor needs work (duh) and I shouldn't have let Reese get so far ahead, but he did come when called and did what I asked him.
Bailey Q'd in IQ today and so I was hopeful for Junior. His IQ test was great, good time, work etc. Junior, not so much. He made it there in good time, but did more of the lunging, backing up etc.
Sooo, it was 1 year ago that we attended our first ED trial. In that time, Reese has gotten 2 titles, and is half way to his next! Bailey's half way to his first title, and shows some improvement each time! :cheer3:
I've got some pics that I'll get posted.
PS. I know that this got kinda long, but the other earthdogger's will appreciate the details.
As much as I had been looking forward to it, I was SO super nervous, with Reese now in Master. It's mostly off-lead, with a hunt-up through the woods, to the den. We had practiced a few times, and while he was pretty good about coming back when I called, he certainly had NO problem taking off to find those rats!
Saturday:
We got paired with a norfolk terrier and we were the 3rd brace. Reese stayed close, wandered a bit, and when he was out of my sight, I called him and there he came, running and hopping through the woods, as happy as a stinking clam. He was first to mark, and after a bit of frustration with the roller, made it in time, worked like a champ, and I was able to scoop him up. The honor was terrible. I knew we were going to have difficulty with this. I managed to get him to quiet down about half-way through, but I was certain we'd not pass. The other dog was done, and the judge came over. She had known it was our first time in Master. She was talking to both of us about the dog's performances etc. She said, I'm gonna PASS you, but you need to do some serious work on that honor. :faint: I COULDN'T believe it! I was a bit embarrassed by Reese's display, it was that bad. :rotfl: but she said that she looks at the WHOLE test, and he did excellent in the parts, and that he was a great little hunter...and because I was able to calm him down a bit during the honor! :cheer3: Oh, just for fun, I ran Reese in IQ, he had the fastest "to the rats" time out of the group...5 seconds. He's a maniac.
Bailey did better then I was expecting, given his performance and hesitation at the fun day a few weeks ago. He made it to the rats in time in both IQ and Junior, but he goes back and forth, lunging while he works, and inevitably ends up working too far away. He'll get there. :hearts:
Sunday:
We pull the norfolk again, and we are the FIRST brace. They had a different walkup in use today, so it was a different path to the den then yesterday. We are walking up a bit of a hill, and all of a sudden, Reese is gone. Out of sight. I am not too worried, but I call him, and he doesn't come. I call again, and there he comes, trotting away, looking at me, like what's taking you so long...We find our way to the den, and Reese marks first again. He makes it to the rats in 20 seconds, works, I pull him, and it's the dreaded honor time. Well, it wasn't as bad as yesterday, but it certainly wasn't great...sooo the judge comes over, while I am untying Reese and I see her clipboard. There is a clear P for Pass next to the Norfolk's name, and NOTHING next to Reese's. I have a feeling we didn't pass. The honor, combined with Reese being out of sight for a bit, I think we're not gonna pass. We are walking back and it's quiet. I want to ask her if we passed or not, but I don't want to seem pushy. Then she says, I'm gonna pass you. :FAINT: She said, the honor needs work (duh) and I shouldn't have let Reese get so far ahead, but he did come when called and did what I asked him.
Bailey Q'd in IQ today and so I was hopeful for Junior. His IQ test was great, good time, work etc. Junior, not so much. He made it there in good time, but did more of the lunging, backing up etc.
Sooo, it was 1 year ago that we attended our first ED trial. In that time, Reese has gotten 2 titles, and is half way to his next! Bailey's half way to his first title, and shows some improvement each time! :cheer3:
I've got some pics that I'll get posted.
PS. I know that this got kinda long, but the other earthdogger's will appreciate the details.