Worst. Handler. EVER!

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#1
We did our first APDT Rally Trial today. It was a mixed bag of good and bad... bad, I totally missed a sign - which in APDT is an automatic NQ. OOPSIE DAISY!

Having said that... Squash was really engaged and "on" today... he gave me more attention and enthusiasm heeling than I think he ever has at a trial. He's usually very, very distracted and while his attention did wander here and there today he was really easy to get back. I'm super, super proud of him because distraction and "checking out" has been something we've really struggled with. I spoke to the judge afterwards and we would have scored 202 (out of 210) if I hadn't walked by the sign (and assuming we hadn't lost any points on it), and she had really nice things to say about our performance so I'm thrilled despite the NQ. (I think she was more disappointed by the NQ than I was, LOL).

Anyway, here's some video. At the end is where she's telling me how great we did except that I missed a sign. It's obvious which one I miss, I was just looking at my dog instead of my course. Live and learn. :)


[YOUTUBE]ZC_9rxBzOY4[/YOUTUBE]
 

Dizzy

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#2
Never seen this before, don't think we have it by us!

Very good squash!
 

Shai

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#3
Good boy Squashie!

By the way, you may already know this but if you ever walk by a sign again, unless the rules have changed if you catch it fast enough (say you get to the next sign and suddenly realize you are at #15 and the last one you did was #13...) you can go back and restart at the missed sign and it will be scored as as if you did the sign but made a mistake and decide to restart the sign...something like a 3-point deduction instead of an NQ. Then just continue the course from there.

But it's been a couple years since I did rally so it's always possible that my information is outdated :)

But yeah nice job. And the APDT judges are, on the whole, pretty much the nicest judges you will find anywhere lol.
 
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#4
Thanks! There was a whole different tone to the trial than I've experienced at AKC.

I didn't even realize I'd missed the sign until she told me at the end!! :p
 
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#5
:rofl1: I did the exact same thing at my first APDT rally trial. It was part of a combination of signs and I just totally spaced one. Oh well, I think it's good to get that NQ from being a stupid handler under your belt :p

Squash looked great so good job NQ or not!
 
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#6
Thanks! I am really happy with how he did today, he was so relaxed and having fun. Our last trial we were not really clicked with each other, he was SO distracted and I did a terrible job of trying to get him back so we were just sort of... moving through the course at the same time but not really together and we both got stressed out. I think I'm getting better at re-engaging him if his attention wanders, which makes me happy.

So this was a victory for us, Q or NQ. I CAN'T STOP WATCHING THE VIDEO. :)
 

SpringerLover

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#7
Yay Squash! I'm sad I didn't get to actually see your run in person, but the video looks great! He definitely settles in "to work" and that's so cool to see!

What a good boy he was, and I finally got to meet him! :) He's a big, sweet, guy!
 
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#8
Thanks, it was nice to meet you and your foster, too! I've been planning out the next few months worth of activities today and stalking the MMBC web site, thinking I should probably get involved somehow. So you might be seeing more of us. ;)
 

SpringerLover

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Thanks, it was nice to meet you and your foster, too! I've been planning out the next few months worth of activities today and stalking the MMBC web site, thinking I should probably get involved somehow. So you might be seeing more of us. ;)
There is a whole horde of weight pull lovers in the club, you think Squash would like that?!
 
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#10
There is a whole horde of weight pull lovers in the club, you think Squash would like that?!
I saw that there were some weight pulling events coming up and I was intrigued by it. I'm not sure if he would like it or not, and honestly I have kind of an irrational fear of it. I was thinking maybe I'd just go or volunteer at one of the events and get the skinny.
 

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