the match show

both dogs were entered in the match show today as was mercury (at up front farms)

it was our first time there so for all intents and purposes i treated it like a show for them. i was surprised by all dogs in good and bad ways.
berlin had two novice entries and rah had two open entries (mercury also had two open entries).

when we got there the novice ring was running early the open ring was running really late - so i had to switch up my plan (rah was supposed to be on 45 minutes before her).

ran back put rah in the car and got berlin - brought her in, warmed her up - but it was really cramped in there! got some nice moving attention but there was a sheltie that kept hitting her and she kept popping all over the place out of her platz (i keep her in a platz right before we go into the ring and kinda power heel her into the ring).

brought her into the ring and set her up and started off - she was all sorts of swivel head -s he kept with me, but it wasnt pretty. then someone took down a jump in the ring next to her and she wasn't able to focus on me through that - again stayin with me, but it wasnt pretty. we worked through it and i brought out a cookie, brought her into heel position for the fig8, and she got better - she nailed the SFE and for the off leash ironically she was much better. i did a short recall (not full length) and then since we had extra time i asked to do another on lead part and she was much better.

got to rah - rah was on! great attention setting up - he dropped his head when we were heeling a few times but he came right back (his heeling has been spotty - i wonder if it would be better to have him in the B classes and maybe have DOR, ROF, ROH first before we heel to jazz him up?) up to my face immediately despite the fact that i almost fell - i had no footwork! i was too worried.

his DOR was perfect - he loves to drop its amazingly cute! ROF was nice - he zooms out and gets it, but his fronts weren't great - much better than wednesday night but needed repositioning.

went to the high jump and he anticipated the first one - i ignored it (i wont correct him not with all his past issues with the high jump). just took it when he came back and set him back up, threw it and promptly watched it go out of the ring :) platzed him, stood in front of him, and waited for the judge to bring it back. finally got it right and he did nicely.

broad jump was good, and we were done! oops - no we werent, judge forgot the fig8 and we went back and did it :) not amazing, but not bad!

i was proud - we went back for out of sight sits/downs and rah ROCKED THEM. overall im VERY happy how he did at this match considering this was his first time at a new place, first time matching in open!

berlin's second run was MUCH better - much better attention (still not perfect though) she was much better on all accounts still rocked the SFE, off lesah better than on (notice a trend with my dogs?), did a longer recall.

she was tired at this point so i opted not to do stays with her, since rah's second ring time was coming up. my friend judy was our judge and she's TOUGH so i was prepping him for that.

got him in the ring, he was ON ON ON ready for the heeling. he was doing ok, but he dropped his head on the slow i reached down to pop him and missed her calling me to normal so i didnt transition that. on the final halt i also had poor footwork and almost fell!

fig8 - he was forgey a bit and crooked on the halts.

his DOR was perfect and he was so cute and quick that he slides with his front feet out and she was laughing. lydia said hes so eager to get things going that his finish is SO FAST - i wish i had it on tape! i can see him quivering he cant wait to GO GO GO.

ROF - he went out quick as a whip and brought it back- crooked front, nice finish.

ROH - broke it down. first throw out of the ring, i platzed him. second throw i was too close to the jump and he couldnt get back to me so he landed too close to me and couldnt find front. third try was better, but judy noticed that i pull the db from his mouth rather than having him truly out it and then we worked his fronts in the ring. worked them so long we didnt get to do BJ.

i opted not to do a second set of stays for rah, since he had ACED his first set, why chance it?

overall im pleased - berlin worked very well for a 14 month old puppy at her first match, considering im not bringing her out for easily a year or so in AKC, if not longer. rah im VERY happy with how he did - he trains pretty much as he shows pretty much as he matches, which is nice for a dog - whats broken in training is broken in showing is broken in matching.

i think lydia had a breakthrough with mercury took, with his ring stress - she was pleased.