Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
Rew the lurcher really enjoyed agility last year but classes still haven’t re-started after Christmas So to give us both some focus we had a crack at Bronze.
Tbh I’ve been really pleased with him, his recall is pretty good, we walk alone, with our other dogs or very occasionally with friends. Being a lurcher he has mad zoomie moments which are a delight. His pulling on lead (not crazy pulling, just not loose) is improving and he stood bored to death whilst I stewarded at park run last week - a few months ago runners would have been chasable. Oh, he has been running with me too and stayed close enough and stuck near by and came when called. He will wait until he’s told to pick up a treat on the floor, or at a door, jumps in and out of the car, sofa etc on command.
So why did he fail? You have to put your dog in position, sit, stand, lie, doesn’t matter which, take five paces away and have them not move for a minute. He was never going to stay in position as he gets bored and moves into yoga downward dog position when waiting and the distance is too far for us as yet so failure was expected, but the biggest problem was another competitor. They and their gun dog were new to us and there were five dogs in the small barn. The gun dog was incessantly barking, and three of us were noticing our dogs attention wavering towards the constant noise. We were all told to settle our dogs and when they were all settled we would start the one minute. The gun dog person took nearly three minutes to settle their dog! Rew had settled immediately but once the minute started and I stepped away he understandably thought he’d done long enough and walked after me.
I’m not fussed at all about not passing (because I obviously have the best dog anyway!) but I do think there should be a limit ie you all have 30 seconds to settle your dog, then the one minute starts. ?
pic of Pic of Rew and some of our others at home.
Tbh I’ve been really pleased with him, his recall is pretty good, we walk alone, with our other dogs or very occasionally with friends. Being a lurcher he has mad zoomie moments which are a delight. His pulling on lead (not crazy pulling, just not loose) is improving and he stood bored to death whilst I stewarded at park run last week - a few months ago runners would have been chasable. Oh, he has been running with me too and stayed close enough and stuck near by and came when called. He will wait until he’s told to pick up a treat on the floor, or at a door, jumps in and out of the car, sofa etc on command.
So why did he fail? You have to put your dog in position, sit, stand, lie, doesn’t matter which, take five paces away and have them not move for a minute. He was never going to stay in position as he gets bored and moves into yoga downward dog position when waiting and the distance is too far for us as yet so failure was expected, but the biggest problem was another competitor. They and their gun dog were new to us and there were five dogs in the small barn. The gun dog was incessantly barking, and three of us were noticing our dogs attention wavering towards the constant noise. We were all told to settle our dogs and when they were all settled we would start the one minute. The gun dog person took nearly three minutes to settle their dog! Rew had settled immediately but once the minute started and I stepped away he understandably thought he’d done long enough and walked after me.
I’m not fussed at all about not passing (because I obviously have the best dog anyway!) but I do think there should be a limit ie you all have 30 seconds to settle your dog, then the one minute starts. ?
pic of Pic of Rew and some of our others at home.