We failed KC Good Citizens Bronze ?

Spotherisk

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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.F96511C3-1F18-4B9F-8874-F113D9AC16AF.jpeg
 

Bellaboo18

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He looks a lovely chap. I hope he thinks he passed with distinction ?

Well done on your progress.

And I agree regarding the time to settle your dog x
 

Ratface

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Lovely lurcher - I had one. Be the Grippet would never have passed any level of the Good Citizenship Scheme. She was terrified of everything and everyone. It took about 18 months to settle her into a training frame of mind. She became foot perfect.
Rew feels safe with you and responds to your commands. Neither of you need to prove yourselves. Enjoy your gift of time together.
 

MissTyc

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Well done anyway - so many people are "not ready" on the stay. Remember, it's never a fail, just a "not ready" hahaha ... My reactive difficult terrier passed bronze, silver, gold, all so easily, but my easygoing girl is incapable of earning her certificate even though she's a way better citizen in real life.
 

Spotherisk

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Think I would have been very cross about that, it seems really unfair if they’d all had to wait for 3 minutes already. I hope you complained to the organisers.

No, unless the rules stated something like 30 seconds to settle there wouldn’t have been much point but if the KC send me an email I will bring it up.
 

P3LH

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Wouldn’t worry - I failed with both my rough collies when they were younger, for very similar/almost the same reasons as your lovely lad did. They were/are both the most well trained, obedient and socialised dogs I’ve ever known - the sort that it I didn’t worry so much would never have needed a lead for a second in their lives, but still - we failed. Don’t lose sleep over it. PS he is one handsome chap.
 

maisie06

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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.View attachment 90942


Lovely Lurcher!! I would love one...

Not much of a gundog if it was incessantly barking!!

I would be very pleased with your progress and sounds like he's a pleasure to be around.
 

Spotherisk

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Wouldn’t worry - I failed with both my rough collies when they were younger, for very similar/almost the same reasons as your lovely lad did. They were/are both the most well trained, obedient and socialised dogs I’ve ever known - the sort that it I didn’t worry so much would never have needed a lead for a second in their lives, but still - we failed. Don’t lose sleep over it. PS he is one handsome chap.

oh I really am not bothered at all, and hooray we finally re-start agility on Friday! Lots more fun!
 

Spotherisk

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Lovely Lurcher!! I would love one...

Not much of a gundog if it was incessantly barking!!

I would be very pleased with your progress and sounds like he's a pleasure to be around.
our other dogs are all gun dogs, one or two single barks acceptable, any more than that is most certainly not!
 

Clodagh

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our other dogs are all gun dogs, one or two single barks acceptable, any more than that is most certainly not!
Pointer or vizla? Or cocker? ?. At the puppy gundog course last weekend we had a singing cocker and barking vizla. I can’t see either being very welcome on the shooting field.
I’d have been really cross. Rew is a good citizen in real life though
 

Spotherisk

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Pointer or vizla? Or cocker? ?. At the puppy gundog course last weekend we had a singing cocker and barking vizla. I can’t see either being very welcome on the shooting field.
I’d have been really cross. Rew is a good citizen in real life though

Labrador!!! The 7 month old Viszla and young Cocker had their brains blown by it.
 

lizziebell

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My whippet failed too on the KC Bronze “stay”. I opted for the stand stay as even with an allowed pad for him to sit/ lie on, he’s never comfortable in those positions. Needless to say after about 10 seconds he decided to sit! 5 years on, and he still cant stay in one position for a minute ?.

I do think for bronze level the stay should be just a “stay on one spot”, rather than a “stay in position”.
 

Spotherisk

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The excessive barking should have meant that the other dog "was not ready" anyway. Are you going to have another try?

As the barking wasn’t true to type ie it was a Labrador, I felt it wasn’t acceptable really but hey, it doesn’t matter much. And no way, done that, bored to hell with it, now back on agility and finding sighthound meet ups in Devon for mass zoomies! ?
 

BeansNsausages

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I've never looked into these good citizen classes. Doesnt sound like it's for us. We also dabble in agility with no real intent to achieve anything but to have fun. I wouldnt entertain doing a good citizen as by the sounds of it I would feel under too much pressure to 'pass.'
 
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