NAJRBSJ
Active Member
Some of you may know I have a show x working cocker called Rupert, he's coming 3 this spring and always been a sensitive little soul.
I started training him at agility when he was younger and he seemed to love it, picked it up really quickly and had great fun at training. A bit sniffy at times but a typical cocker. I started taking him out to shows and it went downhill . Rupert would sniff, scratch, run off and generally ignore me. It was disheartening as I thought he loved it but I eventfully realised he wasn't just being naughty but was shutting down with stress. Last year we did quite a few shows to try and get him used to it, having just one flukey clear round and eliminated in virtual every other run we did. He seemed to not enjoy the shows one bit, so in the end I decided he wasn't cut out for it and stopped doing agility with him (apart from the odd bit on my agility field).
Since last spring / summer I've been training my younger dog and taking her to shows to watch friends and accustom her to the environment. She's a different kettle of fish and really isn't bothered at all. We've done a few practice ring runs and she's been fab. Rupert has been coming along for the ride and we've dabbled at some obedience (which seems to suit him). Last week I'd booked in to take Pippa along to a small winter show for a walk around and god knows why but I booked Rupert in to the a steeplechase class. Well he boy totally surprised me and ran pretty nicely with just 5 faults for a little run off to see the judge. His tail was wagging and he woofed his way around
.
This weekend just gone I took him with a friend to a scentwork class and on the way back we popped into a small independent agility show to have a look. It was lovely, quiet and welcoming so I took him in a class (just cant help myself). He ran and ran, he did the tricky bits that many struggled with and his little face was a picture. I got muddled at one bit so we lost a few seconds there, but we had so much fun together and we got an elusive clear round !!!! Some of the others said how different he looked and it was so so good to see his little face looking happy again.
Anyway someone came over to tell me we'd been placed So I popped over to look at our time, we only came 2nd I was over the moon, our first placing.
Probably a combination of him growing up a bit, getting used to the environment without me being nervous and then going in for some fun. So my aim for this year is fun fun fun ! Pippa is nearly ready to get out competing and Rupert can come along for the odd class to keep him enjoying it. No expectations anymore, that just puts too much pressure on it all. Rupert has taught me so much and I hope I will be more understanding of them now.
I started training him at agility when he was younger and he seemed to love it, picked it up really quickly and had great fun at training. A bit sniffy at times but a typical cocker. I started taking him out to shows and it went downhill . Rupert would sniff, scratch, run off and generally ignore me. It was disheartening as I thought he loved it but I eventfully realised he wasn't just being naughty but was shutting down with stress. Last year we did quite a few shows to try and get him used to it, having just one flukey clear round and eliminated in virtual every other run we did. He seemed to not enjoy the shows one bit, so in the end I decided he wasn't cut out for it and stopped doing agility with him (apart from the odd bit on my agility field).
Since last spring / summer I've been training my younger dog and taking her to shows to watch friends and accustom her to the environment. She's a different kettle of fish and really isn't bothered at all. We've done a few practice ring runs and she's been fab. Rupert has been coming along for the ride and we've dabbled at some obedience (which seems to suit him). Last week I'd booked in to take Pippa along to a small winter show for a walk around and god knows why but I booked Rupert in to the a steeplechase class. Well he boy totally surprised me and ran pretty nicely with just 5 faults for a little run off to see the judge. His tail was wagging and he woofed his way around
.This weekend just gone I took him with a friend to a scentwork class and on the way back we popped into a small independent agility show to have a look. It was lovely, quiet and welcoming so I took him in a class (just cant help myself
). He ran and ran, he did the tricky bits that many struggled with and his little face was a picture. I got muddled at one bit so we lost a few seconds there, but we had so much fun together and we got an elusive clear round !!!! Some of the others said how different he looked and it was so so good to see his little face looking happy again.Anyway someone came over to tell me we'd been placed
So I popped over to look at our time, we only came 2nd I was over the moon, our first placing.Probably a combination of him growing up a bit, getting used to the environment without me being nervous and then going in for some fun. So my aim for this year is fun fun fun ! Pippa is nearly ready to get out competing and Rupert can come along for the odd class to keep him enjoying it. No expectations anymore, that just puts too much pressure on it all. Rupert has taught me so much and I hope I will be more understanding of them now.
