Ein and I walked our final Rally Advanced leg this evening, with a score of 98! So proud of my little guy. We placed 2nd due to time. The 1st place dog also had a 98 but was faster than us.
I had never been to this venue before, but I chose it because I was itching to get our last leg done for RA. I drove across train tracks to get to the parking area (remember that.) The ring was literally standing room only. As soon as you opened the door, there was the ring a few feet away. And entirely surrounded by the crating area and people. My heart sank a little bit. Ein is far from bullet proof when there are spectators at literal ringside. There were no course maps available. While I was reflecting on no course map to be obsessed over and Ein's probable meltdown over the lack of personal space, I heard a deafeningly loud train roar by on the neighboring tracks. I may be adding a dramatic flair to the whole thing, but I am pretty sure the training center shook.
Awesome.
I left Ein in the car until after my walk through. And the course was not bad at all. Only 11 signs. ELEVEN! After trialing APDT last weekend I feeling very much like, "That's it?"
The jump was there. The Halt-Stand-Walk Around was there. No hated Halt-Side Step Right, thankfully. Ein did a beautiful stand and did not budge a paw for the walk around. After a 270-Right he blew my mind. He slammed into a play bow, then stretched out and yawned. Ein does this when he is feeling silly and truly relaxed. I just kept RIGHT on walking that course but I was inwardly laughing so much. Look at my dog, acting like a clown in the middle of a rally course!
The end of the course approached ringside and PEOPLE! and he did a small shutdown while staring at them. I clapped and said "Focus!" and he was back with me. What a good boy :)
No trains were heard during our run. Whew!
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