Zorro's First Trial!!!!!!
Zorro got to play World Cynosport Rally-o, Intro level, under my very favorite judge. He had great attention on the start and up to the very first sign. I was about halfway through a Sit Stay Walk around when a very loud bark came from outside the ring. It startled us both. I attempted the sign again and Z was still too distracted (by not only "where did that bark come from!?" but also all of the people who were moving to close the lobby door.
The rest of the run was fine, though I was a little rattled by something unexpected like that happening and I didn't support a proper sit at halt on the next sign and also on a left turn I didn't really decelerate so he actually went to cone-wrap the sign haha. We finished strong with gorgeous heeling and a 203/210. Good boy! I was feeling a little bummed because that happened but hey, it's a trial. Stuff like this happens! And what I am most glad about was that Zorro recovered so quickly and went on to continue enjoying his time in the ring. I can't keep fretting that it wasn't perfect, but I can marvel at how this puppy shook off a startling and enormous distraction like it never happened. "Courage is grace under pressure." Ernest Hemingway.
I took....a ridiculous amount of ribbon photos........not even gonna apologize for it!
Molly was next! Last month I brought her to a WCRL trial and she earned her first Rally Veterans leg. At today's trial I entered her in both Veterans trials and she qualified in both rounds to earn her Rally Veteran title! Her first run was perfectly ridiculous. She knocked a sign over on the "return to heel", her dumbbell retrieve was explosive and a crowd pleaser and she was just all around hot and cold with her heeling...either plodding along or bursting into ridiculous sprints. Yep, she made people laugh! That's what she always does! Here is her second run, not quiiiiiite as amusing as the first one.
Perri brought up our last runs of the trial, with a 205 in Level 1 (had to re-cue her down on the very first sign. Should have supported her with verbal and hand signal. Also, she got super weird on a left finish and didn't want to sit at a certain spot on the floor that is a Horrible Spot and Must Not Be Touched.)
aaaaand a 207 in Level 2 ... I forget where we lost the points. But she was pretty good today! A little hot and cold but overall in the game and not too worried about the floor or the environment. Good Poodle!
Since we got out of the trial around 2 in the afternoon we went hiking and geocaching with our friends and had a perfect caching day as well! I just love being able to get the dogs out in nature after they are cooped up in their crates at a trial, it feels like the ultimate reward to them.
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