Well the judge wrote it as a miss in our score book but I just call it like I see it. A fail on me. He and I were nice and calm while in the car waiting our turn and also while he was out for a potty break. Honestly, I was so proud of how he conducted himself throughout the entire event. Not a smidgeon of reactivity, easy Peasy find at the practice boxes and kept focus on me while on deck.
The steward comes out, gives instruction and a chance for me to ask questions if there are any. But I have no questions, my boy is antsy to get in and all my focus is on him. This is it. But I'm still calm and still feel confident.
We are escorted to the start cones, I wait for my boy to focus on the three rows of boxes and tell him to search. He does what he often does in practice, he starts with the Parameter boxes with a passing sniffs. He stops to investigate a spot on the floor then on to the next box he shows interest. I almost raised my hand and called the alert but stopped short. Nope, he didn't give a clear indication.
At that point, I started feeling antsy. Wanting to get this done, started feeling aware that the judge and steward were watching us. Oh man, how much time has gone by. I turn my feet and take a couple steps to turn the corner of the parameter and he moves along passing several boxes. I see a small lip lick, he does this sometimes when he catches odor. He gets to the end box stops and sniffs the ground right at the box and I call "alert" very confidently like I was taught to.
Shocked when I heard the judge say "no, I'm sorry" and then the steward was at my side walking us to the correct box (three boxes back and one he passed). OK, I blew it, but I wasn't about to let my boy feel it. Gave him the treat at that box and a "I'm proud of you" pat. Because I really was.
I thanked the judge as I was leaving and she called out "don't you want your score book?" Without thinking, I blurted out "no". (Honest to god I did not want that score book!) I immediately laughed and they laughed, took that darn book , thanked her again and we left.
The rest of the day I was kicking myself and figuring out where I went wrong. DH tended to my boy for the rest of the day as I didn't want him around my dolly downer attitudes. Got over myself. Talked to my trainer etc.
NW ORT ugh! And we are signed up for another in Aug.
Figured I would share my experience since I had mentioned this ORT in the aluminet thread.
The steward comes out, gives instruction and a chance for me to ask questions if there are any. But I have no questions, my boy is antsy to get in and all my focus is on him. This is it. But I'm still calm and still feel confident.
We are escorted to the start cones, I wait for my boy to focus on the three rows of boxes and tell him to search. He does what he often does in practice, he starts with the Parameter boxes with a passing sniffs. He stops to investigate a spot on the floor then on to the next box he shows interest. I almost raised my hand and called the alert but stopped short. Nope, he didn't give a clear indication.
At that point, I started feeling antsy. Wanting to get this done, started feeling aware that the judge and steward were watching us. Oh man, how much time has gone by. I turn my feet and take a couple steps to turn the corner of the parameter and he moves along passing several boxes. I see a small lip lick, he does this sometimes when he catches odor. He gets to the end box stops and sniffs the ground right at the box and I call "alert" very confidently like I was taught to.
Shocked when I heard the judge say "no, I'm sorry" and then the steward was at my side walking us to the correct box (three boxes back and one he passed). OK, I blew it, but I wasn't about to let my boy feel it. Gave him the treat at that box and a "I'm proud of you" pat. Because I really was.
I thanked the judge as I was leaving and she called out "don't you want your score book?" Without thinking, I blurted out "no". (Honest to god I did not want that score book!) I immediately laughed and they laughed, took that darn book , thanked her again and we left.
The rest of the day I was kicking myself and figuring out where I went wrong. DH tended to my boy for the rest of the day as I didn't want him around my dolly downer attitudes. Got over myself. Talked to my trainer etc.
NW ORT ugh! And we are signed up for another in Aug.
Figured I would share my experience since I had mentioned this ORT in the aluminet thread.