Common Trial Mistakes?

[ShellyBeggs]

I would say....Don't expect to much, notch this one up to gaining experience and getting both of your nerves out of your system......yes a pass is nice but what you are really doing is laying the groundwork for "this is fun" rather than "this is crap mum so I am going to misbehave". A positive experience for you both is more important than points......there are plenty of other trials to get your pass.

certainly tell the steward and judge it is your first time as they will then usually help you out

My first trial the judge was so nice and would warn me about what was coming up and would ask if I understood what she wanted before we did the exercise and congratulated me on a job well done as we left the ring. It helped boost my confidence and we didn't get a pass (mostly my handling errors) but we came out feeling like we had done really well and the next time I wasn't nervous at all. And if you have told them its your first time and you do need to ask a question they will really try and help you out.

And remember judges are doggy people too and are probably there after years and years of going through the same trials and tribulations of trialling as you are starting on. They would have surely had good days and bad days with their dogs and will understand you are nervous and will certainly secretly commiserate if your dog does something it shouldn't.....some will even openly cringe and give you a sympathetic look... They won't send you to the principles office if you or the dog do something wrong.....

and lastly.......if you are lucky enough to be lower down the list, try and watch a few run through your ring first (without your dog preferably).....so you know what to expect and what order the exercises are likely to be in.

AND remember you are doing this to have fun so....HAVE FUN......!

[Kowai]

Kowai, I said I would "break a stay rather than leave my dog vulnerable to a dog I was concerned about." I don't give a stuff about dogs who break.

However, if I ever had the slightest concern that the dog that broke was going to cause any sort of trouble then I'd be in there in a heartbeat.

Oops sorry I wasn't meaning to take a go at you! Guess that came out wrong :D

[SueM]

I have my first trial on Saturday All these tips etc are a huge help for a first timer Hopefully my brain doesnt shut down and I remember when I walk in the ring :D

[laffi]

I have my first trial on Saturday All these tips etc are a huge help for a first timer Hopefully my brain doesnt shut down and I remember when I walk in the ring :D

Where is it? I will try to come and watch and bring you good luck!

[SueM]

It is at Laidley :D

[BC]

I would break a stay if I felt my dog was in the firing line.

My last trial in the sit stays, Cooper was being eye balled by the black russian next to him.

Luckily Cooper is a snob, and glanced over, and then pretty much put his back to the dog. The other dog then lost interest which made me comfortable with the situation.

However, if I felt that there was going to be a possible problem, I would have no hesitation in breaking the stay and signalling Cooper over to me.

I rather that then having a possible incident and having to retrain Cooper in his stays.

Also in reagrds to correcting in the ring, I dont do it, but I know others do.

Coopers punishment is being put back in the car or the crate with no reward. When he's done well, he gets treats and play time. If he has been really silly and not concentrating at all, he gets put away with nothing.

I will then take him aside later on and do some work with him, a quick heeling pattern etc, and if he has done the right thing, I apply the same rewards as if he did a good job in the ring, even though we would've already stuffed the trial :D But he learns that certain behaviour gets rewarded and silliness doesn't.

Edited August 21, 2007 by BC

[ElleAus]

THANK YOU!!

thank you everyone very much for sharing their tips and experience.

I'm lucky that this trial is being held at our normal club but I imagine the atmosphere and busy-ness is going to be very different. I've entered both AM and PM sessions on the day just for the experience but will see how chilled she is about it all.

Whoever mentioned speeding up (sorry i forget who) is so right. I discovered that a couple of weeks back, it focuses her so much better.

I asked last week about breaking stays and was told to not move until the judge tells you (obviously i would if i thought my dog in danger) and often the judge or steward would stay and hold the dog or tell you to remove the dog to avoid disrupting others.

Are there pegs on the ground for the group stays? and they are all done after everyone has done their individual assessment?

Is there any order to the exercises usually?

Its an interesting challenge with my dog, Lizzie, to keep up the interest/drive and keep the focus.

She's currently staring at me, dancing backwards with a large rubber ball in her mouth.

Fun is her middle name :D

[Natsu chan]

Since it's your first don't worry about qualifying scores, they really don't matter that much. There is always next time. I took my girl to her first trial back in July (haven't competed since as she hurt herself). It was a wet horrible day and no one in our class got a qualifying score. My girl bombed as she got jumped on in both stays and broke but she came out of the ring wagging her tail and pleased with herself. So she's decided shows are fun!

I was very nervous too not having been in the ring for 16 years myself, but we both had a good time if a rather wet and muddy one and that's what counts. Next time we'll both do much better.

Just try to stay calm and listen to the judge they'll tell you what to do. If you make a mess of it don't worry there's always next time and the best of us make a mess of things on occasion. Good luck and have fun!

Yep they'll have pegs or something of the sort in the stays for you to line up next to. And yes they're generally done after everyone in the class has done their individual exercises.

Edited August 21, 2007 by Natsu chan

[laffi]

It is at Laidley :D

What time does it start?

[SueM]

Its a late start around 3pm I think at the Laidley cultural centre which is on the main drag into laidley on the right hand side, but if it continues to rain all week I will bale, wet grounds and a short haired chihuahua just dont mix :D

Edited August 21, 2007 by varicool

[Keshwar]

Are there pegs on the ground for the group stays? and they are all done after everyone has done their individual assessment?

Is there any order to the exercises usually?

Hi Celeste,

Usually there will be markers laid out for the stays. The usual process is that you take up your position with your right foot on or next to the peg. The Judge will usually do a briefing before the stays explaining what he/she wants. And yes the stays are done after the indivdual exercises have been completed. However it depends how many people/dogs are entered. If there are a large number of entries they may split the stays up into two groups. There have to be a minimum of 3 competitors and a max of 10 for the group exercises which is why they sometimes do two groups.

The order of exercises is that listed in the rule book.

Heeling on lead

Stand for exam on lead

recall

Sit stay

Down stay.

Cheers

Bear.

[huski]

Ohhhhhhhhh I feel nervous just reading about trialling :D It will be at LEAST end of next year by the time Daisy is ready (if she is EVER ready ).

Good luck Celeste for your trial, I hope you enjoy yourselves!!

[ElleAus]

Thank you very much :D I'm sure we'll have a fun no matter what.

[capanash]

Celeste, good luck with your first trial. Let the judge know that it is your first time trialling, they will give you very clear instructions. TRY to relax, if you are nervous your dog can sense it. I would rather conformation show than trial ( we do both).

BC, you would have met Zoran the Black Russian, he is a real clown. Do you know if he earned his final CCD pass at Bendigo?

[BC]

BC, you would have met Zoran the Black Russian, he is a real clown. Do you know if he earned his final CCD pass at Bendigo?

Oh, thats his name. I see him everywhere and he is a clown A real big fluff ball. He thought Cooper was pretty interesting in the stays on Sunday and was giving him the eye, but Cooper chose not to talk Lucky for me.

He missed his sit stay in the second trial so NQ, and I have no idea how he went in the first. I'm sure he got all of his stays in the first one so hopefully he passed I really hpoe he did cos I see him everywhere and I think he deserves a title now.

[Kowai]

Hey BC how often do you go to shows?

[BC]

Hey BC how often do you go to shows?

I'm in waves. Sometimes I will go every weekend for a month, then nothing for a month.

My next trial is the Royal Melbourne 20th September, so we have a break until then. Even if I'm not entered I will still go sometimes to support friends.

I will PM you with a good website so you know when they're all on.

[Kowai]

Hey BC how often do you go to shows?

I'm in waves. Sometimes I will go every weekend for a month, then nothing for a month.

My next trial is the Royal Melbourne 20th September, so we have a break until then. Even if I'm not entered I will still go sometimes to support friends.

I will PM you with a good website so you know when they're all on.

Great thank you!

It's cool to see that, if we're up to the level, we can gain a title fairly quickly I'm so excited about getting our CCD even though it might be awhile yet!

I'm hoping to also get into agility so we can gain, I think its the jumping dog title? I'm also looking at going for a WWPD - Working weight pull dog