Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Its Royal Show time in various states. How has everybody prepared for the obedience and agility competitions at the show? Have you changed your training or included more distraction work - I know I have....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 No change really, just the normal distractions around the ring. At training we have people yelling accross the rings, other dogs running around the outside, clapping, whistling etc. In the next few weeks though will just reinforce Coopers attention a bit more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 I took the opportunity to use some kids to put out scent articles for me at training the other night and I also left the dogs in a stand next to the kids while doing the signal part of signals I have cows in a paddock down the end of the road - so I have also done scent on the other side of the fence close to the cows. And I also have had open food containers around the place. Any others suggestions....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) open food containers - that's game!!! I'm waaay too nervous to enter the Royals - plus we aren't ready yet ...... but I'm sure my dog and myself will fall do pieces coz he is such a sucker for people attention Hmm.... if I were though - i'd do a few exercises at the local schools near me about the time when the kids were getting picked up - starting with 'focus' and slowly building up to an exercise or two..... Usually end up with people going "ooh look at the clever dog", or "look at the pretty dog" which is good distraction for him Can't think what else I would do... Practice holding my breath for 10mins?!?! ETA - evidently Royals affect my spelling too Edited September 6, 2007 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 At the Royals I've attended, the biggest distraction is the proximity of the crowd.. right on the ring rope in some places. Some of the kids have food too. The noise of carnival rides, the steam engine folk (at Canberra) and fireworks can be distracting. I'd not do a dog's first trial in such a place but I've never done anything special beyond walking the dog around the area to allow the see the sights and sounds before competing. For me the hardest thing to do is to get your dog to toilet before competing because it's hard to find a decent spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) I have - only because I was told to by you know who . I took Ness into the middle of town last Thursday - for anybody who knows Adelaide the middle of Victoria Square so we had trams, construction works since they are still undergoing extension of the tramline, cars, buses, people, chicken bones. We worked attention and change of positions. Actually it wasn't a problem at all surprisingly. I have tried the classic open food pots in the middle of recalls/change of positions etc. I have taken her to school grounds/parks where there would be lots of food smells around. I practiced a bit of attention in the carpark at the chiro on the main road. Didn't get to trying outside the supermarket. Guess we only have 2 more sleeps before we can see how well its worked or NOT worked . ETA. This is all in addition to the fact we usually practice our change of positions for open/heelwork/retrieves at the park with kids running around, kicking balls, kids practising school sport etc. Edited September 6, 2007 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 I'm sniffing out a 1st place, 200 and great work by Ness Good luck - you know you have more guts than me...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) Nope 1st place and a 200 isn't in our game plan YET!!!!! (thats for UD next year got that) - getting through an entire heelwork pattern with no missed positions however is!!!!!!!!!!! ETA. Having said all that our Royal show preparation really started back at the Autumn International when I was on one of the stands at the expo and also doing freestyle demos. Great opportunity to reinforce obedience behaviours in an informal setting (where I could actually use food in a "ring") with lots of kids in belly dancing costumes and with balloons sitting on the ground. I forgot she did a lovely change of positions exercise on top of the surf board in her Surfin USA routine when it was 35 in the middle of the day - think she is thoroughly proofed for the royal after that . Edited September 6, 2007 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 No Ness is not aiming for quite that high yet - anything over 190 and I am sure we will hear the scream. I know they have done a lot of work and things out of the ordinary - so we all wish them luck and have our fingers crossed. and for gods sake remember to breathe I think the kids close to the ring with the food is the toughest one to deal with. I have also found the crowd claps when the dog finds the correct scent article and this can be off putting as well. Our obedience area at the Perth Royal is used by the Alpaca people as a toilet area at night time - which makes it tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) Yep you sure will. Its just around the corner I can feel it. But hey if we ever got a 200 and first place I am sure you'd be the first to here about it leopuppy. Maybe not at the Royal but soon (a 190 I mean not the 200 ) ................... Remember to breathe or more to the point remember that I do have a dog in the ring with me and part of the mission is to work as a team not to see how quickly I can get out of there with poor little Ness tagging along for the ride and trying her hardest to keep up. The biggy for us is the Royal is one of the few indoor trials for the year (well unless they have suddenly made it outdoors - its usually indoors although when I went to pay for entries the person running it didn't even know ). Our ring is usually well fenced with nice white fencing. So the big one is usually trying to make sure your DB lands in the ring and stays in since the rings are smaller and they go a mile and a half on the carpet and do NOT stop. So yep hopefully I don't manage to get it stuck under the fence at the end as I have observed in the past years. Edited September 6, 2007 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 I can just see Leo (if we did the Royal) going out of the ring, stealing some poor kids hot dog then coming straight back into heel position Funny how we always forget to breathe when in the ring.... I think one of the tapes a friend took of me - you could noticeably see my legs shake How do the dogs put up with it?! - what you mean you get no extra points for getting the d/b OUT of the ring Are you getting it taped Ness? Ah well - doesn't matter how you go - you know you are taking the best BC (sorry, can't say best dog, as I have 2 of those ) home and i'm sure you'll be able to see plenty of positives out of your hard work .... unlike this lazy butt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keshwar Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 The only thing I have done differently for our Royal (Canberra) is go and do some training at the grounds where the Royal is held. We don't do any other trials on those grounds so they are unfamiliar to Faxon. I haven't really noticed him being distracted by the crowds or food outside the ring - but that could have been good luck rather than good management on my part. From what you've already written I think you have covered most if not all distractions. Good luck! Bear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Thats for the luck Bear - we need it thats for sure . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Leopuppy yep it is being taped so you can all have a laugh on Sunday evening when I get around to posting the footage. Sunday is suppose to be our debut in UD at the Mock trial as well but we aren't sure if we will be up for that after the late Saturday evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 Something else we have to content with is that our Royal is during the day. We have the agility and jumping teams event on the Saturday, obedience on the Sunday with UD held first, then this year we have novice at lunch time followed by open at 3pm. It makes for one long day, and then on the Monday public holiday we have the individual agility and jumping events. The ollowing Friday is UDX and CCD and Saturday is agility games. Shade is always limited and this year they have stopped competitiors bringing shade and umbrellas, so all the competitors are going to be packed in like sardines under the one shade tent provided. I had entered my 16 month old baby at the Royal and it was to be her first CCD trial - but I have decided to put her back in the cupboard to mature until next year as it is a tough environment to make her debut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Bugger about the extra shade. We are lucky that ours is indoors and at night so we don't have to spend the entire day at the Royal . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted September 6, 2007 Author Share Posted September 6, 2007 I emailed the Royal Show contact and asked if we could train at the show grounds and they came back with a definite NO I tried....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Bummer! That would have been good practice! When does your Royal gear up Ptolomy?! You sound as excited as you (probably) are nervous?! Don't the crowds make you nervous?!?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Ptolomy Nervous NEVER . She is pretty cool calm and collected to me even when running off for the best dog at the States. Me on the other hand bloody NERVOUS . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Ptolomy Nervous NEVER . She is pretty cool calm and collected to me even when running off for the best dog at the States. Me on the other hand bloody NERVOUS . OI! Ness - I thought you were out training!?!?!?!?! :laugh: :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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