Trialling As You Train.....

[ness]

Suppose you had entered a baby green dog in her first agility trial - because she can weave nicely you have opted to run her in both Open and Novice Jumping just to get some additional ring exposure without to greater expectations. Its a double AM/PM trial. Do has been proofed to stay at the start at training and is 99% reliable. You get to the startline at the trial and the dog decides to break.

Would you a) continue to run because its only their first trial but go back to proofing them at training before trialling in the future or b) pull them up for breaking the start because you should be trialling as you train and by letting them continue you are setting yourself up for a struggle down the track.

Its a hypothetical at the moment but might be a reality when/if I enter a trial shortly . My theory is that even though I have a proofed lead out at training or even at practice jumps at trials I am not sure how the dog will cope with being in a ring situation.

[Kavik]

I would continue to run. First trial, different to training, handler nerves as well as different time and location and situation to training.

But I have had some running off issues and Kaos has given me the finger at sts a few times So I am most interested in making it an enjoyable experience and keeping him in the ring. ATM I am not attempting a sitting sts (which is what I want eventually) - I am taking the lead off, leaving him in a stand, doing minimal lead out

[kiesha09]

If it were my dog I'd pull it up. First trial or not I think consistency is the key and by letting her run it would be rewarding a broken start line stay, which may or may not cause issues down the track. But I wouldn't risk it.

But it comes down to the criteria you set yourself before the trial I guess.

[BeagleBoys2]

I would continue with the course...handler nerves play a HUGE part in a dog's behavior at a trial.

The only time I don't continue is if they stop listening and start doing their own thing or making mistakes. If they aren't going to qualify I don't waste the judges time.

The only except to this being the one time my dog dropped the bar of the first jump. Which looking back was my fault anyway. I had given him a beautiful lead up but when I said the release word he wasn't paying attention and misjudge the jump. However, in saying that, half way through the course the beagle nose got working and he cleared a jump that he was nearly sitting on. Go figure...he still ran the course well under time.

[Sayreovi]

I would pull her up and restart. Let her know from the get go that the trial ring is not a place to forget her 'manners'

Given that you have trialled alot your nerves should be fairly calm and even if they were bouncing everywhere it's still a good time to reinforce listening to what you say not what your nerves are telling her to do.

Following through this practice is what is hard for me too do though, I tend to forget all my good reasoning when I trial and am in the ring

[ness]

yes my nerves should be ok but try taking a new dog into the ring for the first time and you do get stressy. Its been ages since I have run in novice and I get scared by the lack of complexity in the courses :D .