Online Dog Titles / non-ANKC titles

[Two Best Dogs!]

Hoping the brains trust can help me out here.

 

I am ditching ANKC trials (For Thistle) and am thinking of working towards online titles. Although we do really well in the trial ring (nearly every pass was also a placing!), the cons are becoming more prevalent than any pros.

 

What is it I enjoy about ANKC trials?

1. The chance to demonstrate what a great dog I have
2. The passes to titles / the placings to demonstrate what a great dog I have.
3. Doing tricks n stuff with Thistle

 

What is it Thistle enjoys about ANKC trials?

1. Doing tricks with me
2. Getting treats afterwards
3. Getting praise

 

What does Thistle (and therefore I) dislike about ANKC trials:

1. Check ins and bitch booty swiping
2. People wanting to interact with her
3. Judges following us and staring at her
4. Inexperienced stewards startling her
5. Unexpected startles x 500 - sudden noises, loose dogs, crate blown over by wind and rolling across the field, people running past her
6. Crate / car aggressive dogs that bark bark barking
7. The odd clueless person who lets their dogs all up in ur dogs face
8. "Fixer" people who want to "fix" her and therefore just become an annoying person following us around and stressing us out
9. People who go up to ur dogs car to stare at the dog to "see what it is"

 

That is a lot of stress and upset she has to cope with for a scant 3 minutes in the ring. The past two trials in particular have been tough with a lot of worst case scenarios flung our way. I ended up withdrawing from two trials she got so upset.

 

Plus even in the ring, when we are doing well and getting placing, it is a watered down version of my dog I am demonstrating. She is precise and accurate, but she is easily distracted and "slow" for what she usually is.

Thyme by comparison, he enjoys being in the ring, he enjoys meeting the other dogs, the other people. His cons list is really rather small. So he will keep trialling and Thistle will come along for the ride in a less pressure filled way.

 

This long story is going around to. I still want to work towards measurable goals that give me a feeling of achievement and that I can hold up and show was something my dog has done. Just without the whole circus situation outside the ring itself. I am pretty bummed out about this, there are lots of personal goals I want to achieve and there is a local trophy I am hoping we can one day earn but this is not the way I do not think, if ever

 

So far I've found of those that let you enter online via videos and assorted criteria:

 

Trick Dog titles with "Do More with your Dog"

 

Dog Parkour

 

Cyber Rally-O which is in joint with a different Dog Parkour

 

 

I am leaning to the trick dog titles, since I already happen to own the book with 101 tricks in it lmao, and the joint Cyber Rally Dog Parkour company.

 

In everyone's internet wanderings, have you happened across other similar type companies? Or , if possible, Australian run ones to support our local dog sports? That would be great if possible.

 

 

* all that said, I'll go without dogs to the next DWD/HTM trial as they seem a quieter venue, with no judges in the ring itself. If they seem a quieter type of trial we may try that one day. I will ask the DWD secretary about dogs scared of people at the next workshop (I attend these with Thyme)

Edited June 28, 2019 by Two Best Dogs!

[DogsAndTheMob]

Have you considered ANKC tracking? It’s many years since I competed in tracking, but the judges and stewards used to keep well back from  handlers and their dogs, so they didn’t impose the same “pressure” as obedience judges do when they watch a dog. My first GSD was quite timid but she loved tracking. I also like the fact that it’s a sport which puts the dog “in the driver’s seat” rather than the handler.

Edited June 29, 2019 by DogsAndTheMob

[Two Best Dogs!]

4 hours ago, DogsAndTheMob said:

Have you considered ANKC tracking? It’s many years since I competed in tracking, but the judges and stewards used to keep well back from  handlers and their dogs, so they didn’t impose the same “pressure” as obedience judges do when they watch a dog. My first GSD was quite timid but she loved tracking. I also like the fact that it’s a sport which puts the dog “in the driver’s seat” rather than the handler.

I have! We have attended the recent workshop, but the intention was for Thyme to be learning it.

 

With Thistle...I cannot see her enjoying the tracklayer aspect, especially when they start doing such "strange" things as sitting behind trees/laying down even Thyme was a bit put off by the concept of a person under tarp until we played some "find and kiss the person!" games. Thistle wouldn't like that at all

 

*Thistle definition of strange, although I guess they are strange in general.

[DogsAndTheMob]

Have fun!

 

My nervous GSD learned by finding family members, so by the time she was working unknown-person tracks she was accustomed to the routine. But she was only apprehensive of strangers (particularly men), rather frightened by a broader variety of triggers.

 

[Tassie]

And you can put instructions in the dog's reward bag/tracklayer's reward bag  ……….. I've had an instruction/request to please make the toy visible and available to the dog before moving.   But I know what you mean … one of my dogs got a startle when the tracklayer, who'd been asleep under the tarp in the nice warm winter sun, woke up with a start just as she got near him!.     She was quite wary when on her next track, the tracklayer she found was also in a swag.

 

Most tracking judges are lovely and will be quite happy to sort something out.

 

Oh and in training, my dogs hardly ever found a person .. just their reward .. My current boy let out a huge bark when he found his first swag rolled person .. "Hey do you guys know there's a body over here!"   The production of his frozen chicken wing settled him down!

Edited July 1, 2019 by Tassie