Bonkers for Bella: Guess there is always next year...

Novice Obedience Exercise Descriptions

Heel on Leash: Dog and Handler work as a team, the leash must be loose and held in a natural position. Orders for this exercise are: "Forward", "Halt", "Right turn", "Left turn", "About turn", "Slow" "Normal" and "Fast".

Stand for Examination: The dog stands in position before and during the examination without displaying resentment. Handler is instructed to "stand your dog and leave when you are ready", after positioning the dog the handler stands with dog in heel position, give the command/signal to stay and walk straight forward approximately 6 feet and then turn and face the dog. The judge will approach the dog from the front, using the fingers and palm of one hand, the judge will touch the dogs head, body and hindquarters. Judge will then give the command "back to your dog", handler returns to heel position. The dog must remain still until judge has said "exercise finished".

Recall: The dog must stay where left unitl called by handler and then must respond promptly when the handler commands or signals them to come. On order from the judge the handler will give the command/signal for the dog to stay in the sit position. Handler will then wakl forward to the other side of the ring with arms hanging naturally. On the judges order handler will command or signal the dog to come. Dog must come at brisk pace and sit stright, centered directly in front of handler. On judges order handler will give the dog the command/signal to finish. Dog must move quickly to heel position and sit.

Finish: Dog is directed to "swing" it's hind end around to the left to come to the heel position and then sit, or "heel" around to the right and behind the handler and come to the heel position and then sit.

Sit/Stay & Down/Stay (Group Exercises): The dog must remain in either the seated position or the down position, whichever is required by the particular exercise. The dogs will line up in catalog order along one side of the ring. The leash is removed and placed with the handlers armband behind the dog. Handlers are instructed to "sit your dog" or "down your dog", and then "leave your dog". The handler will walk across to the other side of the ring and stand in a natural position across from the dog until the judge orders them to "return to your dog". Any dog that leaves the place where it was left during the first group exercise will be given an "NQ" and excused from the remaining group exercise.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Guess there is always next year...

For months now my dog club has been discussing the idea of participating in the local Christmas Parade this year. The plan was to do drill team type demonstrations for the duration of the 5 mile parade route.

I really wanted to participate with Bella as this would provide a great socialization experience for her to be around so many people. But I felt that it would be pushing it to expect her to not only be around all of those people, but to also do drill team exercises.

I got my hopes up when, at our last meeting, they discussed the situation in more detail and offered that anyone who didn't feel that their dog was ready for the drills, could still participate in the parade by just walking along behind those doing the drill exercises.

At that point I started to get excited thinking that "we can actually do this!" Then they announced the date and time of the parade...

December 4th at 5pm.

Crap.

Where will I be on December 4th at 5pm?

In Long Beach at Eukanuba!

No parade for us this year, dang it.