We went up to Dexter, MI for the Bouvier des Flandres club of Southeastern Michigan's AKC trial this past weekend. Panic was entered in N Standard and JWW both days. She did go 4/4 with four 1sts, and ran pretty well. Start line stays were not stellar and she didn't stop a single time on the DW... although it was a *beautiful* running DW both days. If we can compromise on always stopping in class, and then "misbehaving" at a trial by running all the way through I'm ok with that. But if her trial running starts to morph into leaping we're in trouble...
It was weird being up in Dexter as exhibitor only, not vending at all. It was *nice* being able to sleep in on Sunday! We didn't have to be to the building until noon or so, so we slept until 9:15 uninterrupted! Can't believe the dogs let us do that. Luckily not many people at the hotel, so I don't think we had anyone on either side of us to make Dexter go "woof" like he usually does.
So, some random thoughts on the weekend:
1) I try not to get wrapped up in ego things, but it kind of bugs me when people up there seem think I'm an agility newbie. We filmed up there a few times before getting Dexter, and I'm pretty sure some of those people think Dex is my first agility dog... of course the only trial I've run him at there, he acted like a total *freak*, so I'm also an incompetent newbie :) I know I shouldn't let people's opinions or thoughts bother me, but I definitely did get some satisfaciton out of running Panic up there, who hopefully makes me look like not so much a newbie!
2) I did get asked "why after having the purebred dogs (Peanut & Fancy) did I choose a Canine Partner?" - well the short answer is I had just graduated college and a shelter dog is much more affordable :) But the implication behind the question was definitely, why would I get a dog I couldn't do AKC with?? Of course, AKC has never been my choice venue...
3) The judge annoyed me - on Sat Std (the first novice class of the weekend) they asked who had the Canine Partners (UGH let's PLEASE stop calling them this!!) and I raised my hand. So, most of the briefing was directed straight at me. No one asked if this was my first time at an AKC trial, and there were plenty of Nov A people there so...
4) she (the judge) also really irritated me because she would tell in the briefing how "with 20 yrs of experience, trust me, do NOT fix your weave poles, just start them over, it will get you in trouble!" well, I'm sure some people now think that's the rule, that you can't fix the poles, you must start over... Seriously, don't tell me how to train/run my dog! also she said if our dog jumps up on us, like to lick us in the face, while running, we will be DQd. I'm not an AKC rules expert but this seems bogus to me! Sure, if they are biting at me or my clothes, or I am impeding my dogs path (perhaps to my benefit) I see it, but not for a goofy novice dog jumping up at me excitedly!
5) ok back to the ego thing. Did I get a little bit of a smug grin on my face hearing the reactions to panic running? To still getting the fastest time in the class even when I fell on my face during a run? .... yeah, I did :) I know, we're in Novice now, and Panic is fairly seasoned so honestly, unfair competition. But still, I can't help it.
disclaimer - I have both mixes and purebred dogs, love them both. I know not all AKC people think mixes are lesser beings, and many AKC people do not think AKC is the center of the universe. blah blah blah, no offense intended by this post, just my observations and thoughts!
OH one more thing that cracked me up! On Sunday, the gate steward, who I really like (from what I know of her) said - "You know what the problem is with this Canine Partner thing? You don't know what dog you're looking for when you're trying to get them all lined up!" Haha, yeah, because 20 BCs in a row are a lot easier to tell apart!
4 comments:
Sadly, it's "those people" and "those comments" that continually push me away from AKC. I want a different challenge right now, so my personal management tactic is to surround myself with the people I like and am friends with and ignore the other ones!
Several years ago when thinking about getting another cavalier, someone asked us why we would get another off-breed dog if we wanted to compete in agility. Really?? An off-breed?? Okay, so Bailey will never be the fastest dog out there, but they are pretty close and I'm having fun with a breed I adore. Off-breed...really??? :)
Your runs looked great - just remember that! You (and many of us who know you...) know you are a fantastic handler! Who cares what the others think :)
Hey Maggie - yeah I know what you mean... "those" things and also the entry fees are what make me love USDAA more!
I do want to say that really, people were great about the mixes this weekend (there were only 3 entered though). It was nice to walk Panic and Spry through the building without worrying if I should make up some breed (panic is a medio podengo, and Spry is a staffy) if someone asks me what they are or if someone might complain that they are there (the same people who bring 12 wk old puppies, of course)
Overall everyone was awesome and I think got a kick out of watching miss Panic, so maybe someone will think of getting a shelter dog, or at least a non-traditional dog in the future from watching her.
I haven't ever been to a trial where having mixes there was even an issue, though I HAVE been to a couple where people were called out for having very young puppies there.
Very early on, I got some crap for running rescued purebreds, so it goes all kinds of ways.
I can come from the other side with USDAA--I have never seen such a collection of big-time egotistical jerks as I did at a USDAA regional I volunteered at (running my dogs in the "other" ring). Nearly put me off USDAA for LIFE. You haven't lived until a big-time competitor berates you for skipping her in the running order ("But I was sitting right over THERE!!" yeah, OK, Ms. Bigtime, was I supposed to deliver a hand-lettered invite? IF you were sitting there, how did you NOT hear me yelling your name?)
And I would argue that while the per-run fees are cheaper for non-tournament classes, if you want to enter two dogs in everything they "need" (without tournaments), your total check is significantly more--and if you "need" tournaments, you aren't spending any less for a weekend at all.
Nora has a good point that I think many people overlook.
Anyway, just wanted to say that you don't look like a novice handler running Dexter. You look like an experienced handler running a green dog!
And Panic is just really cool. How could anyone not like her? ;)
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