First obedience competition

[Luvs]

Akasha and I are entered in our first obedience competition in the morning. We are only doing pre-novice because I want to get her used to being in the obedience ring. Actually I think it is more for me than her. I have never shown in obedience before and I know Akasha is ready, but I am not sure about me

I am pretty excited, but also very nervous. We are going to get there early to watch the Rotties show in conformation so she will have plenty of time to get used to the strange building. It will be our first indoor show. Sunday they are entered in the breed ring but we missed the sign up for the speciality Saturday.

The Rotties go in the ring at 9am and the obedience doesn't start until 11am. We are going to get there early enough to watch the Rottie specialty and we will have Akasha with us. Is it ok to get her out around 10 and walk her around and get her used to the facilities that early before her class or should I wait until 11 am and just before she goes in the ring? When should I start warming her up? At our last fun match I overdid the warm up and by the time we went into the ring I had lost her. I want to make sure that doesn't happen again. Of course I think that the grass and pouring rain may have had something to do with her short attention span lol. I am concerned since this is our first indoor show and I want to make sure that she has plenty of time to adjust but I don't want to wear her out nor do I want to over stimulate her.

If anyone has any helpful hints or suggestions I would LOVE to hear them. This is a totally new experience for us. More than anything I want it to be FUN! It is for us to get used to the obedience ring and start getting ready to hopefully start working on our CD soon.:D

No matter how we do in the morning I am very happy that we are at least getting out there and doing something;) No matter what, we are going to have a good time!:D :D

[DNeff]

I would recommend getting her out around 10 am; potty her and letting her check out the area that you will be showing in for about 5 to 10 minutes and then putting her back up. I prefer to let my dog relax and look at whatever they want during this initial exploration. Then I put them up.

I would keep your warm up to about a minute or so if she tends to lose steam. This way you get her focused on you and then you get right in the ring.

While you are waiting, be sure to watch where the judge sets up each exercise, so you have an idea of where you are headed. This will make it easier to focus on your dog and reward between exercises if you don't have to really think about where the next set up point is.

Since this is pre-novice, make it a point to ensure she has fun. You want her early obedience ring experiences to be great. Also don't let her get too far off track before giving a second command if necessary. The minute she thinks about straying or losing focus, give her a second reminder and help her out.

Good Luck!

Dawn + Osa
U-CD Cammcastle's Mystic Riven CDX OAC OJC OGC OAJ NA TT CGC
http://members.aol.com/dplantier
http://members.aol.com/rottweilerworld

[Brooke&Ryan]

Just want to wish you good luck!!! :D Let us know how you guys do!

:)
Brooke

[Luvs]

Thank you Dawn and Brooke!:D

Dawn thank you for the great advice! I am definately going to make sure and keep today fun! To me that is the most important thing right now.;)

Carol

[Rott-Wiley]

I just wanted to chime in and wish you both luck today.

I once had a male that would work best if I put him up in our motorhome and left him crated for about an hour prior to going in the ring. That way he was well rested and missed being with me so I had his complete attention. You have to figure what works best for your individual dog. Again, best of luck.

[spidey]

Good luck! Please let us know what you end up doing in terms of warm up and stuff, and of course how you did.

[Luvs]

Poor Akasha I was soooooo nervous , so we didn't do quite as well as I had hoped.

Akasha forgot how to sit almost the entire time we were in the ring. Akasha has been heeling great and sits automatically when I stop during heeling so it is not something I have really been working on lately. Boy was that a mistake. As soon as we entered the ring she forgot what "sit" meant. She also decided to lay down during the sit stay. She broke right before he told us to return to our dogs. Her down stay was great! She stayed even though both of the dogs on either side of her broke and one of them started walking over to her before his owner stopped him.

The good thing is that hopefully next time I won't be so darn nervous and now I know what to expect. I have never been so nervous in my entire life! I have shown horses for years and never had a problem but for some reason showing Akasha was totally different.

I think that I got her out of her crate a little too early. Our crates were not very close to the ring and I was afraid I wouldn't have her there in time. I probably should have left her in the crate until just before the dog in front of us went in. When I first get her out of her crate she is very happy to see me and extremely attentive. Next time I will try and get our crates closer and get her out later.

I know that most of our problem was because of my nervousness. This is the first time I have ever shown a dog in anything and it was a big step for me to actually get out into the ring. It is something I have always wanted to do but never thought I would have the nerve to do it. Now I know that I can get out there and next time we will do better!

It was a really good day overall. Akasha got to get out and socialize after her class and was very happy to meet some new people and dogs.

Sunday both Akasha and Keil were in the breed ring and they behaved wonderfully! I was really disappointed to see several dogs fall under the judge. I am happy though that Akasha and Keil stood perfectly for the judge:D They are getting some great experience!

Our next show is in January and I am definately going to do pre-novice with Akasha again and I am seriously thinking about handling her myself in the breed ring. I am kinda nervous about the breed ring, but I need to learn and now is the best time.;)

[LavenderRott]

I am so sorry that I missed this earlier!

It sounds like you had a good time, even though you were nervous. I haven't shown in obedience but my mom did when I was younger. Isn't pre-novice like practice? I think you did just fine and I think you should show her in conformation too.

[Miabella]

Luvs, I know what you mean about nerves! I was a wreck before going in the ring, even for fun matches. But the good news is that each time you get in there, it becomes a little easier. Good luck and keep up the good work!

[samanthac]

Good for you! What is improtant is not the score, but that you got out there and DID IT! The first time is always the hardest but now you know what to expect the next time. Sheesh...I was so nervous during our first confirmation show that I forgot how to gait the dog :P!!!! This second show was so much better because I knew what to expect...so much so that I helped a new person show their dog! :) I know I'll be a wreck for our first SchH trial, too! Its all because you just don't know. So, consider the first few times practice runs. It will get easier as you go!

We are proud of you and keep us up to date on your progress!

[Luvs]

Thank you everyone for the support!
You guys are right and I really do think that next time will be easier:) I really had no idea what to expect and I know that the mistakes were mine and not Akasha's. The poor girl kept looking at me funny. I don't think she knew what to think of me being such a nervous wreck

I have been having our handler take both Akasha and Keil to handling classes twice a week, but I think I am going to start taking Akasha myself on the days I don't work. One of the Rottweiler breeders up here is going to try and set up one day a week for us to get together and have a handling class. She is really encouraging us to get out there and show our own dogs.
We spent several hours yesterday with a breeder from Washington teaching us beginners how to show our dogs. I learned soooooooooooo much. She was extremely helpful and encouraging. I feel much better about being the one to take my dog into the ring:D :D

[fbkeays]

I really don't want to scare you Luvs, but I have actually ruined a dog because of my nerves. I can't show my Duncan in anything any more. I have to have someone else do it. He learned to go find a steward to get away from this alien creature I had become.
I have since gotten those volka cooler things and take a few swallows before going into the ring. I am not much of a drinker and feel really weird about doing this at 9 in the morning, but it has helped me. I don't want to ruin my Fizbin the same way I did Duncan.
The weird thing is that I am not so nervous about my Misty, my first rott. We earned her CDX nearly a year ago. I know for her CD, I was also a nervous wreck, being my first dog and all. But for some reason, I wasn't so bad for her CDX. I wasn't nervous for the first two legs (was the 3rd) of a friend's collie I handled for her.

[DNeff]

There are a couple great books on there to help us nervous nellies in the ring.

That Winning Feeling by Jane Savoie
Fear No More: Competing with Confidence by Barbara Cecil & Gerianne Darnell

These are both excellent books and I highly recommend them for helping with ring nerves.

My other advice is breathe and smile often. You'd be amazed at how you forget to breathe in the ring.

Dawn + Osa
U-CD Cammcastle's Mystic Riven CDX OAC OJC OGC OAJ NA TT CGC
http://members.aol.com/dplantier
http://members.aol.com/rottweilerworld

[Miabella]

My advice, from someone who has been there recently, is to act goofy and play with your dog outside the ring before going in.* If you make a fool of yourself in front of spectators before going in, what do you have to worry about once you're in there. People are already laughing at you. :D

*Obviously, this must be done in a manner that won't disturb the dogs working in the ring. It's possible to be low-key and zany at the same time. We've got a repertoire of spins, jumps, butt-slaps, gonna-getchas, etc. that really get my dog "up" before going into the ring, and they leave me smiling and laughing rather than having a coronary.

[Luvs]

Originally posted by fbkeays
I really don't want to scare you Luvs, but I have actually ruined a dog because of my nerves. I can't show my Duncan in anything any more. I have to have someone else do it. He learned to go find a steward to get away from this alien creature I had become.
I have since gotten those volka cooler things and take a few swallows before going into the ring. I am not much of a drinker and feel really weird about doing this at 9 in the morning, but it has helped me. I don't want to ruin my Fizbin the same way I did Duncan.
The weird thing is that I am not so nervous about my Misty, my first rott. We earned her CDX nearly a year ago. I know for her CD, I was also a nervous wreck, being my first dog and all. But for some reason, I wasn't so bad for her CDX. I wasn't nervous for the first two legs (was the 3rd) of a friend's collie I handled for her.

Oh no I hope that doesn't happen to Akasha! She definately thought I was an alien and I am sure if I would have let her she would have run from me. Of course I had my leash WAY too tight so she wasn't going anywhere

Dawn I will definately look into those books. Thanks for the suggestion:) I am also going to try and go to a fun match before our next show. I think that will really help me as well.

Miabella, I think I will have to give that a try:D

BTW, I did notice a BIG difference when we were doing the figure 8 and I figured we had blown the whole thing and I started to smile (because there was nothing else I could do;) ). When I started smiling I started to relax which really seemed to help Akasha:)