Tailwaggers #01

Very nearly the coldest I have ever been in my life. I have only been colder once, and that was at EMDAC’s 50th Show. I actually think the temperature was lower this time (suffice to say we didn’t get above freezing), but I had twice the layers on.

Dylan also thought it was bloody cold. He was not happy about getting out of his nice warm bed in the car, and he was much with the pitiful “neglected dog” expressions as we trundled in to warm up in the arena before the Primary Agility. This was Dyl’s first show at Primary, and I haven’t done any Primary classes for 18 months, so it was a bit of a mixup for both of us! Happily there were no nerves; I know Dylan can comfortably run these kind of courses as Primary is pretty much the equivilent of Grade 3, and I wasn’t out of my depth either. Our plan for a slow warm-up didn’t quite go as hoped, as we were called to run almost immediately and had to go in almost cold.

We cruised around clear; Dylan’s contacts were a little slow (seesaw in particular) but I wasn’t exactly on the ball either, so I can’t blame him. We came 2nd anyway, which was great – our first Primary class! – and we were beaten by a fair distance (nearly 3s) but I know we had plenty of ground to make up. I didn’t expect a placing at all!

Primary Steeplechase was another nice course, very blasty as a Steeplechase should be, but way too fast a course for Dyl. He ran much better though, and we were starting to hit our stride. We came 6th, less than 2s off the winner who is a cracking fast dog (she also won the Agility, and was 2nd in the Power and Speed).

We had a long break then waiting for our next class, so I sat and helped on Ring 1, had a chat with plenty of people I haven’t see for a while, and hopefully helped some new Introductory handlers figure out their ringcards and running orders. I thought it would be a good idea to run in the Pay on the Day class before our Power and Speed, so off we went. Here’s where you insert the flashing “wrong decision!” sign …

Dyl ran beautifully in the POTD, confident and working his contacts with a fair turn of speed (we have work to do, still). The last line was a neatly spaced set of 4 jumps, probably slightly over minimum distance. Dylan decided to try and bounce the middle 2 jumps, and you have never seen such a spectacular failure. It was painful. He had completely committed to the second jump, and from what I can see on the video, he just chickened out at the last second, or just completely failed to make it. Either way, he faceplanted into the dirt, skidded along on his nose for a foot or so, and then fell over the last jump. It was not pretty.

Confidence demolished (much like the previous course!) we went and ran the Power and Speed. Lovely contacts, but oh-so-hesitant jumping, super cautious and toooo slooooow. Came 4th anyway, but not good enough! He picked up slightly in the Primary Jumping, but I made a hash of the handling and we got a big E.

Anyway, Tailwaggers did an awesome job of their first show, lovely rosettes and lovely prizes. Fantastic venue as well with a brilliant surface, it’s just a shame all I’ll ever remember is freezing to death and negotiating the car-park ice sheet! I spent all day wishing I had Diesel‘s very warm-looking floofy coat (this coat is the reason Dylan doesn’t like Diesel, I think. Dylan’s not that bright, and D looks much bigger than him. He doesn’t know it’s all floof!) and cuddling him as much as possible, and making Bob Scott’s Twig wiggle as much as I could (although I was mauled by the world’s most enthusiastic Golden Retreiver, Jackson, at one point as well. Another dog with a ferocious wiggle). Dylan thinks Twig is a more respectable size and said hello quite nicely, although he wasn’t so keen on the poking. Julie’s Alfie has traumatized him for life on that front.