# Ok, got to brag, just a little...



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I took Babs and Joy to the Christmas Classic in Cleveland today. 

Babsy showed in Obedience, Novice, and got her second leg for her CD. I was proud of her performance. Again, I lost us points by not commanding my body properly. 

Joy was in Rally Novice. She was NOT impressed with the cart ride into the building and bitched the entire time. I threw a blanket over her crate and she shut up. There were over three thousand dogs there, and 98% of them were in Rally Novice. Ok, that _is_ a slight exaggeration. 

Her sister's owner brought her sister too, and we sat together. We were about 20 dogs apart, and I think the only shepherds brave enough to turn out. Anyhow, we both got 93 points out of 100. 

I know, neither was spectacular, but considering I cornered the bitch before going into the ring and bribed her with a promised half a hot dog IF she qualified, and told her that she would not qualify if she maintained the pressure she was currently distributing on the lead, I think we did awesome. 

She got into the ring, and worked pretty good next to me. Her around finish was sloppy and a few things, I could have made happen better with better handling, but in all, she did a nice job. 

One more leg for BABSY. Two for Joy. 

I sure hope Babsy qualifies tomorrow, so I do not have to drag bag and baggage, truck and crate in on Saturday.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Congrats! Nice job!


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Congratulations. It is not easy handling two dogs at the same show. I sometimes forgot the name of the dog I was working at the time, so it was "dog, heel"!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

"Dog Heel" LOL!!! that had me rolling.

What was hard this time, is that they are both at the same time. I got there, and had to go over the the Rally table and tell them there might be a conflict, then to the obedience table, back to the rally table. 

Finally, I did the obedience with Babsy, got out of the ring, and they were doing ribbons in rally. There were three dogs to go in obedience before sits and downs. 

So I handed my Babs off, Joy is way back there in a crate, and I am running through the walk through, just once, like a chicken with my head cut off. Grabbed Babs, and waited another half hour before sits and downs. 

A quick dog switch and back to the rally table to tell them no conflict now. 

Down the block to the pee station, and begging pee to come, and it would not -- yeah the dog, not me, I have an iron bladder and did not have to go until I reached home, at four thirty. 

Back to ringside, and waiting to go in. 

Then once they posted my score, over for the hot dogs. 

It was then that my entire body broke out in a sweat, legs literally shaking. I suppose, I should just be happy that the reaction is delayed and I do not feel like that while I am IN the ring. 

Whatever. The other lady in obedience said she felt like barfing. I asked, why do we do this to ourselves. 

But we will be back tomorrow for more torture. How sick is that? We even pay for it. 28$ per class, plus eight dollars to park. And I anticipate a dog show like a kid anticipates Christmas. SICK SICK SICK. Trouble sleeping and the whole nine yards.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

I used to go to bed with a whole bottle of Pepto-Bismol on the night stand.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Leaving at seven thirty tomorrow. The site has become more active and it is hard to go home and get some sleep now. My mouth feels like it is coated in pepto right now. Errrgh!!!!

If only Babsy will finish tomorrow, Saturday will only be Joy. That will be easier.


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## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

selzer said:


> It was then that my entire body broke out in a sweat, legs literally shaking. I suppose, I should just be happy that the reaction is delayed and I do not feel like that while I am IN the ring.
> 
> Whatever. The other lady in obedience said she felt like barfing. I asked, why do we do this to ourselves.
> 
> But we will be back tomorrow for more torture. How sick is that? We even pay for it. 28$ per class, plus eight dollars to park. And I anticipate a dog show like a kid anticipates Christmas. SICK SICK SICK. Trouble sleeping and the whole nine yards.


Ahhh just READING your description made my nerves act up! I am the exact same way but I usually get sick to my stomach right BEFORE, then I'm fine when we start moving...and I wonder the same thing every time I'm waiting my turn "WHY do I do this to myself?!"


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Andaka said:


> I used to go to bed with a whole bottle of Pepto-Bismol on the night stand.


Empty? Heh! Heh!

I used to dream about what my female obedience candidate would come up with in the ring to entertain the spectators and sometimes the judge!


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Congrats! Good luck today


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The good news is that Joy Joy has her second leg!!!! 

She and her litter sister BOTH got a 92. Yesterday they BOTH got a 93. Both of them did much better today, same judge, but it seemed to us our dogs were more relaxed, had more fun and did better today. I am not saying the scoring was off, just that the dogs were more on. I felt I earned that 92 today, and I probably should have gotten an 87 or an 82 yesterday. 

The other pup's owner and I were horsing around a little in the walk through, we each played the other's dog for one circuit. It was really an interesting exercise, being the dog. Then we went through and did it for real. I think we had more fun today then yesterday as well.

The bad news was that Babsy, anticipated the recall, started before I called her, and knew it, hesitated and came into me, sat in front, and then finished. All other test she did good on. But we will all be there tomorrow looking for a last leg for our titles.


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## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

Good luck at your show! 
Glad to hear I'm not the only one nervous before a show. I have a friend who goes with me and always says her job is to tell me to breath as I go in the ring. LOL


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Well, in the end, it was a good day. Joy did her best run, with a score of 94. I think we lost points on the moving down, because she went down slow and sat prior to going down. But after the mess in obedience I made for Babsy, I decided that doing it over was probably not the thing to do. 

And it made no difference really as first place was a four way tie of 99. 

Very proud of my little Joy Joy. 

What about Babs???

Well, in her defense, most of the debochle was my fault. 

I was running late, and decided to leave Joy in the car, and just take Babsy in. I was going between two cars and slipped. I hung on to the leash, but wrenched both of my arms holding onto the vehicles, and twisted my good ankle to a painful nasty angle (the other foot has been lame since Thursday night). So now I was nervous, swearing, and gimping on both legs.

I got to our ring, and signed in. I then went and asked of they would move me up in the line as I would have a conflict in Rally. 

They did this. They told me I would be the first dog after the first group of sits and downs. So I figured I had a little time, there being about three dogs left before sits and downs. A few minutes later, they asked if I wanted to be in THIS group of sits and downs. Well, I figured it would give me more time, and since yesterday I was shaving it very fine indeed, running out to get the dog, and today, I had no one to hold the dog while I did the run through, I agreed.

Just then some people were all excited to see a shepherd and were talking to me and petting Babsy, and blocking my view to the ring. I told them right away that I was next in, but they did not take the hint, and a steward came over and said, Are YOU 144???? 

Anyhow, flustered, I went forward, and walked into the ring. 

I heeled on leash, and my dyslexia made me hear "Left Turn" when the judge said "About Turn." Feeling terribly embarrassed, we recovered, and did not do badly on lead. Then the figure eight (also on lead). 

The posts are humans, and we never practice this with people of course, so it was a little different for Babs, but she did ok, being still a little flustered, when she said HALT I stopped abruptly instead of easing into it. I moved my head slightly to see if Babsy sat, and the Judge bit my head off. She told me I could NOT tell my dog to SIT! If my dog did not sit, I could NOT tell her to. I told her that I did not say anything. My lips were sealed. I never said a word. Both posts also said that I did not say anything. She went back at me, and I did not want to argue, and I was all worried I would NQ for something I did not even do. 

Anyhow, the judge said she would not take points off, for it, and my legs were wobbling and sweat was running down, and I could not believe how flustered I was then. 

At that point, I do not remember handing the leash off. Standing my dog, I was scared to death I would make ANOTHER stupid mistake, and walked away without crossing my arms, and Babsy at that point had had enough, she did not let the woman touch her back. The lady asked me if she always did that. 

Really, it is not one of Babs' fortes, but yesterday with the man, and the day before with the lady, she passed with flying colors. But whatever. We went on to heel free, which was better because I wasn't telegraphing my fear down a lead, and then the recall. 

I sat the dog next to the lady, told her to stay, and started hiking to the other side of the moon. Halfway there, Babsy was following. NQ, well it was already and NQ so what was the major issue anyway? I let her sit front and finished her, and the judge told me that it was up to me whether I wanted to sits and downs. She would excuse me, as it was better for her not to get used to doing the wrong thing. 

I agreed. 

The obedience chair in my club cornered me later and asked what the heck happened. I told her and she said she has to get me some drugs, because the dog was working great, and it was all my fault. She told me the dog works a lot better OFF lead than on, and I have to agree to that as well. But whatever. It was not my day, or maybe, I should not have tried to jump the gun, and think about everything but what I needed to think about. 

So Babsy still needs a leg. All I could think about was that 2010 might be the year of two legs. (Heidi got two in April at a two day show, and I was going to finish her in May at the specialty, but she went into heat.) And Joy had two legs, if I NQd with her this afternoon....

But I did not. After failing obedience, I put Babs in the car, had lunch, brought my chair in, did some Christmas Shopping, and watched some Rally Advanced. 

I did the Novice A walk-through to give me more time to get the dog. And then got Joy. Besides being very proud of her, the only thing of interest that happened was during the awards. As I was entering, I heard some lady say to her dog, we will sit next to the Rottweiler, that should be ok. Letting things travel in one ear and out the other, I did not realize that the other person she was sitting next to was ME. 

And halfway through the judge's spiel, the small wrinkly dog and the Rottweiler broke into a furious fight. Stews ran into help as the owners separated their dogs. I talked quietly and calmly to Joy, thinking no WAY are we going to get involved in THAT mess, not after I already TOLD people I qualified!!! 

The wrinkled dog was carried across the ring by the head snarling, The Rotty was removed to the other corner and her owner downed her. 

It looked like the judge wanted to NQ the Rotty. She talked to both owners. I do not think she NQ'd either, but I am really not sure about the other dog. I would have NQd her.

We can NQ for picking our dog up (which she did) or having a treat, even in the award section. 

Well, anyway, I am not out for blood. The judges were all very good. 

And there were ALL American Dogs at the show!!! There were prizes for the highest scoring mixed breed dog. I thought that was pretty kool. 

It was a good day. I have a new title ribbon. Now I have to change my signature.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Congratulations!


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## cindy_s (Jun 14, 2009)

Geez, what an eventful weekend. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

WELL DONE!!! :happyboogie:


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Congratulations! :happyboogie::happyboogie:


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## 48496 (Sep 1, 2010)

Wow, congratulations!!!! I would be a nervous wreck doing all that.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

congrats it sounds like a good weekend all around, well except for a couple things) The legs, ribbons and title make up for it.

Altho I was laughing at you and Daphne's pepto comments LOL..Sounds just like my sister, she used to hit every potty stop on the WAY to a show, down a gallon of pepto (well I am exaggerating some), and be a nervous wreck

Me, well, for some reason showing in obed/agility I never was a nervous wreck,,conformation?? whole different ballgame,,that would make me want that pepto)

And two dogs?? did it a couple times, never again, soooo much chaos and THAT gave me hives! LOL


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## Deuce (Oct 14, 2010)

Nice job!!


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

Awesome.. Congratulations.. loved reading your description of the events.


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## horsegirl (Aug 11, 2010)

congrats --!


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