Monday, April 26, 2010

Itching for an NQ

Well... not these doggies, but moi. It was the first time I'd competed on grass and at this one certain point in the ring, you might have thought someone put scratchy powder there (although no other doggies did what I did). But tell you what: after I "did" it, I was like a deer in the headlights. I was totally flummoxed and didn't have a clue as to what I was supposed to do. I looked out at Dad, taking the movie, and standing stock still, looked at Ma. Was I supposed to go to her? Stay where I was? (After my booboo, Dad took pictures of the grass and surroundings, so since Ma doesn't know how to edit vids, you might want to stop after the "problem.")



Little did my rookie Ma know that she could have called me and just lost 3 points. Since I NQed at another show because Mom had to call me 2X on the "recall," Mom felt that I'd be disqualified if she called me to "come" after also saying "Heel." (2 commands again, in one exercise.) So we learned that it's an NQ to call 2x on the recall, but Mom could have called me in the heeling exercise with a minimum loss of points blah blah! Exasperating, but experience counts. And that is why, despite having earned my CD at the last show, I was here today - entered as insurance in case I didn't qualify at that last trial.

I'd rather be doing this!!!


37 comments:

bbes tribe said...

Sam, you are beautiful. We think you did great. You did eventually go to Mom but when you have an itch, ya gotta scratch. Just say this is a learning experience. Love you pic in the water. We like the water too.
Tailwags
Ernie,Sasha,Chica
PeeEss: Our Mom could learn training stuff from your Mom.

Brandon - The dog with a blog said...

You looked real good up to that point!

YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel Samantha said...

We think you did great Sammie! We think something is at "that" spot because first you shake then you itch.

Sam & June

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Well, when you gotta itch, you gotta itch. It was a beautiful performance up to the scratchies. We still love you, Samantha - how go have fun in the water!!!

Woos - Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

houndstooth said...

Sometimes a girl's just got to scratch! You looked great the rest of the time. I'd rather be playing, too!

Bunny

My Mind's Eye said...

Hi Samantha....Madi aka Miss Kitty here. I came by to thank you for your very kind comments. I see from your blog you are a STAR already..Congrats to you and I look forward to lots of girl talk w/ you while on the set of Westward Ho!!!
Madi aka Miss Kitty

Elizabeth Bergesen said...

Wow, you did a great job Sam!!! You put Luna to shame :) Itches are horrible, and when you have to scratch you have to scratch!

Elizabeth & Luna

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

We love you whatever you do!

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Ruairi

Sierra Rose said...

Oh shoot!!! We know how hard you and your ma practiced!!! Everthing was looking so super!! We're so sorry about the itchy! It's an itchy season, I gotta say.

Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose

Ms. ~K said...

Wroooo wroooo,
We are so impressed at how well you have trained your Mom...she was doing a good job until she forgot to stop with you!
Keep working with her!
Licks and sniffs,
Zack, Sassy and Buddy

Asta said...

Sammie

You awe bootiful and so in youw element in that last pictoowe, I think that's what you should be doing..hehehe
smoochie kisses
ASTA

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

My mom keeps asking me how far away I would be by now?!?

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: I think Sassy, Buddy, and Zack are khwite khorrekht!

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

Sam you did just great. Those judges don't know anything...
Hey we will be right with you in that water..

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Pat Wahler said...

Sometimes an itch simply has to be scratched. I'd like to see how well that judge ignores a few ants in his pants!

Infrequent Flyers said...

I don't know what an NQ or a CD is, but I thought you both did great! Such a perfect heel! I'm sure it was disappointing, but you learned something, right?! I even like the tour of the grass after the itchies.

Lou said...

I think you did great!!! *woof*

Thor and Jack said...

Absolutely! You did great Sammie!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I'll add my "you did great" too!!

Yas said...

Hi Sam,
Me think you did a splendid job, scratch or no scratch!!

Cheers,
Maxx

Kari in Alaska said...

its ok, it just wasnt your day in the ring!

Lorenza said...

Hi, Sammie!
When the itches attack... you have to do what you have to do!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Bruce said...

I don't blame you Sammie...I'd rather see you swimming and playing too!
your cat pal,
Bruce:)

KB said...

Samantha - You were just doing a natural doggy thing... how could that be bad? On beautiful grass like that, my K would have been on her back wriggling at some point during the routine. I imagine that would have taken down the house!

You are such a beautiful dog!

the booker man said...

miss sammie,
i think you did a grrreat job, especially when those hoomans came out and were standing beside you!! i would have been all beside myself to meet them, but you were all calm and well-mannered and perfect. :)
you'll get the whole thingie next time! maybe you could take a benadryl just in case? ;)
*woof*
the booker man

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

Pawesome job Samantha!! It's all about the journey...no worries about the itchies...you got to spend tons of quality time with your Mama!!

Smileys!
Dory

Anonymous said...

Our mommy gets confused too about her role in our training.
Thank you so much Sammie and family for your golden vibes and crossed paws. They worked better and faster than Rimadyl ;)
Twinkie

Dexter said...

There are so many rules in those rings. I bet your mom would have loved to call you over to keep her company while she walked around the ring.

You did a great job! That is not easy to do all that attention in a strange place with so many things to look at. I did feel kind of sorry for you, though. You looked a bit lost. Maybe you were showing off your stand / stay. That is a hard move.

Slobbers,
Mango

Unknown said...

Oh Sammie - I think you did brilliantly - bar that little blip with the itching! I agree with Mango - maybe you were confused and thought you had to do a Stand Stay again - after all, that man was standing near you, just like he did earlier when he came to run his hands over you!

I think you Heel beautifully - and I didn't realise that you can only give 1 command in the ring for each exercise! Gosh, I'd fail for sure, I think, coz I'm always lagging a bit and Hsin-Yi always has to give me a 2nd or 3rd command to hurry me up and remind me what I'm supposed to be doing! :-)

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

Life With Dogs said...

So you are smart and beautiful? Any chance you can teach your tricks to my stubborn Labs? :)

Molly the Airedale said...

We think you did absolutely terrific, Sammie!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

NCmountainwoman said...

Oh, you beautiful dog, you great big beautiful dog...who cares about stupid rules? Great job!

Oskar said...

It seems like an awful lot of work you obedience doggies do. I asked my mom person about obedience, but she said I had to be obedient to do it. Who knew?

Ben said...

Pawsome job - look out...my momma might pack me up and send me to your house for obedience.
Ben

Unknown said...

SAmmie
Wow- I dont' care what the judge say- I'm super impressed. Well it sounds like you have another trial ahead. Maybe you can train mom better on the rules. I know my mom wouldn't be able to remember all of them. Never mind I like to go cracker a bit in the ring.

Norwood
PS- you can still enter other categories if u like. If the video is a bit over 2 mins- that's okay. I'm having fun seeing the entries.

Augie and Ti's mom said...

I for one am totally impressed! Wow, you are really good at that! And just because someone sabotaged you by putting itching powder in the grass, there was no reason to disqualify you. Hrmphhh!

How Sam Sees It said...

You were looking so good up until then! Better luck next time!

Sam

Laura and The Corgi, Toller, & Duck said...

Thanks for the nice comments on Lance's trial. I think Sam looked really good in the ring. Very attentive and right with you! I also have heeled by myself when Lance was in novice, even after additional cues. We cleaned up a lot of our act since then :)

The only time a double cue will fail you in novice is in the recall. In open that rule applies on the drop on recall, broad jump, and both retrieves. So when Lance dropped his dumbbell today I remained silent and thanfully he picked it up since if I had to cue him we would have NQed.