By Hexen –
“You must come watch tracking on Sunday” was the Master Trainer and breed warden’s decission and answer to me on Friday. Wow O.k I dread getting up at 5 A.M to get out the door by 6 to be on the place by 6:30 if I am not doing any type of practice. But O.k I was there to watch! Actually I was the first person there.
The Master Trainer’s son Jonas was the first person to track. His dog already has titles and has all her competitions behind her so for me he almost does not count, as he is basically just keeping up with what she has already learned. His dog was the best and took high points in tracking (96). The breed warden was the second person to track and her dog was doing good until the second corner. She took that corner clean but then for some reason got distracted by all the mouse holes and started to just sniff around for the mice, she headed back to the handler 1 time was commanded to search again then off she went.
The third person was a member with an 8 year old very lazy boxer. He started poorly, SEARCH the handler commanded he dropped his head took 2 steps picked his head back up then just stood there looking around for 2 minuets. Search…. still no reaction. The judge told the handler go to your dog and the handler did, SEARCH this time pointing to the ground.. She let the 10 meter line go very slack and off went Rene. Very slow very unmotivated. But his tracking was very good.
Afterwards, the Master trainer says to me, “Hella would have passed this”( I guess because the judge was being very generous with points) “You should try a track with Hella and see how she does”, The judge also said the same thing to me. “Let’s try”. We have plenty of time before the obedience starts! I thankfully declined, as I would rather get her at least a little slower and thinking again. and not trotting along the track not paying attention to what she is doing.
So because we had 4 handler dogs teams drop out of the tracking (and the competition in general) we are holding another competiton in July or August.
Back to the dog club, time for coffee and a bagette sandwich (breakfast to Germans) to eat. a little time to potty the dogs and then we started. Uly again of course passed his BH, I asked for points was was told once more pass or fail….But at least he passed and I know he did better then the first 2. And I know we still have lots of work to do.
So with all the BH dogs out of the way it was time for the VPG obedience to start. Hella lost points on the recall as she decided not to sit squarely infront of me, she lost points on the flat toss of the barbell for not comming to me and sitting right away (Until I gave her a “handler helper” 1 point lost also) my hands in the area of my belly button for some reason this brings her in closer and makes her sit. We lost points because she also holds the barbell too loosley in her mouth ( at least she held it quietly) But still 88 (high) points for the obedience.
Then came the protection part. We were the last team to go. I step onto the field, get into position and send Hella revier, She takes off like a rocket goes around the blind, I call Hier she heads back to me (she loves this exercise) hand pointed in the direction of the next blind REVIER, She runs into the blind bark, bark, bark, she did great! she did not try to jump up and nip the arm until I arrived! 5 points lost. While all the other handlers went to their dogs while barking and holding to command sit then heel, I at the last minuet decided to recall hella instead, HIER FOOSE! This went off with out a hitch ( Also looks more impressive when the other teams all go to the dog to command foose).
We then walked out of the blind, commanded the helper to please walk out Hella in the down. The helper took off running **bang** hella was off like a shot to bite the helper once more. We now have her outting down pat, seems that she did not want to out during practice as I would try to command out while the helper was still moving I wuold not want to let go of the pray either when it is still moving. But now that I know this was my mistake and my failure and it is now corrected, she lets go at the drop of a dime.
We then did a small pause to eat, celerbrate with the drinking of German schanpps then it was time for the temprament testing of all the BH dogs. This was the best I have gone through yet.
Bikes going by ringing bells, Kids running around waiving arms screaming, off to the shopping center to walk the dogs with a shopping cart and cars going by honking. I can tell the Master Trainer does no shopping as his dog at first was a little freaked out by the shopping cart experience. Uly the little ASS that he is, trys not to walk next to it but HE WANTS TO JUMP IN IT AND GO FOR A RIDE! I make my dogs learn to jump in all sorts of things like wheele barrows,golf carts ect.
With the microchip reading I say to the judge proudly Uly is chipped in the left on the neck, the judge holds the scanner up to me to read MY CHIP “You are a casper” (in english clown) I tell him! Tie the dogs up the handler must hide and other dogs and people walk by to see what type of reaction the dog shows the judge drops a book next to the dog to try to scare them.
Friggen judge!!! After the whole day of us picking on each other he goes to Uly unties him and walks off with my dog! I come out “Hey UNFAIR, Uly you ass walk off with a stranger!” But just to aggrivate the judge I loudly exclaim so the judge can hear “I teach my dogs to have respect and LOVE for all Grandma’s and grandpa’s and childern”! He comes to me when all is finihsed “I am putting that comment on your score sheet” (which get’s handed over to the main club) And Oh yes he did write that comment down (as I was told later by the president).
After watching that video from 1936 Schutzhund competition and as I can say first hand the only thing NOT to change in the testing of the dogs…… is all the drinking afterwards by the handlers. 2 shots of plum schanpps, 3 glasses of apple wein, 3 shots of homemade garlic schnapps ( You want to take about something to keep fleas,ticks and the VAMPIRES away)! But if you love garlic (which I do not) This is the $&!%. I more then likey should not have driven home last night and I know I partyed more then my husand would have liked me too. BUT FOR ME THIS WAS WELL DESERVED!
The next event we have is just a Grill and party day ( rather a whole weekend) at the boxer club. Oh boy look out!