Lulu & Minnie

 Rally Obedience competition in Tagadi. It is a really nice place in summer to compete!  Judge Lauma Zutere (from Latvia). We were in grade 2 (RK2). 1st course . we got deductions from 4 different signs. Firstly for in the first sign, she hesitate to come to stand from sit (-3p) (I would not maybe gibe -3 for this..). Secondly, in turn, the angle was too big (-1p) and then small hesitation to sit (-1p). Thirdly, at 8th sign (turning to right), she only sit for 1 second. That cost us -10p. And forth was at the last sign, where Minnie was starting to be confused for lying down. Judge only gave us -3, I would have taken away more points (I even thought that it would be -10 for us). I would have also deducted points from one sign (-3). So I think I would have gotten very similar end result.  I really liked how Minnie was focused on me, and did not let her to be disturbed! Our result was  82 points and this was actually worth 2nd place : ) 2nd course . Since getting ...

Our third competition in RK2 grade. Unfortunately we managed to do rally training in the past month only once. Judge was Lauma Zutere from Latvia. 1st course. Minnie was good and calm. During the first 12 signs we had only little things (3x-1p). But then we got closer to the temptation :) the sign before the temptation - she lost her focus to me and did not undersaand what I want - started to offer nose touch :) we got in total -6p from this sign. Then the temptation itself  - she was doing actually pretty good - only the penguin took her attention for too long. -3 points. After temptation it was easy run. In total -12points. I have to say that I choose to do the course with the leach, because I knew that then she will be more in contact with me.  88points gave us I place. 2nd course. Without jump or temptation. So of course I wanted to take the leash off. I also felt That I started a bit too rushed from the car...I should have taken more time. Anyway Minnie was more di...

 We went again to try out rally obedience. Judge was Vivian Ainsalu. Grade 2. First course. Short course, no temptation, no spirals, no jumps...very pleasant. Out of nowhere i got this "brilliant" idea to put a ball in the finish. Was I not concluded after last competition that she cannot see or play ball before the obedience course - its too exciting? So I dont know why now I thought that it was good idea...well it was not. This ball was distracting her when we passed it at third sign. And she was first time ever vocalizing her impatience :) Then at 7th sign (double 180 degree turn) she got distracted by the judge, also then missed my turning. Result was -10 because she got more the 90 degree angle from me. I should have been taking her with me more carefully. Then it was quite nice for a while. She didnt wait until called at the left turn (but no minuses). And then at the last sign she got really impatience because of the ball in sight. She was barking about 3x. That earne...

Second weekend in a row we went to Tallinn to participate Rally obedience competition. This time we were in grade 2 (RK2). Judge was Zaiga Elibird Zvirbule (LV). For Minnie it was new dog hall to be.  1st course. The course had a big stuffed dog - witch was not a distraction but a scary thing. It was a bit smaller than Minnie. I personally find that the items in distraction 8 should not be potentially scary for the dogs. Anyway Minnie was in a good mood and up to the distraction 8 we only lost 2 points (because of 2x not sitting straight - that is a typical thing for Minnie). Half way in the distr 8, she saw the dog (-3p), it was disturbing her until the end. Still she did a good job with me. We got -10p from the  spin after the distr 8, fully my fault i was too fast with my signals. in the next sign we earned -1, -1 and -3 points, she was not sitting straight, looking behind and staying behind from me (looking behind again). The on the turn around we got -2p, not good s...

Very first official Rally Obedience competition, although last summer we went to an exam. This time it was held near Tallinn and the judge was Karin Lassmann.  I started to drive from my home already at 6.30 in the morning. The condition of the roads were not great. Anyway I arrived well. Minnie was participating in grade 1 (RK1) and was first in the startlist. I like to be first in obedience.  1st course. Minnie was great. Good contact with me. In the second half of the course I made a handling mistake by not making sure that she is ready to come with me after laying down - she was convinced that I should give her some treats after this nice "down" :) So we earned -3. After that at the next sign, she needed some extra convincing to sit. There came also -1. But rest of the course was good. I was not giving any treats as I know that it might create more possibility to loose points and Minnie can work the course without it...or well - we lost 4 points because of it :D. Minnie ...

We went to try in an unofficial rally obedience competition, we participated in RK3 grade, that is of course a bit too difficult. Or that I was thinking. Last time we participated in unofficial grade 2.  Judge was Svetlana Kulda and it was held in Pärnu. 1st course . Minnie showed such a nice heeling! We had some hiccups at half of the signs where i was too late with sit command. Or too slow with my handling. Overall we got 91 points. And that was worth of 1st place! 2nd course. She was in a perfect mood again! We made a mistake at 7th sign (side change in the front, where she didnt do the spin :)) -10 points. But I dont blame her because we just started to learn the front cross without the spinn and she was so great and remembered the lessons. At the sign 10 (turn around she managed to lay down in addition to sit. Judge was very generous and gave only -5p. After that we had -6p worth of little miscommunications, mostly about sitting :). Altogethe r 79p - and still 2nd place :D H...

In the end of August we went with Minnie to participate in an unofficial rally obedience competition in Harmi. Judge was Aet Leemet.  We went to try out RO class 2, because lets be honest, Minnie doesn't have a lot of obedience experience (once in unofficial RO1 and once in official RO1 class). My goal was, firstly to see how she will be without the leash and, secondly to do longer course without the treat in the hand. Very good was the option still to give treats.    First course. She had good mood and she was focused on me. In the end of 5th sign I guess i was too confusing and she offered stand and then down position...maybe she was in disbelief that there is 5 "sits" in a row :D. Anyway that meant -10p. We got also some minuses from 9th sign (270 to left). Im not sure why, she sniffed (-1) and then -4 from the turn itself...maybe it was slow and too big turn? End result was 84p. Second course. I was quite nervous about 4 signs on the course: the temptation eight, run,...

Minnie went for her first official Rally obedience trial - exam this time. Judge was Irina Popjonoka from Latvia.  Minnie was very good and attentive to me. In the first course we got 96 points (time 1:21), loosing 3 points, because she went to sniff the ground for a second because the dog before her peed on the course. Then -1 came from going away from down position, where Minnie was sure that I will give treats for her and stayed in down position when i started to move. Everything else was perfect!  Second course was a bit longer, Minnie was still very focused although it was a long wait (27 participants). She got 90 points (time 2:17). We got -10 from 9th sign, but unfortunately I have o idea why. i thought that we did it very well....no video so I cannot check. 

1st May i went to try on unofficial rally obedience competition with Minnie. i have not actually trained obedience with Minnie. But she is quit good if I have treats. And she did very very good!  99 and 95 points. I was very happy!  In the beginning of May doggos were enjoying guests! Minnie at a public event! We started to go out more and more for walks with both of the doggos. In May Lulu got drug free! And seems to be good without any daily painkillers! Cute Minnie: I our agility training, Minnie "finished" see-saw training. And we can start to put it in a course! It took us 1.5 months and here is a summary:

 In march, 2 competitions were planned. First time RK4 class. First competition was 17.03.24 near Tallinn. Judge Anu Oks. Lulu had good mood. Starting course she was more distracted than usually. Already at 3rd sign I had to ask for sit two times. The distracted spirit was with us. I did also some mistakes with handling.  But we got from 6 signs -10. Up to 4 of those were due to my handling/mistakes but only one were I screwed up (did extra step), rest of 3 on the side that I should have been more careful at my handling and maybe it could have been better... ; 2 were completely on Lulu, was distracted and did not go to down). Plus extra -10 because I took lulu to the wrong side. 5 signs were done with some mistakes. But on the bright side we did 7 signs without any mistakes :). Unfortunately there weren't much points left, only 15.  I don't know whether I did so many mistakes in handling because Lulu was so distracted and i got lost because of it..or was Lulu so distracte...

Although it was only 2 month passed since the knee surgery, we went to compete. i was in a way forced to do so, because I would like to make my rally obedience trainer exam in the end of march (I cannot choose the time, I have been waiting for it already since last summer). Bu I was told that i need to have a result from the highest RO class. In order to have that I needed to get first in RK4 class first. Since there are not so many competitions then we had to go already to this one with the hopes of a good results to change the class. Judge Vivian Ainsalu. Place Tallinn 1 course . So no pressure right :) Additionally We were first to start, that was not making me feel comfortable in sense of warming up the dog and having a good vibe with her. First was jump, where Lulu dropped the bar, -10p.    2nd-3rd signs were good. But on 4th (315), I looked in the wrong direction and Lulu made an unnecessary spin, -10p .  My bad handling. -1p from one down that was in too big ang...

 We participated with Lulu in a seminar for new FCI rally signs. Our main goal there was to keep our good mood all the time. I added extra temptation in the side of the course - it was very difficult for Lulu but she kept her good spirit! She worked so long. Of course I used lots of praise on this seminar. She is such a cute workaholic :)

 In the second half of August we went to try again in rally obedience competition.  This time near Tallinn (in Keila), judge was from Latvia, Peteris Akimovs. 1st course . Lulu was doing well. Just one sign she went to down when not supposed to. I felt very good, because Lulu had good mood until the end. The course was quite long and in the end she did get tired. And reversed steps were not successful :). For my big surprise we got only 67 points. Lost -10 from the steps back and -5 from the sit-stand-sit, where she laid down. But then we got 3x-3 with little mistakes and -9 from 1 point deductions and I'm not sure actually what the judge disliked.. Even when I looked critically then I have no clue where about 7 points were lost. But anyway this was just surprising, but i was still very happy of Lulu.  And in the end it was 3rd result so we got to posed on the podium :) 2nd course . Lulu were more tired, but the same in a very good mood. So she jumped up, I was happy that...

Again in Rally competition. Same judge, different location. This time I was left puzzled. Lulu had very good mood overall. But she was confused, distracted.  1st course: Did not wanted to stand, lots of repetition (-5). I managed to stumble (-1). Did not want to come in front but went around instead (last week it was the opposite..hmm?) (-5). Did not go down on cue, tried again, but this time came up too early..(-8). Stopped walking (-3). Looking around, going around (-5). 4x either scratching, too far, looking around (in total -6). So we had 4x-5p :( We were left only with 67 points.  2nd course. Here from the second sign I lost my mood, because she again had issues with coming in front. I did not did it again, like I should have (-10). In this course I did many mistakes that was very costly, on sixth sign, I took extra step (-10), also did this on ninth sign (-5). That is basically 20 points l ost because my simple mistakes. In addition Lulu was distracted and got in total -...

 On the very next day from the agility competition we had to drive again 2h to rally obedience competition!  Lulu was in RK-3 class. 1st course. Was overall quite good. She was most of the time very optimistic. We had a bit of a disagreement on the 9th sign (circle around the handler from right to right) were she was very confident that she needs to come to my left :D (-5). And then she got weird with the temptation 8, cones and the stuff on the floor - started to avoid them, that made a bit difficult to continuing the heeling part :) (-3). End results was 86 points and 3rd place! I was happy! video is in double speed. 2nd course. because Lulu was hyper the all time we were at the competition grounds then she was quite tired already by the 2 course. Anyway, she got very stuck in some point, started to avoid the little cones, we got 5x-3 points and 6x-1 point. So only 6 signs from 17 without any deductions :( End result was 79 points but still 3rd place :)  video is in do...

 Training, training, training!   And sometimes friends are visiting :)

 Lulu back in rally o training! And we also went back to agility training!!! OMG, how happy she was!!!!

 We participated in 2 competition, both were on the same weekend. First Agility on 3rd of September in Viljandi. Lulu was in A0. In first course she got 2x refusal, because didn't wat to go to the jump (2. place). Second course was clean (1. place). All together 2. place. On the next day, 4th of September, we went to compete in Rally-O . It was second competition in RK-3 class. Unfortunately Lulu had her heat started some days before this. She was allowed to participate but she had to wear pants. She was unfortunately very distracted and she was even sniffing witch is completely because of the heat. Still we struggle to keep the work motivation without the treats. She got only 33 points. We did not finish the second course.

 20.08.2022 we went first time to compete with Lulu to RK3 class. In RK3 class there is right sided handling and 1.5 minute stay. It was Luluś 4th official competition. So how we did. Not as good as I would have hoped. Judge Karin Lassmann. 1. course.  We got:  7x -1 - all the little looking around :) 4x -3 - all the longer looking arounds :) 1x -5 (in spiral) 1x 10 (at a sign that I thought went very well, but i did not checked the sit and i think i started to move before she actually managed to sit). Sorry for this mistake. And -10 for not staying put...that was expected cause I had not practised it before. And as it turned out then the fact that i was not moving was very confusing for Lulu.  All together 56 points. 2. course. It started out quite good, but then she ran out of gas...it was  a real stuggle to get her moving and all the minuses we got from this lack of cooperation - because she do not sniff, bark, do not do a wrong move, she just looks around :D...

On 5th June we went to rally competition where Lulu took part in RK-2 class in Pärnu (judge Karin Lassmann). First course we did without the leash and she was extremely distracted. So we got only 83 points (9th place). On the second course I kept the leash on (this is an option in RK-2 class), and we got 91 points . She was still slow and distracted. The big challenge was the distraction 8 sign, where the toy was an huge fox tail. We got 5th place (whereas 1st-3rd places got all 93 points) so it was very tight competition :) Here is a video from the second course: Then on 12th June we went to close to Tartu to take part in an exam, also in RK-2 class (judge Anu Oks). Lulu was still very distracted and had hard time on concentrating on me. We got 86 points from the first course  and 2nd place! Also this results was the third good result in this class, that qualifies us to the next class!!! On the second course she was still very distracted so in half way I requested to stop...