I started obedience training with Tully as soon as I brought her home. While she is a very, very bright girl, her emotional maturity is slow to develop. So, I didn't like to push her too hard, and have worked with her slowly. At 16 months, I decided to go ahead and try her in our first obedience trial, though I wasn't sure she was really ready.
The trial I entered was at the Rose City Classic Cluster, a group of dog shows held near my home. This trial was held by the Portland Dog Obedience Club, which offered a prize for the high scoring dog in each breed entered. I entered both my dogs, determined to earn an obedience prize. I figured I was pretty safe from anyone else entering obedience Staffords.
Miss Tully came through for me! While it wasn't pretty (she scored a 179, and I think the judge was being charitable), it was a qualifying score. I was very pleased with her. The distraction level at this trial was high. (for one thing, there were 4 obedience rings all going at one time)
Elmo was still in his no-drop phase, so Tully was high Stafford in trial! She won me a crystal champagne flute, plus all the qualifiers got a toy, and she got a toy from some vendor friends for being so cute.
Good start, Tully!
Our next set of trials were at the Chintimini shows in March. I entered her both days, confident that she could finish her title. Such confidence is dangerous, of course....
On Saturday, she performed nicely, if unspectacularly. She scored
182 1/2 for her second leg. On Sunday....
On Sunday, we entered the ring, and I began to set her up in heel position. The judge turned around to look at her, and said;
"Oh, isn't she cute! Look! She's just so cute!"
Fine. I'm getting ready to WORK my dog here, and he wants to coo over her... "Tully, he thinks you're cute!" I told her.
She apparently appreciated that. She pranced around, heeling beautifully (and very cutely!) Not only were we sure to qualify, I thought we would place. Then came the recall. Tully decided that really GOOD dogs don't need to wait to be asked... the judge had lifted his hand, I was about to call her, she should hurry to me immediately!
Well, the CD could wait.
Our next trial was actually a UKC trial, in May of 2003... with Tully, I decided to work on the UCD and CD simultaneously. The UKC was in a dirt arena. We had never practiced on such a surface before. Tully did her best Beagle impression, nose firmly planted to ground. Still, she managed to stay pretty much in heel position, and scored a 185 for her first UCD leg. We went back the 2nd day of the trial, she heeled a bit better, but got very worried on the honor down and tried to come to me.
Our next trial, a couple weeks later, was also a UKC trial. Tully triumphed! 192, and first place in the Novice B class! I was so proud of my girl!
Of course, the second day she decided to go around the jump on the recall, rather than get the final leg on her UCD. I began to believe my girl was doing this on purpose. She now had 2 NAC legs, 2 CD legs, 2 UCD legs, and 2 UWP legs... 2 legs each on 4 titles in 3 different registries... and no actual titles. Brat!
The very next weekend we were back at an AKC trial, going for our CD again. Would this be it? How long would Tully draw this out?
Our judge was the same one who thought Tully was so cute at the last trial. He still thought she was pretty cute. She wasn't quite so good at this trial. It was our first outdoor trial, and she was distracted. But....
she did it! She concentrated hard enough to score a 184, and officially become: Daydream London Calling CD
We'll get that last UCD leg yet!
ps: Tully finished her UCD when she finished her UKC Ch. See her "Superdog" page for the details!
