3rd Times the Charm

(My first blog using my cell-phone camera).
With both Trask and Cedar down with bordatella, I couldn't go to the Annual LaPine Mushing Weekend - probably my favorite event of the year.  Plan B: enter Koyuk in 4 days of AKC Rally-O competition. Rally-O consists of about 50 different signs that tell the handler to do something with their dog. During competition, you follow a course set by a judge,  from sign to sign.  In competition you see 14 different signs. The judge grades you on how well your dog executes each assigned task. You start with 100 points and get points deducted from your score for handler or dogs errors. You need 70 points to qualify.  You need three qualifying runs to get a title.
Thursday both Koyuk and I were anxious. We were up very early and drove an hour and a half to get to the venue. The room was crowded with other anxious dogs and people. Koyuk hasn't been in a closed crate since puppyhood and did not want to be there. The floor in the ring was generously littered with bits of "bait" (the best treat handlers can think of), droping from human socials and banquets and, smells of other dogs including urine and poop. No bait is allowed in the Rally-O ring.  When she realized my pocket and palm were empty, Koyuk went in to vacuum mode. I could not get her nose off the ground. If you can earn a minus score, I am sure we got one.
Friday, I was determined to keep her nose off the floor. To this end, I jerked on her leash to get her attention when verbal cues were ignored. We would have had a first place by a large margin had the judge not deducted points for each time I jerked on the lease. Another non-qualifying day. Friday night we worked on  commands to get her attention from the floor and back on me and the task.
Today, I decided that no matter what I wasn't going to jerk on her leash.  It is not a behavior I never use and as I become more anxious, so does she.  I draped the leash oven my open hand and off we went.  Familiarity with the venue and competition requirements made both of us more relaxed.
Koyuk right before going in the ring. She is relaxed and I have her attention.

 Waiting for the judge to say "forward" and off we go along our first section of signs.

 Four down and 11 more to go. Her head is up and we are on a nice easy pace.

 This is a tricky one. I have to walk backwards on measured groups of sets and she has to stay with me.

 We made it and off to the remaining 9 signs.

 She had to sit when I stopped, then down-stay while I walked around her.

Koyuk not only qualified, but she took second place (2 points off the first place). Everyone from our class had qualifying runs today.  (Several classmates couldn't make it to the competition because their dogs had bordatella).

To celebrate I took Koyuk to the Rice Hill Burger Joint - a must stop for any celebration. They have the best ice cream in Oregon. They even have a doggy bowl.

 Koyuk dove right in...

She was so excited she scooted the bowl right under the van...

Until I took pity and removed it and her from behind the wheel.

Rice Hill has not upgraded (or painted) since the 50's but still remains the place to stop on trips to southern Oregon or California.

 Happy winner.