Blue Ribbon Dog Sports
                                                                                                               December 2012
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New Titles
   

Mary Meila & Casey
CDSP CDX-CCh

Terrie Frenson & Dasher
AKC CGC

Terrie Frenson & Java
AKC CGC

Joy Scally & William
APDT RL2

Karen Delia & Teddy
APDT RL2
  
Joe Quinn & Blue
AKC RN
  
Larry Belford & Ernie
CDSP CDX-C

Natalie Galdi Weissman & Joshua
APDT RLP
  
Bobbie Wood & Maestro
AKC BN
  
Louise Johnson & Levi
CDSP CD-C
  
Janet Mines Krings & Hero
CDSP OTCh-C
  



A New OTCH-C!!!!!

 

  Congratulations to Janet Mines Kring and Hero!!!

 

Countless hours of patience, perseverance and a good sense of humor paid off for Janet and Hero on Thanksgiving weekend when they earned their CDSP Obedience Trial Champion title - OTCH-C.

 

Janet and Hero had a wonderful title class in UB with a blue ribbon and a 197.  And what a surprise it was for me when they finished and Janet told me it was their title!  It was an honor to be their judge.

 

Great job Janet - we're all very proud of you!

 

 

Five New Canine Good Citizens

 

BRDS held our first AKC Canine Good Citizen test last month as part of our Family Manners class.  Five teams took the test and five teams passed the test!!

 

Congratulations to Stacey Modica and Lotto, Joy Scally and William, Terrie and Bob Frenson and Dasher and Java, Nancy McNeilly and Tess.  A big thank you to Michelle Ostrander & Sawyer and Rita Kunzle for their help!

 

 

Upcoming Classes

  

Monday evenings

Platform FUNdamentals

 

Wednesday mornings

FUNdamentals Part 2 - Attention, Heeling & Jumping

 

Wednesday evenings

Attention Games & Heeling

FUNdamentals Part 3 - Recalls & Retrieves

 

Thursday evenings

Rally FUNdamentals

  

 

And lots more....

  

The complete class schedule and registration information can be found at www.blueribbondogsportscoaching.com

 
Don't forget that Sandi has APDT Rally run-thrus and CDSP run-thrus every Thursday morning at Golden Rule School for Dogs.
 
 
Blue Ribbon Brags
 
Mary Meila & Casey - CDSP CDX-C with second place
Bobbie Wood & Maestro - AKC BN with second place
Louise Johnson & Levi - CDSP CD-C, all legs with first place wins
Rudy continues on his roll with two CDSP CDX-CCh leg s with first place wins AND his photo is in the 2013 NAHRA calendar - you can find him in February!
 
    
Ten Minute Maintenance
     
 
Walking baseball is a terrific ten minute training game to keep handling skills sharp.  Like anything else, there are several versions and lots of explanations and diagrams; many of them unnecessarily complicated.  Keep it simple; it's easy to do.
 
Begin by walking with your dog out into the field.  Quietly drop a bumper behind you as you walk along.  Stop and sit your dog in heel position, step out in front of the dog.  Send your dog to pick up the bumper with either a right or left back.  As your dog is going for this bumper, toss another directly to your right or left.  Receive your dog in front of you.  Take the bumper and cast your dog to the one just thrown, using an over cast.  If you gave your dog a right back for the first bumper, use a left over for the second; if you used a left back for the first bumper, use a right over for the second.  Always alternate the direction of your ba ck cast and your over cast.  This requires a bit of planning when you throw the bumpers.  Alternating the direction of each cast is important; it eliminates confusion on the part of your dog.
 
For dogs without a lot of handling experience, use a cut field and black and white bumpers.  For the more advanced dogs, use orange bumpers or use black and white bumpers in a field with light to moderate cover.
 
Just remember that the purpose of the drill is to maintain your over and back casts while developing your dog's confidence in you and your ability to get him to the bird. 
  
 
 Rally Multi-Tasking
   

Follow the numbers; follow the numbers and read the signs; follow the numbers, read the signs, keep your dog's attention and properly execute the exercise - there's a lot an exhibitor must do to be successful in the rally ring!

Consequently, many exhibitors plow  through a rally course focusing on the numbers and signs, looking straight ahead when the key to successful rally multi-tasking is keeping your eye on your dog. 

Maintaining eye contact with your dog is critical and it is possible to maintain eye contact and still follow and understand the course - it just requires practice.  Start by setting up a course sequence with five signs.  Walk it as you would at a trial; follow the numbers, follow the numbers and read the signs, follow the numbers, read the signs and perform the exercises without your dog.  Then add your dog and practice maintaining eye contact with your dog as you BRIEFLY glance at the numbers and signs.  When you can do this smoothly with five signs, gradually add more.  If you don't have room to practice more than a few signs, then switch the signs out.  This will help you develop the ability to visually recognize the signs at a glance.  Being able to glance at a sign and recognize it without reading/overthinking it allows you to focus your attention on your dog and maintain eye contact.

Just as learning the exercises is a learned skill for your dog, this is a learned skill for you and an important part of your rally practice.

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Sincerely,
 

Linda Sperco
Blue Ribbon Dog Sports
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