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Stella Q @ CairnTrek

bradl

By bradl
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bradl CairnTalk Dinosaur

bradl

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We're in between activities this specialty weekend but had to take a quick moment to brag on my munchkin obedience partner Stella: she earned a qualifying score in the Open A class.

 

The shortcomings were many and the list of deductions was long but there were no zero's or NQs so a green ribbon :qualify: was ours to celebrate. It wasn't pretty, but as always with Stella it was amusing and chock full of wags and high-jinks.

 

It took us so long to get there that even if we *never* qualified again I will be forever proud of my happy little dog.  Love you Stella :wub:

 

 

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Sam I Am CairnTalk Emeritus

Sam I Am

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Stella you are a star no matter what color ribbon you get! You are adorable and really that's all that counts.:)

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Until one has loved an animal, a part of  one's soul remains unawakened.  - Anatole France

Adventures with Sam &Rosie

 

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_whits_ CairnTalk Emeritus

_whits_

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CONGRATS STELLA! You tell those judges that obedience is a ridiculous trait for a Cairn to have and you deserve the highest ranking ribbon for even bothering to try. 

 

Brad, pictures?

"as far as i am concerned cairns are the original spirit from which all terriers spring, and all terriers are cairns very deep down inside." pkcrossley

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bradl CairnTalk Dinosaur

bradl

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Oh to be clear: the green ribbon WAS the prize we were seeking :)

 

For anyone not familiar with obedience, the dog and handler enter the ring with a perfect score of 200.  As the judge directs them through each exercise, points are deducted for deviations from perfection. By the time the dog and handler leave the ring after the group exercises, if their remaining score is 170 or above they have qualified and earn the coveted green ribbon. Very few leave with the same score of 200 they entered with, although it does happen. One judge I know has issued only one 200 score in nearly 40 years of judging.  

 

So when I say it wasn't pretty, I mean we shed a lot of points that on another day with less monkey business we might have kept (in Bend for example, we only lost 2.5 points heeling one day, versus the 7 points we lost here).

 

I've oversimplified and there's quite a bit more to obedience trials of course, but for Stella and I our objective is to earn a title in the Open class by qualifying three times. 

 

To see lots of examples of shedding points like crazy, here's our Heeling exercise, which consists of a "heel free" pattern and the Figure 8.  Every time you see the judge looking down at her clipboard and writing, she's taking off points. See Stella squirt out ahead of me? Deduction! See Stella sit at a slight angle to me? Deduction! Etc. See Stella wagging her tail the whole time? BONUS POINTS FOR ME! :)

 

This clip also includes the Drop on Recall, an exercise we have failed rather too many times. Friday, she did good :thumbsup: Her dumbbell retrieves, although passing, are not really fit for public exposure. :shy:

 

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CRCTC: Columbia River Cairn Terrier Club 

 

 

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Hillscreek CairnTalk Emeritus

Hillscreek

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Love your video. Takes me back . Sort of surprising that the tests have not changed in more than thirty years.

Stella really does it the cairn way. That little shake-" just a min I need to fix my hair'. That eager going ahead, 'cm'on man". That tail never stopping wagging -  she's a delight. Wish you had video of the rest to share.

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_whits_ CairnTalk Emeritus

_whits_

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Highest award for ADORABLE! "Look how happy I am! Look how much my tail wags! Look how much I love my daddy! I even love him enough to try to be obedient."

"as far as i am concerned cairns are the original spirit from which all terriers spring, and all terriers are cairns very deep down inside." pkcrossley

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bradl CairnTalk Dinosaur

bradl

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In Open there have been some adjustments over the years and a few things have gotten less restrictive — what was once an automatic NQ thirty years ago can now pass, albeit with major deductions. A good example is the retrieve: dropping the dumbbell at the handlers feet instead of sitting and holding until taken used to be an automatic NQ; now as long as the handler can reach the dumbbell, it can pass. Stella dropped it at my feet (and lays down!) in the Retrieve on Flat and you'll see on the Retrieve over High Jump she was going to bring the dumbbell to the judge instead of me (the little stinker), but in the end dropped it closer to me. I could reach it and we passed. The judge said to me after (paraphrasing) "Thank heavens you picked it up!"

 

Wish you had video of the rest to share.

 

Oh OK, dignity is not my thing and Stella is too cute not to share...

 

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CAIRNTALK: Questions? Need help? → Support Forum Please do not use PMs for tech support
CRCTC: Columbia River Cairn Terrier Club 

 

 

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Sam I Am CairnTalk Emeritus

Sam I Am

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Oh my she does a brilliant job! I am sure Jock would have peed on the judges wheelchair......sigh

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Until one has loved an animal, a part of  one's soul remains unawakened.  - Anatole France

Adventures with Sam &Rosie

 

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eastofeden CairnTalk Pro

eastofeden

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Such GREAT attention.  This was snapped during the Figure 8 excercise

 

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Raise your expectations for what your Cairn can do....and try very hard to meet your Cairn's expectations of you.
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eastofeden CairnTalk Pro

eastofeden

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I don't think I've ever seen a happier pair!  Congratulations Brad & Stella!

 

060.JPG

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Raise your expectations for what your Cairn can do....and try very hard to meet your Cairn's expectations of you.
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josie&holly CairnTalk Emeritus

josie&holly

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Stella is gorgeous!  She was so attentive to you but best of all is the tail!! It never stops wagging!  Clever girl! :)

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