# Updates on Hobbes the Brindle Standard



## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

It looks like I haven't posted any updates about Hobbes (Sapphires Come Dance With Me Delaney) since December 2021. To put things in perspective, he will be 3 years old on Sept. 21, 2022.

Here's what his title tally for 2022 looks like:

1/7/2022, Versatility Certificate Excellent, VCX (Versatility in Poodles)
1/8/2022, Canine Good Citizen, CGC, AKC
4/2/2022, Rally Master, ROM, UKC
4/24/2022, United Rally Obedience Champion, UROC, UKC
4/24/2022, Rally Master Champion, RMC, UKC
5/8/2022, Advanced Companion Dog, ACD, UKC
5/14/2022, Utility Dog, UD-C, CDSP
5/29/2022, Companion Dog Excellent Champion, CDX-CCH, CDSP
5/29/2022, AKC Trick Dog Novice, TKN, AKC
7/30/2022, Utility Dog Excellent, UDX-C, CDSP
7/31/2022, Obedience Trial Champion, OTCH-C, CDSP
In addition to his finished titles, he earned...

One leg toward his UKC Grand Champion (conformation) on March 4
Needs one QQ in both UKC Rally Levels 2 and 3 to finish URX
Needs one Q in each of UKC Open and Advanced Open to finish those two titles
And he's finished his testing and evaluations to earn his CHIC number if someone wants to use him as a stud dog.






  







  







  







  




❮
❯


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

I want to be clear that earning a UDX-C or OTCH-C in Companion Dog Sports Program is not the very high bar as the AKC titles are. In CDSP, the titles are earned ONLY from Utility B, which is structured more like a versatility class, and is NOT competitive as the AKC OTCH is. CDSP is a friendly venue and the rules make it easier to recover from mistakes. That makes it an excellent venue for starting inexperienced dogs or handlers, who can hone their skills and performance in preparation for more challenging venues.

That said, the exercises still demand performance, and many a dog has problems with directed jumping (especially the full ring go-out). Gloves are done twice, in Utility, once at each end of the ring, and scent articles are 5 identical and numbered items of any material. There is not a full heeling pattern for signals ... but a second signal is allowed for a 3-point penalty. Verbal praise is allowed.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Quite a busy year for team Hobbes! Congratulations on all your achievements together! 
Note: I especially like the UROC (You Rock!!) title! It just sounds awesome!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Quite a busy year for team Hobbes! Congratulations on all your achievements together!
> Note: I especially like the UROC (You Rock!!) title! It just sounds awesome!


YES! It's a very fun title to say out loud. 

Thanks much!


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## Sroodle8 (Dec 23, 2021)

Hobbes is gorgeous! And clearly not just a pretty face. Congratulations.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

That is an incredible and impressive list of titles. We only have AKC where I live, but I recognize how difficult it is to teach a proper go out with directed jumping, gloves, signal exercises etc. to such a young poodle.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Skylar said:


> That is an incredible and impressive list of titles. We only have AKC where I live, but I recognize how difficult it is to teach a proper go out with directed jumping, gloves, signal exercises etc. to such a young poodle.


Thanks, Skylar! I made a bunch of mistakes with my first two hoped-for utility dogs. I got a good instructor (she's put 3 OTCHs on Shelties) that I really like and trust, plus some suggestions from my UKC judging mentor--that's what helped produce nice, enthusiastic go-outs.

Also, during the pandemic, I signed up for some online instruction from Debby Quigley (Debby Quigley Dog Training - DebbyQuigley.com) that are very practical and affordable. Honestly, she has more information than I can absorb in a course, but I saved as much material as I could and check back on it when I feel I need a change of perspective with a problem.

Here's a link to video of his OTCH-C run, including the bonus exercise featuring the dreaded "glove 2," which is behind the dog.
CDSP Utility B for OTCH-C

Keep on keepin' on!

Marguerite


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Congratulations! It's been a really busy year. Good work team!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

mvhplank said:


> Thanks, Skylar! I made a bunch of mistakes with my first two hoped-for utility dogs. I got a good instructor (she's put 3 OTCHs on Shelties) that I really like and trust, plus some suggestions from my UKC judging mentor--that's what helped produce nice, enthusiastic go-outs.
> 
> Also, during the pandemic, I signed up for some online instruction from Debby Quigley (Debby Quigley Dog Training - DebbyQuigley.com) that are very practical and affordable. Honestly, she has more information than I can absorb in a course, but I saved as much material as I could and check back on it when I feel I need a change of perspective with a problem.
> 
> ...


I watched three free YouTube videos from Debby Quigley and found it difficult to hear her. Is the paid instruction on line clear and easy to listen to?

I loved watching your CDSP Utility B. It appeared that you used the same left hand signal for your go out as you did for the glove retrieve. You certainly had to do all kinds of interesting glove retrieves, more than AKC. 

My dogs would love CDSP as it looks like you can talk and even more importantly can treat in the ring after each exercise. Hobbes was amazing. Great teamwork.


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## Minie (Oct 4, 2021)

Congratulations. Really inspirational and impressive


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## TerraFirma (12 mo ago)

Was _all_ his early training at home because of COVID? If so, even more amazing that he could transition with such success! The best part is behind all those titles is a tremendous bond and a very happy dog. Bravo to you both!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Skylar said:


> I watched three free YouTube videos from Debby Quigley and found it difficult to hear her. Is the paid instruction on line clear and easy to listen to?
> 
> I loved watching your CDSP Utility B. It appeared that you used the same left hand signal for your go out as you did for the glove retrieve. You certainly had to do all kinds of interesting glove retrieves, more than AKC.
> 
> My dogs would love CDSP as it looks like you can talk and even more importantly can treat in the ring after each exercise. Hobbes was amazing. Great teamwork.


*Skylar*, Sometimes the Quigley audio is better than others (it might be better on a desktop computer compared to a phone or tablet)—but there's a lot of it, and covers much the same information as appears on the web pages containing the lessons. One good part is she's responsive to emailed questions, too. If you opt for the Facebook group, you can get lots of personal support and feedback on your videos. I have a spare cell phone I treat like a tiny tablet that I use for videos, and mount it on a tripod out in my training yard.

Regarding the go-out signal ... I thought long and hard about how to avoid confusion between the go-out for directed jumping and the half-ring go-out, since you don't want him to decide to stop halfway out if the exercise is directed jumping. So I tell him "look" (meaning "see the stanchion at the end?") and "far" to send. I don't train field work, but friends who do say the dog should go until you tell him to stop, no matter what the situation. When he does stop too soon (often in practice, which is better than in a test), he gets "uh-oh, let's try that again." He also knows that Glove 2 is always at the far end (whether Baseball Bonus, AKC gloves, or UKC gloves), so I might say something like "see 2 out there?"

Also, if I do a set of UKC gloves (one is a direct send, the other is a signal send, like the bonus, and rotate through each glove in each situation), then I'll end the session with a full-ring go-out or two, so he remembers to keep it in his toolbox. 



TerraFirma said:


> Was _all_ his early training at home because of COVID? If so, even more amazing that he could transition with such success! The best part is behind all those titles is a tremendous bond and a very happy dog. Bravo to you both!


*TerraFirma*, I guess so! We had some online Zoom classes early on in the pandemic, partly to get him going on the baby basics, and partly to support the training center. Later, we did have in-person classes, with masks and distancing. The thing that probably helped, too, is that I do a lot of volunteering at my club(s) and judging in CDSP and UKC (rally and obedience), so I could enter him in the low-level and beginner classes in obedience and rally at a VERY affordable rate—not always free, but cheaper than a match. Since CDSP has a jump in Novice, I filled out an Exercise Modification Form requesting a lower jump height (12 or 16 inches, I think), because he was so young and I didn't want to injure his growth plates. I never got any push-back about it. Such forms are often used for elderly dogs who need jumps lower than the -2 inches they get as veterans, or dogs with a history of injuries.

Here's a dirty secret ... Hobbes failed CDSP Open his first 16 straight tries before it all clicked and he earned his title in three successive runs in October 2021, a month after turning 2 years old. If I had to pay full price for each of those "learning opportunities," I might have waited longer to trial him or just given up. But CDSP is a friendly, low-pressure venue, and I think he just needed time and experience to wrap his head around what the job was. 

In truth, he's the third dog I've trained to Utility, and I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do with the first two. I have a really good instructor that I found almost at the end of Neely's career. I also have my UKC judge mentor and good friend who gives me lots of training advice. Still, Hobbes is his own dog, and remarkably smart. For example, he understood a glove mark in one session. He's a little chill, which makes him easier to live with than a dog that has to be busy all the time.

Thank you very much for your kind words! Enjoy your own training journey, wherever it takes you!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Congratulations, that is an impressive list of titles!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I love his coloring. Do you have any photos that show how his color changed from when he was a puppy? Congratulations on all your hard work. What a team you must be!


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