# Neely gets his first obedience title



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Well done! I'm at the puppy training stage, so I really appreciate the time and effort both of you have put in to achieve this latest certification. Congratulations!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Mfmst said:


> Well done! I'm at the puppy training stage, so I really appreciate the time and effort both of you have put in to achieve this latest certification. Congratulations!


Thanks! He's a bit over 2 and a half now, and seems to be taking his own sweet time in maturing. As my friend Judy said, though, you can see occasional flashes of brilliance. That keeps me going ...


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Congratulations, those are nice scores too! Ah yes the flashes of brilliance, I see those in utility now and again. I am hoping for some consistent brilliance this weekend.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

lily cd re said:


> Congratulations, those are nice scores too! Ah yes the flashes of brilliance, I see those in utility now and again. I am hoping for some consistent brilliance this weekend.


Good luck this weekend! Keep us posted.


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## ChantersMom (Aug 20, 2012)

Congrats!


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## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

Congratulations!!!!!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Congratulations!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

*Update on Neely*

Neely picked up two qualifying scores toward his CDSP Open title this weekend with scores of 192.5 (over an NQ and an absent dog) and 190.5 (over 4 NQs in the class). His other two runs were amusing NQs--what do you expect for a happy, green dog? We'll have time to practice before we can try to finish the title.

His grandfather had a great weekend--he qualified in his two Utility A runs to finish his UD-C title. Woo-hoo!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Congratulations. Always like to see poodles proving to the world that they are more than just a pretty face! Also, kudos to you for all your hard work.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

CONGRATULATIONS! :whoo: Neely did great and he sure is looking _good!_


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Thanks, everyone! I plan to put him in UKC Sub-Novice in early December--especially since the organizer added the class at my request!  We've had two fails at that test (he ran around the jump) but wasn't awful in the rest of the test. I think he has the recall over the jump figured out now--most of the time--and we'll have time to practice that between now and then.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Congratulations Marguerite. You and Neely are having a great ride together. Good for his grandfather too!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

lily cd re said:


> Congratulations Marguerite. You and Neely are having a great ride together. Good for his grandfather too!


Thanks! His grandfather has been questing after that title for more than a year, I think. And given CDSP's rules (more relaxed than AKC's), he was able to pass.

Well, heck, the CDSP rules let US pass our tests too, since I could yammer at him during the heeling pattern and cue every step of a retrieve. For example, for a retrieve of the jump, you can give these commands without penalty: Over, take it, over, front, wait (he tends to anticipate the finish), and finish. Repeated commands--e.g., sit, sit--earn a 3-point penalty.

We're definitely not AKC-ready, but it's a great venue to find the weak spots so you can work on them, AND take home ribbons and titles.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

*Rally Novice title*

Yesterday (11/28/14) Neely earned his Rally Novice title and one leg toward Advanced.

I had entered the trials BEFORE I learned I'd be having cataract surgery. With one eye done and one to go, my vision isn't up to driving that far, so I'm very grateful to my friend Judy (who helped me choose Neely as a puppy) for driving us down. 

I explained to the morning trial's judge that my vision was a little fuzzy She actually offered to have someone come in and read the signs to me! Not necessary, as I could see the signs if I were close enough, but it's nice to know it's an option if I ever need it in the future. 

Judy took a video with her cell phone of his Novice run. It's on Facebook but the settings are "public" so you ought to be able to see it:

Neely's Rally Novice title

We scored 97, and on reflection, I think I did the call-front sign that's behind the pole incorrectly, with the sits in the wrong place.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*CONGRATULATIONS!:whoo: * A very wonderful triumph! Your winning vision for Neely wasn't the least bit undone by your fuzzy eyesight. You were really well prepared! Glad a good friend and the fair-minded trial judge were eager to support you. Really nice to hear the judge was so considerate. Enjoyed seeing the video. Hope your second cataract surgery goes smoothly.:clover:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Congratulations Marguerite and Neely! You know sometimes you get points you don't think you should have and other times you get dinged for things you think you were right on. I think it all evens out in the end. Either way nicely done!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

*More obedience news to report*

(12/8/2014) My intention, a month or so ago, was to go support a club where I'm a member and enter sub-novice (a non-titling class) to gauge where we are in obedience. I like the judge--Diane Cohn--but entry was low, so, using a little Christmas money, we entered Novice as well.

As a side note, on Saturday my good friend and "poodle mentor" Judy and her mini-poodle Jazzy finished their Open title with a Q and a spare! 

Neely earned a Q in Novice (barely--175, with many no-sits and a couple of sniffs) in his first run but crashed through the jump in his second run, which required some remedial jumping encouragement during our sub-novice run and a baby aspirin when we got home, in case he was feeling bruised. The reason? Others suspect he was distracted by two beautiful female poodles at the end of the room. (We know that poodles DO recognize others of their kind.)

Day 2: Neely's heeling is better but he NQ'd the first run by anticipating the recall over the jump. He didn't take the jump until asked, but he did move forward a few steps, which was enough to fail. We had a chance to work on that in our sub-novice run--when he tried it again, the judge took his collar and put him back in place and told him to "Sit!" You should have seen the look on his face--it was something on the line of "Oh, my God, what is she going to do next?" We successfully got our second Q in the second trial, with a 189.5. Sigh--the heeling in the earlier trial was MUCH better and we could have come out in the 190s, even though we would probably lose points on the front and finish in the recall.

Diane did say to another exhibitor--"Never be afraid to use a second command." It's just points off and then your dog doesn't get away with anything in the ring. She said even AKC allows an additional command, "but they don't want you to know that."

I'm not sure when or where I'll find another UKC Obedience trial to see if we can finish the title, though. 

And sometime this winter, I want to get Neely's hips x-rayed for OFA and, while he's out, have his stomach tacked (gastropexy) to reduce the chance of death by bloat. The procedure doesn't prevent bloat itself, but it does prevent the stomach from flipping and cutting off blood supply, which is what kills the dog.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks for that update Marguerite. The flirty factor sure does go up when there are other poodles around doesn't it? 

As to second orders you are right. It is drilled into us not to give them, but sometimes that is what you should do. In Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago, Lily was flirting with stewards between exercises and wouldn't come back to heel to set up. The judge, with whom I am friendly, told me in no uncertain terms to take the miscellaneous handler points and take her by the collar to get her to set up. It was good advise that let me get a Q for that exercise when another judge probably would have been thinking about excusing us.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Congratulations! You've done wonderfully with him. And he looks so happy and good looking too! Way to go!


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## myuniquepoodle (Sep 22, 2014)

Wow that is great. Congrats on the new title.

~Natalie and Ginger


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

*Rally pictures*

Hey, the photographer finally finished posting pictures from his AKC Rally run on Thanksgiving Friday. These are from our Rally Advanced debut:



















I feel compelled to explain that I elected not to "shave his butt" but to instead go over the parts I would usually shave with a #4 (except his face, which got the #15 treatment). It is winter, after all.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Those are so nice to have aren't they? I am currently trying to decide what to do with Lily's groom. She is in an HCC and I think her bare butt needs some fluff too.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

lily cd re said:


> ... I am currently trying to decide what to do with Lily's groom. She is in an HCC and I think her bare butt needs some fluff too.


The nice thing about poodles is that if you don't like the way the clip looks, just wait awhile and try something different. A friend compared it to topiary.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Grin if it makes you feel better Jazz just squeaked by with a 172... for her single UKC leg for CD. Sigh we missed the November show so will not be able to try for the other two until summer or maybe not even until we attend Gateway again...


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

spindledreams said:


> Grin if it makes you feel better Jazz just squeaked by with a 172... for her single UKC leg for CD. Sigh we missed the November show so will not be able to try for the other two until summer or maybe not even until we attend Gateway again...


Ha! His first BN leg was 170 even, and generous at that.  

Fortunately, we have a few more trials in reach. I'm not likely to go to Gateway or other big shows.


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