# Pandemic Successes



## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

July and August trials with Neely and Hobbes were very successful!

Our club in south central Pennsylvania hosted a UKC weekend with Obedience on Saturday and Rally on Sunday the weekend of July 25-26, 2020. It was our first time to host rally under the new rules that added a Master level and dozens of new signs. (Full disclosure: I'm a UKC judge in both obedience and rally, but I was working as trial secretary that weekend.)

*Neely*

Highlight of MY weekend was winning Neely's first High Combined ribbon in obedience! It was his second QQ toward UUDX. We're also collecting points toward UOCH, UKC's Obedience Champion title.

Mr. Neely did pretty darned well in rally on Sunday, getting a perfect 100 in his first try at the new Master class and High in Trial.

In Companion Dog Sports Program (CDSP) Obedience at the same location the weekend of Aug. 15-16, Neely passed Utility B four times, and successfully completed the baseball bonus every time. That gave him 60 more points toward his third CDSP OTCH-C title.

*Hobbes*

Hobbes did not compete in UKC Obedience--he won't be a year old until September 21 and even in Novice he would have had to jump 18 inches. He's not ready for that yet.

But he won both his Rally Obedience 1 classes with a 99 and a 97. He needs one more leg for his title--we'll have a chance to do that in September. UKC added a RO1-C class for dogs that have titled in Level 1 where they can continue to compete and earn All Star points, so we'll probably play with that until he's ready to go off-leash.

Then in the August CDSP trials, he passed all of his Starter Novice classes. He previously earned the Starter Novice title so he moved into the C class, where a passing score goes up to 185 (versus 170 to earn the title). The Advanced Starter Novice title is awarded for five qualifying scores in Starter Novice C, which he completed in the last trial of the weekend. We have started training for Novice--CDSP has a "recall over the bar jump" exercise in novice, but allows an exercise modification to lower the jump height. I will do that until he reaches his full growth. We have a chance to try that in October.

Neely, High Combined, with judge Norbert Kowal









Neely and Hobbes with their Rally swag, with judge Joan Klingler









Hobbes with his Starter Novice ribbons, along with judges Jane Frantz (left) and Anne Papalia. He was awarded the water bottle full of chocolates for being the high-scoring Starter Novice dog in the second trial on Saturday with a 198.









Here's his high-scoring run, if you're curious about the exercises. Most exercises are on leash. They include heeling a simple pattern, figure 8, stand with distraction, half-ring recall (leash goes on the chair), half-ring stay while handler retrieves the leash.

[Edited to update the YouTube link]


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Marguerite, are you in the trick club? Because we need you, Neely, and Hobbes there.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

What's the trick club? 

Neely has the AKC Performer trick dog title and Hobbes has some fun behaviors but we haven't tried for a CGC or title yet, what with the pandemic and everything.


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## FloofyPoodle (May 12, 2020)

This! Trick Club! 😁


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Very impressive given all the stress, masks and other distractions due to the pandemic. Congratulations


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Skylar said:


> Very impressive given all the stress, masks and other distractions due to the pandemic. Congratulations


I have the say that neither boy looked twice at anyone wearing a mask. I was careful about how I used disinfectant wipes and so on if I was planning to do scent articles, but the boys just took everything in stride--bless 'em!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Congratulations! You can do this in masks, kinda like high heels...Yay!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Congratulations- feels good to do some normal things doesn’t it?


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Carolinek said:


> Congratulations- feels good to do some normal things doesn’t it?


For sure! Today, expected high temperatures led to Hobbes' 11 a.m. class being canceled. The building doesn't have air conditioning. A new building is in the works, but there were bewildering delays even before the pandemic. I hope things get sorted out soon!

M


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

mvhplank said:


> For sure! Today, expected high temperatures led to Hobbes' 11 a.m. class being canceled. The building doesn't have air conditioning. A new building is in the works, but there were bewildering delays even before the pandemic. I hope things get sorted out soon!
> 
> M


Me too. We were at an outdoor agility trial this past weekend and between the thunderstorm and the blistering heat afterward, it was challenging. The older girls just refused to run and I would up scratching them and letting them sit home in the air. Gracie got her novice standard title but wound up zooming in other runs so I need to do some work with her. Might have also been partly me, I wasn’t at my best in that heat. Still, glad to be out doing it!


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