We went to the fun match on Friday night and I did an open fun match with Joey. I was entered for two days in Open A, but Joey wasn't quite ready he is still consistantly missing the drop and other random stations. However, since I didn't have the sense to go in and enter Joey in Graduate Novice or even Wildcard Open, something a little easier, my game plan was to go in there get open ring experience and have as much fun as we could.
Well Saturday morning, I look at my sheet and find that I apparently entered Joey for rally excellent B on Saturday and open A on Sunday. So we had to leave the house alot earlier than I had planned. Since rally excellent is always so early, I had just enough time to stuff Joey in the crate run though the walk though, get Joey out of the crate and try to warm him up before we went in the ring. To make matters worse the show was super noisy and chaotic. There crates being banged up, (believe me crate don't just bang when people take them down, apparently you can bang them up too.) blow driers going full blast around the show site, people every where talking and making noise. Joey was totally freaked out by all the distraction he wouldn't look at me when we heeled and kept slinking around at the various ill behaved dogs who would bark at us as we heeled by. By the time we got in the ring both Joey and I were frazzled. Joey wasn't his best in the ring but considering all the distractions he did pretty well. We had to redo one station and there were a few lags and sniffs but over all he did very well. We qualified and got second with a 95. One more leg to go until our RE title.
Sunday I was a little more composed. Joey also was more relaxed and willing to work. The night before we did a really good fun match which I think boosted his confidence. Though we didn't qualify, I was really happy with his run. His drop on recall was the slide into my feet drop, and he didn't want to do the retrieve over the jump at all. His heeling was on and off with me for the fast and here and there on the heeling pattern but he was at least with me. I say his best open heeling yet, and it's only going to get better. His stays, his retrieve, and his broad jump were perfect. I was really happy with Joey there. Overall, I was really happy with our open run today. There are definitely things to work on but I do think if we work diligently, Joey does have a chance after all. I think I will try Graduate Novice with Joey at the next show though. Just to get him more confident with the exercises.
Happy me and Joey after our rally run
