Love Those "Tails"

Stories and anecdotes from our extended "family".

Practicing for an Eddie Award

On February 25, 2007, Bindi and I were entered in Novice at a UKC Trial at the Hilltown Dog Club. Bindi had earned her first UKC leg at the same location the day before. The trial was held in a hot, stuffy, crowded room. I had a hard time keeping Bindi focused and upbeat. So, I decided to prepare a little differently for this trial.

Instead of drilling sporadically while awaiting our turn, I thought I would make this day really fun! I took Bindi into the hallway and we played. We played ball, 'Retrieve the Dumbbell' and 'Recall', with me interspersing 'Down' commands and making a huge fuss when she dropped quickly. I marched as we heeled around the halls. Training?? No! We were playing!

Finally, it was our turn in the ring. At one point while heeling, I lost her. But I had been taught NOT to look to see if my dog was heeling with me, so I didn't. Then I heard the thunder of little brown feet as Bindi ran and jumped back into heel position. I was feeling very encouraged. I guess that was when in an attempt to buoy Bindi's enthusiasm, I changed my left arm position from being held at my waist to 'pumping' it by my side - a variation of my hallway marching. Apparently Bindi thought the change in arm position meant "Drop on Heel - NOW!!!", and, that is exactly what she did! I was oblivious, heeling, not looking for my dog. In my mind, I could imagine us being awarded first place.

When I finished heeling, the judge had a strange look on her face. Her slight, wry smile grew as she pointed across the ring and said , "You don't have a dog". Yes, there was Bindi all the way across the ring, where she had dropped when I gave her what she perceived to be a new command. Much to the entertainment of the crowd, she remained in a Sphinx-like position, waiting, actually quivering, with anticipation at my next command. The look on my face brought muffled laughter from the crowd. I asked Bindi, "What are you doing?!?" The little brown tail started thumping, her body quivered more, but still she didn't move. I could see the intensity on her face, the excitement in her body...I raised my arm and gave her the Recall hand signal. Bindi practically exploded straight up into the air with a loud, gleeful "Yerp!! Yerp!!', and as she flew to me (jumping into a very nice front, I might add) I clapped and whooped in encouragement! We had NQ'd, but my dog had shown me that she was actually trying to figure out what I wanted her to do and I WAS DELIGHTED!!! I would love to see Bindi qualify for a Versatility Award one of these days, but I'm not sure if the exercises in which we would excel have been invented yet…

Kathy Acosta and Lothlorien Bindi

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