Scary moment at the fun match

[Phebe*DD]

Oh, Danielle! That's awful. I've seen very few doodle-dogs that I would trust a child to handle. They just seem to be unpredictable and sometimes a it brainless. JMO, but I think most 4-H kids should handle dogs that are a bit older and settled in their temperament.

My instructor has an older Aussie, 9 years old but very sound, who is the perfect kids dog. Her 9-year-old granddaughter handled Rosie to AKC Agility Nationals last year. On Sunday, she brought Rosie to fun match for the 7-year-old daughter of one my classmates to run. They did great! Rosie is a good example of a dog that's perfect for a child to handle when they're starting out.

 

[danisgoat]

I agree Margaret.

This year my mom's club has had their share run of problem dogs. My mom has been doing this for 20 years...and this year is the worst. We had an aggressive Pit Bull (no suprise there - except this one had it out for blonde haired little people not other dogs), a blue healer, and this Golden Doodle. It is so difficult to put your foot down with the dogs, because some of the kids get so upset. We had one girl two years ago who is an AWESOME handler. She had a wild Golden Retriever that she actually needed to wear gloves on to handle so that her hands did not get cut up. Well....now the Golden is really good and actually one a Best in Show at the state 4-H show this past April. So....it really depends a lot on the child handler, as well as the dog.

 

[labgirl]

At a competition I would not be happy with my dog running off, though it can happen unexpectedly.

Possibly the dog was great in training but in the new environment became over-stimulated and ran off? Of course if that is the case now the handler knows the problem then the dog shouldn't return to comps until the problem is sorted.

Having a boisterous dog that can run off in training I know it is extremely frustrating and I do feel bad for other owners and dogs - though in my class we all know each other and a lot of the dogs are the same. But I always warn new handlers and dogs that the possibility can arise.

I am working on the problem and I attend obedience as well, and fortunately Cadbury does not run off to harm another dog but just to say 'hello'.

But that is one reason Cadbury is NOT ready for competitions IMO just yet.

 

[k9kreationz]

Oh how scary!!! And this is but one reason I wish they'd at least have that mesh fence. Dogs may be able to jump it, but most don't. Most just look through it and stop.

Knock on wood. For the 8 months I've been trialing, I haven't seen anything like this at all. The most I've seen is a dog making the worst yelping noise ever during a run. Gives me the shivers even now. But never things with 2 dogs. Glad they all were okay.

Chelle - Just thought about you as you wrote about Pierre. I'm going to my first AKC trial this weekend....and it's hosted by our local Papillion club. I hope there will be a lot of them, they are too cute (I only get to see one every so often - it's got big winged ears. I think it helps him fly).

 

[k9kreationz]

At a competition I would not be happy with my dog running off, though it can happen unexpectedly.

Possibly the dog was great in training but in the new environment became over-stimulated and ran off? Of course if that is the case now the handler knows the problem then the dog shouldn't return to comps until the problem is sorted.

Having a boisterous dog that can run off in training I know it is extremely frustrating and I do feel bad for other owners and dogs - though in my class we all know each other and a lot of the dogs are the same. But I always warn new handlers and dogs that the possibility can arise.

Y'know. I have to admit. This was Koji. At the first 3 trials, he'd run off, meet and greet the judges or the next dog on the line, etc. I was so embarrassed. Gratefully, he is more focused and used to the environment.

I honestly think if you think you're ready for competition, go to one, use a long lead, and see if your dog does recalls and commands. If not, time to work on it. But yeah, I figured he came to me all the time, no problem. Boy, he was deaf in the ring, that's for sure.

I really do think it's more about getting accustomed to the environment for the novices. And if you're a novice, I highly suggest you go to fun runs that use fences. The things I wish I knew then. lol.

 

[SheepOfBlue]

Sca kept running in the other end of the tunnel and clogging it at the southern get together. It tended to cause some confusion... of course they were all playing so I imagine it was a LOT worse with a BC on a mission coming in.

 

[Phebe*DD]

... Possibly the dog was great in training but in the new environment became over-stimulated and ran off? ...

In this instance, I don't that was the case. I forgot to mention that a trainer, from the same club as the Dobie, said something like, "Oh, that's OK. That's what we're here for." That makes me think that this is still typical behavior for this dog. Remember this was a FUN match with only Novice and Excellent courses, not a sanctioned event, so many of the dogs were Novice dogs (some more Novice than others).

Phebe has had her moments in class, too. She loved to just take off and run the course independently when she was 9-12 months old. I wouldn't have even taken her to a fun match when she was doing that in class.

Chelle, this event was in a horse arena, that was split into two rings, so there was horse wire on three sides of each ring and mesh fencing on the 4th side. The wild Dobie didn't jump the mesh fencing. He just ran out one of the openings in his ring, through the practice/waiting area between the rings and into the 2nd ring.

 

[Lovely]

Now I know flyball does make the dogs a little hyper but I dont see why its not the same a agility - I see more aggressive and poorly trained dogs at agility than flyball. I am sick of walking past snarling, snapping dogs at agility or having to stand back from the ring because the dog before me is aggressive. Dogs doing laps of their own ring can happen but crossing into another ring where there is another dog is irresponsible.

Exactly!! At our Flyball class, the dogs are kept apart as much as possible when riled up, but some interchange is bound to happen. Duncan is soooo mellow (and little/non-threatening) that they don't mind if he stays on my lap while I watch the others run. I think it is especially good for one of the dogs who is almost ready for competition, just a little dog reactive (not aggressive, just curious but in a non-hyper way). Duncan just watches and pokes his nose at them if they come over.

Chelle - Just thought about you as you wrote about Pierre. I'm going to my first AKC trial this weekend....and it's hosted by our local Papillion club. I hope there will be a lot of them, they are too cute (I only get to see one every so often - it's got big winged ears. I think it helps him fly).

I'm jealous!! So is Pierre - he very rarely gets to see another Papillon. They are rarer than Shelties about these parts. The sad part is that he love, love, loves meeting other Papillons, just like Shelties like Shelties. I think DH and I have resigned ourselves to always having a token Pap if only for the love-snuggles.

Phebe has had her moments in class, too. She loved to just take off and run the course independently when she was 9-12 months old. I wouldn't have even taken her to a fun match when she was doing that in class.

Chelle, this event was in a horse arena, that was split into two rings, so there was horse wire on three sides of each ring and mesh fencing on the 4th side. The wild Dobie didn't jump the mesh fencing. He just ran out one of the openings in his ring, through the practice/waiting area between the rings and into the 2nd ring.

Agreed! Duncan trots off from me rarely during class. I wouldn't dream of taking him on a run, hyped up and running around if I thought this was something he would do there! Of course, he is probably a year out from competition...

Seems like a Dobie with a plan.

 

[Caro]

Would you believe, last night at training there was a Dobe running in the agility ring on one side of the field and the little dogs were doing a jumping course on the other side. And that darn Dobe decided she wanted to run with the little dogs - so off she went and took a couple of jumps with a Sheltie. Luckily we all know the Dobe and she lives with Shelties so often prefers to play with the little ones. But all I could think of was this thread and how awful it would be if she did it at a trial!