We may not have passed our Platinum, but Dolly still shone

Every week we turn up at dog training and have a go at lots of different, difficult exercises. We're currently working towards our Platinum assessment, and Dolly is doing really well, but some exercises are taking time to get the hang of. 'Retrieve' is one (why would you bring a ball back when you could just keep it yourself)? Food manners is another (why would I not eat food put in a bowl in front of me)? 

Today we got out of the car to find Jackie looking terrified. 'It's the assessment today.' She whispered in tones of horror. 'It can't be.' I whispered back in similar tones. But it was. And it wasn't just the dog that has to pass - you are expected to answer questions about dogs. Correctly. I know, right? 

As luck would have it I had a pocketful of steak so I thought what the hell, we'll give it a go.

Here's how it went...

Send to bed: Dolly waits, watches me walk 20 paces away, put a towel on the ground, come back to her, yell 'ON YOUR BED! in tones of command. She bounds to the bed, gets distracted by a smell nearby, remembers she has to be on her bed, goes back to the bed and stands on it looking gormless. I say 'DOWN' (in tones of command). She continues to look gormless. 'Down' I rasp again. Dolly goes down, looking at me as if I've gone mad. 
Assessors' comment: The cogs are turning.

Retrieve: I jiggle a ball on a string around Dolly's nose. She follows it with her eyes. I throw the ball. She brings it back, drops it. I pick it up and she sits. This is a miracle given she considers retrieval utterly pointless 

Stay: Textbook. Ears to maximum pointyness but she stays put for 3 1/2 minutes. 

Food manners: We heel up to the bowl. Dolly attempts to eat the contents of the bowl. We try again. Dolly sits, eyes up the bowl and attempts to eat the contents. 
Assessors' comment: Nearly.

Sit/Down/Sit: A doddle. We like this one. 

Heeling: With left and right turns, an about turn and intermittent sit/down/stand. Not too shabby. 
Assessors' comment: Very slick

Questions about dogs: Having never read these, and without advanced warning I was totally unprepared. Fortunately a quick five minute cram in the training area with the other two girls provided me with two answers I'd never have got otherwise, so I didn't commit the ultimate sin and fail on the questions. 
Assessors comments: I put you through the ringer there didn't I? 

The result: Reader, we didn't pass. But we learned a lot and we'll give it a go next time.
Assessors' comment: You honestly didn't realise it was the assessment today? Please tell me you're joking. 

Dolly and I will take that as a compliment. 😂


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