Scarlett and the CGC

Our first task was walking through a crowd. Scarlett was catching my excitement, plus Chad, Karen and Kaiser were there for the first time, so she was having a really tough time making it through the crowd without wanting to run and play with Kaiser. I could tell it was going to be a long night . . .

Then we did the sit-down-stay and recall tests. The building must have been 95 degrees with 90% humidity and as we waited our turn the temperature took its toll. Scarlett's enthusiasm wilted like a flower in the hothouse conditions and she was PERFECT for all 4 parts of the task as she no longer had any interest in the other dogs, even as we watched Kaiser pass the first part of his test easily. I think she would have happy sat and laid down with only the hand signal. For the stay she looked like she would have waited forever for me, yet her recall was focused and lovely, although not particularly speedy. With the four new checkmarks under our belt, I wasn't complaining!

Then we did the meet and greet parts of the test with Virginia, one of the nicest and kindest of the instructors. Her gentle manner helped keep Scarlett settled and we passed with flying colors.

On to our most difficult station . . . controlled walking. The task was proctored by the toughest of the instructors. Sharon does competitive obedience with Australian Shepards and has an 8 month old dog with a CD award! As we waited our turn, I watched her fail dog after dog. Meanwhile, Scarlett was increasingly distracted by the hint of a cool evening breeze wafting through the air from the open front door, right next to the ring where Sharon was stationed. Uh oh.

I stepped up to the mark and listened to the instructions with a sinking heart as Scarlett began driving away from me, toward the refreshing night air, where Patrick and Karen were waiting. We gamely attempted the exercise and she actually did very well until we got close enough that she could feel the breeze again. She began to lose her concentration, but all was not lost . . . until the black lab in her class walked up to the ring and stood right next to the finish mark, waiting his turn. She lunged forward, eager to be done. The allure of cooler air and another dog was just too much. I got her back under control, but Sharon was already shaking her head.
"That just isn't a controlled walk. She wasn't paying any attention to you and I can't mark that as a pass. Try again later."

I took Scarlett outside to cool off and blow off some steam. A few minutes later, we walked back and I asked if we could do the exercise in the back of the building, where she would be less tempted by the cool air. Sharon agreed, but again, Scarlett got distracted at the last minute by a Rhodesian Ridgeback near the finish mark and broke. No doubt the tension I was sending down the lead wasn't helping, nor was my total lack of confidence under Sharon's reproachful eye.

I asked if we could try outside, since Sharon could see she was doing okay until the end. We walked out to a part of the parking lot beside the building. "Could we just walk around for a minute? She's never been to this area before and I think that may make it tough."
"No," Sharon refused with an attitude that I had gotten all the leniency I was going to get from her. As I suspected, Scarlett was distracted in the new environment and we didn't do any better. I watched as Sharon shook her head and marked a big black X on Scarlett's test form.

Dejected, I walked inside to tell Patrick and Karen we'd failed. I couldn't help but notice as we walked in, Scarlett heeled beautifully, with no pulling. I gave the bad news quickly, then resolved to finish with the grooming station and the greet another dog station, figuring I could try to plead my case to Lynn, the head instructor, since Sharon was being a bit strict.

I walked up to Virginia for the grooming station and as Virginia ran her hands over Scarlett, inspecting her paws, teeth and ears, I couldn't help but whimper, "Sharon's being a bit tough this evening on the heeling."
"Sharon needs to relax, for crying out loud. She's used to a higher standard of obedience, I guess, but that is not what we are trying for here," Virginia chirped back. Music to my ears! If the other instructors thought Sharon really was grading a bit too hard, I might pull a pass out yet!

I walked up to Melissa and Piper, who were trying to get psyched up for their second try at controlled walking.
"We didn't pass, Melissa!" I announced. "Sharon was really tough." Then I demonstrated Scarlett's controlled walking and of course, it was her best effort of the night. No one but Melissa was watching.
"Oh no!" Melissa sympathized, then looked at Piper, who was as hot, distracted and tired as every other creature in the place. "I don't think we will be able to pass then either! It wasn't this strict with Jack."

Melissa walked off with Piper to try the controlled walking with less enthusiasm than walking into the vet's office. Scarlett and I finished the last few exercises and as we were waiting to do the supervised separation, Patrick and Karen looked at her test form.
"This says she passed," Patrick pointed out. I had been so upset by Sharon's grim demeanor that I overlooked the fact that she'd put the black X in the pass box, not the "Needs More Training" box!

When Lynn asked if she could do the supervised separation with Scarlett and Kaiser at the same time, I knew we were a shoo in for passing. I agreed, selflessly (ha, ha!) to save time for the rest of the class by letting Scarlett and Kasier go together. All the humans walked outside for the required three minute wait and I said a grateful thank you to the Whippet gods that it was Lynn doing the evaluation instead of Sharon.

From outside we could hear Kaiser let out a few unhappy woofs, but all in all, I felt pretty good. When we walked back inside, Scarlett was happy to see me and she left Kaiser's side to do a mini-leapie into my arms. I held her like a little person as she put her paws on my shoulder and licked my face, telling me she was happy it was over and that we passed.

"Scarlett was great and even helped keep Kaiser calmed down when he started barking. She was really good!" With that, Lynn marked off the last of the check boxes and Scarlett officially passed the Canine Good Citizen test!

May I present . . . .
"Scarlett" Kemar's Tomorrow's Another Day, CGC!

Posted by Erin Doyne at 13:05

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