# How did you know your dog was ready for competition?



## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Tags rally (and agility, for that matter) are reallycoming along nicely. Tonight he did very well at rally, and the only points off on the course were for me and my stupid handler errors. (Who came up with the idea you have to pause after a moving stand? Grrr :redface: )
So my question is...how did you know your dog was ready to enter the ring for the first time? I am 99% sure Tag could Q for his RN (everyone else seems to think he could kick butt in RE but I'm skeptical), but I'm shooting for my own comfort level. My plan was to train for excellent before even CONSIDERING entering novice, and we're pretty much there. 
Also, I've never shown Tag in anything. My other 2 dogs have gotten AKC titles before, so would I enter Tag in novice A or novice B? I forgot to ask my trainer tonight. :doh:


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

I think you just know when your dog is ready to handle competition. Have you taken Tag to any rally matches or show and gos?? I like to use show and gos/matches to see where the dog is. I tend to be more cautious when breaking into the big time...but Lars is starting to break me of that. I have been entering him in things and saying to myself - "Here goes nothing!" It so far has been fine...and he has really surprised me on more than one occasion. You could also use the show to really see where you need to work on things...almost like a run thru. 

In regards to RN A vs. RN B, if you have put an AKC obedience or rally title on a dog...then you go into B. If you have put on any other title (agility, tracking, herding, etc.) that doesn't count and you go into A. 

Go for it and it will be fine!


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

MrsBoats said:


> I think you just know when your dog is ready to handle competition. Have you taken Tag to any rally matches or show and gos?? I like to use show and gos/matches to see where the dog is. I tend to be more cautious when breaking into the big time...but Lars is starting to break me of that. I have been entering him in things and saying to myself - "Here goes nothing!" It so far has been fine...and he has really surprised me on more than one occasion. You could also use the show to really see where you need to work on things...almost like a run thru.
> 
> In regards to RN A vs. RN B, if you have put an AKC obedience or rally title on a dog...then you go into B. If you have put on any other title (agility, tracking, herding, etc.) that doesn't count and you go into A.
> 
> Go for it and it will be fine!


Thanks! I haven't gone to any matches (entered), but we have been to several trials to just hang out. At first he's wound up and wanting to greet people but after about 10 minutes he cools it and re-focuses on me. I might enter a fun match to test his ring sureness. 
So if I got really brave one day and decided to shoot for obedience, I would enter Novice A in THAT class? I've never been in an obedience ring in my life


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## LynnI (Mar 27, 2010)

I second the fun matches, hit as many as possible and/or get working spots in seminars/workshops. My young dog is only 13 months old and not ready to trial yet, but I have entered her in two fun match already (one class for each fun match) We didn't run full courses, but did some rally in and around the agility equipment, played tug and popped her over a couple of jumps in the first one and then I just sat in the ring with her giving her belly rubs, managed to do all that within our allowed 2 mins . Second one she was much more comfortable and focused on me in the ring (much busier fun match as well), started with some rally off leash, did some jumps, tunnels and the contact equipment, plus lots of tugging. For this fall and winter, we are signed up for 3 clinics/seminars, open practice at another trial facility every week (I have my own indoor training facility as well) and luckily I am able to enter her in training runs with toys at some trials (one or two a month). Hopefully by the time she is old enough to compete that we are ready.

The great thing about fun matches, is you are able to see your strengths and weakness when both of us are under some stress, therefore then able to do some tweaking and more focused training on any issues that pop up :0 Good luck!!

Oh almost forget, join House Leagues is another way to get young/novice dogs out and about while gainging tons of experience in the ring and competing.


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## So Cavalier (Jul 23, 2010)

I say go for it. Your first trial, you will be a bundle of nerves. I think I was almost in tears on my way to my first agility trial. It gets easier after that. Once you realize this is something you do for FUN....you can just kick back and enjoy it. Laugh at your mistakes and marvel when things so smoothly. IMO, there is nothing better than a smooth agility run when you and you dog communicate perfectly.

This being said, my one dog Q'd 4 for 4 in Rally Novice (we did the extra run because we had already paid for it) and the other took 7 runs to get her Novice. (She's my agility dog and would rather run and jump then heel and sit...LOL)


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

LazyGRanch713 said:


> Thanks! I haven't gone to any matches (entered), but we have been to several trials to just hang out. At first he's wound up and wanting to greet people but after about 10 minutes he cools it and re-focuses on me. I might enter a fun match to test his ring sureness.
> So if I got really brave one day and decided to shoot for obedience, I would enter Novice A in THAT class? I've never been in an obedience ring in my life


Yes, if you haven't ever done obedience or rally before, then you enter in A. Once you put a OB or Rally title on a dog, you will enter in Novice B for the rest of your showing days.


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