Ho hum
Weeeel...the Corvallis curse hit us again this year, hard and heavy.
As many of you remember, the circus came to town...3 years ago with lions, tigers and/or bears at the fairground arena. Tru WAS NOT a fan of the circus! He was terrified of the smell of something, as we're many other dogs. Tru WOULD NOT run in the left hand arena, no way. The right hand area was okay, and we could be thru a course, but definitely NOT the left side.
Last year was thought again in the left hand arena, and then I entered an AKC show there last year, and on his 2 Nd run...he ran OUT OF THE ARENA.
Sooo...this year I had trepidation about going to the trial at all...but with all that has been going on, I was SO looking forward to a weekend with dogs, friends and agility I entered. I thought I might have to throw the Steeple chase run if it was in the left hand arena, but most of my classes wold be in the right hand arena. ...so I entered.
Friday night I asked the trial chair if I could walk hi. Around the area...which I did, and he was fine...not an issue.
Our first run on Saturday was gamblers...and he WAS excited, normal high with a tad extra since we hadn't played in a while....we were both excited! The results were horrifying. As ou can see he starts out in super drive and happy...(its a Short video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AifF7SP-DvI
And so, I went and talked to the judge, which was good, cuz she wondered what happened, as he started out so well. I asked if I cold just do a couple obstacles in the next class, which was standard, and head out to reward. She was great, and said I could so anything I wanted to. So I planned to do jump tunnel (which he had done so happily in gamblers), the teeter and out. (Epic fail (this video is even shorter). I placed Julie Pitt at the arena gate to catch him if he bolted out of the arena..and he did....right around the corner and into a soft crate that was just like ours, only one space down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWB7QeU9J4Y
You can see Julie saying SHIT! As he bolts past, and Tammy looking astonished! We all were. I pulled him from the rest of the weekend. Tu was fine outside the arena, and I did walk him around outside the arenas over the weekend, with confident Mick in tow. I also took him into the arenas after the snow on Saturday on leash, and he was timid, tail tucked, but better. No treats and I didn't push him to tug...poor dog!
It breaks my heart to think that something has frightened him so badly. I don't think it will carry over to other venues, it hasn't in the past.
I think Nancy Kemna said it best..."he's just brilliant. He says, "why should I go back into the lions den when I escaped once? I'm NOT going in there to give that lion another chance!". Trunks back to his normal loving fun self, and that's all that really matters.
AND on another note...at this SAME VENUE, LAST YEARS AKC SHOW...Biz would NOT do the teeter, and this year, she had not changed her mind...ugh!
So....we will not be returning to Corvallis for an agility show anytime soon.