New experiences

I went to a dog club Championship Obedience Show yesterday. It was very interesting. I've never been to a dog show of any sort to be honest, so this was all new to me. Unfortunately I didn't arrive in time to see anything terribly exciting in terms of obedience, although I was lucky enough to catch the 'Paws n Music' display.

This showcased three levels of skill in both handler and dog, from beginner to advanced beginner and then a low-ish level of more highly advanced (yes, I realise now that I should have noted what the levels are officially called). Regardless, it was simply a delight to see the dogs and handlers having such a good time. What I did find out was that the two beginner levels are based on a discipline called 'Heelwork to Music', which is heeling and obedience commands set, as the name suggests, to music. The dogs were still relatively new to the sport, and it showed, but despite the trivial mistakes it was still entertaining to watch. You really have to commend both the handler and the dog for giving it a go, they performed exceptionally well under pressure (and who wouldn't melt at the sight of the matching costumes!).

The advanced handlers and dogs were just brilliant. It amazed me to see how well a dog is able to respond to simple verbal commands, hand gestures and body language and positioning. They really do read us like a book.
As this was an obedience show, all sorts of dogs were there - both purebreds and mutts. They were entered into the Paws n Music competition, and each dog performed to the best of their ability. There was definitely no difference between the application of skills of an oversized Yorkshire Terrier cross to a large German Shepherd. I must admit that this German Shepherd impressed me very much. He was very highly trained in this discipline, and showed nothing but complete dedication to taking his cues from his owner.

I think the best thing about watching heelwork to music is that it really looks enjoyable. I'm sure that it is even more fun being the handler/trainer though. Seeing your dog understand and respond to your commands after days, weeks or even months of training would definitely make it all worth it. The dogs must love it too - it gives them something to think about, and a bit of a workout at the same time. Below are two YouTube videos of two extremely well trained dogs performing a routine with their handlers. Both videos are less than 5 minutes long, and well worth watching!

Gladiator - Canine Freestyle	You're The One That I Want - Canine Freestyle