This year's DSO theme was Carnival, the main focus of many of the exercises was 'stay.'

Head out to the field:


Your first obstacle is the "Test of Strength"
There are three areas to choose from for points - 25, 15 and 5. You select an area and put your dog in a position of control (sit, stand or down) then you raise a hammer over your head and slam it down onto the target and try to ring the bell. If your dog breaks, you lose all of your points, so you have to make the best decision for your dog - it's all or nothing!










Once you're done with the Test of Strength you're on to the next challenge. But on the way, there is a clown who wants to sell you balloons







After you've convinced the friendly balloon seller that you really don't want to buy anything from them, you arrive at the heeling portion of your obedience. You start at the white flag, then proceed to the end of the balance beam. Step up onto the balance beam, then open an umbrella, it is up to you if you want to carry the umbrella the whole length of the balance beam or not. While you are walking, the clown continues to talk to you about his lovely balloons.







Once you're done with the balance beam, it's off to the shooting range!

Again, you have three points areas to pick from - 25, 15 and 5. You put your dog in a position of control and then go to the table and start the game. When you pull the rope there is a loud 'thump' and the plates start to spin, you then pick up the paintball gun and have to shoot three times. Once again, it's all or nothing. If your dog breaks, you lose your points, so you have to chose wisely!





Some people kept it conservative, and kept their points


Some people had long conversations before leaving their dogs


Dog sat through the initial thump


Broke at the paint ball gun... but didn't move...


Then did a down at a distance to save a few points


Now it's time for the carnival ride!!!! It's up to the handler where the dog and the handler ride. The front has a decoy, the back has balloons and stuffed animals.








After the carnival ride, the obedience only dogs go to meet the judge and then go off the field.






Oh, and about those stuffed animals in the back of the carnival ride...




**I'll inset my brags here - Ruby took first and Riggs took second in the Beginner Obedience Only level of the trial **

For the protection dogs, it's time for the civil work: first on the tie out






Then to the car agitiation:
A friendly stranger approaches your car, and has a conversation with you


Then becomes agitated and threatening:




The final step of beginner protection is handler defense:
You put your dog in a position of control and are approached by a friendly decoy who shakes your hand and speaks to you for a few seconds.


Then the decoy grabs you and your dog comes to your defense:






And when it's all done, Rue made sure the bad guy wasn't going anywhere

Wow, that really shows how well the dogs were trained. The last picture made me laugh out loud. That dog looks really vicious!
Gale

Rue is actually super social! lol

She has earned her French Ring III title, among other very high level titles. The exercise that she is doing there is the "standard" guard that is done in Ring. It is a guard to prevent the decoy from escaping. Other sports do a front guard, and many also have escorts.

I figured it was all an act, but what a good actor she is! You certainly would feel safe with her at your side.

Oh, she's "real" but when she's off, she's off. That's the great part about this particular trial. The vast majority of the dogs who compete are from CherCar Kennels, and they go from high drive, high flying protection on the field to happy house dogs the second they pass through the gates.

I'll get the Intermediate and Advanced write ups done this week, the obedience and bite work are amazing, and then 10 seconds later little kids are hanging all over the dogs.

That is highly stressed at that training center. The dogs are dog friendly, people friendly, livestock friendly, and everything-else friendly. Now, of course, there is prudence involved as well, but they are amazingly well balanced. Uncontrolled aggression is not tolerated, and the dog is taught to control itself at a very early age.