So I went to a NADAC trial today. I have a young Border Collie, Tiki, who really is amazing, even if others fail to see it. I'd entered her in four things today, Open Tunnelers, Open Weavers, Open Regular 1 & 2. I ran her in Weavers first. She did great, other than refusing to stay at the start-line (we're working on that!) and missing the first weave entry. She did everything else perfectly. So she Q'd and placed 1st. The judge had a comment on my run. He said I did a good job, and that my dog was hard to handle. At that point, I believed he was still an okay judge and was actually trying to compliment me in a weird way, but I wondered if it was some kind of sideways insult towards Tiki. But I could only move forward. Our next run was flawless, a beautiful tunnelers run which she both Q'd and placed 1st again. Only at the end did she do her Border Collie thing, and stared at the other dog. Now, it is understandable to me that this may be perceived as aggressive behavior. But for Tiki, she just has a strong desire to herd with nothing appropriate actually to herd. So I told her to stop, and she very obediently did as I said and let me slip the lead on her.
So, this judge went to my dad (he didn't even have the guts to face me) and threatened him that if I didn't get a handle on my Border Collie's very intense and aggressive "hard eye" he would force me to leave. He made it very clear that it was aggressive behavior. That's just bullcrap. This is just a confused Border Collie that obviously doesn't know the difference of what is to herd and what isn't. This is the same "hard eye" she used on day-old ducklings that she never would've even considered hurting. She was like their freaking mother. I know that, yes, it is my fault for not teaching her that dogs are a definite no-no to herd, but everyone thinks my dog is so "aggressive" and that she can't be around the precious puppies. So please, tell me HOW am I supposed to train her if she can't get around any new dogs? That, I am still searching for an answer to.
Tiki using her "aggressive" hard-eye to herd Ducklings, which she had no intent in harming. Ever.
And then, Tiki barked at a dog being walked by a woman. Not aggressive, simply dog-to-dog arousal. I didn't think it was a big deal. She barked once and then calmed down and continued walking. Let me make it very clear that Tiki has NEVER attacked another dog, she is merely reactive. This is due to her being attacked when she was a 4-month-old puppy, mixed with her very strong herding instinct. Her instinct is so strong that people have mistaken her for being from working lines, even though she comes from only show/performance bloodlines. She used to react to every dog she passed, and now it's only a few dogs. I've really been working on it with her using Positive Reinforcement, and she's really improved. A lot. I know it is my fault that Tiki is reactive, and that I should work more on it with her. Yes, I do have an easily aroused dog. No, I do not have an aggressive dog!! People act like they know my dog better than I do, which is just a load of bull. So, said woman complained to the judge and got both me and my dog thrown out of the trial. End of story. I actually had helped this woman at her trials, doing her crap for her, running leashes...and this is what she does to me anyway. She was another jerk that acted like she liked me to my face and then went behind my back to get my dog thrown out of the trial....for barking once.
I guess that's just how 90% of the people involved in this sport. Complete idiots who haven't been accepted by society, just trying to develop some false sense of cynosure because their dogs have more talent than they ever will. The everyday bastards of agility. Then there's the other 10%, who actually care about their own dogs more than they do the sport. The people who actually understand why dogs do what they do and can let it go when it's just the right thing to do. They do agility because they enjoy it, and so do their dogs. This is the category I fall under, or what I fell under, before I decided I wanted to quit. I may never go to another NADAC trial thanks this awful experience. So, thanks a lot. If this is what you like to do, crush a 15-year-old's dream of competing and having fun with her dog, then good. I hope you're happy now, for whatever sick reason you do it.
Tiki chilling at the trial....before she got evicted. She looks very chill to me, don't you think? I think all of our dogs have their moments, after all, they are DOGS! (revelation!)
I've seen other dogs behave in the same way, sometimes worse, sometimes growling or physically attacking another dog, and being allowed to stay. I mean, what do you expect? They are dogs, and I know that they shouldn't do that, nonetheless it still ticks me off that the rules are only selectively enforced. I swear the agility community hates me. At least that 90%!
I've seen other dogs behave in the same way, sometimes worse, sometimes growling or physically attacking another dog, and being allowed to stay. I mean, what do you expect? They are dogs, and I know that they shouldn't do that, nonetheless it still ticks me off that the rules are only selectively enforced. I swear the agility community hates me. At least that 90%!
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