SINGAPORE KENNEL CLUB

Critique

 

Firstly I’d like to thank the Singapore Kennel club for inviting me to judge at their prestigious 100th anniversary. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and honoured to be chosen. The show was very well run and the atmosphere was exciting.

 

I was looking forward to seeing how obedience was done in Singapore and expecting some differences to New Zealand.

 

The structure of the competition levels was different but most of the exercises are performed in NZ obedience.

 

In general the biggest difference between heelwork here and NZ is the dogs predominately work wider in Singapore. The ideal position for Dogs in NZ is to work against the handler’s leg with the dogs shoulder in line with the leg. Any deviation from this earns penalty points

 

I was impressed by the obvious bond between handlers and their dogs and the enjoyment both handlers and dogs derive from working together.

 

 

 

Pre-novice & novice

 

Wide heeling wides on turns which sometimes made tight leads. Some lagging by several dogs. The handlers all knew the rules and expectations of each test. It was unfortunate 2 of the handlers overused the lead setting their dogs up for exercises which resulted in a loss of points

 

The exercises here in Singapore are similar to the first 2 grades in NZ however the degree of difficulty is higher as the handler is not only allowed but encouraged to talk to their dog in NZ. Singapore also incorporates change of pace and positions which I see the value of as the dog and handler gain the foundation skills for higher grades.

 

1010 – nice slow pace, some wide heeling on the straights and turns (causing the lead to go tight). A lovely recall!

 

1013 – Nice heelwork. This dog had a few wides and wide about turns. A crooked sit in the recall.

 

1014 – Some nice work. Most of the faults were gained by lagging with a few wides. The dog didn’t present in the recall and anticipated the finish to heel  

            position

 

1015 – This dog did some nice heelwork although the lead went tight in a few places. Some forward heeling in slow pace and a crooked sit

 

1016 – Lovely heelwork in normal and fast pace although the dog was crabbing in slow place. A crooked sit. Unfortunately the handler jerked the lead on 2

            occasions during the test resulting in lost points

 

1011 – A lovely happy dog. A few wides in heelwork. Very nice recall.

 

1005 –Some nice heelwork with points lost for a wide, wide about turn and lag. Nice slow pace.

           This dog walked off in the temperament test and anticipated the recall. The handler was slow to walk out in the sit stay and the dog broke

           the down stay

 

1006 – A nice happy dog! This dog had a few wides and one bad left turn. The handler went off course near the end of the heelwork.

            A crooked sit on the finish of the recall and a broken down stay

 

1007 – Again some nice heelwork although there were a few wides especially in fast pace and one forge. A very happy dog in its heelwork

            and really nice left turns!

 

1008 – Points lost in heelwork for wides, wide about turns and some lags in fast pace. No sit in the recall

 

1009 – Some really niceheelwork. A few wides on straights and a few wide turns. The dog didn’t complete the figure of 8 with the handler.

            Unfortunately this handler jerked the dogs collar twice throughout the class

 

 

 

Intermediate

 

I was impressed by the accuracy of turns and enthusiasm shown by the dogs in this class. The highlight of this test for me was the enthusiasm shown by both of the Labradors in the drop on recall exercise. The black dog performed the exercise so fast he literally slid along the ground when he dropped and continued to wag his tail throughout the exercise.

 

1002 – A lovely happy dog! This dog broke his down position and also had a few lags and wides in heelwork. Awesome drop on recall!

            A wide to heel in the recall and a crooked sit in the retrieve. Unfortunately failed the broad jump

 

1003 - This dog had some nice heelwork with a few wides and lags. Again a lovely drop on recall and a lovely retrieve! Very nice work!

 

 

 

Open

 

This dog performed all of the exercises well up until the retrieve over high jump when the dog was unable to locate the dumbbell on the other side of the jump. It was unfortunate as the dog made an honest effort but the dumbbell, while still clearly in the ring, was close to the edge and not where the dog was expecting it to land. In NZ an error of this nature would earn penalties for deviation and extra commands but not a fail. Specific points lost in heelwork for wides and wide about turns, a crooked sit, no sit in the figure of 8 and missing the sit position on the move. Great work in the distance control! A nice sendaway although the dog didn’t go cleanly into the box casting around one of the markers and finished with a crooked sit.