It’s A Mad Mattie World CDX RE & Michelle Redfern DVM
Thank you, Michelle and Mattie, for sharing your experiences
Obedience to the Rescue
Well, for those of you who haven't been around the ring at recent OESCA Nationals, (and that is a lot of you) let me introduce you to my latest rescue dog. Her name is Mattie, but she also answers to Mattie Lou or Lou for short, (funny how that seems to be a popular name for performance dogs of late!) Mattie was brought to me as an adult weighing a mere 39 pounds, matted (hence her name) and scratching herself silly with sarcoptic mange. She had been rescued by a client, who was unable to contact any rescue groups due to everyone being at the nationals, so she said. This was a setup, as I was currently dog-less and everyone at the clinic knew it! I was not ready for a dog, so I promised to get her healthy and pass her along to the appropriate rescue group.
After having her at the clinic for a few days, it became apparent that it was going to take a special home to handle her. All rescues are special in their own ways, and deserve a chance at a good life, some more than others. There are dogs that tug on your heart strings, and then there was Mattie. She barked, she screamed and pretty much was only happy when she could be as close to someone as she could and, of course, she bonded to me right away. This presented a small problem as she was contagious. Once she was no longer infectious, she came home and promptly broke out of every crate she was put into, chased the cats and ate everything in sight if she thought it was edible. Thus came obedience. To understand how desperate I was, I would have done just about anything to avoid showing or training in obedience as I have quite a history of embarrassment in the sport.
I had my misgivings about obedience due to my rather colorful past in the ring, but with my local support group, all my obedience friends who were looking for a good laugh, we started. Just by channeling some of her energy, I finally had a dog I could live with whom by then was up to a normal weight of 65 pounds. It took us a while, mainly because of her handler, but when we started to show, Mattie started to shine. She was in a run-off for HIT at the 2005 Nationals, finished her CD (companion dog title) in four shows, with placements, took High In Trial at the 2006 nationals, and started off 2007 with a bang. She finished her CDX (companion dog excellent) title in three shows and had either a 1st or 2nd place every time. She also acquired her RN and RA along the way. Not too bad for a dog that was someone's throwaway. I am always amazed by her willingness to please, her drive to do what I ask, and her love of performing to the crowd.
When we first started training, my very wise trainer asked what my plans were. Never having been a great trainer, I simply replied "I need to give her a job and get her under control, so lets just work on getting her CD and if we qualify I will be thrilled." This comment still comes back to haunt me because my friends never let me live it down. When it came time to start getting ready to show, I would ask, do you think we will qualify? Again, my wise trainer would say, I think you will do ok, oh and by the way have you ever thought about doing Open with her to get her CDX? See the subtle coaxing?
I was just hoping to qualify for a CD. I was positive that anything beyond that was beyond my scope. The only other dog that I had tried to train for obedience was infamous for his antics in and out of the ring, so going further was the furthest thing from my mind. When we got our CD so easily, I thought what the heck maybe I could try for a CDX. I never doubted my dog; it was me with the hang ups. As we trained for Open, my wise trainer again asked, "Have you every thought about training her for Utility? This would be a good time to start working on some of the more difficult exercises", but, of course, I was just looking to get the CDX, because I was sure that it would never happen.
Well, of course, having a dog that would jump the moon if I asked her to, meant that she finished her CDX in three straight trials, with either a 1st or 2nd place each time. As an aside, the average dog takes something like seven times in the ring before they get the first CDX leg. I guess it wasn't just a fluke, I had an obedience dog! Not only that, I had a heck of an obedience dog.
So of course now that we are working on Utility we have done it the hard way, waiting until we have gotten our CD before starting Open and waiting for the CDX before starting Utility, which is not the way to do it! I haven't a clue of where it will lead me, but I hope it will mean that we do get a title, but even if we never get all the way through, we are having a lot of fun training. It seems a little strange to have people who know what they are doing, coming up to me at shows and saying "Wow, you did great!" and "What a nice working dog you have". We have come a long way from the 39 pound lunatic that showed up at the clinic, and every day I thank my lucky stars that I did not send her on, 'cause she just would have come back! I would have missed the opportunity of working with a dog that while was and still is quite the challenge, is also a very rewarding dog to show and own.