Obreedience Report for 2020 – Jean Walker

Obreedience Report for 2020 – Jean Walker

 The Obreedience year 2020 began in a very promising fashion for Manchesters Reunited with the heat held by United Spaniel on 2nd of February. The venue is an equestrian centre which does not obey the laws of physics as it is usually much colder inside than out!  Not good for our comfort- loving MTs, but nevertheless they put in a very creditable performance to gain fourth place. This result was especially pleasing because of the contribution of team member Lavinia Paxton and her dog Donald. He had only competed once before, and never indoors. While we won’t be seeing much more of his namesake, the President, I am sure Donald will be very much part of team plans for the future!  The heat was won by the German Shepherd team Paw Patrol, so many congratulations to them.                                                                                                                                                                                          Then on to the eagerly anticipated Crufts. Ten teams who have gained most points at heats during the year compete for the ultimate accolade, with adjustments made so that as many show groups as possible are included. Our team was Helen Fletcher with Shimmy, scent, Brenda Harrison with Sadie, send to bed, Chris Harrison with Teal, retrieve, and Ann Harrison with Sophie, stop the dog. The atmosphere was terrific, competition strong; when the final reckoning came only three points separated the first five places. Manchesters Reunited had to settle for fifth place, but we all agreed that the day had been so very enjoyable. Very well done to the winners, the Sheltie Superstars.                                                                                                                                                         An unforgettable highlight for both us and the audience was the retrieve according to Teal! She was so eager to get that article that she shot out at about a hundred miles an hour, screeched to a halt but forgot to apply the rear brakes!  So, she picked up by doing a perfect handstand!  And also managed to complete the exercise!  I think she deserved extra points! Pleased this has been captured for posterity by Jane Aspden.

 So everything seemed to be set for a great summer.  And then came Covid.

At the time of writing, we have had news that some restrictions will be lifted, but not for some time. MRU have not been able to get together for training for well over a year. Obreedience heats are among many dog events which have fallen by the wayside, and I well understand the reluctance of folks to commit to plans which may not come to fruition. However, I feel it is important to look to the future for the sake not only of personal fulfilment but also for the continuation of dog obedience in general. To this end, we at MRU would like to do what we can to help Manchester Terrier owners take part in as many training activities as possible while the present situation continues, with the emphasis, of course, on Obreedience!                 I have published some training advice on the retrieve over the past few months on the BMTC Education Hub. I am pleased to announce that members of the squad will be giving further training advice on the other Obreedience exercises: team heelwork, scent, send to bed, and stop the dog, on the hub, over the spring and summer months. Eventually, we shall be getting back to face-to-face training, and it would be lovely to see some newcomers with a sound basis in these exercises; we hope this online training with videos will help. Only one team can represent each breed at Crufts, but we would be over the moon if there was enough interest to actually form another team, that would keep us all on our toes! It is not always easy to find competition obedience training clubs at present, even without the Covid factor, but hopefully as restrictions are lifted there will be clubs that offer Good Citizen courses and rally training, both of which are helpful to the prospective Obreedience dog.                                                                                                           I would also like to draw your attention to the British Competitive Obedience Society (not KC affiliated). This is a relatively recently established organisation, formed to encourage enthusiasm and drive in the sport of obedience without loss of accuracy. They hold competitions all over the country which hopefully will resume shortly. There are no stays, and rules allow for food and toys during competition, with different stipulations for the classes as you progress. Also, a lot of the events are held indoors out of the weather, so it would seem to be tailor-made for the Manchester Terrier! More details can be found on their website and Facebook, So, hope to see you all soon, and to paraphrase Strictly, keep trainin’!