Eastern Suburbs Dog Training Club

It was a beautiful sunny morning for the Club's Mock Obedience Trial on Sunday 19th June, there was a big turnout of Club Members keen to take part in the event and it proved to be a great success.

The Mock Trial, based on exercises from the Community Companion Dog (CCD) Obedience Title, was run and judged by founding Club Member and well known Obedience Judge, Vicki Etherington OAM.

Janette & Sasha (3rd), Vicki Etherington (Judge), Paul & Toby (1st), Alaina & Sophi (2nd)

In addition to judging the competitors, Vicki made notes on individual score cards to hand to each entrant so that Club Members know what areas they need to concentrate on to perfect their trialing.

As Vicki commented after the trial, "It was a good morning and two things stood out loud and clear:

1. The enthusiasm shown by the members that entered the ring and the sportsmanship and spirit the competition brought out in them
2. The hard work that has been put into each handler and dog by many instructors over the years to get the standard of training everyone would like to achieve just to live with a dog in every day society, forget about an obedience competition for a moment!

Every one of the dogs on Sunday told a story and that is: anybody in everyday life would be proud to own any one of  those dogs entered on the day as an ideal family pet. The club should be proud that it has achieved its aim to train dogs for whatever role people chose to own a dog: for obedience trialing, as a family pet or both!

To the people that qualified well done. To everyone who entered, I would be proud to take home any of your dogs. Keep up the good work and I believe the Club would say, 'You've done us proud'"

Congratulations to our winners, 1st Paul & Toby, 2nd Alaina & Sophi, 3rd Janette & Sasha, and a big THANKS to Vicki and to our Mock Trial Secretary, Kate, and Chief Steward, Liz.

And, as Vicki said, to all competitors, well done, you have done the Club proud!