It is with great pleasure that I announce Emma earned her Schutzhund III title at the Tri-State Doberman Club’s trial in June 2007 with a Second Place and taking High Obedience.  Tracking conditions were tough.  It was dry and hot with several bare spots and some of the I and II dogs were having a hard time.  Emma started off excellent and she was in the V category until the last corner and last leg.  She missed the corner by a foot or two and then had trouble getting her bearings for the leg.  She searched and searched, never giving  up with a deep nose until she found the leg, continued on and confidently indicated the last article.  Our Judge, Karen McIntyre praised Emma and my handling on working out a difficult track and telling competitors that this was the correct way for a dog and handler to track. 

Onto obedience, with a hot day approaching, we were anxious to get out there and do our thing.  Emma has a strong foundation in obedience so I was starting to relax and enjoy the trial.  We were a great team and I was very happy with Emma’s performance.  She lagged slightly in the group, and she was wide on an about turn, but she lost points on her finishes.  For some reason, she came up with a new trick on trial day….slow finishes…and maybe a no sit.  Why do they do this to us?????  Always a day before the trial, or day of, they have a meltdown!  Anyway, aside from her lacking to plant her butt on the ground, her recalls were fast and straight, she nailed her motion exercises, and her retrieves with the dumbbell were as best I could ask for from her.  We, as a team, lead the obedience.

Almost done……Protection after a huge rain/lightening storm and wet field.  Yuck!  Emma was fired up as usual with her squeeking bark down the field toward the binds.  She ran them fast, close, and with purpose.  She came into the bark and hold a little to aggressively and bumped the helper.  That’s my sneaky girl!  The escape bite was good, not great, good grips, but fast attack.  The back transport was very well executed in the top half and then she had too much build up in the lower half and forged.  The attack and grip was good, full and fast.  Transport was without fault.  The long escape was clean and fast with a full grip, slightly chewy at first, then settled.  Our protection routine was very good, of course I have seen her come on like a freight train, but considering the day, the long training periods before the trail, my unsettled nerves, and the hot humid weather/rain, I could not have asked for anything more from our Emma Peel.  She is truly a great dog with a wonderful temperament and always steps up to the plate when you need her to.