High Mesa Mondioring Trial November 2008

Page 1 Obedience heel, down, positions, food refusal
Page 2 Retrieves, little woods, send away, jumps
Page 3 Defense of Handler, Face and Flee
Page 4 Search and Escort, Guard of Object
Page 5 Scores and Thank you

For the Search and Escort, the decoy hides on the field and the dog searches to find where he is hidden. When found, the dog must alert and hold the decoy in position until the handler approaches and commands the decoy to leave his hiding place. At this point the dog must "escort" the decoy, guarding him as close as possible so he can not escape. Discipline and skill is demonstrated by guarding close and without biting during the guarding or escorts.


Judge Wallis hid the decoy for the MR2 dogs inside and sitting in William Wallace hut. The hut was near the public side of the field and opposite entry of team on to the field. He placed a row of schutzhund blinds along the far end of the field, away from the hut. The team walked on to the field, faced the blinds, then sent the dog to search. The dogs were drawn immediately to the blinds which they searched before working the rest of the field toward the hut. As Ibn and Pi passed the hut, they caught scent of the hidden decoy and happily held the decoy at alert while waiting for the handler and judge to approach and start the escort portion of the work.

For the MR2 search, Ibn finds the bad guy and looks to everyone to hurry and come see. Pi uses his nose and alerts to the decoy behind the hut.

For MR2 search on sunday, the decoy hides in a blind, Ibn shows his enthusiasm for the bad guy in a schutzhund blind. Bunny watches as Jeremy gets scary!

For the MR2 escort after the search, Pi keeps at decoy's legs, staying close so the decoy can not escape. Jeremy tries, but Pi does not let him get any distance.

Here Jeremy tries to use the hay bales to dislodge Pi from his tight escort position, when he thinks he has a chance, Jeremy dashes forward - earning a nice set of bruises to sit on!

For the MR3 dog Jackson, the decoy sat in a chair hidden in the corner of the field next to the presentation tent and the entry gate for the handlers. Jackson was not used a decoy being found at the tent where people hang out and do paperwork, but he figured it out and gave a nice guard right in front of the watching audience.

The MR3 hidden bad guy was Chris. Judge Wallis put a chair next to the presentation tent and enclosed on three sides. It was located with the tent on one side, the public on the other, and the slab with beheaded Wallace on the other. Here Jackson squeezes in to alert and guard his successful find.

The most difficult exercise to teach and the most impressive to watch is the Guard of Object.
The dog is left with an object to guard while the handler leaves out of sight. The dog must work on his own to keep decoys from stealing the object. The dog may bite if the decoy is within a designated distance, but must let go and move back to the object once the decoy moves away. Here Jackson guards a cooking pot with handles, watching for the approaching decoy. And this is at the end of all the previous exercises and about 40 minutes of work on the field at 7000 feet!

Jackson guards the object, waiting for attempts to grab it. Chris tries to push him off, Jackson responds. Then Jeremy tries and quick but unsuccessful grab.

High Mesa Mondioring Trial November 2008

Page 1 Obedience heel, down, positions, food refusal
Page 2 Retrieves, little woods, send away, jumps
Page 3 Defense of Handler, Face and Flee
Page 4 Search and Escort, Guard of Object
Page 5 Scores and Thank you