"What's the matter," inquired a voice from behind her. Shelley paused from rubbing her lower back to turn and recognize a friend that exhibited Golden Retrievers approaching from the show building. Shelley explained how difficult it was each time she showed this particular dog. "He fights me every time it comes time to groom," she explained, "and absolutely refuses to jump up on the grooming table. Do you have any suggestions?," she inquired hopefully.
"I had the same problem with this guy," her friend revealed pointing to her beautifully brushed golden dog. "Then I realized that the easiest way to get him to jump up would be for me to give him motivation to do so."
"And what was that," Shelley asked. "Food," her friend replied with a smile. "I give him food every time he jumps up there. He quickly learned that good things await those that alight on tables. Give it a try," she advised. "It sounds pretty logical," nodded Shelley. "I think I will."
Over the next few weeks at feeding time Shelley would place Bobby's food bowl up on the grooming table. At first the Siberian would pace around the table whining quietly under his breath. He would glance at his mistress pleadingly then back at his dinner just out of his reach. "Come on Bobby, come on," Shelley urged patting the rubber surface of the table. "Let's go. Remember there's goodies for you up here as you will soon find out." After several more circles Bobby paused, placed his front paws on the edge of the table and lightly sprang to its surface. Shelley hurriedly shoved his bowl under his nose and smiled as her dog wolfed down his treats.
"I can't believe it," she said dumbly to no one in particular. "It worked". She celebrated as she stroked her feasting Siberian. "Well Bobby, between now and this weekend we are going to give you goodies every time you jump up here. Maybe at the next show I will finally be able to have a well-groomed dog and a supple back all at the same time!"
Throughout the week Shelley and Bobby repeated the procedure. Shelley would slap the table's surface, command "let's go" and presto-Bobby would leap up in anticipation of his palatable reward. Never was he disappointed.
She couldn't wait to show her friend at the dog show next weekend.
"Hey, over here," she waved to her friend that Saturday after she set out her grooming supplies. "There's something I wanted to show you," she confided eagerly. Shelley removed Bobby from his crate, slapped the grooming table's surface saying "let's go" and waited. Without hesitation Bobby nimbly leaped to its surface while Shelley fed him a piece of liver. "That's wonderful," her friend approved. But you had better hurry up you're about to go in. Come on I'll go with you so I can watch.
The two women sprinted across the grassy field to the Siberian Husky ring. Shelley had to wait for her armband as the steward was gone but soon returned carrying a rectangular, flat, white box. "It's the judge's birthday today," the steward whispered to the exhibitors as she deposited it on the table.
The steward opened the box and withdrew a huge, heavily embellished sheet cake. Pink roses and garlands of green adorned its surface and sides. "Happy Birthday" was written in pink script and row after row of a detailed white icing pattern completed this perfect confection.
"Now don't say anything," requested the steward. "We want to carry it out to the middle of the ring after Best of Breed as a surprise to the judge". Shelley nodded and hastily slid her number up her left arm just as the steward called the first class.
"Okay Bobby, they're calling our class," Shelley directed Bobby several minutes later. She set up her dog in the long line of Siberians for the Open dog class. It was one of those days where everything clicked. Bobby gaited like a dream on the first go-round displaying his reach and drive. He stood like a statue for the judges examination. He quizzically cocked his head from side to side with his ears pricked as the judge made funny little noises at him. Bobby proudly led the other Siberians around the ring one last time as the judge pointed to him and said "one".
"Good boy," Shelley patted Bobby enthusiastically as she graciously received her blue ribbon. "Just a little bit more and then we're done." She led Bobby back to where she previously set up her dog in the ring. Again Bobby led the other class winners around the ring and again the judge pointed to him. Shelley was extremely pleased. She could tell the judge really liked her dog and excitedly hoped she may even have a shot at Best of Breed.
After the judge completed with the Siberian ladies, Shelley steered Bobby to his assigned place in line to be judged with the champions for Best of Breed. If Shelley thought that Bobby showed his best before she soon discovered she was wrong. Her beautiful Siberian Husky flowed along beside her driving straight and forward with purpose. After his down-and-back Bobby planted his feet square and looked the judge right in the eye. His ears were pricked at attention and when the judge walked down the line he asked for it.
Shelley's heart was beating wildly as the judge pointed to her and told her to go to the front of the line. She was so busy setting up Bobby one last time she did not notice the steward and a helper carrying the cake laden table to the center of the ring. Not glancing away from the judge she leaped to her feet as the judge ordered take them around. Shelley was about to explode with excitement as she bunched up her lead in her hand slapped her leg to get Bobby's attention and commanded "let's go." Later she wished she had been more alert as her perfect afternoon quickly evolved into her worst nightmare.
Shelley had not noticed what was transpiring in the center of the ring. Thus, she was totally unprepared when Bobby took only 3 strides and eagerly exhibited for all the new behavior that she had been teaching him all week.
Sproing ! The Siberian Husky soared through the air just as the judge pointed to him for Best of Breed. Smoosh ! Bobby landed directly on top of the cake. He defaced the confection with one paw each perfectly centered in the ""h", "b", "t" and "y". "Aargh!," shrieked the outraged steward running toward the voracious table-top Siberian. But Bobby was happily devouring globs of cake and was oblivious to the bedlam he created.
Shelley babbled scores of apologies as she tried to haul her Siberian off the flimsy small table. Bit by bit she was able to pull him closer shod with the remains of the birthday surprise. But when Bobby's weight reached the table's edge, Shelley failed to notice it leaning towards her at a precarious tilt.
Crash ! She tipped over backwards as the table flipped up in the air. Splat! She fell hard as the cake landed on top of her. Shelley slowly sat up wiping a pink rose from her forehead. In exasperation, she pushed her dog away who was chivalrously lending his mistress some cleanup assistance.
Several minutes later she approached the judge to repeat her apologies. "It's all right," the kind hearted man assured his Best of Breed winner. "In fact, why don't you go clean up yourself and your dog and I'll have the photographer paged for a picture?"
"Oh thank you, Shelley replied gratefully. "If you're sure it's not too much trouble," she queried. "No problem," he acknowledged as he turned to walk away. He then looked back, grinned at Shelley and her icing smeared Siberian and responded, "It'll be a piece of cake !"