I find this discussion interesting, only because it sooooooooooooooooo very much relates to the earlier "Direction Of Agility" and "Intro" threads.....................
In the Good Ol' Days, all of the "I don't like this, that or the other thing about how the gate steward is doing her/his job because this, that or the other thing distracts, upsets or does something else to my dog.........................in the Good Ol' Days, we'd call that a TRAINING ISSUE that was the handler's responsibility to work their dog through......................and then to ensure that their dog had been properly "proofed" for those conditions before entering a trial with "Q expectations"..........................
Someone stated the scribing is perhaps the hardest job, and I tend to agree with that....................I think that Gate Steward is the MOST THANKLESS job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No matter what the poor individual stuck with that job does, s/he are 100% certain to irritate, aggravate and/or p!$$ off a percentage of the exhibitors...........................
The best gate stewards that I've encounted over 25 years in agility ALL had their own "style" and their own tones of voice....................................some were "Gate Nazis"......................some were "sweet School-Marms"; but they all got the job done in a timely and efficient manner...............................and I started where all of the classes were timed as to how long they took, how many dogs ran, when the class started and ended......................and where answers needed to be provided to the venue for any glaring variations from the norm...........................
Most of our dogs have had "personal space" issues..................as in not wanting another dog's nose in their face or up their butt in a line-up........................well, it was then...............and is now.................up to US to position ourselves POLITELY between our dog and an overly-friendly/curious dog in a line-up...................and it's not hard to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IMHO, dogs should not get "amped" simply by hearing a STRANGER'S voice call their name.........................and whatever happened to "Not your affair/business!" or "Leave it alone!"

It really doesn't matter is one has a reactive dog, a timid dog, a sensitive dog or whatever kind of dog..........................the bottom line is.................has the dog been properly trained and PROOFED for the types of situations that the dog may/is likely to encounter?



If that answer is "No", then the fault lies with the owner/trainer/handler and no one else...................
It takes MUCH more than staying on course and performing the obstacles correctly to be successful in agility...........................in fact, staying on course and performing the obstacles correctly is the EASY part of the training that is required!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JMHO,
Al & Pelli in Ohio