Ptolomy Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 When I first started in obedience I spent lots of time sitting outside the open and UD rings watching the experienced handlers and their dogs. I learnt a lot from this and of course I asked a zillion questions. Recently we had a training day where I called rounds in the CCD ring and basically the handling was woeful So - if you could give a tip to a trialling newcomer, or even somebody who had been trialling for a while........ What would it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs4Fun Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Look up, find a line, and walk like you are going somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Know exactly what you want to teach and what you envision the outcome to be before you start teaching it... I'm finding this out the hard way ETA: Hope newcomers are allowed to answer this too Edited February 19, 2009 by RubyStar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Don't go too fast too soon... focus on your foundations and learn from those more experienced. Take advice and ideas from everyone and then create your own training plan specially tailored for your dog Oh - and learn to walk in a straight line ETA - TOTALLY agree with RS Edited February 19, 2009 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 If your dog stuffs up don't assume he is being disobedient - some dogs lack confidence in their handlers or don't look as though they truly understand the exercise. Embrace mistakes (which are generally yours ) as part of the learning curve I just booked in for FOO so will undoubtedly get some pointed feedback in the next few weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eliteview Aussies Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Practice your about turns without a dog so you get your footwork right. Well thats what someone told me to do and now everyone thinks I have good about turns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natsu chan Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Breathe, it's meant to be fun remember! Seriously though tension affects your handling and makes sensitive dogs anxious. You aren't playing for sheep stations remember and while qualifying scores are nice it's more important to improve each time out and for both of you to enjoy yourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Don't be scared cos the gurus are watching you - although maybe some of us need to pretend they are there all the time so we lift our standards. My biggest ring craft tip would be don't let your standards slip just because your in the ring. If you wouldn't accept it at training then its not acceptable at a trial either. Trial as you train and train as you trial. Better to ask to be excused because the dog isn't paying attention then continue and let bad habits develop. Please Ptolomy remind me of that one will you. The other I can think of even as a newbie trust in your dog. If you have made the decision to enter a trial then you have a belief that the dog is capable of completing the exercises and hopefully completing them to the best of there ability. Doesn't mean you will always pass but it does mean you should focus on giving your dog 100% in the ring. Leave any thoughts or doubts or fears at home before you even get to the trial. Following on from this would be don't feel the urge to drill your dog prior to going. Whats done is done and I have seen novice dogs drilled constantly before entering the ring and by the time they get in their they have often been pushed past the point of enjoyment. If your dog needs drilling then they aren't ready so go home and train some more and then come back when they are at the required level. Certainly watch as much as you can of the higher classes (although I'll say there is some pretty shoddy handling happening in them as well). Ask questions. And finally relax - its not about sheep stations, its suppose to be a game we play with our best friends so treat it like that. Edited February 19, 2009 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Some common ones: Don't look back at your dog in heeling. That will drop your shoulder and encourage lagging. Don't take big steps straight off the start peg or out of about turns, give the dog a chance to be with you. Don't be abrupt on your halts, step into them (within reason). You do not have to halt at the exact moment the judge says it. If you turn the wrong way, keep going, the judge will adjust you. If you try to correct, you usually confuse your dog. If you are not ready when the judge asks are you ready, say so! Learn to reposition your dog into the heel position at the start peg quickly, judges get annoyed if you're forever doing circles and lining the dog up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I reckon you scared them Ptolomy!! The more I rate the person doing the calling the worse my handling is!! I can also be going ok and then freak out if a 'gun handler' comes into the ring to be a tree! Yes I have problems. So helping them to relax would be very important. Important tip - tell them to breath! When I stewarded for CCD I think a couple didn't breath at all during the heeling section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeak Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Recently we had a training day where I called rounds in the CCD ring and basically the handling was woeful Great thread Ptolomy. I am hoping to trial one of my dogs later this year. I've been to a few trials to watch and also to steward. I look at the CCD and think - surely I can do better than that... but fear that I won't. Watching one trial, I actually asked the judge (after all judging was finished & explaining why I was asking) - if the standard for the day was "normal". They kindly shared their thoughts with me that it wasn't. When I asked the most common error for CCD handlers, I was told "extended signals" - though I had to show my ignorance and ask if they could show me exactly what they meant by that . The explanation that I got was that it was when signals are "held" in place for too long. My other advice would be: - be a good sport. I stewarded and had someone from the club complaining, immediately outside of the ring, about why someone else was NQ'd - and in front of stewards and other competitors. I have never been more embarrassed in my life. I tried to politely say that they would be better asking the judge at the end of the trial for an explanation - which I am fairly sure they never did. I did ask the judge about that particular team, because at the time, I couldn't work out why (I'm a newbie). Explanation that I got was extended signals and dog being frequently out of position with heel position. Thinking back on their performance, I would agree with the judge - it was just my ignorance meant that it needed to be pointed out to me. - if you are unsure of why you were scored something - wait until the end and ask the judge. Most times I've seen they are happy to offer an explanation if the person is polite - the judges aren't big scary monsters. - toilet your dog immediately before you go into the ring. I think the only time I have seen a dog soil the ring is CCD - one explanation was "he went earlier" (ie 60+ minutes before entering). - remember that you cannot physically (or verbally) correct your dog in the ring. Yes, I have seen someone physically correct their dog (check chain) in CCD - they were immediately excused. Sorry, that was more than one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeak Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Sorry - one more. Make sure that you have read the current rules, and understand what you are and are not allowed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Practice your about turns without a dog so you get your footwork right.Well thats what someone told me to do and now everyone thinks I have good about turns! do this with another person standing at your shoulder blind folded, and start moving and get them to go with you as a dog would. How that person feels and reacts to your pace and body lanuage, is how your dog reacts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 This is great....keep them coming..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I have a few. Pack your lunch and food/drinks for your dog, bring a chair. Buy and read the rule book (as someone already mentioned). Go and watch a trial, the level you're thinking about entering, even better if you can steward the ring. Make sure you're confident that your dog knows all the exercises well, don't enter on a wing and a prayer, you will be nervous and it could get ugly so you need to be confident with your training and your dog. Most important, when the Judge asks if you're ready, she/he genuinely wants to know, look at your dog and decide if you're ready, if not say NO and reset your dog. Remember, Judges want us to pass, they are on our side, make sure you have trained the work. Don't enter the dog and then train for the trial (I here that so often). And as often said, you get to take home the best dog at the trail so be happy and have a great day with your best mate and some great friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caffy Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Proof, proof and more proofing before even thinking of trialling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seita Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Proof, proof and more proofing before even thinking of trialling And if you think you've proofed enough do more! * Use your obedience classes as distraction training, do a stand for exam while someone else does a recall or retrieve beside you. Find THE most distracting environment you can for your dog and when it can work there you are ready to trial! * Don't get too upset if something doesn't go right, trialling can be very unpredictable and you never know what dogs are going to do. Go into the ring confident and if things don't go right then leave the ring happy that your dog has done it's best and assess why your dog may have done something wrong - it's always your fault, whether poor handling, poor commands or lack of training. I've seen so many people blow quallies and then whine and carry on about why their dog stuffed it... "such and such's dog did a retrieve in the ring next door and my dog lost it" or "so and so was warming their dog up with a game and distracted my dog". The one I remember the most is when I was getting my dog ready to go into the CCD ring and was warming her up with a bit of work and a game of tug, when someone else came over and asked me not to play tug near the ring (I was probably about 10 metres from it) because the dog that was in there at the time didn't like other dogs playing games and would probably leave the ring to investigate if it saw my dog playing. Sorry but I couldn't help but think why hasn't this handler trained for this? * Give your dog every advantage you can, nice clear hand signals, clear voice commands (when allowed), smooth footwork and relaxed body language. * Don't bore your dog in training, keep sessions short and fun. If your dog is not enjoying training then it is most certainly not going to like trialling nor do very well * Find what routine works for you before going into the trial ring - whether that's a simple walk to go to the toilet and a focus exercise or a few short minutes of heelwork or a game. Also whether your dog works better if it's sitting beside you getting cuddles before a trial or whether it works better if it's been left in a crate and mostly ignored. Each dog is different and knowing the pre-trial routine that gets the most out of your dog will help get a better working dog in the ring! * Always end on a good note, if your dog stuffs the last exercise in the ring then go out of the ring and do something the dog knows how to do well and reward for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eliteview Aussies Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Don't get angry at your dog in the ring. Your dog will remember it. Dogs are not robots and therefore make mistakes sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 ......Use an appropriate lead - I would like a $1 for everybody who walked into the CCD training ring holding a horse sized lead with a jack russell or poodle on the end of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Ptolomy - it would certainly be a get rich quick scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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