Moving From Novice To Open

[Zug Zug]

I know Rubystar I think that's a really important point and I think it is nervousness about that issue that's prevented me doing it until now. What if something happens and I don't see it? At the moment I put her in a stay and I duck behind a tree or behind the corner of a toilet cubicle but keep peeking - and I can see the rest of the park from there so would know if another dog was in the vicinity.

I guess I thought from Sunday's experience that I would need to train with longer distances. The backyard stuff is perfectly safe, and I can easily extend time and distance at home by going inside etc. But don't we need to practice longer distance stays in other places?

If not, then that's great. I guess I just thought maybe that was where we were going wrong?

Edited April 13, 2010 by Zug Zug

[RubyStar]

Sorry Zug Zug, I don't know the answer I can see your logic and I agree, train it in as many places as possible, but just make sure they are safe places. The park isn't one I would personally do extended out of sight stays at. What about at club? Can you get a few people together with trustworthy dogs and do a far away out of sight stay with them?

[Zug Zug]

Yes I can. I train at 2 different clubs so twice a week I can (usually) join in with a group stay.

In between I'll just do what I can

[RubyStar]

I should start thinking about out of sight stays soon, too, but our in sight ones are pretty broken at the moment

We need one more Novice pass, but who knows how long that will take In the meantime, my girl will continue to be in training for Open, too, minus the out of sight stays for a while maybe Can't wait to given Open a real crack, get to do the fun stuff! Did an Open mock trial and that was fun

[ness]

I did a mock open round with Kenz tonight minus a DOR. She did a lovely ROF/ROH though and her heelwork is seriously nice although we did have to have words tonight when she thought she could drive me around the heel pattern rather than me controlling her .

[Dova]

Congrats Zug Zug sounds like you both did well Sunday , the stays won't be far off, you'll be out there in no time & getting your title .

I thought of coming Sunday, to put Izzi in CD & Delta in CCD, got up at at 6.00 & thought nah couldn't be bothered, well I went to Balhannah Saturday for Scholars in Collars, had to work Monday & had herding & agilty training Tuesday, so we needed a rest , that's my excuse & I'm sticking to it .

[Zug Zug]

Have signed up for 2 trials - 22/23 May. Feeling nervous. No good reason to be nervous, just am.

Now training her stays in earnest. She's getting the idea - proofing with other dogs is the problem but we do it whenever we can.

[TerraNik]

Good luck for the trials! I just caught up on this thread - it's been interesting reading about your progress!

[Zug Zug]

Uh oh I might have entered her too early. One month might not be long enough for us to get the stays ready.

We had been practicing stays at home and the park heaps and she was doing great. But it went really badly again last night at training (i.e. with other dogs and distractions around). She had a pretty similar reaction to the mock trial - kept dropping and looked very stressed. She just wasn't stable in the sit stay or the drop stay.

Then tonight we practiced in the park again and she is back to whining and being pretty unhappy about it. In the end I settled for a 1 min sit stay and 2 min drop stay, but that was after several failed attempts at a sit stay (she kept dropping). I think last night unsettled her so I'll have to build her up again.

We'll keep training and see how we go but she is just not comfortable when there are other dogs close by and I go out of sight. We just don't get many chances to practice that, either, so I'm feeling a bit discouraged. Maybe this is out of our reach.

[ZAUBISTAR]

Uh oh I might have entered her too early. One month might not be long enough for us to get the stays ready.

We had been practicing stays at home and the park heaps and she was doing great. But it went really badly again last night at training (i.e. with other dogs and distractions around). She had a pretty similar reaction to the mock trial - kept dropping and looked very stressed. She just wasn't stable in the sit stay or the drop stay.

Then tonight we practiced in the park again and she is back to whining and being pretty unhappy about it. In the end I settled for a 1 min sit stay and 2 min drop stay, but that was after several failed attempts at a sit stay (she kept dropping). I think last night unsettled her so I'll have to build her up again.

We'll keep training and see how we go but she is just not comfortable when there are other dogs close by and I go out of sight. We just don't get many chances to practice that, either, so I'm feeling a bit discouraged. Maybe this is out of our reach.

I had been taking things really slowly with Acteon right up until we got our CD. Lately he has regressed pretty badly and on things he was always 100% on. I think I've pushed him too far too fast and so I need to retrain myself to set the dog up for success and not 'test' him so much. I hope to get him into one end of June but it will depend on the next few weeks.

Good luck with her and don't worry, if she's not ready, she's not ready. You can always keep training and put her in a later trial.

[Zug Zug]

You're right. If she's not ready, she's not ready.

If we never pass another trial again, she's been a great dog and has done some amazing things and I've had a ball. I need to remember that whatever we do from now on is a bonus, and try not to put too much pressure on her or myself to get somewhere by a set date.

I will be patient and consistent. I will be patient and consistent. (repeat to myself 10 times a day)

[bedazzledx2]

Great insight there ZAUBISTAR Its the journey that counts. Get your foundations in place and everything else will fall into place. Remember split, don't lump! Split.split.split!!!

Uh oh I might have entered her too early. One month might not be long enough for us to get the stays ready.

We had been practicing stays at home and the park heaps and she was doing great. But it went really badly again last night at training (i.e. with other dogs and distractions around). She had a pretty similar reaction to the mock trial - kept dropping and looked very stressed. She just wasn't stable in the sit stay or the drop stay.

Then tonight we practiced in the park again and she is back to whining and being pretty unhappy about it. In the end I settled for a 1 min sit stay and 2 min drop stay, but that was after several failed attempts at a sit stay (she kept dropping). I think last night unsettled her so I'll have to build her up again.

We'll keep training and see how we go but she is just not comfortable when there are other dogs close by and I go out of sight. We just don't get many chances to practice that, either, so I'm feeling a bit discouraged. ;) Maybe this is out of our reach.

I had been taking things really slowly with Acteon right up until we got our CD. Lately he has regressed pretty badly and on things he was always 100% on. I think I've pushed him too far too fast and so I need to retrain myself to set the dog up for success and not 'test' him so much. I hope to get him into one end of June but it will depend on the next few weeks.

Good luck with her and don't worry, if she's not ready, she's not ready. You can always keep training and put her in a later trial.

[Zug Zug]

Any ideas how we can apply the 'splitting' approach to our stay problems?

[ness]

Splitting in the context of stays would mean breaking down and working on each individual element - duration, distance separately.

Zug Zug if you want a reasonably stable dog to practice stays with at a park I am happy to meet somewhere with Ness. More difficult over winter with less daylight hours but weekends are fine. I could use some motivation to take some gear to a park and do some UD.

Edited April 30, 2010 by ness

[Zug Zug]

Thanks Ness - I might even take you up on that. Perhaps we'll have a chat at the workshop next week?

I was also thinking maybe I need to show up at a few trials and not compete, just practice with some good dogs around. Or compete and then deliberately stuff-up the stays by remaining in sight for some of it, or whatever, and use it as training. But I wasn't sure how the judges would react to that as an option...?

[bedazzledx2]

Ummm....are you talking about group stays in the ring? As a judge I wouldn't allow that. Much better to practice with a small group away from the ring and then you can return and reward at your leasure.

Thanks Ness - I might even take you up on that. Perhaps we'll have a chat at the workshop next week?

I was also thinking maybe I need to show up at a few trials and not compete, just practice with some good dogs around. Or compete and then deliberately stuff-up the stays by remaining in sight for some of it, or whatever, and use it as training. But I wasn't sure how the judges would react to that as an option...?

[ness]

Sorry missed your reply sure Zug Zug happy to talk about it at the workshop next weekend .

[Zug Zug]

Thanks bedazzled - much better to know that now than go along and upset someone because I didn't know.

We'll find a way and I am confident we'll get there in the end. She is still very healthy and bouncy so there's no reason we can't keep doing it for quite some time yet. I worry too much about her age - I should just put that out of my mind and train the skill with more patience. In the end we'll get there quicker that way anyway.

ETA: Oo and thanks Ness! I am really looking forward to next week's seminar.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Zug Zug

[Zug Zug]

Stay training going really well at the moment. Have had a few chances to train with other dogs around - she seems a lot better (but it's nothing like a trial ring so who knows?).

Starting to think maybe we can go ahead with the 2 trials at the end of May anyway. But not sure. Alternative is putting her in vintage at Dover instead. No vintage/vets class at German Shepherd trial so it's all or nothing at that one.

[ness]

I'd give it a go and if your not on a pass then don't attempt stays. She seemed pretty good and not to concerned at Dover when we practiced on Saturday at the workshop. I do think they take confidence from being in a more formal situation rather than practising by themselves - at least in my experience. If you decide on the day even if your on a pass that she isn't happy you can always withdraw.