Training Talk Thread

[RubyStar]

Elsie is so cute!!!

[spoilt lab lives here]

Wuffles we get less enthusiasm in the ring more often than not too. I dont know why though! Probably my nerves throwing him :laugh: Im hoping the nerves thing backs off now we have done it for a while. Just because its a new ring doesnt mean I need to get all nervous about it again haha.

He has been so keen to work lately! Im working on our left about turns because he goes a little bit wide during them and takes a few paces to get back into position. So far Ive been training like we trained the figure 8. As soon as he is in position, especially while doing the turn Im rewarding so he is sticking to my leg in hope for a reward.

[jrm88]

Hi everyone :)

I was after some advice??

I own a 16ish month old std poodle who i am training in obedience (slowly!). He is my first dog so we have made quite a few mistakes!

One question I have, is he/we really struggle with heeling.

What can I do to help him enjoy heeling more?

I usually use a tugtoy for a reward (and occasional food), and have been keeping it really short duration, but he just always seems distracted during heeling?

Would love a few ideas if anyone has any! :)

Thanks!

[murve]

Hi everyone :)

I was after some advice??

I own a 16ish month old std poodle who i am training in obedience (slowly!). He is my first dog so we have made quite a few mistakes!

One question I have, is he/we really struggle with heeling.

What can I do to help him enjoy heeling more?

I usually use a tugtoy for a reward (and occasional food), and have been keeping it really short duration, but he just always seems distracted during heeling?

Would love a few ideas if anyone has any! :)

Thanks!

try playing the Look At Me game, when you give him the command LAM, reward him :)

Heeling-- have a special treat in your left hand right in front of his nose, hold it there while you say heel take a few steps & let him a little piece, when giving the word say it in an exciting tone of voice , try this tell you can walk a reasonable distance.

Also try joining your local Obedience club :D

[RubyStar]

jrm88, there are certainly better people on here to advise, but thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth.

I have had some success with my recent 2 dogs with teaching heel by frequent rewarding in heel position (stationary position) to build up value for being there. Then take a step or two and keep the rewards coming, reward every step if need to (which is a good idea if the dog is only just learning or is totally bored by heeling - but I don't lure when walking). Then if I got in too late with rewarding before my dog looks away/got distracted, I run away in the opposite direction, every time they look away! They sure as heck notice me running away and then run after me, and as soon as they catch up and hit heel position, reward! It becomes a game and helps them understand to pay attention. You can also use a similar approach by throwing treats away from you and keep walking and then when they come back and find heel position, reward, heel a few more steps, then throw another bit.

If you have access to the Patty Ruzzo DVD where she talks about heeling, I highly recommend it. It's her approach I've taken for dogs after I bored Ruby, my first obedience dog, to tears with paddock-bashing style heeling. It's worked wonders with my second Lab, and my newest project, my mum's mini schnauzer

Edited April 5, 2012 by RubyStar

[Podengo]

So with obedience trials are you sort of expected to dress a certain way? A bit more tidy than agility? Not *supposed* to wear dark pants with a dark dog like confo showing? What sort of collar should Elsie wear? She doesn't wear a collar at home or agility training, and has a plain buckle collar with tags for walks... Should I get her a small check chain or fur saver or something tidy looking like that? (not for corrections obviously) Or thin black leather collar?

Edited April 5, 2012 by DiscoDobe

[murve]

So with obedience trials are you sort of expected to dress a certain way? A bit more tidy than agility? Not *supposed* to wear dark pants with a dark dog like confo showing? What sort of collar should Elsie wear? She doesn't wear a collar at home or agility training, and has a plain buckle collar with tags for walks... Should I get her a small check chain or fur saver or something tidy looking like that? (not for corrections obviously) Or thin black leather collar?

Hi DiscoDobe in the Rule book it says " All dogs must have a slip collar or Flat collar & remain on dogs neck during the trial, collars are not to have spikes or collars which give additional head control shall be permitted". No check collars allowed, no ID tags on collar.

Dress Code Adequate sensible dress with appropriate footwear eg:: I wear & most other trialers that I have noticed wear jeans, top/shirt, maybe a jumper, runners. if the ground is wet I wear my riding boots :D normally dress to the weather conditions if you are game to participate in the rain :D color of clothing dose not matter

[spoilt lab lives here]

Ramses wears his Check chain in the ring and we have never had a drama. Ive never heard of them not being allowed to wear check chains in. In saying that there is in no way any corrections given whatsoever in the ring. Big no no.

I usually wear jeans, casual top and joggers in the ring. No a big fancy affair and you can usually wear whatever colour you like. If its raining I wear my hiking jacket in which is a lightweight spray jacket.

[wuffles]

My dog just wears a plain Blackdog flat collar. And I usually wear trackies

Edited April 6, 2012 by wuffles

[Podengo]

Alright sounds like trackies then :D

Will eventually get Elsie a pretty black rolled leather collar for obedience, but will just get something plain for next weekend (need more collars....... :D )

[jrm88]

Thanks for the advice murve and rubystar :)

Will definitely try make it more of a game for him. He knows how to do it, just have a hard time convincing him its something fun to do! :)

[wuffles]

Thanks for the advice murve and rubystar :)

Will definitely try make it more of a game for him. He knows how to do it, just have a hard time convincing him its something fun to do! :)

I meant to reply as well but ran out of time! I would also make sure that he understands your criteria and even more importantly, YOU know what your criteria are. I want my dog to be looking at me the whole time. At one stage my dog learned that if she looked away, but then looked back at me, she would still get rewarded - so I had to go back and build up the focus one step at a time. If she looked away, I didn't try to get her attention, I just released her and started again (then rewarded just before the point she looked away last time). After a while it was clear that she just didn't realise that she wasn't meant to look away.

[wuffles]

Alright sounds like trackies then :D

Will eventually get Elsie a pretty black rolled leather collar for obedience, but will just get something plain for next weekend (need more collars....... :D )

I don't worry too much about pretty collars/leads for obedience... my dog is long coated so you can't even see her collar, and the leash gets abandoned after the first level anyway. I noticed at our trial last weekend when they were collecting our leads for the stays, that everyone had very plain, cotton/nylon leashes. Mine is purple with a few pink streaks through it and it was the most fancy one there :laugh:

[OSoSwift]

I wear a plain shirt, long sleeved shirt with either a plain POlar fleece vest or jumper if it cold. I tend to wear yoga pant type pants but sometimes Jeans.

I have limited slip martingales and plain cotton leads. My shirt collar and lead match to some degree.

So for the dogs their collar will have red in it, I will wear a red shirt/long sleeve shirt and the lead will be red. I know it doesn't really matter but I always believe you present yourself well and so it looks like your presentation matters. I do the same for agility, minus the jeans.

Dogs are always washed and clean. If we are showing as well one will be chalked etc.

WHen I was doing dressage the picture was the same, the horse was plaited and had some highlights, either face gloss, blackened knees etc as I believe you present yourslef like a champion regardless of what actually happens.

[Seita]

I'm probably one of the daggiest triallers out there! I often rock up with a dirty, unbrushed dog, ripped jeans and a daggy shirt. I do make a bit more of an effort for the bigger trials but most of the time can't be bothered! I let my dogs work do the talking rather than how we look from a presentation point of view. :)

[Sayreovi]

as I believe you present yourslef like a champion regardless of what actually happens.

Exactly

I would never enter any ring without having my dog well groomed and clean as it completes the package and shows respect too the judge IMO. There is nothing better than watching a beautiful, clean and groomed dog happily heeling (or running) around the ring, I would get distracted by how bad the dog looked if it hadn't seen a brush for a couple of weeks and miss all it's work

Edited April 6, 2012 by tollersowned

[spoilt lab lives here]

Ramses is usually washed before hand too. If not he is given a dry groom and always smells good for the ring. He looks better when he is clean :laugh:

[wuffles]

I rarely have time to wash my dog before trials, and she doesn't need washing nearly every weekend anyway. She's generally well groomed anyway so she always looks presentable. Same with me - I may wear trackies but I'm showered and my hair is brushed at least :laugh: I don't think it has ever affected my scores in the ring.

[bedazzledx2]

Yep have to agree neat and tidy with a clean well groomed dog shows you care. Doesn't mean you have to get dressed up... appropriate for the occasion.

I'm a bit of a dag in that I like matching collars and leads and I'm very particular about no flapping clothing. Lots of times I see novice people in the ring with a flapping coat with ties flipping in the dogs face

[huski]

LOL I rarely ever bath my dogs! Daisy would be lucky enough to have a bath every few months :laugh: