Does Your Dog Work Better Or Harder In Some Situations?

[aussielover]

My pup works SOOOO much better whenever she is at an actual guide dog training session.

She is much more focussed and responsive to me during these sessions. This is despite being surrounded by up to 15-20 other bouncy lab puppies!

It is odd becuase usually when she sees another lab she just wants to play or kiss them, but when we are at training she actually totally ignores them and will just stand there with a long suffering look on her face if they try to play with her or kiss her!

I'm not sure why she is better behaved because I barely even use treats during this training. i use more treats training at home!

This sounds ridiculous, but I actually feel like she knows she must behave, and perhaps knows that she is really working during this time?

Maybe she picks up on a change in my attitude (a bit more focussed and serious as well) or something?

She is usually pretty good on "training" walks at home but I have noticed she will do the occaisonal "wrong" thing like try to eat food off the footpath or sniff something, where as at training she doesn't really try to do that even if theres food everywhere.

Does anyone elses dog behave very differently in specific training session?

[*Oscar*]

Ive noticed that when I try obedience training in my local park my boy just wants to jump and play and I struggle to do a session. On the other hand when I go to obedience class he doesnt do any of this and actually responds about 80% better.

Glad his better at class though

[Vickie]

Trim likes to perform for a crowd.

Her intensity goes up a notch from training to a trial & then another notch again at a demo with people clapping & cheering.

[Vickie]

Oh yeah, and another notch again if it's any kind of race against another dog, like a relay.

[pawsaroundoz]

Interesting topic!

My now 5 yr old Whippet Clancy works in mysterious ways! He will not work in the ring here at all, in Darwin all OT are at late afternoon or evening and ther is only 1 ring up at a time.....yet he gained his CCD with good passes whilst we were on holidays in South Australia and Victoria.

I think it may be a combination of a) trials are in the day, in light. b) there is so much more going on all around him he has to focus more and maybe c) Clancy thinking "If I lose her here it's a long way home and I don't really know my way"!

What do others think?

Annie