Your Training Schedule

[Seita]

An article in this month's dog world got me thinking about what other people do during the week when they are trialling regularly. The article was written by one of QLD's top triallers and in it he mentions that he does 2 formal sessions a week (by formal he means with rings set up etc) plus other informal sessions as well. That got me thinking as I never ever (ok maybe once every 2 or 3 months) do a session in a ring and I am flat out training each exercise even once per week!

So what does everyone else do? How many times do you train, in what sort of environments/locations, when do you train in the lead up to a trial etc?

I try to train each exercise once during the week in the lead up to a trial and very rarely do all exercises in the same session. I use different locations, sometimes the club grounds, sometimes the park next to a busy play ground, sometimes the dog park etc. I normally only do 2 sessions during the week and if I find time for a third it's usually only working on positions, presents, finishes etc. I find that I've been doing less and less lately as things seem to break when I overtrain them.

[freundhund]

I haven't seen the article but I have trialled a number of dogs, but I am not an expert. I find personally that the amount of training I do with my dog/s has depended on the dog.

My first dog, I only ever, trainned once a week at my club!!!!!! Any more than once a week she would look at me like I was insane, but she would learn tricks. This girl passed every trial I entered her in first up.

My second dog, I trialled, I had to train a minimum of twice a day, like a drill sergeant. As well as ring practice reguarly, he was a *** of a dog!.

My third and fourth dogs were brother and sister, who I think I over trainned as I worked them every day, the girl would pass her trials every time, I still don't think I want to admit the number of trials it took to get the boy's, CD, CDX or UD titles!!!!!!!!!!

The next couple of dogs didn't really hit the trial ring, as I had children with them. So my current dog, I go to class twice a week, and do lots of fun obedience training with a ball and a tug toy a couple of other times a week. The first time this girl really did a formal session was at class training the week before her first trial, I am being careful not to over train this girl as she is extremely willing and I don't want to destroy the willingness.

[Tay.]

I don't really do anything different in a lead up to a trial.

For obedience, I 'formally' train once a week at a club (with a ring set up), and might just do bits here and there at home.

I also go to a club for agility once a week, but do more stuff at home (small sequences, work on whatever we need to i.e. weave entries).

[JulesP]

Well I don't trial regularly as it takes me a while to recover

When I am not being slack I do 2 formal sessions a week, often with a real judge. I then train every other night informally at home. All of these sessions are short.

I've backed off the training with Poppy and have much more drive but a little less precision.

I don't do anything for a couple of days prior to the trial as the nerves are too shot by that time and I would break something.

[Beth.]

Although i'm VERY VERY new to trialing, I so far don't train at least the day before, and usually take her for a swim or something nice and relaxing. The less I do before hand, the more driven she is to work! I like to do a few sessions a week (of about 5mins a session, not a whole lot), and I don't ever do ring runouts (as I don't have anyone to call for me etc). The first trial I entered, I hadn't done a runout so wasn't sure what to expect, but she was very good considering!! Athough, at the moment I'm doing more agility training then obedience

It's interesting to read how others train

[bedazzledx2]

I have the opportunity to do an informal run through once a week but most of the time I will work on either individual exercises or string a couple together or work on duration...just depends on what needs work. UDX puts a spanner in the works as a lot of it is conflicting and you have to be really careful what order you work on particular exercises.

I train at club but not in classes about 3 times a week and trial most weekends. I do a lot of attitude training and intersperse my training with lots of play.

edit spelling

Edited May 11, 2011 by bedazzledx2

[murve]

Hi Seita I do informal training at home, having 4 dogs here I am finding giving our older dogs commands of sit, drop or stand our 2 babies have been picking up off the older 2. We do formal training at club once a week, but I have been training up our older 2 for ET