dididog Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Hi, ever since getting onto DOL I've wanted to do something with Didi that's fun and gets us amongst the dog community. As she's a Great Dane mix this rules out shows and most dog sports but I really think she'd do well at Obedience. Trouble is I have no idea what the world of Obedience trials is like and what steps apart from joining an obedience club I need to do to get there. So pretty much just looking for someone to clue me in a bit on what it is all about or steer me to some resources to give me a better idea. Didi is almost 4 months old and will finish puppy school on Saturday, she picks things up really quickly (Day 5 of learning stay and she can hold for 10 seconds while I move into another room :D )and will do anything for food/toys/affection but I'm not sure when to make the transition to going to obedience training as I don't want to throw her in the deep end too quickly. I live in the inner north west of Melbourne so any suggestions of clubs/trainers in my area would also be appreciated though at the moment Keilor Obedience Dog Training Centre looks good, has anyone been here?(don't mind going to the east side but could only do this on a weekend). Thanks! :) Edited February 3, 2014 by Terri S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 dane mix doesnt rule out dog sports - there's tracking, scent detection, LandSAR, agility, etc :) Obedience is a great start if you want to tighten your own skills too, you can always branch out later I know there is 4 Paws up near you but I don't know if they do competitive obedience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dididog Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 dane mix doesnt rule out dog sports - there's tracking, scent detection, LandSAR, agility, etc :) Obedience is a great start if you want to tighten your own skills too, you can always branch out later I know there is 4 Paws up near you but I don't know if they do competitive obedience. Tracking is another thing I have considered as she has a very keen nose but I don't really want to do something more high impact like agility for the time being at least due to her joints but that's another reason I thought obedience would be a good place to start. Keilor seems to be pretty comprehensive and sets the dog up for competitive obedience though I'm not 100% sure what the requirements are to compete in obedience. I looked at 4 Paws and they seem similar to Keilor in terms of what and how they teach, they have an info session this Saturday so I might check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Hey Terri, obedience is a great sport, it's my favourite! I would suggest finding out when the next obedience trials (competitions) are on at your local clubs. Go along and watch a couple to give yourself a good idea of what the sport looks like on a competitive level and to give yourself some ideas on what you want to aim for in your training. Even when you are just starting out it can be a good idea to have a picture in your mind of the end goal, as it can shape how you approach training. You don't have to join an obedience club to do obedience, I have attended classes and instructed them in the past but I personally don't find club training styles tend to fit well with how I approach training now. Of course joining a club can also have it's benefits and can be a good way to get more exposure to the sport. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask as we have many experienced obedience competitors and trainers on DOL :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dididog Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Hey Terri, obedience is a great sport, it's my favourite! I would suggest finding out when the next obedience trials (competitions) are on at your local clubs. Go along and watch a couple to give yourself a good idea of what the sport looks like on a competitive level and to give yourself some ideas on what you want to aim for in your training. Even when you are just starting out it can be a good idea to have a picture in your mind of the end goal, as it can shape how you approach training. You don't have to join an obedience club to do obedience, I have attended classes and instructed them in the past but I personally don't find club training styles tend to fit well with how I approach training now. Of course joining a club can also have it's benefits and can be a good way to get more exposure to the sport. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask as we have many experienced obedience competitors and trainers on DOL :) I just did some searching and found one in March not too far from me so I'll check it out. I'm not a super confident trainer so I'd probably like to join a club at least initially for guidance as well as helping to strengthen Didi's ability to focus around other dogs but Keilor is a pretty casual arrangement so if it isn't for us no harm done. I have watched some videos on youtube so I have an idea of what it consists of but yeah definitely like to get down and experience the atmosphere as well. Also I've done horse shows and hacking in the past and I must admit I didn't enjoy it most of the time as it was stressful, expensive and to be honest quite nasty sometimes and I don't want to get into something similar, is the competitive dog world more enjoyable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Competition is what you make of it - I run my dogs in 3 sports (obedience, agility and retrieving) and some people take it way too seriously. I want my dogs to be busting out of their skins to get in the ring. That's it. Everything else is the icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) I agree with what TSD has said. It is what you make of it - I think no matter what sport you do you will come across some nasty people but you will meet many great people too! I have met some of my best friends through doing obedience. For me it's a great way to enjoy my dog and share that enjoyment with other like minded people. ETA: most clubs are also happy to let you come along and observe a nights training. Definitely do this if you can, if you enjoy watching the dogs and handlers work together it can be a good indication of whether the club is a good place to get started. Edited February 3, 2014 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dididog Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm really only looking for something where I can spend time with my dog and both of us have fun, I'm not looking to win titles and have the best dog (although she is already unofficially the best dog in my eyes) so hopefully I'll be able to find like minded people to surround myself with which unfortunately was not the case when I was showing horses. I'm hoping to make some dog-minded friends out of this as well... so long as they don't mind associating with a 17 year old uni kid :laugh: I reckon I'll get together a short list of clubs and contact them to see if I can sit in on a session and from there make my pick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm probably in the minority but I really enjoy the club environment for obedience training. I'm taking my puppy through all our club levels even though I know what I'm doing :) I have made HEAPS of friends through dog club and from my experience new blood is welcomed by most. I did find it took a while to "prove" myself to certain people but all hobbies are the same! I'd also recommend seeing if you can get out and watch both obedience and rally obedience trials. Most clubs are crying out for volunteers so if you have some spare time they'd probably love some help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 A lot depends on the club - there's quite a variety now. :) To the OP - have PMd you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Pity you're up there or I'd say come join us in Geelong :laugh: hey it's not that far to drive really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dididog Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 Pity you're up there or I'd say come join us in Geelong :laugh: hey it's not that far to drive really Shame! Didi is a Geelong native though haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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