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  1. #1
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    I have a question about Obedience Classes.

    There is a dog training club in town, and I might want to participate in a class but don't know which one we would be appropriate.

    The "Beginner Class" is listed as Canine Good Citizen stuff. We've done that.

    The next one up is Advanced Beginner and it's listed as being for dogs working on Beginner Novice or Novice titles. So I went to the AKC webpage and copied this:

    For the dog just getting started in obedience. Exercises include:

    • Heel on Leash and Figure Eight -- show whether the dog has learned to watch its handler and adjust its pace to stay with the handler.
    • Heel Free -- done off leash.
    • Stand for Examination -- is of great benefit when the dog needs hands-on care by a veterinarian.
    • Recall -- provides the handler with the ability to call the dog and get an immediate response at all times.
    • Long Sit (1 minute) -- allows the handler to have control of the dog when visitors come to the home.
    • Long Down (3 minutes) -- dog must remain in a down position.


    We have this down. Except for the recall. She doesn't do a front sit... and I really don't know if I want her to learn it. I don't know if I would honk off the ladies of the dog obedience club or not, but maybe I could explain she's a field dog and that's that. And I don't necessarily want her to walk with her eyes looking up at my face, as long as she maintains her position next to me.

    But then there is stand for exam. That is probably going to be a killer. How do you teach that?

    I have sent an e-mail to them describing what she can and can't do and asking them. I guess it may depend upon whether or not they are training for "street obedience" or "ring obedience". I won't know how anal they are until I hear from them.

    Any thoughts or suggestions?

    Addendum: I looked at the AKC website again and noticed this: (I guess this is Open...)

    The second level includes more complicated exercises, which teach the dog to do a variety of tasks and to follow commands either by voice or signal. Exercises include:

    • Heel Free and Figure Eight -- Same as Novice, but off leash.
    • Drop on Recall -- can be a lifesaving command for a dog, since it gives the handler control in potentially dangerous situations.
    • Retrieve on Flat
    • Retrieve Over High Jump
    • Broad Jump
    • Long Sit (3 minutes) -- similar to the long sit in Novice, but the position must be held for a longer period of time with the handler out of the dog's sight.
    • Long Down (5 minutes) -- dog must remain in a down position.


    To tell you the truth, this might be a heck of a lot easier. No stand involved. She retrieves like... well... a retriever. We've done jumps in training to teach her to take a line no matter what is in front of her. She stops on recall, I'd just have to teach her to down.




    Last edited by TuMicks; 10-18-2017 at 06:01 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    WE went for an evaluation with the trainer, since we had not started our training with her. And we went to observe a class at the level she thought we should be in. You could ask for something similar. She didn't charge us for this but it took her time so I can see how there might be a charge.
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  3. #3
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    None of these things are hard, but like everything else, the require teaching, training, proofing, testing. Honestly the biggest issue I'm having with Brooks is stand for exam. Damn friendly Labradors just can't help but wiggle and sniff when someone approaches them!

    Funny enough Brooks gets bored on the stays, he will sniff and look around. But when we are in the field his/sit stays are rock solid. Go figure!

    If I were you I'd do what feels best for you to do. You know RD best, and Id' say go with her strengths.
    Last edited by barry581; 10-19-2017 at 07:25 AM.

  4. #4
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    I think it depends on what you want to do ... the classes are fairly obviously arranged with competition in mind, and you need to complete the Novice title before you can go in Open, but if all you want is to play around with her, it would depend on how flexible the club is.

    A couple things - she doesn’t need to watch you while heeling as long as she maintains heel position. We train for attention, because it makes it easier for them to be precise, and because I prefer the look of it, but it isn’t required by any stretch. The only thing that’s scored is position. Also, there’s no reason you couldn’t teach a front on the recall - just use a different command. In Utility, the dogs have to come front on most exercises, but on the moving stand, they need to return directly to heel (as in field). They have no problem differentiating between the two. I’ve known many people who compete in both venues and it hasn’t been an issue. Just use “here” for field (or whatever you already use) and “front” for Obedience. Dogs aren’t dumb - they can tell the difference just by collar, attitude and location, so if you add in a different command it just makes it that much easier for them.

    As for the stand for exam, it’s simply a stay while in a stand. So you teach them how to stand on command, and then you tell them to stay. And stay means stay no matter what, including no matter that a judge is touching you. If they break to sniff or say hi to the judge, it’s the same correction you would use if they broke a stay anywhere else. Really not as complicated as people make it out to be (although, full disclosure, it took me until my 3rd competition dog to realize it).
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  6. #5
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    I don't know of any obedience instructors around here. Hmmm... but maybe I know someone who would know.

    I think I might want to do Ob training over the winter because I'm coming to believe that the HEEL is likely to improve her line manners. I THINK we are pretty good at HEEL now, but it would be a new set of distractors and a different way to proof her (as Barry says.)

    Last night with string cheese, I got her to stand stay briefly... but I know she'll succumb to the wiggles when anyone comes near her.

    Well, it might be interesting to look in to further.

    Edit: I got an email from the dog training club and I agree with them that we probably need to be in the Beginner Class. I also asked if they knew of any private instructors.
    Last edited by TuMicks; 10-19-2017 at 10:12 AM.

  7. #6
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    TuMicks, I dis-agree your dog already front sits. She handles correct? When ever you whistle sit her it is a front sit, just a a distance. Vic

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  9. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by TuMicks View Post
    Last night with string cheese, I got her to stand stay briefly... but I know she'll succumb to the wiggles when anyone comes near her.

    Well, it might be interesting to look in to further.
    You know, most of competitive Obedience is about impulse control, the stand for exam being a prime example. All of it might prove beneficial to her field work from that standpoint.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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  10. #8
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZEKESMAN View Post
    TuMicks, I dis-agree your dog already front sits. She handles correct? When ever you whistle sit her it is a front sit, just a a distance. Vic
    That's a good point. I'm doing Traffic Cop (though took a hiatus to do Hillmann's Heeling routine) and she gets the sit on a hand signal. So, yeah. She handles and maybe it would just be an extension of what she already does. I suspect like a lot of things, it won't be winning style for the Ob. ring... but she could do it.

  11. #9
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Annette47 View Post
    You know, most of competitive Obedience is about impulse control, the stand for exam being a prime example. All of it might prove beneficial to her field work from that standpoint.
    YES! Our purpose for the last few months has been do deal with the tippy-tappy front feet as the birds (bumpers, actually) go down. I take the dancing as a signal that her impulse to go is on the verge of overcoming her training to wait. I don't totally understand the connection but there is one with more rigid heeling standards. (That and she gets to retrieve about 1 in 20 tosses.)

    Anyhow, yes... impulse control, PLUS keep your attention on me even though we're in a new and exotic training environment.

  12. #10
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    I have just started to research some lessons for M and Elle. I want afternoons so it may be difficult. The closest place giving them offers 4 lessons for $150.00 and is taught by a young woman that took her basic obedience from my sister and I. Not sure. Another set are at a very large facility 6 lessons for $165.00 but they are at 6:00 on a Sunday evening. I really like the instructor though. There is one more to check out and I am hoping they may do private afternoon lessons for my sister and I. We would even rent their facility and do the lessons ourselves. I was laughing with a friend that when we did lessons as a service for a small kennel club in the area we charged $90.00 for 8 weeks and gave the participants a training collar and 6' leather leash. It was all volunteer work and when we retired we were able to donate almost $8000.00 to a local rescue. People still call the "dog ladies" asking if we are giving lessons or can they get another leash or training collar. Lessons were strictly basic obedience so that people would have a dog they could live with.
    I would like to do novice with M and basic with Elle. I eventually would like at least a CD on both. Will need to bone up on the new rules as it has been while.

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