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  1. #11
    Best Friend Retriever annkie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JenC View Post
    He's a cutie pie! Working with a new breed is interesting, huh? The Griff is very different than the labs.
    OMG Archie is totally opposite from Jules in almost every regard! Jules was like...reliably even keel. Archie is so not! Maybe he will be later. But I have to say that I love his size and personality. The only thing I DON'T love is the barking he's been doing lately. Not a fan of that at all!

  2. #12
    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    If he has prey drive and likes to use his nose, I would very much suggest looking into Barn Hunt. It's a very easy sport to train for if you are new to dog sports. In my opinion it's also easier and cheaper than nosework. Nothing wrong with also doing nose work, but the trialing process is more expensive and more involved. My Griff puppy is five months and we have just started introducing her to barn hunt.

    Barn Hunt Association

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  4. #13
    Best Friend Retriever annkie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shellbell View Post
    If he has prey drive and likes to use his nose, I would very much suggest looking into Barn Hunt. It's a very easy sport to train for if you are new to dog sports. In my opinion it's also easier and cheaper than nosework. Nothing wrong with also doing nose work, but the trialing process is more expensive and more involved. My Griff puppy is five months and we have just started introducing her to barn hunt.

    Barn Hunt Association
    I briefly read up on barn hunting. It does sound like he would be good at it. He's been attempting to catch some chipmunks in our back yard for a while now and he almost caught up a full grown deer the other day :-O If it wouldn't be for us I'm sure he would've brought something dead by now. *sigh* The other day he caught an inch size cricket that made it into the kitchen and ate it! EW!!! I heard the crunching and everything *barf*. He's also a pretty good fly catcher lol Anyway... looks like the closes barn hunt class is an hour from me so not sure if that's gonna work out. BUT I checked the schedule for the nose work class and I'm gonna try to sit in on the class next week to see what's what.

  5. #14
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by annkie View Post
    That's really awesome about your friend's dog. Clearly he had some natural talents.

    Archie has his own Instagram page! Instagram


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    followed! what a cutey


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  7. #15
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    You could do anything.

    My suggestion would be to start with relationship stuff, like engagement. And do basic obedience and get into competition obedience, even if you never compete. If you get with a trainer who puts obedience into games, you might be able to convince Archie that it's fun, possibly more fun than sniffing. You could "make" him stop sniffing and then you'll get a partially engaged dog that does what you want with little joy. You could let him sniff as a reward. I know plenty of people in obedience with beagles who started doing that and it's worked out really well for them, but it takes a trainer who knows what they are doing. Once you have basic obedience down, the sky is the limit.

    Agility is sort of the same as obedience. If he finds sniffing better than agility, you're back to the same issue. But again, you can teach him that if he does what you ask, then you'll let him do what he wants (Premack).

    What about dock diving?

    Barn hunt is fun!

    Have you looked into tracking?

    Nosework is great and you can start at any age. I know lots of older dogs that do it and almost everyone I know uses it as a retirement strategy for their agility and obedience dogs that will still need to work when their dogs have aged out of the more active sports. It is hard to find a good nosework trainer and it's more expensive than obedience. Classes are almost twice as much and a weekend trial often involves travel and hotel and the entries are more than obedience. You sit in your car while other dogs are working and your dog works for like two minutes a few times a day. I think the training part sounds more fun that competing. Might be a little different in your area; you'll have to ask around. Fenzi Dog Sport Academy has three nosework trainers, two of which were top five at the recent inaugural nosework nationals at Eukanuba Center. I hear you can learn nosework easily on your own, but it's good to find a traveling class once your dog is ready so you can do it in novel locations (like trialing).

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  9. #16
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    I know exactly what you mean about the dog checking scent on the air. I am currently going through a really detail-fixing-get-it-done-right heeling program with mine. Not because I want a super-duper well-heeling dog, but I want one that absolutely keeps her attention on me. I know when she's lost her concentration because I can see her nose start to work.

    As it relates to your CGC class...

    I think any dog there will probably be messing up or losing focus (if they aren't they don't need to be in the class. They'd just test and get the title.) It's just that YOUR dog is into his nose when he's bored with you. So now you know what his "tell" is. You look for when he switches on his nose and BOOM... do something to get his attention.

    It could be a little pop on the leash and a "pay attention" command. Or it could be a quick change of direction if you're heeling. Or it could be you just speak to him while you're heeling. But, whatever it is that you do to get his attention... the minute he looks at you... "Hey! Aren't you a good boy! Atta boy Archie! Let's go this way! NO... let's go THIS way! Wow, you are the BEST dog.... SIT. GOOD!!!! Now HEEL..." And you keep it up. You make it a game so that he has to look at you to participate.

    I think it's entirely possible that Archie's high drive and over-active nose might make him EASIER to train, not more difficult.

    Check out this video.
    Watermark Training Center - Bill Hillmann - YouTube

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  11. #17
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    You just have to be patient more for your dog. For sure it will obey or it will absorb the training eventually. You just have to put your full trust for it.

 



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