ambermae
Dog Kichi
Aug 19, 2006, 1:05 AM
Post #513 of 517
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Re: [Amanda85] Puppycom Launched Dog Obedience Training for Publics and Members
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To Amanda85, No Amanda85, I think you didn't understand what I said in my post. 1. I am not planning to get another dog. I already have two. It was the trainer who told me to throw amber out and get another dog. 2. Have you even been to formal OB classes yourself with your dog? At what level are you? And how is the performance of your dog? Top Notch? 3. If your dog is scoring 99 out of 100 and you are a trainer yourself with years of successful handling of dogs, then maybe you might be qualified to answer. 4. We do break the exercises in between with fun and games, treats etc. Training is only 5 minutes long everyday, never too long for her to get bored. Amber performs PERFECTLY at home and outside near our home, even near the traffic where there are cars, distractions etc. It is only when she reaches the Training Ground when she KNOWS its time for her to be serious that she gets like that. Adter about 10 to 15 minutes, she starts to get fed up. Not even her favourite toy will get her going. 5. At this stage in her classes, training is strictly training at the training ground. In the exam, no treats and toys are allowed.Even praising and patting is not allowed. You are not supposed to TOUCH the dog (Examiners and Qualified Trainers - tell me, aren't these the rules?). The dog is supposed to respond to you by verbal commands only. She is not supposed to stray out of the allowed leeway from your side (meaning not more than 2 or 3 inches from your knee) in all exercises. Speed in response is also of essence. 6. One example of speed. This is taught in Novice class and also at Prenovice. The handler must Run and Down the Dog. Dogs are expected to DIVE into this position from running to down. The fastest way is for the front paws to slide down, followed by the rump. However, Amber who knows the command goes Rump first (as in SIT), then only front pows down. This slows her down. In the exam, this is considered No Good for being SLOW. In my opinion, this is too strict and too regimented. We can teach her to DOWN the fast way but what for? Of what use is this command except only for clocking time in a competition? Amber is good in her own way and she is smarter than other dogs who at this stage (in her class itself) still cannot do Down. They still don't understand the command or are stubborn and will not do it. What I am saying is - why penalise the dog that CAN do it, only she's a little slow. Off leash heeling is another problem area. I don't know who told me this but putting treats in your pocket to heel the dog is not an answer. At the puppy stage (at 3mths, 4mths) , maybe can for a short while but for a 1km walk or even 500m or even 250m, believe me, the dog will lose interest . And you can't keep using treats and feeding the dog to get it to heel in the long run. (Qualified trainers - pls answr- am I right?). Whoever gave this advise is talking through her nose and probably has a dog that cannot heel or can only heel for about 10 steps before losing interest and wandering off. Recall is another problem. Its not that she doesn't come. Yes, she ALWAYS comes when called. She is an intelligent, obedient dog. BUT...she doesn't run to you at top speed but trots or walks (and therefore loses points or fails) and when she sits infront of you, sometimes she's crooked, too much to the left or too much to the right - again lose points or fail. See? Thats why I say these competition rules are too regimented, too strict. But she DOES come. Doesn't that count? In the exam - NO. Which brings me to the point of my previous post. I am looking for an Alternative Training School that trains for Other things (Utility Training, if that is the right term or Service Training) more specialised for Service Dogs like Golden Retreivers. My Amber (and I am sure many other dogs as well) is not born for Competition. Just like not every human being is born to be an athlete or a doctor. Some people are born to be designers, for example. If you want to be a designer, there are schools for this. Why not for dogs as well. I know there are Rotweiller Speciality Shows, GSD Speciality Shows etc. Maybe these are all Beauty Contests, I don't know. And I know there is Schutzund for sports, police work and protection. But these classes are not for the golden retreiver. Imagine asking a golden to bite someone! My Amber is a soft, sweet, cuddly teddybear who LOVES people. Protection training will go against her very nature. Maybe my Faith (dalmation) can try. But she also has been brought up to be friendly and gentle to everyone. What we need are Breed Specific Classes. Basic Obedience is important to every dog but after that, instead of training for a generalised competition, specific breed dogs should be trained at what they are born for. (Eg: Gundogs for retrieving). If there are trainers out there who can start these classes I am sure there will be many reponses. I see so many golden retrievers in the training ground every week, more so than any other breed. Most of them don't do well, although some do but all look bored to death. I want my Amber to do HOLD. From there, she can do household chores like fetching the handphone when it rings etc etc. Yet nobody teaches that in OB classes. I'd like Amber to do the things that you see in Cell Dogs in Animal Planet Astro. Anybody seen this? They are taugt a variety of commands specific to that they will be used for, eg as hearing dog for the deaf or seeing dog for the blind, or retreiving dropped items for the handicapped, fetching pill bottles etc etc. Pls let me know if there is such training offered.
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