JE-UK

I am finding this a really, really great approach for me ... I've been going to a super competitive obedience trainer (who specialises in small dogs) for three months now, once a month. It's a full day, in a group, lots and lots of input, and tiring for both me and the dog, but I am finding it a great way to progress.

I always thought the best way for me to learn (and face it, most of dog training is teaching people to get out of their dogs' way ), because I thought I needed someone seeing my bad habits before they had a chance to develop. I am finding this approach better, though. We have a chance to make real, visible progress in a month, which both I and the trainer can see. Sometimes, with weekly training, the progress sort of sneaks up on you because it's gradual.

I have learned that I have to be very aware of my dog. It's a tiring day for him, and by the end of it, his bubble of personal space is bigger than it is at the start of the day, and I need to be more aware of that.

Anyone else have a view about or experiences with regular short sessions versus longer intervals with more intense training?

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

fjm

I like intensive courses, partly because I love the zing of rearranging my mental furniture, and partly because I am idle and unmotivated and find it hard to keep turning out week after week! They can be very tiring though, and both dogs tend to fade very quickly. They prefer short sessions, and not too frequent. Probably the ideal for us would be a residential course, with palatial accommodation, fabulous food and wine, excellent speakers and short, fun things for the dogs to do, interspersed with gentle walks through sunny countryside and lazy sprawling by the fire. But then I probably couldn't afford it!

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

JE-UK

Someone should SO do this ... that is my idea of an idyllic time. I'd might throw in a masseuse ...

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

fjm

If we could guarantee the weather, we should do it JE! Or we could set it up somewhere on the Mediterranean, and include flights where everyone was allowed to take their dogs in the cabin with them ...

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

JE-UK

Yes! We'll invite Patricia McConnell and Mary Ray ....

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

fjm

... and call it "Fantasy Isle of Dogs"!

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

Panda

Would obedience help a dogs attention span? Panda has the attention span of a gnat, he wont eat outside so getting his attention can be hard using food, if i use a ball he goes mental cos he wants it so much and throws every trick in the book at me in quick succession regardless of what I am asking for. I dont really want to compete in obedience with him but do want him to learn to pay attention outside without crazed ball obsession. Would obedience help? I have never looked at it before.

Where do you train with Vasco?

JE-UK

Ah, a poodle overachiever . He's clearly made the link between "do stuff and the good stuff comes", now you just need the next step, which is "only when I ASK for it do you get the reward".

I went through some of this with Vasco (and sometimes still do if I happen to have super good treats on me). It just takes patience. Best to start in a low distraction environment. Ask for the behaviour, something he knows well, like 'sit', then just wait, like a human statue, as he runs through his repertoire. Look at him, but don't give another cue. When he (eventually!) sits and stays in his sit, give the treat or throw his ball.

I find obedience great fun ... we train in Dorking with Ruth Dunning, in a pet-level obedience class, and we go once a month to a competitive obedience trainer called Maria Carter. It's all tricks to the dog, really .

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

Panda

How did you find your obedience class? I cant find any near me. I looked on Obedience UK but it doesnt seem to have many training sessions on there.

Panda is a very excitable dog so its hard finding a reward that interests him (not interested in food) but doesnt interest him too much (like a ball drives him insane)

I will try just getting him to sit outside although not sure what to reward him with, he would much rather be running around full pelt lol. He is a crazy one (ask Emily she will vouch for this.. she looked after him when i visited my father lol)