Cdnjennga

Does anyone have any recommendations for a quality obedience competition book? It's early days for us, considering Darcy only just learned how to stay, but I would like to start looking ahead at how to train for obedience trials. When I look on Amazon, I can only find general training books.

I do also plan to attend a competitive obedience class, as I know much of being successful is the little tricks and body positions. I would just like to have a head start on some of the training that we need to. I would also love to know of any obedience competition websites.

Feralpudel

My very very favorite competition obedience book is by Judy Byron and Adele Yunck. I believe it is called something like Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act or something like that (it is sitting upstairs right now). It is very comprehensive and thorough. It takes each exercise and describes the foundation work and vocabulary you need to develop for that exercise, then takes you through the steps of teaching it, from beginning to proofing. (Adele Yunck has written a separate book on proofing. Sadly, Judy Byron died in the late phases of the Balancing Act book.)

It is always a good idea to take classes and attend seminars when you can. But if any book could take you from Novice A through Utility without ever taking a class, it would be this one.

A great website for dog books is Welcome to Dogwise.com - Dog Books. It is much easier to find books for specific performance events and issues there than on Amazon.

I belong to two Yahoo groups--one is an all-breed competition obedience (dogobedience : For people who are competing or training), the other is a poodle obedience group (ObedPoodle : ObedPoodle). Both groups are very helpful and friendly, but of course my heart is with the poodle group. There is a lot of friendly chit-chatand brags on both lists, but if you ask a specific training question, you will get lots of good help. There are some truly awesome trainers on the poodle list.

Cdnjennga

Awesome info, thanks, I will check all of that out! How fun that there is a Poodle obedience group. I might join it and lurk for a bit so I'm ready when I want to ask questions.

And for anyone interested in the book, here's the link: Welcome to Dogwise.com

flyingduster

haha, I was going to suggest obedpoodle group too! I haven't been there in ages (and gave up getting the emails...) but might have to go back as I'm getting into obedience more!

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Feralpudel

Yes, FD, we'd love to have you back! I always love your training clips.