[jak]

...including my trainer who has put an OTCH on one Mini and a UDX on another.

What is OTCH, obviously it's a title, but what specifically is it?

 

[jak]

For me, the recall is not something that my Poodles choose to do because they like me, but something that they are trained to do no matter what the distraction. For me this is major safety issue. If you are relying on your dog's good will to return to you, you may encounter a situation one day where something else is more interesting than you and your dog may not come back to you quickly enough.

I used to have a Smooth Fox Terrier (Trixie). This dog was completely obsessed with her frisbee. I would have to say that it was her favorite thing in the world. One day in the park we were playing frisbee and this guy walks up and wants to throw it for her. He totally miscalculates and accidentally throws it into the middle of a busy street. Trixie had taken off after the frisbee and was about to run into the path of an on-coming car. I gave her the recall command and she stopped, turned and came back to me. A well trained recall saved her life.

When I am out on the trails with my dogs, we encounter other off leash dogs (not always well behaved), cattle, deer, coyotes, bikers, runners, equestrians and there is always the threat of bear, moose and mountain lions. Being off leash is a high stakes proposition in Colorado.

I train the recall with a combination of treats, praise and yes compulsion training as a consequence for non-compliance. My dogs learn that the recall is NOT OPTIONAL. I can guarantee that they still love me just fine.

Exactly right, as with any command, Saffy has to do it, recall is definitely paramount, and she'll come back every time, despite the distraction

 

[jak]

Obedience Trial Champion..... I believe it is the most difficult performance title to get because not only do you have to be able to do the exercises at the Open and Utility levels, you have to BEAT the other competitors who are also competing at that level.

You need 100 points to get the title and you get points based on placing 1-3 (maybe 4th too) and by winning over a certain number of other competitors.

Pat Kadel, who teaches my Obedience class, has put 3 OTCHs and a MACH (top agility title) on three different dogs: Australian Terrier, Mini Schnauzer, and 2 Minis)

Wow, that is quite the achievement, I can't wait to start getting into the higher stuff with Saffy, we just double won Special Beginners Obedience, and will hopefully be moving into Novice, sometime in 2010. And I'm confident we'll be able to start higher levels of agility early next 2010, which will be great to get more titles

 

[jak]

What exercises do you do in Special Beginners? We don't have that class. What about Novice? Here in the States Novice is:

healing on leash
healing off leash
figure eight on leash
recall
stand for exam
1 minute group sit (handlers still in ring)
3 minute group down (handlers still in ring)

I couldn't tell you exactly now, but it goes something like this:
(I'll find out later or maybe FD will chime in?)

Special Beginners (You can only ever enter this if you haven't won it with 72/75 points twice, luckily I only won it twice with 71.5!)

Heel On Lead
Heel Off Lead
Sit/Stays 2 min
Down/Stays 2min
Recall & Finish


I think Novice is this:

Heel On Lead
Heel Off Lead

(obviously more advanced heelwork)

Sit/Stays
Down/Stays

(not sure how long)

Recall with Dumbbell (I think that's how it goes)


Basically only difference between them is:

Dumbbell & Slightly more advanced heelwork (which is actually easier, go figure)