Red's Intermediate Obedience Class - Page 4

**Burns** · 08-12-2008, 10:01 PM

Red was FULL of piss and vinegar tonight! It's my fault though - I've been working all weekend and we haven't been on a walk since last week. He was just so hyper tonight - it was exhausting! But he still listened and did well, but he just had so much energy.

First we always "warm up" and go through a few commands to get the dogs in the groove. The instructors come around and do a "sit for exam". Then we worked on the "stand/stay" and did a "stand for exam". We need to work on our stand/stay for next week.

We also started learning right side finishes. So instead of the dog moving from a sit in front of you, straight to your left side - the dog circles around your right side behind you and ends up in heel position at your left side. Red got the hang of this pretty quick with the lure, but we need to work on it without the food lure.

Then we did heeling in a large circle, with different turns and paces. Lots of halts, and did 1 step-halt, 2 step-halt, 3 step-halt. And the same with back-up recall - 1 step-come/sit, 2 steps come/sit, 3 steps come/sit.

Then we heeled our dogs around the other handlers and dogs in mainly a figure 8 pattern, but we could do any other thing we wanted - changes of direction, circles, halts, back-up recall, etc. Last week Red could do this off-leash, but this week he was so full of energy and easily distracted that I didn't trust him fully enough, so I used a tab on his choke and he did well with that.

We also practiced quick downs and moving downs. Red's down is pretty fast from a sit, but we've never really worked on moving downs before. He did well with the lure, so it will be a matter of practicing until I can remove the lure into position.

Also did long sit/stays and down/stays. The sit/stay was a full minute, and the down/stay was a full two minutes. Then we went back to heel position, circled again, then released. That way when we return, the dog doesn't automatically think its being released right away. I want to work on these long sit/down/stays more this week.

The part that I enjoyed the most was Red got to show off a bit and do an off-leash 150 yard recall with distractions. I put him in a sit/stay, turned and jogged about 150 yards away, waited about 10 seconds, then released, and he bolted - straight as an arrow toward me, and finished in a perfectly straight sit! I was so proud!

Red and I are the only ones with a solid sit/down/stay where I can turn my back and run away from him for a very long distance and he doesn't budge. That was a good end to my challenging night.

Note to self: More exercise is needed before class next week!!

**sebsyd** · 08-12-2008, 11:35 PM

Sounds like you and Red are having a great time in class. Don't you feel great when they do really well??( Especially in front of the rest of the class.)

StarlessSkye · 08-13-2008, 12:15 AM

That sounds like SO much fun! It's so rewarding to be a star in one of the areas and show off what our dogs can do.

I always find Logan works better with exercise before classes, but we're in socialization classes right now and nothing official. I can't wait until I get to do this stuff!

Thank you for the reports!

Travis · 08-13-2008, 09:38 AM

Seems like you and Red are doing great!

Do you plan on doing more advanced training after this class?

**Burns** · 08-13-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

Do you plan on doing more advanced training after this class?

I may do an advanced class - just because they are so much fun! I would also like to compete in Rally at some point as well and maybe get a novice title.

Travis · 08-13-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burns

I may do an advanced class - just because they are so much fun! I would also like to compete in Rally at some point as well and maybe get a novice title.

That's great, seems like that path that Amanda and I want to take our Athena on.

Best of luck.

**kais_mom** · 08-19-2008, 09:50 PM

Sounds like it is going really well and what an awesome recall!

When you said more exercise before class, now at 3 I have finally stopped going to a dog park to wear Kai out before classes!!! Otherwise he was just so full of it.

Keep up the good work!

Heidi-G · 08-19-2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burns

I'm going to use this thread to keep a "journal" of our weekly training sessions once they start. I find it helpful to write down thoughts and updates afterwards so I can refer back to them later.

Very cool, I think it would be so much fun to be able to get into something like this with Heidi. Good Luck!

**Burns** · 08-19-2008, 11:15 PM

So Red and I went for a nice, long walk today before class, and since he was adequately exercised prior to class, we worked mostly off-leash this week. I had a tab on him just in case, but he was great tonight

We basically reviewed and practiced everything we did last week. They added an "about right turn" into the heeling, which Red already knows how to do, so that was good

The instructor definitely thinks I should compete with him and gave me the name of a club in Flint to check out for Rally and Fun Matches. So I'll have to check it out!

Only one more class to go - I am sad

But next week they are setting up a Rally course for us to practice on, so that will be fun! I don't think I will be doing any more classes with him this year (lots of other expenses this fall), but will most likely do an Agility class in the spring. And we're taking his TDI test next month.

Red discovered the dumbells today! We got there early to take some photos in honor of him turning 18 months old, and he found some wooden dumbells by one of the jumps on the field

He thought he was sooo cool, lol

click for video

He's got the "crazy eyes" going in this photo, lol

I love dumbells! =)

Practicing recall
click for video

"This is too high, mom. I'll just sit by it, k?"

Me and Redders

See Red's Photo Thread for his "official" 18 month photos

**Burns** · 08-26-2008, 10:35 PM

Well this was our last week of class :'( I'm sad its done - I wish we could just keeping going every week - and so does Red!

This week the instructor set up a Rally course and we all got to go through it with our dogs. And OMG it was so fun! I definitely want to do this with Red - I think he'd be great with some practice. I'm going to look into making some signs and cones and practice in my yard - or maybe buy a book with Rally signs and courses to practice. I'm seriously excited about this - definitely something I want to pursue

The instructor, Michelle, has been great throughout class - giving me and Red a lot of individual attention and even invited us to a private training group which is held every Saturday morning at the place where Red and I did the CGC test. We went last Saturday and it was fantastic! It was a group of about 8 people and their dogs (GSD, Rotts, Boxer, Collie, Husky, Wheaten terrier, Golden) and they practice advanced obedience and some agility. I was so honored to be invited and Red did great!

After class tonight, she said that she was skeptical when she first met me and I told her I did all Red's training myself, but she and Mark (the owner of the other training center) were so impressed and blown away at what Red could do. She said all sorts of really nice things that made me blush a bit - it was just so great to hear that feedback and encouragement. I really feel like I've accomplished something

So Red and I are done with formal classes for this year. We will do agility with Michelle in the spring. And in the meantime, I'm going to look on the AKC website for some Rally events in the area

Thanks to everyone who has followed this thread and allowed me to share these past 8 weeks. It was a great experience, and I would highly recommend Common Scents training for anyone near the north Oakland County area - or those willing to make the drive - you won't be disappointed!