OBEDIENCE WITH ELLEN

 

       

     

     

 

 

 

 

 

  FROM  AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 2  REGULATIONS  FOR PERFORMANCE  AND JUDGING STANDARDS  AND  PROCEDURES  Section  1. Standardized  Judging.    The Obedience  Regulations are the basic guide to judging but do not contain explicit  directions for every possible situation and only list the more common and serious faults.  They clearly define the exercises, their order and the standards  by which they  are to be judged.  If a decision  depends on the exact  wording of the Obedience  Regulations,  the  judge  is  expected  to  look  up  the  specific regulation  prior to making the decision.  Standardized  judging  is of paramount  importance.  Judges are not permitted  to inject their own variations  into the exercise  but will see that each handler and dog perform the various exercises e...

AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 4 OPEN  Obedience Regulations Section 6. Heel Free and  Figure Eight, Performance  and Scoring. Obedience Regulations This  exercise  will  be  performed  in  the  same  manner  as the  Novice  Heel on Leash and  Figure  Eight  exercise  except  that  the  dog will  be  off leash. Orders and scoring are  the  same  as in the  Novice  Heel  on Leash  and Figure Eight.  REFERENCE NOVICE HEEL

 AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 2 Regulations for Performance and Judging  Section 18. Heel Position.   The heel position as defined in these regulations applies whether the dog is sitting, standing, lying down or moving at heel.  The dog should be at the handler’s left side straight in line with the direction the handler is facing.  The area from the dog’s head to shoulder is to be in line with the handler’s left hip.  The dog should be close to but not crowding its handler so that the handler has freedom of motion at all times.   Section 19. Hands and Arms.   The Heel on Leash and Figure Eight exercise specifically states that the hands must be in a natural position but do not require that  they  be  at  the  handler’s  side  while  heeling  on leash.  On the other hand, no judge should consider that a handler is unnatural just because they do not perform with the hands and arms in the same p...

AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 16  BEGINNER NOVICE OPTIONAL TITLING CLASS  (Established  July 1, 2010)   Section 6. Heel on Leash.    The principal  feature of this exercise is the ability  of the dog and handler to work as a team.  The orders are: “Forward” and “Exercise  Finished.”  Rally  signs will  be  used  for this  exercise  and  will  be  placed  to  the  right of the  handler’s  path  except  for those  indicating  a  change  in  direction, in which case the sign will be directly  in front of the team  to aid in that change.   The  “Start”  sign,  while  not  required,  may  be  used  to  signify  the starting  point for the heel  on leash exercise.  Signs  to be used are “Right turn,” “Left turn,” “About turn,” “Slow,” “N...

AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS FROM CHAPTER 3 NOVICE   Section 5. Heel  on Leash and Figure Eight.   The principal  feature of this exercise  is the ability  of the dog and handler  to work as a team. The  orders are:   “Forward,”   “Halt,”   “Right  turn,”   “Left  turn,”   “About turn,”  “Slow,”  “Normal”   and “Fast.”  “Fast” means that the handler must run, and the handler and dog must move forward at a noticeably  accelerated  speed.  All about turns will be right about turns.  Orders for halts  and turns will be given only when the handler  is moving at  a normal  speed.  The  other  orders may  be given  in any sequence, and turns and halts may be repeated.   However, the judge should standardize  the heeling  pattern  for all  dogs in the class.  The leash...

 If you're like me, you train on your own a lot.  Once in a while, I find the need to do some Opposition Reflex when alone --- an exercise where the dog has to work harder and commit to being in position. Check this out with a Flexi and a 2 lb. wrist weight:

  Calling your dog to heel is a lovely exercise to build awareness of Heel Position and it can even be used to increase drive.  This can be done off leash, but can also be done on leash.  Note timing of the Mark and Pay.

    This is called "Brick Work." But we actually use an upside down rubber bowl. These can be purchased at  Tractor Supply This trick will teach our dogs to do a Left Turn without tripping the handlers! The finished product will be a dog who's front feet stay still, while his back feet cross step.  

 

 It's an ongoing challenge!!! When working with a larger dog, anchor your leash with the right hand, while guiding with the left. The closer your left hand comes to the collar, the more control! If the big dog forges, slide the left hand down and pop upward (not back) If he gets too close, slide the hand down and push outward. When working with a smaller dog, hold leash in your left hand, holding it straight down. You can maneuver from a finger or your pinky (as though you are reining).

 We start by putting a cookie in your left hand and allowing your dog to get into position. BRIBING v. REWARD The video above is an example of Luring or Bribing. STAGE 1: We are shaping the dog's activity through the lure - but to the dog, it is all about "chasing the cookie." This is NOT natural. We are asking them to walk with their heads up.  Once you believe your dog understands that in order to get the reward, he has to follow the reward it is time to to the cookie in your left hand against your body. STAGE TWO:  TAKE THE FOOD OUT OF YOUR LEFT HAND POP FOR ATTENTION. Heel Slowly. As the dog is in position, say good, good. Good will come to mean that he is correct, and that he should continue to do what he's doing. The MOMENT he looks away, POP to attention. And the MOMENT he looks back at you, praise effusively GOOD ( this is VERY important ).  MARK AND PAY = Positive Marker then Reach for Reward, then GIVE reward.  In the beginning, he will get paid more ...