OBEDIENCE WITH ELLEN

 

Students tell me they forget to cover certain exercises or skill sets. And they sometimes come to a trial, thinking their dog "knows" an exercise - so they don't need to practice it.  They frequently train an exercise versus training the skills broken down. They don't have time to train every day. And they are losing the dog's focus. The best way to train -- is in an organized way. Keep sessions short. And train the way you trial. Be sure you are NOT training the same thing every day in the most predictable way!! First - Make a list of everything you need to cover over the course of this month's training. Every skill every game. Here is an example: EXERCISES Decide how many days is a reasonable amount for YOU to work your dog. Novice dog owners - consider working 3-4 days a week for 10-15 minutes each session. Planning is key. Does it even seem possible that you can cover every single exercise every week? Absolutely. But you have to be smart about it. And you ...

 My Day-Of-Plan is very specific. It takes into account: The Monthly and Weekly Plans My Dog's Strengths Opportunities to Improve Our Team Performance Alternating High Drive with Lower Drive Exercises to maintain attitude. This will take less than 10 minutes. I can make those 10 minutes really count because this will be high energy and will motivate my dog to work with accuracy.

  The end of my week is Sunday Night. After dinner, I can brew a pot of tea, and plan my training week. Here is an example. I have checked the weather and know when I can practice indoors and when I can practice outdoors. My plans are more specific than the monthly calendar. 

  SAMPLE : Here is a sample for a Novice Dog. Notice that Focus and Heeling are covered every single session. Sits are covered MOST SESSIONS.  Can you look at this and tell me what YOU would want to cover more of or less? When I review it, I would want to make sure I'm covering Stand at least once a week.

 

  CHAPTER 4  OPEN Section 9. Drop on Recall. The principal features of this exercise, in addition to those listed under the Novice Recall, are the dog’s prompt response to the handler’s command or signal to drop and the dog’s remaining in the down position until again calle d or signaled to come. The dog will be judged on the promptness of its response to the command or signal.  The orders are:  “Leave your dog,”  “Call your dog,”  then give a clear signal to drop the dog, followed by  “Call your dog”  and “Finish.”  The handler will stand with the dog sitting in the heel position in a place designated by the judge.  The judge will ask “Are you ready?” before giving the first order.  On the judge’s order the handler may give a command and/or signal for the dog to stay in the sit position. The handler will walk forward to the other end of the ring, then turn, face the dog, and stand naturally.  On the judge’s order or signal, th...

CHAPTER 3 NOVICE Section 10. Recall.  The principal features of this exercise are that the dog stay where left until called by the handler, and that the dog responds promptly to the handler’s command or signal to come.   The orders are:  “Leave your dog,”  “Call your dog,”  and “Finish.”  The handler will stand with the dog sitting in the heel position in a place designated by the judge.  The judge will ask “Are you ready?” before giving the first order.  On the judge’s order, the handler may give a command and/or signal to the dog to stay in the sit position.  The handler will then walk forward to the other end of the ring, turn to face the dog, and stand with the arms and hands hanging naturally.  On the judge’s order or signal, the handler will either command or signal the dog to come.  The dog must come directly, at a brisk trot or gallop and sit straight, centered in front of the handler.  The dog must be close enough to ...

This can be used for  ANY stay position SIT STAND  DOWN  

 

 Section 7. Stand for Examination.  The principal feature of this exercise is that the dog stand in position before and during the examination without displaying resentment.  THE ORDERS ARE:  “Stand your dog and leave when you are ready,”  “Back to your dog,” and  “Exercise finished.”  Prior to the start of the exercises the handler will remove the leash and give it to a steward, who will place it on the judge’s table or other designated place.  The handler will take their dog to the place indicated by the judge.  The judge will ask “Are you ready?” before giving the first order. On the judge’s order, the handler will stand/pose the dog by the method of the handler’s choice, taking any reasonable time if they choose to pose the dog as in the show ring.  The handler will then stand with the dog in the heel position, and may give the command and/or signal to stay, walk straight forward about 6 feet, and then turn and face the dog.  Th...

CHAPTER 4  OPEN Section 7. Command Discrimination.  The principal features of this exercise are the dog’s correct response to the handler’s first commands and/or signals and that the dog stays until the handler returns to heel position.  The orders are:  “Leave your dog”  and “Back to your dog.”  The judge must use signals for directing the handler to command and/or signal the dog to change position except for the first position and that order is: “Stand your dog” { always the command in Open A}   or  “Down your dog.” 

 

 

 

  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 1. Beginner Novice Class.   The Beginner Novice classes are optional  titling  classes that  may  be  offered  by clubs  at  obedience  events.  If eligible as defined in these regulations, dogs entered in Beginner Novice A or Beginner Novice B may also be entered  in any other obedience  classes.  At the listed start time for the class, a walkthrough of up to 10 minutes will be allowed  for handlers without their dogs.  The judge must be available  in the ring during this period to brief the handlers and answer any questions they may have.  This  class may  be  judged  by  anyone  approved  to  judge  Novice obedience  classes.  Section 2. Beginner Novice  A Class.   The Beginner  Nov...

AKC® OBEDIENCE REGULATIONS CHAPTER 3 NOVICE  Section 1. Novice A Class.    The Novice A class shall be for dogs that have not won  the CD  title.  A  handler must own the dog entered or be a member of the owner’s household or immediate  family  and may not have previously handled any dog that has earned an AKC  Regular or Preferred Novice, Open, or Utility  title.   Owners may enter more than one  dog in  this  class. The  same  person who handles  the  dog in  the  first five exercises must handle the dog in the group exercise;   however, if a person has handled more than one dog in the first five exercises that will participate  in the group exercise, that person must provide a handler for the  additional  dog  in  the  same  group exercise.  The  additional  handler  for the  group exercise need  not...