Preface- months ago went to generalized basic obedience and it was really basic. It was ok but not impressed.
This time I was looking for something more with.... I don’t know just something MORE. Yesterday, I looked into the Baton Rouge AKC club and noticed they had an advanced obedience class but it was that night and too soon. I don’t like to rush, had to plan three soccer practices and Ragnar just got back from board/train. But the next class was in late September. So tonight at 7:00 pm or late September??? I thought, oh well let’s do it......
Got my girls squared away with soccer, pulled up into a local hospital parking lot to register and I look around. Three black GS, two Dobermans, a huge poodle, a beautiful beagle, a Dalmatian and many other dogs. I thought, oh shit this is the real deal not like the basic class we went to.
They had three sections cordoned off for basic, advanced and agility training.
Ragnar and I got out and he immediately went nuts, barking and pulling. He was so nervous and excited, as was I. I maneuvered him to the opposite direction attempting to gain control. He did, but every time we turned towards the other dogs he would start back up again.
Initially, I had my reservations on having the ecollar on but I am glad I decided to put it on him. I pressed vibrate, no correction; I pressed stim on 10, 15, and 20, no correction. Finally at 30, he shaped up and came to my heel and sat. We walked to the register table at heel and he acted up a little bit but corrected well. After we registered, we stayed about 15 feet from the table and watched the different dogs come in. He did well here and I was able to bring the stim down to 15 for correction.
The lady at the table informed me that we had not attended the AKC basic class and wasn’t for sure if we could go straight into the advanced class. I explained he has a basic completed with another trainer and he had just completed the offleash program. She said we could start the advanced but if not up to speed, we would need to go down to basic and the instructor would assess and tell me.
So, during the wait, I walked the parking lot with him and warmed him up- - sit, down, heel, long sit, long down. Even with all the dogs around, he was spot on with minimal corrections rendered. We did that some more and had him lay down slap in the middle of the dog chaos. He just laid there at alert watching it all. We were both nervous but feeling much better now since we had some focus. Many people came over and commented on his ears.
The trainer called us to the advanced section, formed a circle. We were instructed to move our dogs on heel around the circle swerving in/out around the other dogs. Big dogs circling us, oh boy. I held his focus with a hot dog as they came by one by one. Then our turn and he heeled perfectly around the circle. I was critiqued by the instructor because I was not treating him enough during the heel.
Then we lined up side by side and was told to instruct sit and walk forward away from dogs. I did not know when to stop so I stayed in line with the other owners, stopped and turned to face our dogs about 40 ft away. If your dog broke the sit, you had to walk back and reposition and move away again. Some of the other dogs broke and distracted Ragnar. The entire time the instructor was watching Ragnar. He never broke his sit. The instructor then stated, this exercise is over. She turned and winked at me and said you have a very fine Doberman. I absolutely blew up inside!!!
We went through some more exercises and Ragnar did well. Close to the end, he got antsy and got tired. I did not stim, I just gave him treats and told him how good he was doing. I really wanted to end the night fun and positive and not on a stim correction.
After it was over, the instructor pulled me aside and said she could tell we were new to the game (they had a lot of repeat dogs there), but we did just fine. She gave me some pointers on the formal schematics of position and placements of Ragnar during exercises but all and all she was pleased to have us in the class and looked forward to seeing us next week.
It really felt like things had come together with Ragnar and I and I was very proud that we were not recycled to the basic class.
The ecollar helped a lot. Though, at times, it may have been unpleasant to him. It allowed me to gain control and direct his focus. Without it, I believe it would have been a disaster from the start.
If anybody has any critiques or comments on what I could have done better, please let me know. I really want to do this right and train Ragnar to what I dream of him being.
This time I was looking for something more with.... I don’t know just something MORE. Yesterday, I looked into the Baton Rouge AKC club and noticed they had an advanced obedience class but it was that night and too soon. I don’t like to rush, had to plan three soccer practices and Ragnar just got back from board/train. But the next class was in late September. So tonight at 7:00 pm or late September??? I thought, oh well let’s do it......
Got my girls squared away with soccer, pulled up into a local hospital parking lot to register and I look around. Three black GS, two Dobermans, a huge poodle, a beautiful beagle, a Dalmatian and many other dogs. I thought, oh shit this is the real deal not like the basic class we went to.
They had three sections cordoned off for basic, advanced and agility training.
Ragnar and I got out and he immediately went nuts, barking and pulling. He was so nervous and excited, as was I. I maneuvered him to the opposite direction attempting to gain control. He did, but every time we turned towards the other dogs he would start back up again.
Initially, I had my reservations on having the ecollar on but I am glad I decided to put it on him. I pressed vibrate, no correction; I pressed stim on 10, 15, and 20, no correction. Finally at 30, he shaped up and came to my heel and sat. We walked to the register table at heel and he acted up a little bit but corrected well. After we registered, we stayed about 15 feet from the table and watched the different dogs come in. He did well here and I was able to bring the stim down to 15 for correction.
The lady at the table informed me that we had not attended the AKC basic class and wasn’t for sure if we could go straight into the advanced class. I explained he has a basic completed with another trainer and he had just completed the offleash program. She said we could start the advanced but if not up to speed, we would need to go down to basic and the instructor would assess and tell me.
So, during the wait, I walked the parking lot with him and warmed him up- - sit, down, heel, long sit, long down. Even with all the dogs around, he was spot on with minimal corrections rendered. We did that some more and had him lay down slap in the middle of the dog chaos. He just laid there at alert watching it all. We were both nervous but feeling much better now since we had some focus. Many people came over and commented on his ears.
The trainer called us to the advanced section, formed a circle. We were instructed to move our dogs on heel around the circle swerving in/out around the other dogs. Big dogs circling us, oh boy. I held his focus with a hot dog as they came by one by one. Then our turn and he heeled perfectly around the circle. I was critiqued by the instructor because I was not treating him enough during the heel.
Then we lined up side by side and was told to instruct sit and walk forward away from dogs. I did not know when to stop so I stayed in line with the other owners, stopped and turned to face our dogs about 40 ft away. If your dog broke the sit, you had to walk back and reposition and move away again. Some of the other dogs broke and distracted Ragnar. The entire time the instructor was watching Ragnar. He never broke his sit. The instructor then stated, this exercise is over. She turned and winked at me and said you have a very fine Doberman. I absolutely blew up inside!!!
We went through some more exercises and Ragnar did well. Close to the end, he got antsy and got tired. I did not stim, I just gave him treats and told him how good he was doing. I really wanted to end the night fun and positive and not on a stim correction.
After it was over, the instructor pulled me aside and said she could tell we were new to the game (they had a lot of repeat dogs there), but we did just fine. She gave me some pointers on the formal schematics of position and placements of Ragnar during exercises but all and all she was pleased to have us in the class and looked forward to seeing us next week.
It really felt like things had come together with Ragnar and I and I was very proud that we were not recycled to the basic class.
The ecollar helped a lot. Though, at times, it may have been unpleasant to him. It allowed me to gain control and direct his focus. Without it, I believe it would have been a disaster from the start.
If anybody has any critiques or comments on what I could have done better, please let me know. I really want to do this right and train Ragnar to what I dream of him being.
You must be bursting with pride! 
...look how resourceful 
