Starting IGP

[remy]

I have been interested in trying IGP for over a year and finally decided to go recently!

As I’ve mentioned before, I initially got Remy as “just” a pet and then quickly became interested in showing and other sports. He is not from working lines and (for now) I’m not setting any goals within the sport, but I’m curious to see how he progresses! I think he will enjoy it.

I didn’t get any videos of the obedience portion of training yet, but we are doing things slow and one step at a time. The trainer really emphasizes the importance of solid foundations and I agree. For now we are mostly working on head position and position changes (sit, down, stand) done properly. The protection part is essentially just play with different types of tugs for now. I’ll update with more video whenever he gets “moved up” to something else.

The club meets twice a week. They do tracking on Saturdays but unfortunately I typically work every Saturday throughout the spring and summer. I’m hoping to get there at least a few times this summer though so we can get started on tracking and progress more in the other phases as well.

 

[LucyXIII]

Ooooh I can't wait to see Team Remy's Adventures in IGP!

What's the travel like for the training/club? Where I live there isn't much at all, let alone at a distance feasible for the kind of dedication IGP requires.

 

[Ravenbird]

The trainer really emphasizes the importance of solid foundations and I agree

I agree too! Glad your trainer is of the same mind. Dobermans especially, they just seem to work off a different mindset than the shepherd breeds, so take your time.

The club meets twice a week. They do tracking on Saturdays but unfortunately I typically work every Saturday throughout the spring and summer. I’m hoping to get there at least a few times this summer though so we can get started on tracking and progress more in the other phases as well.

I'm sooo jealous, but really happy for you getting to step into it and try it out! At the very least you could get a BH with him - it's basically a temperament test with obedience. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to get Asha's BH. If you can just get some starter lessons on tracking you can do that at home or at a park on your own time. There are several online tracking lessons if you ask your trainer who he would recommend that goes along closest to his method so you kinda stay on the same page with your club. With Remy being so happy to do scent work you know he loves using his nose & I'll bet he'd love tracking.

Where I live there isn't much at all, let alone at a distance feasible for the kind of dedication IGP requires

That's my problem... closest one to me was 3 1/2 hours. I was going a few years ago when gas was close to $5/gal. Got up at 3 a.m. to travel, got there at 6:30 (time zone gave me a boost) because in AZ they had to start early due to the heat. Got maybe two hands-on work of 15 min. but I can't emphasize enough how important it was to watch other teams learn to, so I always stayed to see everyone work. Then another 3.5 hour drive home. Basically a 12 hour day and at least $75 in fuel for very little one on one hands-on time from the trainers. Plus the club membership and the USCA membership requirement. I managed to go 1 or 2 times a month for a year & and a half, and worked a ton at home, learned most of it from Dave Kroyer online for obedience and tracking, using club time for a boost. But absolutely couldn't get the bite work in without the club and that's what Asha loved the most. It is 100% dedication in time put in to do this sport!

We still play with the sleeve sometimes and Asha goes inside out with excitement when she sees me get it out.

@remy - again, so happy you're doing this and sharing it here!

 

[remy]

Ooooh I can't wait to see Team Remy's Adventures in IGP!

Thank you!

What's the travel like for the training/club? Where I live there isn't much at all, let alone at a distance feasible for the kind of dedication IGP requires.

I feel lucky to have a club about 40 minutes away! I know there is another 2 hours away but I didn’t bother going there to check it out. I knew eventually I would burn out of traveling there and back, especially going twice a week.

 

[remy]

I agree too! Glad your trainer is of the same mind. Dobermans especially, they just seem to work off a different mindset than the shepherd breeds, so take your time.

It’s an all breed club that has worked with Dobermans before, so I’m hopeful it will be a good fit for us! The trainer also owns and trials with a Giant Schnauzer (along with GSDs). I don’t know a whole lot about them, but I’d assume they work more similar to a Doberman compared to a GSD or Mal?

I like that he seems to know the typical strengths and weakness of Dobermans, rather than just trashing everything about them like I often see online… Just as an example, he said Dobes tend to excellence in obedience but can have issues with the long bite, so when the time comes he wants to do a lot of targeting work with us. There was more said but I can’t remember it right my now lol.

I'm sooo jealous, but really happy for you getting to step into it and try it out! At the very least you could get a BH with him - it's basically a temperament test with obedience. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to get Asha's BH.

Thank you, I appreciate your support! It will probably be a long time before we even attempt it, but I would be thrilled to even get a BH. Anything further would be like winning the lottery.

If you can just get some starter lessons on tracking you can do that at home or at a park on your own time. There are several online tracking lessons if you ask your trainer who he would recommend that goes along closest to his method so you kinda stay on the same page with your club. With Remy being so happy to do scent work you know he loves using his nose & I'll bet he'd love tracking.

Good idea, I’ll ask and see who he recommends! I like Remy will really like tracking too!

That's my problem... closest one to me was 3 1/2 hours. I was going a few years ago when gas was close to $5/gal. Got up at 3 a.m. to travel, got there at 6:30 (time zone gave me a boost) because in AZ they had to start early due to the heat. Got maybe two hands-on work of 15 min.

Then another 3.5 hour drive home. Basically a 12 hour day and at least $75 in fuel for very little one on one hands-on time from the trainers. Plus the club membership and the USCA membership requirement. I managed to go 1 or 2 times a month for a year & and a half, and worked a ton at home,

Honestly props to you for sticking with it as long as you did! I don’t think people (who aren’t involved) realize how much of a commitment it is.

learned most of it from Dave Kroyer online for obedience and tracking, using club time for a boost.

I remember you mentioning him in the past! Now that I’m doing this I’m finally going to subscribe.

 

[Ddski5]

Honestly props to you for sticking with it as long as you did! I don’t think people (who aren’t involved) realize how much of a commitment it is.

 

[Ravenbird]

The trainer also owns and trials with a Giant Schnauzer (along with GSDs). I don’t know a whole lot about them, but I’d assume they work more similar to a Doberman compared to a GSD or Mal?

I don't know anything about the GS, how they work compared to other breeds, but I DO know they use be used for police work way back in their past (like Dobes) but it is few and far between to find a good working one nowadays. So your trainer knows "off breeds" can be a challenge and work differently than the herders and that's a huge bonus.

It will probably be a long time before we even attempt it, but I would be thrilled to even get a BH. Anything further would be like winning the lottery.

Take your time and enjoy the ride. You can get your BH if you put the work in, I promise.

Honestly props to you for sticking with it as long as you did! I don’t think people (who aren’t involved) realize how much of a commitment it is.

Thanks, I wouldn't trade what I learned at my club for anything. It was a great club, fully welcomed any off breeds. And the biggest thing I learned was that I didn't know squat. I thought I could do OB and Tracking on my own and just get in some protection work and be good to go. It's WAY more complicated than that. I'd venture to say that no matter how much anyone has done with any dog, if they haven't done bitesports they can't do it without a club.

Now that I’m doing this I’m finally going to subscribe.

For a heads up, Dave is brutally honest, he's a little harsh, and light on praise... but that's how I like my instructors. But on his videos just ignore that and go with the lessons. Before you sign up, ask your trainer if he knows his methods and is in line with them. It's hard if you've got two trainers telling you how to do things in different ways.
Best thing about DKA is it's only $10/month, he has hundreds of videos in the library and you just pick what you want. Also you get access to his private FB page where you can submit videos of your work and ask questions. He never failed to comment on my questions, and other people also gave input. So I learned a lot. Some are single videos but there are many series on steps in Ob, or Tracking or Protection. I did the 30 day tracking and the shaped retrieve. To this day the shaped retrieve was the hardest work I did with Asha because it was the only training she didn't enjoy for the LONGEST. (I have videos on here as it progressed) But to this day, she has the most beautiful and reliable retrieve I've ever seen and it's 100% DK.

 

[JanS]

What an exciting new chapter and I bet you and Remy will do great!