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This was posted on a closed, private Facebook group, so I didn't bother to post a link which won't work. I posted it in Training & Behavior instead of Ring Sports because I think it's applicable to anyone who trains their dog to do anything.
My weakness has always been heeling for two reasons. First, I don't like it. Second, I disagree philosophically with owning a Doberman who's staring devotedly at me instead of watching the world around him. Thus, I don't 'respect the exercise'. In contrast, I love the other exercises. I spent five excruciating months teaching a dog with zero natural retrieve instinct to retrieve a dumbbell, which she now does with great enthusiasm. Contrary to the author, I love signals and teaching a new dog signals. I always do well on the other exercises, and my points off come at the part of the exercise that resembles heeling - the Finish!
The authors point is that one must practice ALL the things one wants the dog to do.
Now that I've posted this, I'm out to the driveway to work on heeling!
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The #1 dog training question skittering about in my mind nowadays is...how do some people manage to Q and win consistently...trial after trial...weekend after weekend. There are a few people, who are head and shoulders above the rest. What are they doing differently?
There are many factors at play and I've come up with a new one. Lack of respect. I've heard people talk about lack of respect between dog and handler, but I've never heard people talk about lack of respect for an EXERCISE.
Heeling and go outs are my sacred practice. True, I don't practice go outs as much as I should because of the need to set up the ring, but when I do, it is a serious ritual. Much thought goes into the placement of the ring and my protocol. Consequently, my go outs are pretty darned good.
Heeling is something that I never take for granted. Every step of heeling I am scrutinizing my actions and my dog's actions. If it takes five years to teach heeling, I'm cool with that, because I know how difficult it is. Consequently, my heeling with all my dogs is very nice.
But what do I typically flunk? Signals. Sit Stay. And my Figure 8 is admittedly sub par. What do these exercises have in common? I don't take them seriously. I think that they should be easy. I am upset (very) when they don't go well, because they shouldn't be such a big deal.
Seriously. What is so hard about signals. You are standing 30 feet away in an empty ring with a big flappy black and white striped shirt on. Why can't the dog see your arms waving madly? It should not be so hard.
And the sit stay? Give me a break. It is only 3 minutes.
Because ***I*** discount these exercises....I don't practice them artfully...I don't reward their successful execution sincerely...I get extremely irritated when they go poorly...my dogs don't take them seriously either.
NOT ANY MORE.
My weakness has always been heeling for two reasons. First, I don't like it. Second, I disagree philosophically with owning a Doberman who's staring devotedly at me instead of watching the world around him. Thus, I don't 'respect the exercise'. In contrast, I love the other exercises. I spent five excruciating months teaching a dog with zero natural retrieve instinct to retrieve a dumbbell, which she now does with great enthusiasm. Contrary to the author, I love signals and teaching a new dog signals. I always do well on the other exercises, and my points off come at the part of the exercise that resembles heeling - the Finish!
The authors point is that one must practice ALL the things one wants the dog to do.
Now that I've posted this, I'm out to the driveway to work on heeling!
=========================================
The #1 dog training question skittering about in my mind nowadays is...how do some people manage to Q and win consistently...trial after trial...weekend after weekend. There are a few people, who are head and shoulders above the rest. What are they doing differently?
There are many factors at play and I've come up with a new one. Lack of respect. I've heard people talk about lack of respect between dog and handler, but I've never heard people talk about lack of respect for an EXERCISE.
Heeling and go outs are my sacred practice. True, I don't practice go outs as much as I should because of the need to set up the ring, but when I do, it is a serious ritual. Much thought goes into the placement of the ring and my protocol. Consequently, my go outs are pretty darned good.
Heeling is something that I never take for granted. Every step of heeling I am scrutinizing my actions and my dog's actions. If it takes five years to teach heeling, I'm cool with that, because I know how difficult it is. Consequently, my heeling with all my dogs is very nice.
But what do I typically flunk? Signals. Sit Stay. And my Figure 8 is admittedly sub par. What do these exercises have in common? I don't take them seriously. I think that they should be easy. I am upset (very) when they don't go well, because they shouldn't be such a big deal.
Seriously. What is so hard about signals. You are standing 30 feet away in an empty ring with a big flappy black and white striped shirt on. Why can't the dog see your arms waving madly? It should not be so hard.
And the sit stay? Give me a break. It is only 3 minutes.
Because ***I*** discount these exercises....I don't practice them artfully...I don't reward their successful execution sincerely...I get extremely irritated when they go poorly...my dogs don't take them seriously either.
NOT ANY MORE.
