Bonkers for Sadie: A little bit of progress

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A little bit of progress

Yesterday my neighbor lady and I took the girls to the park for a walk and afterward I was able to work on Sadie's training a bit. I figured out that her issues with the "stay" arise mainly when someone is walking behind her.

To work on this I had neighbor lady take Bella and just walk around us in circles while Sadie practiced her "stay". The first sit and down were terrible, every time they got around behind her she moved to spin around and watch them. By the second "stay" we made some progress, she would turn her head to watch them but at least her butt and feet stayed in place.

Actually this was a great exercise for both of the girls. It helped reinforce the "stay" for Sadie and it was good for Bella to be walking with someone else other than me - actually I'm quite proud at how beautifully she walked for neighbor lady.

I also worked on the "recall" Sadie did three beautiful recalls. She has no problem with this exercise!

Anyway Sadie still has a long way to go with learning the "stand" and the "stand for examination", I have a feeling that, unless I get really lucky, these exercises will not go over too well during tomorrow nights "final exam" in class. LOL and I'm sure I'll get harped on by trainer guy about working with her on these more. Oh well. At least I'll have a few months to get her ready for that intermediate class.

1 comment:

JenFebruary 10, 2011 at 6:30 AM
Wow, final exam already?

But this is great news! What a brilliant idea and fabulous progress for your efforts!
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Novice Obedience Exercise Descriptions

Heel on Leash: Dog and Handler work as a team, the leash must be loose and held in a natural position. Orders for this exercise are: "Forward", "Halt", "Right turn", "Left turn", "About turn", "Slow" "Normal" and "Fast".

Stand for Examination: The dog stands in position before and during the examination without displaying resentment. Handler is instructed to "stand your dog and leave when you are ready", after positioning the dog the handler stands with dog in heel position, give the command/signal to stay and walk straight forward approximately 6 feet and then turn and face the dog. The judge will approach the dog from the front, using the fingers and palm of one hand, the judge will touch the dogs head, body and hindquarters. Judge will then give the command "back to your dog", handler returns to heel position. The dog must remain still until judge has said "exercise finished".

Recall: The dog must stay where left unitl called by handler and then must respond promptly when the handler commands or signals them to come. On order from the judge the handler will give the command/signal for the dog to stay in the sit position. Handler will then wakl forward to the other side of the ring with arms hanging naturally. On the judges order handler will command or signal the dog to come. Dog must come at brisk pace and sit stright, centered directly in front of handler. On judges order handler will give the dog the command/signal to finish. Dog must move quickly to heel position and sit.

Finish: Dog is directed to "swing" it's hind end around to the left to come to the heel position and then sit, or "heel" around to the right and behind the handler and come to the heel position and then sit.

Sit/Stay & Down/Stay (Group Exercises): The dog must remain in either the seated position or the down position, whichever is required by the particular exercise. The dogs will line up in catalog order along one side of the ring. The leash is removed and placed with the handlers armband behind the dog. Handlers are instructed to "sit your dog" or "down your dog", and then "leave your dog". The handler will walk across to the other side of the ring and stand in a natural position across from the dog until the judge orders them to "return to your dog". Any dog that leaves the place where it was left during the first group exercise will be given an "NQ" and excused from the remaining group exercise.