The Care and Feeding of a Training Partner

What is a training partner? It is someone with whom you can get together regularly to train your dogs. It is someone with whom you can talk over training issues. It helps if your TP has a similar schedule to you, so it isn't too hard to find time to meet. Having similar long-term goals is helpful, though not critical. It will help you a lot if your TP is more experienced than you are, because you will be able to learn a lot from her. Those of us who have been doing this for a long time enjoy seeing new trainers getting hooked on the sport we have loved for so many years. But it doesn't have to be someone more experienced. I continue to learn from new trainers. Sometimes, because of no preconceived ideas, new trainers come up with fabulous 'think outside the box' solutions that experienced trainers don't.

Having dogs at similar levels is another benefit, because you'll need the same equipment for training, and you can each supply some. It means you can go to trials together and cheer each other on (or commiserate on the days it doesn't go so well). For many of us, the social aspect of dog competitions is a large part of the fun. Of course, even if you aren't at the same level, most trials have classes of many different levels going on, so you can still go to shows together.

Where should you look for a training partner? If you are taking a class somewhere, ask your classmates if they would be interested in meeting outside of class to practice together. It makes you more likely to do your homework and it simply makes it more fun. You can help each other by calling commands if the dogs are advanced enough; doing stand for exams; putting out scent articles; holding a young dog for recalls. Sometimes it is helpful to simply train alongside each other, but it is even better if you can take the time to play judge and provide distractions for each other for at least part of your time together. When I wrote The Art of Proofing, I used different types of bullets to show what you could do by yourself, with one helper, and in a larger group. 

Another potential place to look is at a local dog club. Even if there isn't an obedience club, you might find someone interested in obedience training who belongs to an agility club or a conformation club. Attend nearby obedience trials and matches and watch people. Look for someone whose dog works like you wish yours would. If you are already competing with your dog for titles, find out where your fellow exhibitors live. Addresses are usually listed in the back of the trial catalog.

I am blessed to live in a highly active dog training community with many opportunities within a 2 hour radius of Ann Arbor. I once met a friend who lives outside of Chicago (which means we are 5 hours apart) at another friend's training building that is about 1/2 way between us.

In thinking back over the many training partners I've had over the 25+ years I've been training, I think fondly of the friendships, the hours and hours spent training and problem solving, and the thrill of victory, not just for myself but also for them.

If you don't already have one, I encourage you to find someone to train with. I don't think you'll be sorry.

A Really Fun Saturday

I had a Really Fun Day yesterday at the Progressive obedience trial in Birch Run, MI. Ty & Joker were both entered just in Utility, since the trial closed before my 2-week-ago success in Open B. I showed Joker 1st. He has been in the ring just twice this year, and both times passed everything but articles. I trained them more diligently in the past 2 weeks. His gloves are also weak, but have been improving. Isabella Hutton was a fill-in for Robin Shea, who had to cancel. We had order 3. Joker did very confident articles YEAH, though I got some teasing at his really dreadful set-up for the 2nd one. I gave up and let him sit there crooked! His glove was fine, his heeling was quite good for him. His signal down was slightly delayed, then he collapsed into it, which isn't quite his normal style. The rest of his signals were fine. Moving stand? Zero off. And lovely Directed Jumping with spot-on fabulous go-outs. Leg #2!!! I was just SO happy with the boy. He turns 10 on May 5, though he in no way acts that age.

Ty's sit signal has continued to frequently elude her in training, so I vowed to take my time giving it and to try to be clear with it. 

She did both articles, tho the metal one flew out of her mouth as she left the pile (which cost us 2 points, and makes me continue to wonder if there is some tooth issue going on with her - but that's another post!), Glove was fine, Heeling was fine, though loose by my standards. Good drop, and SHE DID HER SIT SIGNAL! We had a major party after her finish and before setting up for the MS. She seemed quite thrilled by all the hugs, petting, praise, and leaping around. Her MS was fine. On her go-outs, she once again stopped before I said to, both times. I think she's stopping about 7-8 feet short of the end, so nowhere near NQably short, but she is clearly picking. But they were both very straight, and she did her sits and jumps great, so she also Q'ed. What a fine day.

But it doesn't stop there.

First and second place were a 198 (1st leg, too!) and an I-don't-remember score between 198 and 195.5. And little Mr. Joker was 3rd with a 195!!!! And Joker earned a phantom OTCh point! (phantom because he doesn't have his UD). Whoda thunk it?  Ty was 4th with a 194. She is already 10% along the way to her OM1.

Given that Joker's first Utility leg was a 178 and I was thrilled with that, you can imagine how up on Cloud 9 I still am with a 195. He really is getting this Utility stuff figured out. And gee whiz, he's cute :-).

Raissa Hinman finished her 3rd generation UDX on her wonderful Aura, who also became the first Malamute OM1 yesterday. This just 8 days after finishing her MACh2. And less than a month after her 17 year old son finished the MACh2 on one of Aura's aunts.

This was the first time I'd shown north of Ann Arbor in quite a long time, so I got to see some different people than when I head south, which was fun.

Our next trials will be Memorial Day in Kalamazoo. Time to go fill out entries!

The Ups and Downs of Trialing

I showed Joker the nearly 10-year-old Border Terrier and Ty the Flat-Coated Retriever at the Greater Toledo Obedience Training Club's spring trials today. Joker needed one Rally Excellent B leg to finish his RE. I happen to love the trial site (the Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter Sports & Exhibition Center), though I've had my ups and downs of success there in the past. It is so spacious and the club simply puts on great trials - fine judges, excellent stewards, etc. This weekend was the first time the obedience trials were held directly on the field turf. Running on it made me feel 10 years younger and 10 lbs. lighter. Given how leaden I've felt lately when running, it was a really fine feeling.

Joker was the 1st Excellent B dog and scored a 97 to finish his RE with a 1st place. It was great to be in the ring on the turf in Rally before going into Utility. 
     This was the first time Joker and Ty were In Utility somewhere we haven't ever trained. Given our poor success rate with Directed Jumping in new places on our recent trip, I didn't have much hope, but they both came through and each passed DJ in the 1st trial. The little bit of proofing I've done with Joker for jumping from off-center  (again, with mixed results) turned out to have been enough, at least for today. We had glove 1 in the first trial, and he arced that way on his go-outs. I was very happy that he confidently took the jump to the right. Joker's heeling was not stellar (okay, it hasn't ever been), but he did muddle through his Signals. He NQ'ed the first article - it was at 12 o'clock and after a dutiful search, he retrieved the one at 6 o'clock. The 2nd article was at 6 o'clock, which he did get right. His glove #1 retrieve was dynamite - he zipped out with great confidence, and came back promptly, albeit arcing away from scary judge Joe Heidinger. When I reached to take it, I missed, so it hit the floor. When I reached down to pick it up, Joker decided I was pointing out something interesting, so started to sniff, which meant he missed by first finish command. Oops! His Moving Stand was fine. So only the article NQ today. This performance gave me real hope that he can get this title this year. We just have to keep plugging away.
     Ty's signals have been broken for the past several weeks. When I was in SC, her down broke, but her sit was pretty consistent. Since getting back home, she's been variable about doing either, darn it. She DID do her drop signal nicely in each trial (she showed in Utility in both morning and afternoon trials, also in Open in the afternoon), but did not do the sit signal either time. Nor did she come on my signal in the AM trial. She passed everything else, tho pulled up a bit short on both go-outs (1 pt off each). But they were straight, yeah.
     We did our individuals in Open B 1st in the afternoon. There was a lot to be happy about. But could she get through stays? We've been doing a lot of stays around the house for the past several weeks. We went in Utility about 1/2 hour later and had to come right out of Utility and go in for Open stays. I am so happy to report that she held both stays and earned just her 4th ever Q (qualifying score) in Open. She had a 196.5, just out of the placements (tho I heard the judge mention that score to a bunch of other exhibitors).
     It was very satisfying to cross off one annual goal today (Joker's RE) and 1/3 of another (to double Ty's lifetime Open Q's). Although there is another trial tomorrow, I'm staying home. A radical idea.

A Spring Odyssey

I am in South Carolina this week. I presented my 'Balancing Act' obedience training seminar for the NADOI (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors, pronounced 'nay' 'doi') annual conference this past weekend. It was held in at the Ramada in Charleston, SC. I wasn't sure if I would know anyone, but my long-time internet friend, Margie English, was there. We've only met in person twice before (once at the only other NADOI conference I attended when it was in Toledo, OH (2003), and once when she came to another seminar I taught in PA several years ago). Margie wrote the preface for Judy Byron and my book Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act, and I have stolen several training ideas from her over the years. Or is it borrowed? It was great fun to see her again. I am leaving with many new acquaintances who I hope will become friends in the years to come.

My original plan when I scheduled this seminar followed by one in Maryland next weekend was to - Ah, bliss! - be somewhere warm, in the south, and spend the time field training with the Flat-Coats. Since Gryff is still not able to, I am instead training obedience. Given Ty and Joker's level of greenness (Green and Really Green), it is good to force myself to train them in places other than my training building. Unfortunately, the 'Ah, bliss!' warm weather seemed to vanish almost as soon as I drove into the state. The rain came along with me, too (they'd been having weather in the 80's), but given the fires they've been having, the rain would appear to be a blessing. I saw evidence of fires driving north along 17 yesterday as I moved from Charleston to Myrtle Beach. I came up here because the weather looked to potentially be a tad less unpleasant (supposed to be 61 today before going back to raining tomorrow) AND through the power of the internet and the dog network, found someone local with a small training building. I met Sue yesterday and did some utility work with both Joker and Ty, and we're going to meet at a local park to train this morning. It isn't exactly warm out yet, but bright and sunny, so it should be fun.

I'm working on updates to my website, something which is hard to find time for when I'm at home. I'm a beginner at it, but liking computers and programming as I do, I'm enjoying learning something new. It helps to have large blocks of time to work on it, which I don't often have during my regular at-home life. I'm staying in a suite because I have too many dogs for a regular room, but having been a bit claustrophobic in a regular room over the weekend, it is probably going to be much more conducive to getting work done. The dogs like the extra space, too.

A New UD

I showed Ty and Joker in Utility B today at the Fulton Co KC trial held at the Toledo KC's building. Ty earned her 2nd leg there in February. Today, the duct tape holding the sheet covering the mirror in the right back corner of the ring attracted her attention, causing some big point losses, but she got herself back on track enough to earn her 3rd leg and her UD. We started with articles, and she dashed out past the pile to go check out the duct tape (I thought she was trying to do a go out), so went out probably 10-15 feet from the end, off to the right, then dashed back to the pile and got to work. She came out of the pile well to my left, and made zero effort to straighten herself. On the bright side, she DID hold the article very nicely until I took it, something that has been a large challenge for her. The out-of-the-way approach cost us 3 points. Ouch! She went somewhat past again on the 2nd approach, losing another 1/2 point. Funny how those things about which you say "but she's never done that before!"** often happen right away again.
   We had glove #1 (same as last month), which she did a fine job on.
   Earlier this week, I decided to try heeling with my left hand hanging down (and, I HOPE, swinging reasonably evenly with my right one) instead of up at my waist. I do think she forged less than usual, so I will definitely continue to experiment with this hand position. In the past few weeks, her signals have gotten tenuous again. They had come together nicely back in February before and during TKC, when I made a change to my sit signal. It was almost like she finally figured the signals out. But then I was away for 10 days, and she was back to insecurity, especially on her sit signal. Fortunately for me, when I was training at TKC on Wednesday, someone pointed out that I wasn't moving my shoulder at all when giving the sit signal. By making sure I open my shoulder up with the hand signal, she has been responding consistently. It's a subtle difference, and it may not last, but she did it today.
   Her Moving Stand was perfect, yeah Ty!
   On her 1st go out, she veered some to the right, again eyeballing the duct tape. Fortunately, the bar on the right was the first jump. Okay, I admit it, I haven't done all that much proofing of her jumping from the opposite side of the ring. Guess what we'll be working on this week? I made much more of an effort to get her marking the center, and her 2nd go out was right on the money. So she finished out the class with a 190 and a new UD.
   Back in 2002, on the day Java finished his UD, Mike MacDonald was there, and he said "I don't care how many UDs you earn, they are each special." That is very true.
   Joker inexplicably failed both articles, but the rest of his class was really solid. I was especially thrilled with his go-outs after retrieving glove #1. In training on Wednesday, I had him retrieve each corner gloves, then did go-outs. He kept wanting to veer to the left corner. I worked on it at home on Thursday, where he was fine, but I figured we'd be lucky to get anything approaching a straight go-out. He only lost 1 point on the exercise, what a good boy! He also needs to work jumping from the opposite corners.
   Ty and I go back tomorrow to show in both Open B and Utility B. Joker gets to stay home watching basketball with my husband.

**This is a quote from the back of my book, The Art of Proofing. Yup, happens to me, too.

March Training Update

 I showed Ty in Utility once in February. I'm very happy to report that she earned her 2nd leg with a solid 194.5 performance, and even won a runoff for 4th place in Utility B. The only thing that gave me any anxiety was that just as she arrived at her glove #1, she whipped around and looked at me. I had a very brief "Oh, no, don't go to glove #2!" thought dash through my head, but she recovered and turned back around and grabbed the correct one.

   Joker was entered, but on Tuesday when we were practicing gloves, he just didn't seem right. Once several years ago, he had similar symptoms - not wanting to jump up - and he had a sore back. Sure enough, a trip to our wonderful local rehab vet showed quite a bit of back soreness. He had an acupuncture treatment, but the next day, I decided to pull him since we wouldn't have the training time needed to make it worthwhile.

   I've got a nice rehab & strength training routine worked out with Gryffin that he seems to enjoy. We've been doing the workout 2-3 times a week. I mentioned last month that I'd just gotten the "Building the Canine Athlete" DVD. I've incorporated several exercises from the DVD into our routine. A friend did Gryff's workout with him 4 times while I was out of town, and I could see some nice improvements on several of the exercises as I got back to doing them with him myself. I've been enjoying this so much, and see so much benefit for Gryff that I'm offering a couple of 3 week classes called 'Tricks for Strength', one in March and one in April.

How to Fit a Dog For a Dumbbell

I'd like to explain how I fit dogs for dumbbells. The following video is extracted from Totally Fetching: Teaching and Proofing a Reliable Retrieve. You will see a variety of dogs holding both properly fitted and improperly fitted dumbbells.

The following information is taken from the booklet that comes with the DVD.

    A correctly sized dumbbell is a help to your dog. The obedience regulations state that, "the size of the dumbbell shall be proportionate to the size of the dog." There are three elements to consider when fitting a dumbbell to your dog: the height of the bells, the thickness of the dowel, and the width between the bells.

    Many dumbbells are made with tapered bells to allow for a more comfortable fit. An "off-the-shelf" size is fine for many dogs. Some breeds require a custom fit due to their unusual length or width of muzzle.

    The ideal placement of the dumbbell is directly behind the canine teeth. The dog should hold it firmly. If there is too much room between the bells, it is easy for the dog to roll it back onto his molars, which usually leads to mouthing. If there is too little space between the bells, the dog's lips can get pinched, causing discomfort. If the bells are too large, they can interfere with the dog's vision. If they are too small, the dog may have difficulty picking the dumbbell up smoothly without hitting his nose on the ground.
    A thicker dowel often helps prevent the dog from rolling the dumbbell to the back of his mouth. You want the dog to be able to clench the dowel comfortably. It is possible for the dog to roll a thin doweled dumbbell even when the teeth are closed tightly. Also, a thin dowel on a wooden dumbbell tends to break easily.
    I get my custom-made wooden dumbbells from Phillip Klosinski of Toledo, OH. I've measured a lot of dogs all around the country with the spiffy dumbbell measuring kit Phil gave me years ago. The kit has a large variety of end sizes with different dowel thicknesses. One end is fixed and the other one can slide. They've proven themselves to be very useful over the years.
   Are you interested in ordering a copy of TotallyFetching? See the NDT website to do so.