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Stories of Spur: Dogging it in competition
Stories of Spur: Dogging it in competition
Spur competes in AKC obedience trials. He is a miniature schnauzer. This will chronicle his life on the "campaign trail" as he and his handler compete against dogs of all breeds for high titles.
Real Name: Michele McCormick Member Since: March 19, 2008 Last Signed In: July 19, 2009 Blog Views: 1565 Send To A Friend Sign Guestbook Add as a Friend
Spur Earns His First UDX Leg
Puppy Tips Trialing Should be Fun Getting Back to Basics Attention is Everything A Lively Campaign Season Launches ClearLake: A Question of Confidence Clearlake Launches Our Campaign Season Let the Campaign Begin . . . . Spur Gets Ready for '09 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 December 09 January 10 February 10 March 10 
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My girlfriend just got a puppy - adorable Border Collie named Hank - and I've been sending her a few ideas for him every now and then. It suddenly occurred to me: others might be interested!
Here's the note I sent her this evening . . . Was brushing doggies' teeth tonite and thought of you - are you training Hank to accept the brushing of the teeth? Just pretend for now, but when he gets the real pearlies you'll be glad you did. . . dog tooth care later in life costs a lot and is no fun. I brush 'em regularly (less often than I should) and I also have a real dental tool to scrape away the tartar that forms. Small infections can build up around untreated teeth, get into bloodstream and cause death. Yes, this happens. On another topic, be sure and touch him regularly on all his little body parts. Then, sometime when you have to check for an ear infection, or remove a burr from a footpad - he'll be accustomed to that handling. Finally, once in a while when you give him his dinner, take it away for a moment and then give it back. Praise him, build his confidence that this is OK, and reassure him he will indeed get dinner back quickly. Make sure he will give a toy or dog chew back to you. Once in a while, take things he likes from his mouth gently, praise him, then give it back. This is life saving training for when he gets a chicken bone or other foreign object and you need to get it out of his mouth. I can reach into my dogs mouths and retrieve anything, no matter how wonderful (but my hubby can't, afraid he'll lose the finger) And that's my dog note for tonite!
Location:
Folsom, CA
The point that caught my attention was the author's insistence on the fact that the dog has to think it's fun to be in the ring - there has to be some genuine enthusiasm for getting in there, and showing off. There's no doubt in my mind that this is the real key to competitive success. Teaching the "tricks' of obedience competition can be a challenge but it is really just a first step. Spur knows all the exercises, and he can do them in a variety of settings. Some he likes more than others, but he is always eager to head out for a training session or a class. It's when we step into the trial ring that things change. We exhibitors often believe that this is due to our own attitude. We're nervous! After twelve years of showing, I still get a fluttery stomach when it's time to enter the ring. Certainly Spur knows that I am nervous. And so he is nervous as well. But the fact is, I have to do far more than conquer my own nerves if he's to become a winning competitor. I have to convince him that being in the ring is about as exciting as anything that could ever happen. Since treats aren't allowed, and praise only happens between exercises, this can be a challenge. None of this is news of course - I've known all along that this is the approach. But somehow it has now struck me more powerfully than before. Spur has to believe that at any second he might get a treat, Mommy might start a new game or perhaps even - burst into song? He has to be alert for the fun and exciting thing that I might do at any instant, and he has to believe that it could happen anywhere - even in the trial ring. How do I execute this new emphasis? I'm still figuring out the details, but it has inspired me to up the fun quotient of our routine, and perhaps to behave rather differently at matches. I am not instinctively a very good dog trainer. Some people "get" it a lot more quickly than I do, and others have a terrific vision for realizing their dog's potential. But I have a great dog with great potential. Our next show will be our first ever miniature schnauzer specialty in Long Beach. We'll travel a few hundred miles to get there. I've no doubt we'll have a grand time. It would be even grander if that fine time includes a ribbon . . . or two. |
