BH Prep..Best Session YET!! GO GALAN!! - Page 1

Tonight the weather was great for training for the first time in a week and a half, there was even a cool breeze

Anyway, I only brought my three year old male. We worked on Fussing and he did very well with the exception of crowding me a bit and jumping in my face a few times, but the jumping up was all my fault. I was SO shocked that he went around with me so well and watching my face, I forgot to reward him sooner.

The only other mistake was on my part too...
I had him in the long down for around 10 minutes, and even with another dog drive building on the feild, he never broke it, or even tried.
I asked for advice on what to ask of him once I got back to him and as I started walking back to him and the lady advising me finished what she was saying, I let her know I understood by saying  "OKAY"
DUHHHHH STACY!!! Sigh....That is his release command, so he came trotting to me.
It was weird because he didn't bolt to me like he usually does when I say HEIR, so I think he kinda knew "I" was screwing up, but was like "I think she wants me" So, I put him back, but this time for just a few minutes, then walked back to him quietly, no eye contact and we did it right.
I have been saying for awhile that these dogs train me. Tonight was no exception. 

It was a LOT of fun, and I even unexpectedly got to meet another wonderful lady that occasionally posts here, and that was pretty neat too.
If she chooses to she is more than welcome to come on and give her point of view (so hopefully my description of how my training went and hers are the same HAHA!)  Pssssst if you read this say my dog was sooooo awesome ;-)

So hopefully we will pass our BH in September, keep your fingers crossed for us! I'll tell ya, it hasn't been easy starting a two year old (with a mind of his own) in SchH, who had until then been raised as a pet and was not asked to do much.
Thankfully he is very stable minded and forgiving of my errors, unfair corrections and confusing him. ..... Stacy
We Love You Galan, Thanks for Making me Proud!

                                          

Stacy
Good Job
When he is on the down you can if he is mad keen on a ball and rope give him it whist he is on the long down put him down first then give him the ball and give him the down Command
Or another way you can down him as normal  stand away but about every 3 minutes walk up to him give him a Treat, Do not Speak to him  and walk back to where you stand
 The ball is a good thing because he keeps his focus and he is not bothered then by being down it occupys his mind remember you are training and teaching him to stay in one place
Steve1

Way cool, stable in mind is wonderful, I am glad your pup is a joy to work with :)
Always,
Cee

Hi Steve,
It was a lot of fun :-)
I think I may not have made my post clear though... Galan did lie down with no problem and he stayed.
It was only when I was walking back toward him that I said to the lady training with me "OK", and when I said it, Galan, not knowing better,  thought I was telling him "OK" which means he is released in other parts of his obedience training.
I was standing 30 paces away and he was off leash, with distractions and the only time he broke was when he heard me say "OK"... and he came to me.
I brought him back calmly, since it was not his fault (I confused him) and had him platz again, which he did.

I had been askingg the lady what to ask him when I got to him because I was not sure if I was to immediately release him and play since he obeyed, or if I should have him sit back up first and then release and reward him.

How is Izzy doing with her long downs? I'd love to see a new Izzy thread :-)

Hugs
Stacy

Good luck you will do great

Stacy over here we use the Ball when a dog is on the long down regardless  when it is training certainly a young dog I do it with Izzy
Yes, you should have walked up to him stood by his side and give him the sit command Move away from the Place of the down at heel sit him again then release him, But always rememeber whist he is on that training field he is training and should be in working mode until you step off the field saying that hecan chase the ball but finish off the field as at work
Steve1

Never use the word "OK" to release your dog,,,,you just found out why.  Too common in every day conversation.  Don't get in the mind set that you are "training" for a BH or SchHI or SchHII,,,,,you should be training for SchHIII, the others are stepping stones and requisites for your ultimate goal of SchHIII.

Cee, Just saw your post, thanks... Galan is really eager to learn and a fun dog to work with, more so now that he has stopped (mostly) challenging, testing and balking at me at every turn. That was because for his first two years I let him get away with muder, so to speak... Since I didn't have a club or trainer that whole time I was afraid anything negative I did would completely destroy him... HA! He walked all over me for the first few months on the feild, now I finally have gained some control and respect. I thinkour working and over all relationship has gotten so much better now that he understands where he stands with me.

I hope we do Urry.. I am already nervous! These next two months are going to go by very quickly, I think.

Thanks Steve for clarifying! I will take that advice. I have been using a jute tug as a reward and I think he really likes it, but he loves the ball on a rope too. He is absolutely toy crazy :-) But you already knew that, haha! ;-)

Phil, It's funny you mentioned "that word." You know, I said to one of the girls last night that  I was going to take "OK" out of my vocabulary :-) It's not the first time I have done that. And he only breaks the commands when I say it.
Thanks for posting, I really appreciate all the advice and will change my mindset to SchH III. Even though that sounds a lot scarier, haha! But it IS my ultimate goal, and if I can become a good enough trainer and bring out the best in my dogs, I hope to some day compete with one of them.  (I know that is a bold statement, but I don't mind making it) I have a lot of work and a lot of learning to do, but I am enjoying it.

I hope some more people get on and start some threads about their training experiences. Good and bad. I started this because I MISS dog training threads on here.

We're going to train tonight too and hopefully I do better.
Thanks again to everyone who has posted so far!
Stacy

Glad you had a good time.I hope to come down and see you when you go for your BH.

I hope you're there ~L~!! Ok off to work then training..Have  good night all!
Stacy