training sessions - Page 1

I was talking recently to someone who wanted "help" in training her dalmation.   she is a rather heavy handed person but the dog is pretty dominant too, so I figured they belong together.  Anyway she mentioned once, "this dog WILL obey me, WHEN I give a command and ONLY when I give a command."  and that is a quote.  She stated that she trained the dog for a minimum of 3 hours each day and what more should she be doing.  My response was, "have you ever considered vacation?  Or how about simply playing with the dog for 45 min and  calling it good for the day."  Clearly she didn't like my answer but I got to wondering what other people do as a "training schedule"

What do you all do for general training work as a day to day schedule?

thanks

Lisa

6 days a week 20-30 mins OB. 1-2 days a week bitework sessions with trainer usually 2, 5-10 minute sessions.

I train in class once a week for 1 hour, in the basement 3 times a week for 15 minutes.  Tracking once a week, play daily, walk daily and throw in commands during both play and walks.  He must sit when I come to a stop, and does.  He must sit and wait to go out when I open the door, he doesn't move until I say "OK".  He must leave other dogs, food, etc. while walking, can't even poop until I say it's okay (usually wait until I'm near a cleaning post area), sit if people ask to see him.  He must heel while walking.  He enjoys his walks and the only time I allow him to "guide" me, I let him visit horses in a pen.  He does not pull, he looks at me and gently heads in that direction, it's rather cute actually.  He must stay when I throw a ball, he's not great on the retrieves yet, he usually drops it before making it all the way back.  But he's only nine months so I ask alot and he gives alot.  I work with him daily and it shows, he's a good boy.  I don't have to pound things into him, he does it willingly because we're spending time together, that's what makes him (and me) happy.

4pack

Add 4-6 hrs of tracking a week and you could have a schH dog

If a trainer does the same thing with every dog, you can forget good results.  This all depends on the dog!

I had a top OB dog a few years back (average 197.33 for all 3 AKC titles), and I trained seriously for 15 minutes a day.  Fast, fast, fast, upbeat but controlled.  I was sweating and he panting at the end of it, but never more than half an hour.   I went outside into the training field with a plan for one big thing I wanted to improve each day, and never got stupid and tried for two.  We had one run in which we came in 1st or 2nd (more 2nds) in 15 straight trials averaging about 45 dogs per class, and the top people all insisted they trained 2-3 hours a day.  That would have killed my dog's enthusiasm!  They all seemed to imply that they did it their way and the dog just had to go along.  Sheesh.  

The dalmation lady MAY be responding to her dog's dominance or stubborness, but it doesn't sound like it.  The answer to how much time? is whatever works!  But if you train one dog three hours a day, the dog and/or you are no good, and whatever titles you get won't mean much, anyway.  There was a Komondor who took 32 tries to pass his three UD legs years ago -- what was that all about?

Of  course, training is going on all the time -- "jupp" to jump over logs in the woods, with regular stay commands in all positions, and quick fussing here and there for 3-8 second bursts.  But real sessions of more than half an hour on a regular basis turn your dog into a slave, IMO.  Only an over the top dog could keep up a top flight heeling pattern for more than five minutes at a time, day in and day out.  My face isn't that interesting!

MVF

Only an "over the top" dog can heel for over 5 minutes? 

What do you think of leader dogs?  Are they "over the top" dogs?  They are at work all day and night.  I would rethink that statement.

My female heels along side my riding mower the whole time I am mowing the lawn.  It takes me 2 hours to mow the lawn.  I have never asked her to do this, it is her choice.  She loves it.

Training in obedience for Half an hour is not too extreme.  You have long downs, all your in motion exercises, and play between all the heeling. 

Leader dogs look more dejected than any dog I would want at my side during a competition.  My older girl will run/walk in a heel position for an hour bike ride no problem, but its not the same as a competition heel, and I'm pretty sure that's what she was getting at

ok, I'll buy that.

Tracking! Gack (insert green faced smilie) Don if you wanna volunteer your tracking services go right ahead, I'll ship him out this weekend. I'm sure my dog would make a terrific Schutzhund dog, I'm just not a tracking kinda girl.