Hello folks.
I like most here, really enjoy my dog time. In turn, he's pretty happy with me time too. A Win Win.
Id wanted to do competative obedience with Bernie. joined a excellent club. Our pup grew too big for his breed, so now agility and obedience are the only show area available. These days, im not dissappointed however, even if that was an original goal for me with him.
But when i take him training. He's bored. Im bored. His tail is down, he gives me obedience, but slowly, bored, and with no fun in it. He's half asleep! and i believe the only scenario he displays this boredom.
Take him from training, to fields. And he'll do a drop in a nano second, sit like lightening, retrieve at break neck speed etc all coz its fun and frisbee orientated.
Im wondering about stopping the classes?
I wanted a lovely family pet dog. I have one.
I wanted to compete in obedience, ive lost that drive now.
Hes only 8 months old. Do people think it would be detrimental to stop obedience after 6 months?
I have lots of socialising daily with a group of dogs/owners. He's dog friendly. People friendly. A other positive aspect of dog clubs is the controlled socialising.
Or should i speak to one of the trainers and ask their advice. Seems a tad rude to suggest the class is boring to the trainer though!

How much longer is the class you signed up for? I would talk to the trainer...maybe just make some suggestions of exercises or different exercises if you don't have a comfort level with the trainer. I am sure a lot of us have taken many or trained many classes that could offer exercises that may differ from what you're doing now. You could raise the excitement with a different treat or variety including that frisbee?

I think one problem with training in groups can be your attention is on what you are being told to do instead of your own dog. Even if he's not acting out on it, his attention goes to the other dogs. Obedience becomes very boring. At 8mos you'd be better off playing more and just trying to shape some of the basics.

Sometimes seeing young, high drive dogs performing picture perfect ob makes you think they should all be ready that young, but most of them need to mature a little before they're ready.

What kind of class does the TD run?

Maybe to get the dog interested, give him hyped up signals like, yeah yeah let's go show off for these wanta be's.
Or,
Try showing the frisbee first, and then drop it so he has to perform first before ya'll make your way back to it so's he can have it.

My Malinois Toni HATES HATES HATES Obedience. Totally. When I do OB work with her, I always break it up with fun tugging and I end the session with a few minutes of bitework. When I take her to classes, I want her to have fun with me. If that means I am in a corner playing tug with her while others are heeling, then that's what I will do. My instructors are all fine with that, as they believe the same as I do: it's all about the relationship you have with your dog.

Toni's sister Cat enjoys Rally Obedience. In Rally you can talk to your dog and the training is really fun. Anywhere you find AKC Obedience competitions, I am sure you will find Rally as well. Rally isn't as PRECISE as AKC OB, so the atmosphere is much more relaxed. If you want to compete in OB, I would look into Rally.

Sounds like you have a great dog, and have fun together. If you want to continue with the classes, I would talk to the instructor and see if you can make it more exciting for the dog (IE tug sessions between exercises, etc). If they won't let you, I would drop the class. You want your dog to enjoy working with you, wherever you go. Playing is one way to do that. If the instructors don't get that, then I would look elsewhere for classes.

Just my opinion of course

--Kelly

I feel the OP's pain. Just tonight had a terribly de-motivating OB class. Old-school retrieve. (Enough said?!) I won't be going back.

 Quote: Meredith Hamilton

I feel the OP's pain. Just tonight had a terribly de-motivating OB class. Old-school retrieve. (Enough said?!) I won't be going back.

You probably don't need to. Something tells me you could have taught the retrieve class in a far more exciting, enjoyable way and kept you dog's tail waggin' the whole time.

SInce he is young it may be that the classes are too long for him. He might be associating the classes with being bored and a little stressed.

I like Randy's idea of psyching him up!

One trick that has worked for me is to say "Are you ready?" before I throw the frisbee or pull out the tug. If you do this enough you will have a lightbulb dog just by using the phrase.

The key is that you have to reward with the favorite toy at some point so that he doesn't learn that you are pulling a trick on him.

If only, Barbara. I have no idea what I'm doing. I need Christmas in July, Santa, and the new Michael Ellis dvd.

If only, Barbara. I have no idea what I'm doing. I need Christmas in July, Santa, and the new Michael Ellis dvd.