i have been training my 6 month old male blk lab since 8 weeks old. he sits, lies down, heels on leash and off, downs for long periods and sits, stands til i give release command, even rolls over both ways and even recognizes and will retrieve 3 of his toys by my calling him to fetch one. Plus he has a great ability to smell things that i hide for him.. Training is using done inside my house by myself. because i live in a smaller community and the timing i got my puppy there was no puppy socialization or puppy obedience classes available. i do socialize him with greeting people/other dogs on walks, and he plays with friends' dogs on a often. i finally have an obedience 6 wk course coming available in april, which i am signed up for. i want to try get him his CD but i'm worried he's not ready. i understand you can not do corrections in the ring - that doesn't bother me so much as his big nose. he is so scent driven that when we go out anywhere new, the new scents distract him so much and i then have a hard time getting him to listen. Will he outgrow this with more training or have i still not provided enough socialization to new things.?

Need some advice,

Michele,

Sounds like you have a great dog there. In dog training there is a stage of learning when the distraction is at a minimal. Once the dog can do as command in level 10 in a low distraction, you increase the distracion and starts over again at level 1 and slowly proceeds to level 10 again.

Distractions means toys around, people around, new place, new room, at a safe park etc.

Your description to me sounds like you did greatly in own backyard but all these will not work as you go to a different place. So dont get dissapointed when you see your perfect OB Lab looks like a spoilt kid at the public OB session cause it is just natural. Just go back to level 1 in your training, increase your reward and praise on success and this will build its confidence and understanding of the command again up slowly to level 10. Further more higher distractions and change of place can be added when you had done well on that and I call this proofing stage to ensure your puppy is solidly OB.

Nevertheless at 6 months of age, I wouldn't push it too much. Compulsion and corrections should be at minimal if ever used at all. I find that motivational reinforcement rarely needs much compulsion which I will leave it until the time to polish up the OB. FYI my dogs are 9 months now and I still havent done a single correction except for some verbal dissaproval.

As for socialision, it is still not to late for a 6 month old. Just relas and expose him to the world whenever you can, this will be good for him if you wanted to be active in OB rings later. Alas, enjoy your puppy and let it just be a dog sometimes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Michele
Six months is the earliest you can go into an AKC OB ring. Why not spend some time going to fun matches till the pup matures? Same setup as official trials, just more relaxed for dog and handler. These can be used to get the dog used to the noise and other dogs. Any OB club can get you on a mailing list for the matches in and around your area.