Good morning Leerburgers,

I am sitting here drafting my schedule for the spring months coming up and working up training blocks for the dogs, in order to have my ducks in a row and get my research done on training methods for the items I've chosen to focus on. I'm trying to ensure that I keep a good focus on what I want the dogs to learn instead of waffling all over the field doing a bit of this and a bit of that, and never having any skills proofed well enough to be reliable.

I am wondering how some of you decide what to focus on? CLearly, for those of you who have a clear job in mind for the dog (like Mara's Kolt, or Bob's Thunder) and long experience in the subject, you have a list in your head of the skills your dog needs to learn in order to excel in his designated field. For those of us who don't have a clear path, things get a little fuzzier. Do you work from the AKC CD test? Or the BH? What about a small list for novice nosework studies?

First does your dog seem to have a natural bent toward something?

Second, what interests you?

If the answer to both is "I'm not sure", then I'd work on something like a CD and then keep yourself motivated by getting CGCs and maybe doing some rally along the way.

P.S. I'm horrid at staying on track. I tend to jump from one thing to another like crazy. It's good that I have to train for the FSA so I can get away with working on multiple things at once...

I know that Duke has a very strong scent ability and he will do well, if -I- can get my act together and figure out how to train nosework games properly. I have this weird thought that I'm going to train it 'wrong' when the truth is that I can fix anything that I set him up with incorrectly, if I end up wanting to go another direction. Anything with multiple vertical jumps or bitework wise is just out for him, he's too sore afterwards. I am planning on doing Rally with him eventually (his sits and downs are slow already so it would just be a thing, not competition) but there is little to nothing in the area for me to use for Rally training with him. His CGC is in the bag if I can find a test scheduled and have 2 weeks to work on his manners around other people in advance of the test - but he is sssoooo boooreed of position OB stuff, I can tell. He was thrilled when I started sending him through the enormous concrete culverts that are lined up waiting for road construction. This block for him, I am working on proofing his heeling, his retrieve and adding a 'touchpad pivot' to see if he can do that comfortably.

Chance is just thrilled to do anything but his focus still sucks - I can get him to stay in heel position just by petting him and telling him how good he is while he walks next to me - and after about 3 minutes of training, he's very hard to keep engaged. He does learn fast though. I have a couple of basics that I'll be working on for him through this block (hand touch, retrieve, stand on elevated surface) but I also cannot teach him to jump yet as the baby gate is one of the levels of security I have for the cats in the house. My old trainer should be starting up agility courses this year if she can get the materials she needs and I am hoping I can work that into our schedule. I've also had good progress in moving him off the prong and onto a flat collar for walking, Duke's strictly on a flat collar now. They're not perfect but they're improving, just like the rest of us.

As for me, I'm pretty much interested in training everything. It's just a lack of experience (always want more) and time (I schedule my day to make sure everything gets done but still - they need more time)

hmm, want to pick a goal and for each dog and we can help you break it down so you have a plan to follow?

Let's start with a nosework focus since that's where I feel a bit lost - Duke can already find a ball filled with food anywhere in the house (including closed cupboards) when we tell him to look for it (such).

I can start pretty easily with the structured nosework game in boxes, so that's step 1. Boxes with food. Make him down before getting to eat his food. Do I want to him to assume down before I move on to the next step and be doing an automatic down or is that a 'finished' behavior?

Step 2 would be boxes with food and scent? Then we would move to the scent and less food? Eventually eliminate food?

Can I use leather and wood marker as the scent carrier in the boxes and then transition that to working outside? and after that.. what then? Fade out scent until he's indicating on articles only?

For Chance, I'm not sure how specific to get. He just seems to have a short 'loading' period and I have tried to work with him, then put him up and work Duke, and come back to Chance and he almost never is interested on the 2nd go around. We have developed a small amount of food and toy drive but sometimes he just checks out. He does lure rather well now though, which is something. I am pretty sure I'll be able to get the stuff I have listed for him done - I just need to set my priorities up. I think if I can get him doing some hind end awareness stuff I'll be able to replicate some of Kolt's work in your videos (front end up and down the couch, for example) at the moment that would be a bit baffling for him. I caught him on the coffee table yesterday afternoon which was a first and set my brain rolling on this.

For the record, all the stuff that we've worked on in the training game competitions here has stuck really, really well (with the exception of crawling for Duke, but I'm pretty sure that's structurally difficult for him) So the problem is the trainer - not the dogs. She needs to focus!

Is your end goal for Duke to have him solely on scent? I.e. nosework? or articles?

My two cents when you're not sure what direction you want to take.

OB can never be the wrong way to go; all sports need OB. OTOH it can get pretty repetitive so I would mix in rally exercises to help alleviate Duke's boredom. Learn all the signs; and what's nice about that if you do decide to do rally all you will need to practice is sequencing a course. There's lots of great exercises that take time to perfect to get a score of 100.

Also, if you're looking for agility or distance work, practice some of the agility skills that require tight turns, sends and sequencing. You don't have to run a full course to get the mechanics down. Dogs love learning these skills. I can send Enzo out around anything from a far distance to get him sprinting and rewarding with his bumper either from my hand or throwing it in another direction.

Don't get caught up trying to do one sport, break it down and it will transfer to all sports.

As for NW - Andrew Ramsey or Dave Kroyer have DVD's that show you how to get started. Both have great alerts. I would invest in getting one of their DVD's to begin.

I trained OB with a motivational only Schutzhund club bit I also competed in AKC OB.

So similar with a few differences.

AKC requires a "stay" command when the dog is left in a sit or down.

Schutzhund/IPO expects the dog to remain in place without a second command. It's actually points off if you do.

AKC requires any abput turn to be a right about turn.

Schutzhund wants a left about turn but that can be the dog staying at your side OR the dog circling you to the right as you still make a left turn.

AKC stays are 3mins sit and 5 mins down, all in a group of no more then 14 dogs at a time.

Schutzhund stay is the dog by itself near blind #2, while your hidden in blind #5.

Akc may be inside or outside and the ring is only 40' x 40' at best.

Schutzhund is on a soccer sized field.

Akc the judge gives you every command during the routine.
I think the routine last 4-5 mins per dog.

Schutzhund/IPO your expected to know the complete routine by yourself.
the routine may last 10+ mins.

AKC is much more anal about points. You can loosse looints for just about every bump, forge, lag, etc.

Schutzhund/Ipo will loose points for those also but only to the point of the judge commenting about you lagging, etc.

AKC you will need to approach the dog after all exercises to get a personel critique.

Schutzhund/IPO judges will give a critique to the crowed on each dog after all are finished. You can still ask questions after words if you desire.

If your dog knows Schutzhund OB it will do AKC for the CD.

The Schutzhund OB requires all that plus moving sits, downs and stands depending if it's level I,II or III.

Also Scuutzthund?IPO requires a flat retrieve, a one meter retrieve and a A frame retrieve.

The difference between level I, II or III is just the size of the dumbell on the flat.
DO NOT use the Schutzhund III dumbell in the AKC retrieve. The crowd hates it when that thing hit's the floor inside a building. Trust me I know.

The judge also can refuse the exercise if they don't like the dumbell. Almost happened to me.

Stres level

I personally believe the stress is greater in AKC simply because of the crowds that can be right up against the ring with some evil little child standing there with a hot dog, icecream, etc.

Also you have to maniplate between dogs and people getting to ringside ESPECIALLY at inside shows. 100 + dogs are not uncommon in AKC OB.

Schutzhund/IPOO may have 10-12 entries at the average club level.

I never work in a pattern in training. Many people do but that, IMHO can breed the repitition and boredom mentioned above.
I never do any exercises that follow the other in an actual trial. I want the dog to expect anything next.

Obviously Rally and other activities can help that as also mentioned above but for a new trainer I would advise to concentrate on the basics at the beginning. As experience is gained the go for it!

Those basics will easily transfer to beginning Rally and the AKC CD.

Mara, my thoughts were to transition to outside searches, which is when I'd want to be on scent (not food thanks to the multitude of fire ants here) and eliminating specific scent would be useful for 'lost item' searches - but that is way off in the distance.

Tanya, I love the send out around suggestion among others and I know Duke will love that. I am thinking that the foundation nosework DVD is going to make a mighty fine early Mother's Day gift to myself. I am going to try to go through some of the Rally exercises today.

Bob, you made me laugh, and thank you for the great post - I think that I should watch a few AKC OB routines on video and nail down pieces to work on - my plan is to shift the pattern of training every week or so so that we're not doing the same thing over and over again.

This gives me a fine roadmap to work on for the upcoming year, guys, thank you

If his downs are currently slow, I would not be asking for a down indication at this point. You want to keep him very into the game and requiring a down might dampen drive a bit.

I would also want to make sure that a down wasn't uncomfortable for him (since you mentioned that his hips get sore). A focused nose pinpoint (like what is seen in the Andrew Ramsey videos) could be a better option for him