I have what may seem like a silly question. I am training Bindi, and I am being trained myself for Rally O. I have a trainer right now that teaches obedience, but not competition obedience. I was wondering if anyone could tell me the difference between obedience and competition obedience. I am sure regular obedience is not as intense, and precision isn't a target? just guessing. And Competition obedience is more intense.
I have an opportunity to get involved with competition obedience with Bindi and want to know what the differences will be. I hope I am clear, and I hope I do not offend anyone with this question. I am new to training with someone and was wondering. Sharon

You guessed correctly!
If I tell my dogs "Platz" they know to do it now and do it quickly.
If I tell my dogs "go lay down" I don't care if they walk to the other side of the room/patio/yard before the do it.
I don't use competition commands in every day life because the dogs know there are different expectations with those commands. Using them in daily life can devalue them because YOUR expectations and lack of formality can get lax.
This works for ME. Everyone has different expectations.

DITO on what Bob said. It's what I do also.

Sharon, I am basically in your same shoes. Aragon was initially trained in regular obedience but I am now working on competition obedience in my training club. The problem is that sometimes he can be a little lax and not as crisp as I would like. For example, when he was initally taught to heel all I cared about was if he stayed on my side. Now I'm trying to get him to heel in a competition mode and I suddendly expect much more out of him even though I am giving the same heel command. It's not really fair to him but luckly he has came to know that when we show up at the training club it is time to really work. If you plan on doing competition obedience I would start with a trainer who specializes in that area. Because I have found that it can often take longer than necessary to get that really precise obedience behaviour when his foundation was given in just basic, lax obedience.

Bob / Anne, can you give some feedback about how you train the two different commands. Specifically, how do you train the dog to perform the command quickly with a sense of urgency. I am much like you in which if I tell Aragon to down I don't really care if he just lazily settles down and gets comfortable, just as long as he goes down. The only problem is that while we are working on competitive obedience sometimes he does the same thing. How do you motivate the dog to perform the command with a sense of urgency?

AJ;

FWIW, I rename my commands for OB at the club (and eventually competition). I was already using "heel" for our regular walks. I added "fuss" for the focused heeling so that I could keep "heel" for it's original purpose, and be able to enforce the level of OB that I expect for "fuss".

To train a new command, I would teach it like a new behavior, from the very beginning with markers.

I need to do that with my training commands during the competition obedience. I can train the competition heel to a new command. But how do I train my dog to perform command like the down very quickly. For example, if I use a new word for down or sit what is the best way to motivate the dog to go down very quickly? Do you simply just not mark the down unless he does it quickly? Or do you motivate the dog to perform the task quickly in some other way? I.E. like quickly yanking him down after you give the command? Thanks.

Besides having formal and casual commands AJ, the physical cueing you use in OB is a bigger part then what you're saying, I think especially going from basic obedience to a formal OB.

You want to try and work at faster pace generally, and if you havent trained a release, you'll want to now. Work on how you deliver the reward. You want to release sooner, don't work on holding a sit for instance, release and reward as soon as his butt touches the ground.

Short, fast paced sessions with a lot of play. Luring into positions and releasing quickly, moving around a lot, not working in a set place.

And Sharon, I think you're probabaly training correctly for rally. I think calm and methodical is fine for that.

I do alot of how Steve described it. Short fast OB sessions with then a ball toss for a reward or tug. I even do it with both dogs at the same time, as well as seperately.

Timeing of the reward needs to be quick & a quick negative marker if the dog is not fast enough then the command again they learn being fast gets the reward. Gotta be consistant.

My dogs learn from pups that OB at home is very different then formal OB on the field. I expect compliance at home but more casually...on the field or even away from home I expect it to be more formal & with an immediate responce. The dog figure it out pretty easily.

As Steve stated the dogs respond much more out of body language cues then actual verbal cues. They definately 'read' me & know when I expect at that paraticular time.

There are casual commands like 'walk with me' (instead of Fuss for formal) lay down or down for casual down & ('platz' for formal) etc etc .

I have been blessed to have the Leerburg dog obedience and some Michael Ellis videos that have taught me some skills, still learning. I have taught many things to my Bindi and Cody. I do not like lax obedience even at home. If I as for something I like it quick.
But I am so excited to have received your input and I will step things up a notch. In rally they say they are not as picky about heeling or other positions. I don't want my girl to almost get it. I want her to get right into the correct positions. She is a great dog, and I am just a dog owner who loves to train. I need more work than she does. I have gotten my focused heeling DVD out from Michael and have reviewed it and I hope to tighten up our skills.
Thanks so much. I am so excited to move forward. Bindi will love it too. I will let you know how we do. I do not know what commands I will change. I will have to think about it. interesting thought. thanks sharon. Bindi is the pup in the middle of this pic. sharon

Steve covered it nicely. Your whole persona will be different with the different training. Same thing with your expectations.
Home training for me is pretty casual and relaxed.
With competition my body language is totally different and the dog reads that.
Speed can be worked on easily "IF" the dog has a high drive for a reward.
Those little terrier mixes of yours should have drive up the wazoo!