missymac Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 After puppy classes we took a terms break and have just started beginners with our two 10 month goldies, and I find it soooo tiring. Last night we let them out in the free run for about 15 mins before class and Savanna was still sooooo hypo! Whenever we stop to listen to the instructor she spends the whole time pulling to either sniff or say hello to the other dogs despite me continually calling her back to my side and having her sit down, she's getting quite strong too! I find by the end of the class I'm exhausted! She's good at free walking though, hardly pulls at all. I'm pretty happy with her progress, but I find my patience wears a little thin when I start to get tired. Does anyone else find it tiring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazz Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Try to keep free play for after class might help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 May be something to do with your choise of dog lol The others in our classes with gt's have to work so much harder!!!! They just want to play the whole time I love obedience but my 7 month old stafford boy is an angel (I've been lucky!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloss344 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I found Obedience really tiring when Bob was younger and the club we were attending encouraged a short 'socialisation and playtime' during the class. In his mind this was the purpose of going, .......fun, fun, fun. Now we've changed clubs and of course he has matured but it's not anywhere near as tiring for me. No playtime during class, and I don't allow him to have a playtime before class either, [nasty mummy] We absolutely love Obedience though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 (edited) I find it boring as the dogs get unmotivated doing the same thing week in week out. However at the Handlers Workshop today with Steve at K9 I learnt some different motivational methods which I'm definately going to give a go! Edited February 18, 2006 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Are you in a grid formation while you are listening or can you move out and find your own space, whilst still being in earshot of the trainer? Long sits and drops are boring especially to young dogs, I would take a small tuggy in with me and play a little tug in between asking her for sits, or take some treats and use those only for treating her attention on you- i.e. sitting nicely and looking up at your face. I usually release my dogs as I have a special word that means they are on their own time, and get down and give them a scratch and a pat etc. As a class participant I feel as long as I'm listening to the instructor then that should be ok, and as an Instructor I don't mind that ppl do that as long as they are listening in... :D Just my 2 cents... Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemibabe Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Shelby and I passed our beginners class about 3 weeks ago and the one thing I found hard was all the bending. well not so much bending the knees but stretching down to the dog with treat in hand, trying to keep the hand as outstreched as possible. Having a short breed and Shelby is shorter then most staffords I found the back of my knees and my middle back were aching ;) I can't touch my toes at the best of times, so stretching down to do the hand signals was hard. Plus I have a very reluctant dog, she was more interested in the other dogs... :D We weren't allowed to let the dogs interact at all. The trainer said the dogs are here to work, not socialise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smisch Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I find class tiring and I'm only 15!! and poor snoopy, they make us work for a full hour straight because we are in a 'stablizing' class not in beginner class Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIPANDUS Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Oh yes, it seems an hour is a long time for me and for our 20 week old BC Kira. We have just returned from class and she has crashed next to me. She was finding it hot too, ( it does get hot in Armidale occasionally) flopping into my shadow to cool off. I couldn't make her have a drink though, :D so I had to content myself with wetting her belly and under her arms to cool her off. She definitely has more energy at the Tuesday night classes we attend, and so do I. Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsdog Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Good. At the end of class I want all my dogs and handlers to be tired. This means you have done a lot, thought a lot, and enjoyed yourselves. :D Not only that, but I give you homework as well. ;) (Changing my name to Mrsgestapo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisymina Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Mrsgestapo It's because of a Mr Gestapo at my very first obedience class that that I never went back - had paid a joining fee etc for about 6 months of training - left early and never returned. All our training has been DIY because of that experience. Tried again once more, many years later - and persisted longer - and never learned a thing. Can't for the life of me figure out why "socialisation" for dogs and handlers cannot be considered an important part of the exercise. It just doesn't sit well with me going to a place, spending ages with people of "like mind" and not be allowed to communicate with them. :D ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloss344 Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Ok, today I am really tired. Bob didn't want to drop, didn't want to wait, didn't like the treats I took and just generally just was so over it and didn't want to be there. :D My back aches as well from all the coaxing him down. Next week will be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 (edited) Oh yes, it seems an hour is a long time for me and for our 20 week old BC Kira. Is it an hour's full on obedience? Or lots of fun motivated breaks (that you supply) and perhaps a mixture of a broad base of socialisation? IMO, your dog's motivation will be soon lost if it's a full on hour's grind of "sit", "drop" etc. without you providing stimulation in between. Although the instructors should be helpful, here, the provision of motivation is your responsibility. When the instructor tells you to release your dog (from an exercise), that release should be big time fun, play. Try building up your dog's prey drive at home. If you can, this will help immensley when training. I couldn't make her have a drink though, :D Kal doesn't like to drink when she's away from home. I would add something to her water (eg. a few drops of milk; a little bit of meat juice) and then I'd have to battle not to allow her to guzzle the whole lot down too quickly! For this, of course, you'd need to take your dog's own drinking recepticle ... but then that often helps for the 'fussy, drink at home only' type dog. ;) Edited February 19, 2006 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemibabe Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 It's because of a Mr Gestapo at my very first obedience class that that I never went back - had paid a joining fee etc for about 6 months of training - left early and never returned.All our training has been DIY because of that experience. Tried again once more, many years later - and persisted longer - and never learned a thing. Can't for the life of me figure out why "socialisation" for dogs and handlers cannot be considered an important part of the exercise. It just doesn't sit well with me going to a place, spending ages with people of "like mind" and not be allowed to communicate with them. :D ;) I'm now doing all the training at home until Shelby is 100% focussed on me with distractions... I'm glad we didn't socialise cause half of these people had NO IDEA! And thier dogs were like thier owners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsdog Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Sorry Noisymina, that Mrsgestapo was a joke. Anyone who knows me will tell you this is so. I believe in LOTS of socialisation - happy dogs and happy people. We are all working, but we are having fun too. Will try to keep my sense of humour in check in future. ;) Look around in your area and I am sure you will find somewhere to train where you and your dog will enjoy every moment. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIPANDUS Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Thanks for the reply Erny, we do have one scheduled break, but are encouraged to interact with our dogs between exercises. Also after training a Jack Russell who switches off easily if bored, we know to use lots of fun playtime in between official exercises. We have a whole new set of instructors this year but previous instructors were very dog savvy and taught us great lifelong positive motivational habits, which we use daily. We have never had a dog refuse to drink before, so will be taking "spiked" water next time in case it happens again, thanks for helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cala Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Yes, it can be tiring and boring, and frustrating, such a wide range of emotions probably too many to cover here........... BUT if you stick with it and persevere, be consistant, reward, praise........ Less of And much more of this ;) :wink: Believe me it's more than worth it in the long run!!!!!!!!! You will come out pleasantly suprised with your achievements, believe me it's a great feeling, and you have a nice obedient dog at the end of it all. JUST HANG IN THERE............ Put a few minutes of work in morning and evening EVERY day! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss whippy Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 pixie has her good days and bad at obedience. she is very sociable, and i have noticed that she is most likely to settle when we have gotten to class early and had time to 'say hello' to each and every other dog there!! she is just so full of beans some days, she doesnt listen to me, other days she seems equally as energetic, but is putting it all into behaving... who knows? but, as i said, i reccommend a good socialisation beforehand.. especially with the other dogs in the class that they will be working alongside i also find when the instructors are talking to us, and there are extended periods of waiting, that telling her 'ok' and not worrying that she is sniffing the ground or rolling around, until we are working again breaks it up a bit.. but we will work towards a longer attention span!! the other thing that helps i think, is that our obedience classes are broken up periodically for a short social session or a run through the agility tunnel and a practice on the weaving poles. I think they can see it as a reward for doing all that boring obedience stuff, although she seems to enjoy the obedience sometimes. ok, waffled on long enough!! good luck, and have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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