# Curious about these statistics from AKC



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

That sounds right to me. It's not easy to earn those titles! So kudos to everyone who has :adore:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Skylar that is all entries for all types of dogs. The part that is most disappointing to me is how low entries are overall. As to the low numbers of titles earned, especially for utility, it is really that hard! One caveat for those who are seriously interested in pursuing performance obedience: don't enter before you are really ready. 

Here are a couple of ways to think about what really ready means. First concept, if you plan to go through to utility make sure the dog knows all of the exercises for novice, open and utility even before you enter novice. The exercises don't all have to be ring ready, but the dog should understand them all. This is why Javelin is already being taught go outs and directed jumping and working on the dumbbell retrieve. He will not go into a trial ring for novice until probably about a year from now. Second concept, heeling is important to everything but heeling that will get Qs in novice and even open won't be good enough for utility where you rely a lot on the dog having to keep eye contact with you. For Lily I never insisted on heads up heeling and that has now been a barrier for her in utility. Javelin has heads up heeling. Third concept, have a strategy for keeping your dog attentive and connected to you between exercises. Use ring acceptable tricks like spins or touches while you are moving from one exercise to the next for this. They keep the dog with you and they are a stress releaser for the dog. Fourth concept, go to matches in as many different places as you can. Lily has a backyard OTCh ten times over but has a hard time in places that are too busy, too noisy or unfamiliar to her. Javelin has been going to matches since he was barely a year old. He doesn't care where he is and will do a kick ass go out anywhere I ask him to and think it is fun and funny to go away from me. Lily worries about being sent away if she doesn't like the place. One person who has helped me made the suggestion that one shouldn't enter any level of obedience until the dog has done qualifying performances in three matches. In other words earn a practice title before trying for the real thing. 

I think one of the reasons that the numbers go down so much as you go to higher levels of obedience is that people get discouraged and quit when they enter over and over without getting Qs. A friend who also is working her novice A dog has given up on obedience and decided to focus on rally without getting through open. I keep wondering for myself whether it is fair or reasonable to keep trying for the UD with Lily. She has come very close to qualifying (missed only one exercise) at least 4 or 5 times but doesn't seem to be able to hold it together. She will be nine years old in September. It is hard to know what is good for her sometimes, but her benefit is what matters most.

ETA: BTW along with Ms. Walker another of the very early proponents of performance obedience was Blanche Saunders, also a poodle person. She published the first book devoted to teaching performance oriented obedience to dogs in 1954. I have a copy of her original book, although since it advocates pretty primitive (though modern enough in its day) stuff like leash pops and ear pinches I have never used any of her methods. It is interesting though to see how things have changed over time, even since the days (not so long ago) when Diane Bauman first published Beyond Basic Dog Training.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I'm reading Diane Bauman's Beyond Basic Dog Training - an updated but still older book. Lots to think about reading her book although there are a few things I question or don't understand - or maybe I misunderstand her. She is clearly of the same school as you in "teach the dog everything before you start to compete". A thinking dog.

I had wonderful teacher who taught the class leading into the competition CD class - small dogs only. She left Obedience to concentrate on agility. My other teachers were upset with her - now I understand - she got frustrated at the Utility level. Another teacher told me you had to work seriously to get through the various levels as quickly as possible because a dog with bad teeth can't do the dumbbell retrieve and a dog losing it's sense of smell in old age can't do articles. She was frustrated because her last dog got cancer and died before earning her Utility title. Her current dog is 7 yo and they are struggling in Utility. That also explains why there are so few teachers. I noticed that my trainers at one club are training in the other clubs. The trainer I take a class from in another venue, teaches the class before mine AND she is big in rally and is going around to all the clubs teaching the new signs etc. Looking at these numbers makes me realize how small a group these people are who are qualified and have the experience to teach. I asked at one club if they could recommend anyone I can go to for private lessons - NOPE - they are all stretched too thin so there are no private lessons.

We started dumbbell last week. As for going out - in the small dog class she taught us to send our dogs out to a piece of food stuck on a stanchion - I use a kitchen table leg - but then no one has mentioned how to go beyond that - so I just send her out - she gets her treat and then comes back to me in front position. We've done jumps in agility - but that's not quite the same as. At home I'm working on sit, stand and fold from a distance - we're a few steps away and following just hand signals.

The reason I wanted private lessons because sometimes I get confused as to exactly what I should be working on beyond the CD and how to organize it. I was told don't do articles until you have the dumbbell working. For Tricks I did teach her the shell game and my CGC teacher is huge in nose work so I might go back to him for a nose class.

I did go to watch the CDX and Utility classes at the one club that's more into obedience last week. I brought Babykins with me - she was really well behaved in her brand new fabric carrier. I was nervous she would be too tired for our CD class which was immediately after with no break.........and not only did she do that CD class, but so few people showed up for the next class that we stayed at took that one and the teacher thoughtfully focused on things we didn't work on in the first class. So I was thrilled she was so good..... but I temper it with the knowledge that there are other times when she loses focus.

My trainers are telling me we should be ready to compete this fall but I know the heeling is our weakest part. I have recently gotten strict - no rewards if things are not perfect. And I'm getting better doing my part - stop looking down at her etc. I don't think most people realize the tiny details, like turning your foot into the figure eight while you move your shoulder and head - easy to say but harder to put into action. I found it interesting many of the same things my teachers in the CD class were also being said in CDX and even the Utility. We did go to a match this spring when she clearly wasn't ready and everything was a mess in the ring, but outside the ring I was happy that she was well behaved, not upset or nervous. I do take her to lots of places both for classes and not so she's used to long drives in the car and going strange places - not quite the same as Javvie's greater experience tagging along with Lily.

One thing I love is the wonderful people and dogs I have met in this journey. What I haven't done yet is Rally - thought I'd focus on Obedience for a while first. I wonder if they made changes to Obedience - still kept the hard parts - but added stuff in between so you felt like you were accomplishing things moving forward towards Utility. That's why I did the tricks with Babykins, it gave me confidence and gratifying feedback that our training is successful. I bet if Obedience could give people more positive feedback along the way to the top, more people would stick with it.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Skylar there are in between classes in Obedience! There is beginner novice, graduate novice and graduate open which were all introduced around the same time. There is also pre-CD, pre-CDX and pre-UD along with now preferred classes with lower jump heights. I got a beginner novice title with Peeves (good because there were no group stays), but Lily already had her CD when that title became available.

Whoever told you not to work on directed retrieve and scent until you had the dumbbell in order was correct. Once you have a good dumbbell the other things will fall into place.

As to having a hard time finding privates, I hear you! The person I work with is so busy I just get into whatever cancellation spots she has. Sometimes there will be a bunch all in a row and sometimes (like now) there is a drought. If you can make contact with a person and get on their fill in list you will be able to make progress as long as you do homework based on the lessons. You might want to think about going to a workshop or two either to audit or to work. For example I am going with Javelin to the intermediate workshop and with Lily to the advanced workshop, both in August, at Top Dog Obedience in New Jersey. Top Dog Obedience School If I were Knew about these workshops when I was new I probably would have audited at least one of them.

I am going to PM you with an idea too.


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