# how to start an obedience dog



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Hi, work on focused attention. Reward with treats or praise/life rewards for short eyes on you attention. Get your pup used to following your movements and reading your body language. Heeling takes time, but get good loose leash walking as the basis for good heeling. 

Have many different kinds (tall/short, young/old, men/women/children, different ethnicities) of people put their hands on your pup while on a sit or stand stay in preparation for the beginner novice sit for exam, novice stand for exam and utility moving stand for exam. 

Make sure your pup gets used to being away from you too. Start taking steps away while pup is on a sit or down stay. I have seen some dogs who could do all the obedience exercises for novice and open that never qualify because they can't do the sits and downs. 

Teach yourself what the rally signs really mean and read the rule book for whatever venues you plan to compete in. There is nothing worse than an nq for your lack of clarity about what you are supposed to do.

I love showing with Lily. We have a great relationship, clearly enhanced by working together. When people say they don't want to show because they aren't into competing I feel they are missing out on the best part of trialing anything with their dog which is the relationship building that comes from the training and the trials and the celebrations. I wish you lots of fun and great success.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

It is helpful to teach your puppy target behavior. I use the plastic top of a tennis ball container. When the dog runs to the target and touches it they get rewarded. After they get this down only reward for keeping his nose on the target. Use a release word when they can leave a target. I use free. OK is not a great release word because it is used in casual conversation. I also taught my puppy on and off which has been very useful and wait.

Talk to your dog a lot and get her use to hand signals. If I am going somewhere even around the house I point the way to Swizzle. He is use to looking to m for signals. 

As Catherine points out socialization is key. Also get her use to all sorts of noises and hustle and bustle. Walk him over all sorts of surfaces - tarps, wood, sand ect.

Most of all make training fun. Keep training sessions short and happy and always end on a successful note. If you can observe agility and obedience trials.

It is great fun doing these activities with your dog. I consider class night my date night with Swizzle. Best of luck with Kena.


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## Shiloh (Sep 7, 2013)

thank you guys! these are great tips! Exactly the kinds of things I was looking for!!! Keep em coming if anyone has anything else they have done! Kena is suuuupppper smart and is just the happiest dog I have ever been around, 

I have actually had a hard time tell her no..... I mean like she doesn't care, lol. I even scruffed her when she was chewing on my blanket and said no and she just wagged her tail at me and went on her merry way..........any tips on getting her to understand that sometimes I am serious????


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I don't know what scruffed her means but teach her the leave it command. At her age the chewing impulse is very strong. I always redirect. Bad girl chews blanket good girl chews bully and then give her a great chewie. Have tons of stuff around she is allowed to chew.


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## Shiloh (Sep 7, 2013)

I usually do redirect her, but she needs to know no, or leave it, and she just doesn't care, lol. it will just take time I'm sure, but I have never had a dog that didn't respond to a loud no, or clap of the hands. she is just unphased by it completely. keeps doing what she wants, lol. sassy little thing. Or I will tell her no and she will bark at me...... she's too smart/cute for her own good


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I taught leave it purposefully rather than opportunistically. In other words I set up temptations to teach what the command meant. Lily has an irresistible urge to eat paper (tissues, napkins, paper towels, etc.). To teach her leave it (for us leave it means don't touch or pick up something as well as stop bothering the other dog, person etc.) I started by dropping one crumpled napkin on the kitchen floor. When she started to take it I told her leave it and redirected her to a chew toy. When she took the toy I told her "good." As she learned to leave the napkin alone I upped the ante to get the reward by adding more napkins. You should also teach "out" or drop/release it to get Kena to learn to let go of things she already has a hold of.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Two books excellent for raising a performance puppy:

Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program
The FOCUSed Puppy

Both available on Amazon, even as a package deal, I think. Great books full of specific tips with eventual performance in mind.

Good luck!

--Q


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Yes Quossum, two great suggestions. I don't have Control Unleashed Puppy Program, but did get to go to a seminar with Leslie McDevitt a couple of years ago. I will definitely get it before the next puppy. Focused Puppy is already on my book shelf.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

I don't know what class you are enrolled in, but I recommend finding either a "competition puppy" class or a "dog sports foundations" class. You'll find either of these options much more useful than a basic puppy class. I took both with my pup Shooter when he was young and we really appreciated all the focus/attention work and emphasis on correct form with basic commands, not to mention they took extra effort to expose the dogs to different sounds, surfaces, and sights.


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## KristaLynn (Mar 22, 2012)

Apparently pivoting is really important. *grumble*


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