# Starting Obedience Classes



## Locket (Jun 21, 2009)

I contacted a local obedience/dog sports club about starting agility with Mitchell. The trainer recommend we first complete the adult beginner obedience class, as it covers important skills that are part of the foundation work for agility/dog sports. 

So, as long as it is being held at the close location, it looks like Mitch and I will be starting obedience class this thursday!! I hope it goes well. Our training sessions at home are very short and are more play than work, so I hope he doesn't get too antsy, and I hope he can focus with all the other dogs around. 

The course is 6 weeks long and then we can look into starting agility classes!! I think he'll love agility, he's such an athlete this boy.


He is more toy motivated than food motivated, but at times he is sooo focused on the toy that he is not absorbing what I'm trying to teach him...would you recommend using food instead?


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## Beach girl (Aug 5, 2010)

How old is he?

I totally agree about starting obedience before agility. It's very important to get that foundation in. Obedience is a great way to teach your dog to focus on you, and to understand that words and gestures have meaning.

A dog less than 1 year old should not be doing jumping or weaving yet anyway, so that is a great time to do the flatwork, foundational things of agility - learning to "touch," to follow your hand, do circle work, etc.

Re toy vs. food, I think it's a good idea to trade off. Casey adores his red Kong frisbee - I use that as a reward at the end of the weaves if he's done it right. I used food for things like encouraging him to walk up the A-frame and dog-walk. He is not very food-oriented so it still took a lot of encouragement at first, but once he figured it out, he was zooming over those obstacles so quickly he didn't even look for the treat! Then I had to work on slowing him down a little bit on the down-side, to maintain control.

Where are you keeping the toy before you give it to him as a reward? Maybe it should be more out of sight, to keep it out of his mind, until the moment you want him to see it when he has earned his reward.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

Thats great for you guys! Another newbie to share with

I would use both and see how it goes. For the easier tasks that he does well on, use food and possibly use the toy for the tougher tasks. I am on my search for that special treat or toy for Suri. Please keep us posted.


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## Teffy (Jul 4, 2010)

Excellent Locket! Which facility are you going to if you don't mind me asking?


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

Yes, you can't take agility at our kennel club unless you have taken beginners obedience. Lucy starts on Sunday.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

How cool!! You guys will have a blast! I always loved taking classes with Riley!!


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Ruby will be starting a 7 week basic obedience course in two weeks! So great to see that others will be going through it at the same time! Hope to learn from you guys!


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_That's wonderful. You're going to love it. I had to take it too with Billy and he did very well. Treats were never in view of the dog and only offered after a successful task was performed. I used a waist treat bag that has the spring clasp so that when I bent over, the treats didn't fall out. Use soft treats that can be eaten quickly. I started using chopped up hot dogs and bacon. Billy is not very food motivated but loved this.

Puppies do tend to get bored and/or distracted but I'm sure he will get the idea of what you are asking him.
_


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