# Conformation vs Obedience



## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

I sort of had to learn things in reverse from what you're doing. Although I haven't "shown" Jersey in conformation, I did have to prepare him for his CCA (Certificate of Conformation Assessment) at a little under 2 years old... which was no easy task with a dog who had trained obedience since he was 4 months old. What I found helped was using different commands. Personally, I used "Trot" to try to get him to move as he would need to for conformation, whereas "Heel" was strictly for obedience. We had mild success with it, but in all fairness I only worked with him for about a week before our assessment (oops). I'm sure you'll get better advice from people who have more experience, but I thought I'd share anyway. Good luck!!

Julie and Jersey


----------



## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

I've been training Layla for both since she was 10 weeks old. she has no problem & I handle her completely different in the classes. when training for conformation i am peppy & upbeat (i also have bait) and tell her "stand" as I take the last slower step before stopping. in obedience I use only hand signals and am very calm & quiet. sitting has never been an issue in conformation & she does a beautiful auto sit in obedience.


----------



## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

It can be done but because my focus is on conformation I don't teach anything to do with Obedience (as the obedience people roll their eyes) LOLOL. Yes, that mean my dogs don't know how to sit, down or anything else. They do stand, bait, freestack, stay, hand stack and stay in position when their tails are lifted LOLOL some dogs won't, and move well and controlled on the lead. They start learning obedience things around 2 or 3 years old. Thats just my personal prefrence but I have seen lots of dogs do great with both.


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

I agree with Ash, teaching obedience (well the sit command anyway) waits until they are done in conformation, or they develop that "conformation" attitude. Dogs that have grown up in conformation know not to sit in the ring.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Ash and Vern just don't know how to multi-task... lol :

I do both, because I use all my dogs as "demo dogs" in the classes that I teach - Puppy, Basic, and Conformation. I have never had an issue with them being unable to differentiate one from the other. They know the difference by the collar and lead, to be sure, but mainly, because they know my commands. I personally couldn't live with any dog that would sit, stay, lie down, heel, etc.


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

I was just baiting you. I'm sure my dogs are much better at it then yours.


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I have yet to work a dog that couldn't do both easily. They know the difference.


----------



## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> Ash and Vern just don't know how to multi-task... lol


Its ok Vern you and I will stick together with the dogs that will never embarrass us by sitting in the ring :....... :curtain:


----------



## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

Hi everyone!:wavey: I haven't been on to post for quite some time, was really busy after Lexi had the puppies. They all went to wonderful homes, and are doing wonderfully.
The show pick girl went to Nevada, and will be in her first puppy show when she is six months in May. 
I kept the show pick boy, who we have named Klondike! He is quite the character! I will post some pictures soon of him! I am reading this post with interest, as he starts puppy kindergarten on Monday evening.I am taking him where they have classes for EVERYTHING.....and too have wondered just WHAT classes I should concentrate with him! Any thoughts would be most appreciated! I would like for him to know and understand both.....but not sure where I should focus at the moment.


----------



## DUSTYRD2 (Feb 28, 2007)

Dusty didn't hit the show ring until he was 4 yrs. old. So up to that point it was all obedience training, albeit informal. When we started handling classes at 4 yrs. old, the first thing the trainer told us was not to teach your dog to sit! LOL Well Dusty never had a problem with it because like Laura said, he got to know the difference between the show lead and the flat collar and knew when he could sit and when he couldn't. To this day when he's got a flat collar on he auto sits when he's supposed to, most times without us telling him, yet when he has a show lead on, he rarely sits and never does it in the ring.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> I was just baiting you. I'm sure my dogs are much better at it then yours.


 
Oh baby... it's a THROWDOWN!!!!


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Ash said:


> Its ok Vern you and I will stick together with the dogs that will never embarrass us by sitting in the ring :....... :curtain:


And MINE _will _embarrass yours by _never _sitting in the breed ring, and sitting on command when asked. Bring it on, Canadian Girl...  lol


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Pointgold said:


> Oh baby... it's a THROWDOWN!!!!


I'll let you be Bobby Flay, since you are going to loose.


----------



## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> I'll let you be Bobby Flay, since you are going to loose.


Go Vern, go Vern, go Vern ROFLMAO


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> I'll let you be Bobby Flay, since you are going to loose.


And YOU are going to _lose_. HAHAHA (It's been a VERY long time since I was "loose".)


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Pointgold said:


> And YOU are going to _lose_. HAHAHA (It's been a VERY long time since I was "loose".)


That's great for someone who writes for a living. isn't it? Lucky I don't do my own proof reading.

But in any case, you're done.


----------



## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Ash said:


> Go Vern, go Vern, go Vern ROFLMAO


Don't worry Ash, we did a good job of getting her caught up in this. Her dog will definitely sit before mine does.


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> That's great for someone who writes for a living. isn't it? Lucky I don't do my own proof reading.
> 
> But in any case, you're done.


 
Dream on, Paperback Writer...


----------



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> Don't worry Ash, we did a good job of getting her caught up in this. Her dog will definitely sit before mine does.


 
Most assuredly so. It'll go like this:

Laura - "Zoom, sit". (Zoom sits.)

Vern - "Jesse, sit." "Jesse,sit". "Jesse, SIT." JESSE! SIT!!!" *"JESSE SIT %#$%& you". *(Jesse remains standing).









In the breed ring, Zoom will freebait at the end of her lead, holding her own tail out, and will never even _consider _sitting. Jesse, tired from standing so long and not sitting when told, will sit, then slide into a down, and fall asleep. 



*Disclaimer - I love Jesse.


----------



## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

HAHA..you guys are just too darn funny!!!


----------



## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

Nygel started in obedience training when he came home to us. My handler knew that he was going to be going into the conformation ring & added extras for us including stacking and not sticking to my leg. We also took the winter off from our obedience classes for a couple of reasons - driving in the winter (3.5 hours return) and Nyg was going into the ring. There have been no problems with Nyg trying to sit - it's all in the commands and the manner in which the bait is presented - out & up - as opposed to straight up.

We'll be back in obedience classes very soon & some polishing up to get us into the obedience ring in the late summer.


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Talk about doing both Obedience and Conformation! I was so lucky to meet Yogi at the show this weekend, and see him get his Obedience Hall Of Fame at ten years old. I got to snuggle with him, which I loved, and it was just really nice to see such a fine older gentleman dog excel- especially since, back at the breed ring, people were being REALLY mean to each other. Look at all this loot: Am./Can. CH OTCH Highmark Mirasol Once A Knight VCD3 UDX3 TDX JH MX MXJ WC VCX OS SDHF- now I think will be add obedience hall of fame.


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> Ash and Vern just don't know how to multi-task... lol :


Exactly what I was thinking and probably why Vern is relagated to "kennel help" :doh:
Most Goldens can tell the difference between the two I have found, especially when you start them young at both. Be sure to use differennt collars, leashes, commands and try to not train both at the same session and you should be fine. 
Have fun with your pup!


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Ljilly28 said:


> Talk about doing both Obedience and Conformation! I was so lucky to meet Yogi at the show this weekend, and see him get his Obedience Hall Of Fame at ten years old. I got to snuggle with him, which I loved, and it was just really nice to see such a fine older gentleman dog excel- especially since, back at the breed ring, people were being REALLY mean to each other. Look at all this loot: Am./Can. CH OTCH Highmark Mirasol Once A Knight VCD3 UDX3 TDX JH MX MXJ WC VCX OS SDHF- now I think will be add obedience hall of fame. I admire this so much, but I think I need to be a devoted fan and not a participant, I get scared just being on the sidelines of all the human aggressive humans and no one is even mad at me. Mark Derosiers, as a handler, cleaned up this weekend.


I had both Keeper and Lucy entered there this weekend. I only took Keeper on Thursday and stayed home on Friday. Lucy is recovering from reopenning an incission from some minor surgery - now stapled shut - so she was not able to compete. I enjoyed spending some time with Alison and Yogi on Thursday. He IS an amazing boy! Sorry I missed you.


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> I had both Keeper and Lucy entered there this weekend. I only took Keeper on Thursday and stayed home on Friday. Lucy is recovering from reopenning an incission from some minor surgery - now stapled shut - so she was not able to compete. I enjoyed spending some time with Alison and Yogi on Thursday. He IS an amazing boy! Sorry I missed you.


It would have been SO exciting to meet you and the dogs. Alison was ultra nice. I hope Lucy is okay now that she is stapled- reopening doesnt sound fun for her or for you!


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Shoot!
Hank were you in the agility ring with Keeper on Thursday?


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Actually I now realize after seeing your post about your 1st CDX w/Liberty that it was a different site. I was in Wallkill, NY on Thursday with Keeper in Rally. Allison must have put a few miles on her Element this weekend


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

She looked so fresh after a long weekend!! Now I am even more amazed, knowing she had been traveling all week!!!


----------



## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

WOW...hearing about this Alison...makes me want to get a dog from her!

I'll put that on a 'To Do' list! HAHA...her dogs are gorgeous!


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

There is something about Yogi and Banjo and the other senior dogs that just pulls my heartstrings. They have such gravitas and knowingness just not there yet in puppies. Even though I love my youngsters, I miss Raleigh's wise old face and just the way he knew how to read everything in his world. He knew what the bank's drive through meant(cookie), he knew the road to summer camp a full five miles before the drive way, and he knew the school bell system by heart and would lie down without being told when English class started and jump up when the bell rang at the end- a fifteen year old dog is sooooo fluent in human ways. You can see that Yogi knows everything about Alison, and his attention to her is this easy, lovely full concentration. He has such calm confidence in her.


----------

