# We've hit a road block :(



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

I wouldn't push it when she's got hormonal pregger brains. How is her drive in agility? Can you do some quick heelwork as part of the agility course (have her hit the table, then call her into heel, do a quick pattern and then send her to the next thing, or do a front and finish then...) to see how she does with that - using the agility as the reward for obedience? Is it more important to get a high score, a title or a happy working dog - will she be happier doing obedience with a slightly lower score because of less pressure (I competed with a dog who barked often on left turns, took the loss in score for happy dog in ring).


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Im wondering whose hormones got the best of them! ;-)

IMVHO...you are asking a bit much of a pregnant 2 yo bitch and a first-timer at that.
Her job right now is to grow healthy puppies...Im not saying that you shouldnt work her at all. However it seems like you have base her ENTIRE future obedience career on the training and results you have seen over the past couple of months.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Maybe pull back on the stress and have fun with her for a bit? Especially while she's with litter.  

The obedience trials will always be there, and if you have a sound dog you can always jump into trials when she's ready.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

My opinion?

Just relax and take it easy, she's pregnant.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

If it helps, Storee is now 4 and settled down enough to really get into working without me thinking she needs medications for her ADHD. The good thing is she has retained some of the stuff she 'learned' between her idiot mental stages where she would usually get put away because I was ready to kill her. My fault too for teaching her what a ball was, she became too insane for those balls and couldn't focus on much else. Now all of a sudden it clicks, yesterday I put the ball down, got some nice heelwork from her, some attention then sent her off to go back to get the ball, any other time she'd just attempt to drag me to the ball if on leash, and if off leash she'd go get the ball and not care. So there's hope!

Also, try leaving the obedience totally alone for a while then try it and see. No word of a lie, a friend's border collie pulled off a 200 once, her mother had entered her in open and forgot to tell her, she was at the show anyway with the dog and suddenly realized she had to go in the ring in five minutes, pottied the dog and went in, hadn't done a thing for obedience for months..... yeah we all hated her! but I've had the same thing, didn't do obedience with the dogs, tested them out and they were awesome.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

LibertyME said:


> Im wondering whose hormones got the best of them! ;-)
> 
> IMVHO...you are asking a bit much of a pregnant 2 yo bitch and a first-timer at that.
> Her job right now is to grow healthy puppies...Im not saying that you shouldnt work her at all. However it seems like you have base her ENTIRE future obedience career on the training and results you have seen over the past couple of months.


I second! Well said..


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

nixietink said:


> My opinion?
> 
> Just relax and take it easy, she's pregnant.


I agree! You really can't base her performance on what she's doing while she's pregnant.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Try looking at new methods to motivate. There are trainers that seem really good at learning how to motivate dogs that just aren't easily motivated by obedience. Learn some techniques from them. If my dogs don't enjoy obedience I don't enjoy it, but instead of giving up on them I look for ways to make it more enjoyable for them.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I would agree that Gemma is young and now pregnant and no decisions should be made .. you should see some of the MH bitches I train with when they start to go into season, they have their people practically pulling their hair out at times!

And as Loisiana mentioned, some dogs need their person to think outside the box when it comes to motivating their dogs. I think all dogs go through down periods in training, not even considering the hormonal and pregnancy factor that Gemma is dealing with.


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## BeckyB (Jan 21, 2008)

you should give her a break from competitive obedience while shes pregnant but i would have got her titles before breeding her.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

When I bred my girl, Cookie at 2 1/2 years, she turned into a completely different dog. She was always exuberant, but at 3-4 weeks of pregnancy, she became a slug. I thought how will I ever get titles on this dog? Thankfully it was all pregnancy induced... she has her CDX and RE. The only reason we didn't work for a UD is because I got burnt out getting a UD on the dog before her.

I always believed that it was "easy" to get a CD on a golden. Well, Cookie's daughter, Tiki has proven me wrong on that. Tiki was very sick as a pup and came to work everyday. She was never on a leash... she has always been under voice control. She is a Can CH, she sits, stays, and downs. She seems to want nothing to do with heeling. When I use the positive methods that work on the rest of her family, she becomes non responsive. I'm sure my OTCH friend that I train with could do it, but if her heart isn't in it, neither is mine. However, she has already produced one pup with a CD and RN who is working on his CDX. And her daughter that I own shows great aptitude for obedience.

I always said that if I had to use an ear pinch or something like that to force my dog to retrieve, I would give up on Open. I find obedience is about the relationship with dog and owner... and at least one of my dogs doesn't want that kind of relationship!!!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I agree with what others have said. No need to decide now. See how she comes back after her litter. Sometimes a break is a *good* thing. I've had my share of family emergencies that have totally sidelined my training and I'm always amazed at how much my dogs remember -- and my non-drivey dog, the Whippet, always had more bounce per ounce after a long break.

In the meantime, see if she's up for creative "doodling" exercises - even if just at home -- that are all about making it fun... even if you feel like it's taking a step back in terms of her ability. 

No need to decide her fate now...


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

BTW, she is adorable looking. The most important thing to remember when you walk away from a show or even training is that you are going home with the best dog. Love your dog as your best friend and showing second.


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## chipstone (May 24, 2010)

Thank you for the input. Believe me, she is not being "pushed" to do anything. I think that is part of the reason I was so upset. I wasn't upset with her...I was at myself. I felt selfish for making her work when she just didn't want to.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

I didnt get the impression you were pushing her...only perhaps a bit too personally invested during a time in her life when obed may be in competition with biology.

Enjoy her...play ...reconnect...give her time... 
Im sure you'll be back in the ring before you know it.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Give her a break and focus on training after puppies. She's very young and you have LOTS of time. When it is right you will be there. Less is more and have fun


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