# My Adventure Begins



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Had my 3rd lesson with Teddi and Gabby in obedience today. We focused on Teddi since Gabby was coming off her belly ache but Gabby worked too. I am such a newbie at this. I am a blank slate and sometimes I feel so clueless. LOL :doh:

We started with Teddi heeling. Teddi was great... me not so much. My timing of the corrections when she looked away and the yes's when she did beautifully were off. I think I have a clearer understanding. However the trainer was impressed with Teddi's heel. She does have a good heel on her when she wants to. When Teddi just looks away, she wants me to say "uh oh" or something of that sort to get her to look back, then yes the moment she does and treat her. She says I am not using enough treats. 

Distraction is Teddi's big thing. She is EASILY distracted especially if she thinks what we are doing is not that much fun. So when Teddi would think about wandering away, she wants me to "tag" her behind, run from her and have her (hopefully) follow and re-engage. Fun, motivational. That is KEY with Teddi. So did it once, it worked but she wanted to show me. So trainer takes Teddi, Teddi starts to wander, she tags her butt (not hard) and Teddi YELPS!!!! I think more startled than anything. However it was enough to drop Teddi's desire to work to a minimum. We did get some stuff done with her but after that, she was more worried than working. Actually not bad that she sees just how soft the Teddster is. Now she knows what we are dealing with too. Teddi can be BRILLIANT when she wants to be, the key is when SHE WANTS to be. Thus the need for positive motivation. 

We tried to do some intro figure 8 work. Teddi was too worried about the 'people' (trainer has cute coat rack people she uses in training) and we did some sit for exam work and that got pretty good, but lots and lots of food was involved. Then we tried to get Teddi to take a dumb bell....Nope she was having NO part of it. We tried her training dumb bells, with chew toys for middles, bully sticks for middles, soaked in yummy stuff middles... nope we were NOT fooling her. Then I thought about her bumper we use in dock jumping. She LOVES that toy. So I am going to try to teach her the 'take it' command using that and treats. If I say take it with that she will so I can praise and reward her. Toss it and she will retrieve it. I think. We are just going to use that... for now. 

Homework with Teddi, teach her to play with toys, work with the bumper, teach her to want to play with me (tag and go game) and more heel work focusing on "me" a bit more there. I don't know if this is going to work with Teddi. She is so soft, not sure she will handle my bumbling mistakes. Time will tell. I want her to do all the stuff, teach her things to do. She can't compete past CD because she won't jump. But to give us things we can do, I want to continue training her... if she will let me. 

Gabby, well considering my dog has not eaten that much, and is coming off a tummy ache, can I brag and say I have a super star in the making? Michelle do you want to handle the Goo? She has so much ability it kind of scares me, even in the stuff I know how to do. I worry about screwing her up. LOL Her heel was dead on today. She usually is a bit too drivey for me, but she was mellow so it was perfect. She does NOT look away like Teddi. She had me turn around and put Gabby on the inside and try it. Gabby was not too shabby. She looked away at the jumps (to make sure I wasn't walking her into one) but other than that. She NEVER leaves me. We talked about fronts, and she showed me some of her training tricks with the poles, or a foot out to correct a crooked dog. She wants me to put the treats in my mouth (you obedience people are CRAZY) :yuck: So I need to learn how to spit at my dog. LOL Worked on side passes, back/downs, stands, footwork for about turns, and of course Gabby had to demonstrate her fetch/hold. Force fetching does have it's benefits. 

Still not sure if that would be the answer for Teddi or not. She is unique. She is soft, stubborn, spoiled. It is very hard to explain. We started force fetch with her, never finished it. It was a challenge. I don't know she was getting it when we quit. However I did notice with Teddi that there were other aspects in her that the FF work helped if not the fetch. 

Anyway, my trainer was in love with Gabby (she is a golden breeder too) she told me that Gabby has all the potential to go all the way. Of course that makes me super proud. I doubt seriously that is what I want to do. Agility and field are my primary focus. Obedience is something I want to learn, and might do some shows primarily in the winter when field is slower (not saying I won't do others) but the other two venues will win out when deciding what to do. I also have "issues" with the sits and stays in open and above. The more I work on this the less the issues seem like an issue. I KNOW Gabby could almost do it right now. So with training she can I am sure. I just don't know if I can leave my baby in the ring with all those other dogs... I have heard the stories. I know they are very rare, but they have still happened. 

All and all it was a great day and lesson. I truly like this trainer, she does a lot of the same things Bridget does. Today she even said, if she tells me something different than Bridget did to do it Bridgets way. Well that was one seminar, several months ago. LOL Not sure I do anything that way anymore. She says let's take it a bit slow with Gabby, do it right it will be worth it in the end. Teddi... we will just have to wait and see. 

The new adventure begins.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Great session with Goo, I'm so glad she is feeling better. Take is slow with Teddi and I'm sure she will get through it. I wouldn't let the trainer take her though, she sounds like a mommas girl.


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## Enzos_Mom (Apr 8, 2010)

Glad that it went so well for you!! Enzo was NOT a super star in class last night. He was the class clown. lol


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

DNL2448 said:


> Great session with Goo, I'm so glad she is feeling better. Take is slow with Teddi and I'm sure she will get through it. I wouldn't let the trainer take her though, she sounds like a mommas girl.


She kind of figured that out too. But Teddi also has to learn "you can't always get what you want". I know she can be brilliant, I have seen it in her. It's just trying to figure out what makes her tick. I have had her for 5 years.... I haven't figured it out yet. She is a silly goofy girl.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Ann, glad to hear you are enjoying Gabby. All it takes is that dog that wants to work to open the world of obedience to you.. Repeat after me.. Charlie bears..... That is the only treat I train with otherwise it is too much for him to think through. Charlie's are like putting an oyster cracker in your mouth.. Not totally gross and will not slimo your pockets..ect..the working is the treat..lol.. Have fun and remember we all start at the beginning...


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Sounds like an awesome session! I don't know a whole lot either, but it sounds great!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

fantatic session!! And I can confirm, having seen Gabby just in rally, that she's something really special and has incredible potential.
That said, Ann, I think your goal with her should be the same as mine has been with Tito in every sport, which is to go as far as you can with her as long as you are both still enjoying every minute of it. 
She is a multi-talented dog, and you will accomplish whatever you set out to with her.
We are ALL here for you for the obedience ride, with advice (wanted or not) and support. It's going to be a great ride!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Wow, that sounds like an incredible session  Enjoy the ride


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*laughs* Those figure 8 scarecrow people are scary looking! She has set them up at fun matches before (for figure 8s or just standing at the entrance of the ring).  

Is the "tag" a smack on butt or is it just a touch? 

With Jacks when we are doing loose training before class or whatever, I'll wait for the right moment and give him a little touch-shove. And then scoot away far enough so I can drop down to his level with a toy or treat. Or I take off running. 

I also surprise him with little "gotcha" pinches on the side or grab a handful of his fur (sort of like the mouthing dogs do when they are playfighting, nothing that would hurt) if we are standing and listening at class and I see he's starting to go into shutdown mode. 

He's a very soft and flaky dog, but he can take shoves and pinches if they are coming from me. I can do the same to the collie who has uber thin skin when it comes to being _injured, _although he gets a little excited and carried away with the nipping and jumping. >.<

I'm just saying - see what works and adapt for your girl. 

As for Gabby - heehee. It sounds like you had one of those sessions that keeps you up in the clouds for the next 7 days. 

ETA - @Treats in the mouth. Not happening over here.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

It was kind of a poke, or light tap. I think it just caught Teddi off guard, especially coming from Kathy. It wasn't hard. Heck I have gotten her harder in play etc and she is fine. She is such a pooftah dog. Her personality is so hard to describe other than to say... Teddi. 

I think the scarecrow people are kind of smart. Cute too. I think Teddi was just done at that point. I need to come up with something I can set up in my yard for "people" and I love that Kathy marked the path for the handler on the floor so you get used to it. Don't know how I would mark my grass. Or snow as the case may be in the not too distant future. 

I think I will just do a lot of 'games' with Teddi this week. See if I can get a more willing participant. She is not a drivey dog. They are much harder to work with. At least to me. 

Last night with her bumper, I told her to "take it" and she did no questions asked. I had a party, gave her a treat and put it away. I plan to do that several times a day see if she gets it without pressure. Then I will figure out something else, that is not a dumb bell and see if she will take that. Such a goofy dog.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> fantatic session!! And I can confirm, having seen Gabby just in rally, that she's something really special and has incredible potential.
> That said, Ann, I think your goal with her should be the same as mine has been with Tito in every sport, which is to go as far as you can with her as long as you are both still enjoying every minute of it.
> She is a multi-talented dog, and you will accomplish whatever you set out to with her.
> We are ALL here for you for the obedience ride, with advice (wanted or not) and support. It's going to be a great ride!


x2!!! (Although I haven't seen Gabby in Rally.) I use string cheese for treats. Easy to tear and not too bad in the mouth. And I like that I can take a few and open them as I go. Keeps them fresh. 

Good luck! Have fun! Oh, and btw, you don't have any stays in Utility. So three times in Open and done!


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> That said, Ann, I think your goal with her should be the same as mine has been with Tito in every sport, which is to go as far as you can with her as long as you are both still enjoying every minute of it.
> She is a multi-talented dog, and you will accomplish whatever you set out to with her.


I agree! BUT... I do expect a few MACHs!  :curtain:


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