# What obedience level?



## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

This summer Jonah and I get to start showing. My instructor wants us to start with either wildcard novice, beginner novice A or nonregular prenovice. It is my choice to make. We did a run through at a different training building and he made it through beginner novice exercises with ease. Wildcard novice is good too because you can talk to your dog. What would you start with? This will be my first obedience dog show that I can actually participate in.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

I would ask Louisiana. She just went to a show and I believe entered both classes.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'd do Beginner Novice, because it counts towards a title...


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

if he did the beginner novice exercises with ease, I would do beginner novice, too. Unless you feel he might be overwhelmed by the show situation, then you might want to start him out in a lower class.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> if he did the beginner novice exercises with ease, I would do beginner novice, too. Unless you feel he might be overwhelmed by the show situation, then you might want to start him out in a lower class.


 We've done a few fun matches and gone to shows with my instructor where we have done some heelwork with pretty good attention. That is after he got the crazies out of himself with all the excitement and dog smells. Jonah is a major player and is very outgoing!


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Sounds like beginner novice would be a great fit!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I like the Wild Card Novice because it is just like the real novice exercises and you can give some praise to your dog if you think it would help. If you aren't ready for heel free you can just drop that exercise (or many judges will let you do a second heeling pattern on leash and not score the second one).

Pre Novice is okay but I don't care for the recall on a six foot leash...kind of a pain. I don't really like standing so close to my dog on stays either.

I'm really not so much of a fan of Beginner Novice. I tried it two weeks ago and the only reason I'm going to be in it again is because I already entered so I may as well not waste my entry fee. I would rather have a judge giving me a heeling pattern than have to follow signs, just because that is what I am used to. Some people love it but I would rather practice real excerices than watered down ones (like why would I want to practice a sit for exam when he'll never ever have to do one in the real classes and he can do a stand for exam just fine?).

That's just my opinion. Many people love the BN class, especially since you can earn the title.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Happy said:


> We've done a few fun matches and gone to shows with my instructor where we have done some heelwork with pretty good attention. That is after he got the crazies out of himself with all the excitement and dog smells. Jonah is a major player and is very outgoing!


I don't think there is a lower class....beginner novice is as low as you can get. Unless a club makes up their own nonregular class


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> I'm really not so much of a fan of Beginner Novice. I tried it two weeks ago and the only reason I'm going to be in it again is because I already entered so I may as well not waste my entry fee. I would rather have a judge giving me a heeling pattern than have to follow signs, just because that is what I am used to. Some people love it but I would rather practice real excerices than watered down ones (like why would I want to practice a sit for exam when he'll never ever have to do one in the real classes and he can do a stand for exam just fine?).


I had the same thought about the sit for exam (it's just a pat on the head!). But I was thinking that it's really a bridge between the CGC exercises and the novice exercises. So if your dog doesn't have a solid stand yet, you still have a chance to get your feet wet in the show ring without messing up your training.

But I was thinking too the walk around stay is harder on young dogs than the regular sits/downs because you are walking behind the dog...


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

and sure, I agree that for people who aren't training ahead BN can be perfect for them.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

@Happy,

Have you done rally novice, or grad novice? I actually think that grad novice is easier than regular novice. Just ideas floating in my head.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I do think Grad Novice is a fairly easy class. 
It also forces me to practice things with my dog that I don't really want to be practicing. 
Like standing on the other side of the broad jump. Blocking like that is going to diminish the jumping drive, and I want my dog to practice driving hard over the jump, not controlling himself because I'm blocking his path.

And the number one problem I have with Grad Novice is who wants to practice down stays with no sit stays??? Good grief that is a stay problem just waiting to happen! I am thinking about doing Wild Card Open this summer and if so I will do it the other way around - doing the sit stay and skipping the down stay!


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

Stretchdrive said:


> @Happy,
> 
> Have you done rally novice, or grad novice? I actually think that grad novice is easier than regular novice. Just ideas floating in my head.


My instructor doesn't want me to do any rally stuff right now because it is so broken up with exercises to do at each sign. I don't know what grad novice is or maybe the show in Portland, OR doesn't offer it? I'm leaning toward wildcard novice because Jonah is doing everything required of novice. I would skip heel off lead because we are just now starting that. Its kind of funny training a novice dog all the way through open but he still doesn't heel off lead yet. Granted that the advanced exercises are still rough around the edges!


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Happy said:


> My instructor doesn't want me to do any rally stuff right now because it is so broken up with exercises to do at each sign. I don't know what grad novice is or maybe the show in Portland, OR doesn't offer it? I'm leaning toward wildcard novice because Jonah is doing everything required of novice. I would skip heel off lead because we are just now starting that. Its kind of funny training a novice dog all the way through open but he still doesn't heel off lead yet. Granted that the advanced exercises are still rough around the edges!


Sounds like you guys are farther along than it seemed to me at first, since he just needs some work on his off lead heeling. I would do wildcard if you have the chance.


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