# Books on Obedience.....what are some good ones?



## MaddieMagoo

I always enjoy a good book on dog training. Anybody really competitive out there? What type of books and titles of them...please. Which ones really helped you? I have some but I'm always looking for more.

Please help!


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## Ant

I liked 'Golden Retrievers For Dummies' and you can find it at any book store or online from amazon or barnes & nobel.


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## MaddieMagoo

I already have that one. I didn't know anything about Goldens when we got Maddie. 

Does anybody have any good books on competitiveness obedience? What about agility?


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## FlyingQuizini

I'll admit it... I'm really competitive! I put a CD on a Whippet with scores of 191, 194.5 and 197.5. I'm hopin' for 197s or better with Quiz and I want ATTITUDE when we work!

You MUST get the Steppin Up to Success series by Terry Arnold. It's a MUST. No exceptions! It's not cheap, about $100 for the 3-book set, but it's sooooooo worth it! I also really like Playtraining Your Dog by Patricia Gail Burnam (or something like that).

What kind of training do you do? Are you training for attention heeling? 

-Stephanie


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## AquaClaraCanines

Culture Clash is a must before enbarking on any serious training IMO...


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## AquaClaraCanines

PS I also have Clicking for Obedience and I love it


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## FlyingQuizini

AquaClaraCanines said:


> PS I also have Clicking for Obedience and I love it


Is that the Morgan Spector book?


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## AquaClaraCanines

Yup, sure is... it really helped me out when I was trying to really figure some things out. I know he's never really done anything big with his dogs, but, I still like the book a lot


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## FlyingQuizini

I've been meaning to check it out. I know people who sort of "bash" Spector for teaching upper level obedience when he's never put any upper level titles on his dogs, but I'm not really sure how I feel about that....


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## AquaClaraCanines

You can be a great trainer and know dogs without ever having an OTCH I think... but I can understand the perspective that how can I OTCH a dog with advice from a guy who never did it?


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## FlyingQuizini

Yeah, on the other hand, an OTCH is really about doing well in Open and Utility... so even if you haven't OTCH'd a dog, but did well in Open and Utility, maybe you can give good advice? Well, so long as you have a UDX so you know what it's like to have to double qualify...

I dunno... I definitely see both sides of the argument.


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## Rastadog

*It depends what your goals are*

I WAS competitive. Walked into the open ring knowing we were good for 196 with medicore fronts and finishes. The days we had fronts had finishes we would place in large open b classes. High in Trial a few times when the big dogs didn't show or nq'ed. Now that I've bragged Stephanie is right about Teri Arnold's 3 book set Steppin Up to Success. I took lessons from Teri for 3-4 years went to her camps etc. She is a brilliant dog trainer. Her methods produce teams with attention, attitude, accuracy and reliability. Stephanie touched on how important attitude and attention are in the ring. If you can't afford the set get the first book Theory,Footwork,Handling and Attention. AquaClara makes a good point that there are some very good dog trainers who have never shown a dog in the ring. My first puppy teacher had the chops, maybe as intuative as Teri without the competition background. Yet I think back on lessons with Teri spending an hour of a two hour lesson just working on entering the ring, removing the leash while staying connected to my dog. That attention to detail comes from someone who has been there and done that. Have fun with it. I hated showing and loved the training.


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## Sit Happens

The best book that I own is "Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act," by Byron and Yunck. Most of my books are about learning theory, and the only other real competition book I have is Diane Bauman's. I've always wondered if Terri's books were worth the price, though lord knows she has the track record to back it up, LOL.

What is Terri's method of teaching heeling? Anyone care to summarize (or is a summarization even possible)? 

I just bought Willard Bailey's book ("Remembering to Breathe"), at the Greenville show (Dogwise was there, YAY!). What a fun read -- I'm now looking forward to his new book about his BCs!

I've borrowed videos from several friends, and I can't believe some of the things I've seen. Wynn Strickland's dogs look like they've had the [email protected]!# beaten out of them. Anne Marie's dogs' have incredibly flashy heelwork, but when I saw her slap an Afghan on the muzzle (with _both_ hands), that kinda turned me off (well, that, and _other_ things).

P.S. (My favorite dog books aren't even about training. I love Suzanne Clothier and Raymond Coppinger.)


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## LibertyME

Just bought Diane L. Baumans book...Beyond Basic Dog Training....I like the pictures....and the descriptions are good....
Im not into ear pinching....but am trying to read beyond some of the stuff that I dont care for to find other training ideas that are more in line with the way I prefer to train......
I Obed train alone and feel the need to read several ways to approach a problem and pick though to find what will work best for Libby....

Have Morgan Spectors Clicker Training for Obed. Really like it and reference it often.

Still saving my pennies for Teri Arnolds series....probably should get the first one rather then wait for the cash to get all three!


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## AquaClaraCanines

Yikes, I am glad I didn't fork out the money for those videos...


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## Rastadog

*Sit Happens, LibertyMe*

Teri's approach to healing is based on attention and footwork and practice. Relationship based training. Teaching attention, stationary at first then building from there. Attention is a two way street. You teach your dog to watch, actively, while you as the handler gives that attention back. It's the connection you take into the ring. Start small if you get a couple of steps with that connection release and praise. There is a lot of play used in her training. Consistant footwork, heel ball toe, face in your space, knees and feet together and PAY ATTENTION to your dog. The other thing I learned from her is being interesting to your dog. That's where the games come in. I went from a dog who sort of looked at me to a partner in the ring. We looked at each other. I still remember the first time I heeled my girl around Teri's building with no break in attention. Again if you are serious about competing Teri's books are by far the best. I have Diane Baumans book and didn't care for it. I have seen Diane and Teri in the ring no comparison. I have also trained with students of both and Teri's students had much more polish and consistancy. If you want I could scan a couple of pages of her first book so you can get a sense of where she is coming from, PM me. Don't wait buy the first book which covers Teri's method. The ear pinch is in the third book. I understand anyone's discomfort with the forced fetch


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## Sit Happens

Rastadog said:


> Teri's approach to healing is based on attention and footwork and practice. Relationship based training. Teaching attention, stationary at first then building from there. Attention is a two way street. You teach your dog to watch, actively, while you as the handler gives that attention back. It's the connection you take into the ring.


That sounds good to me! I work LOTS and LOTS of attention before really doing anything else (well, other than basic manners, sit, down, come, etc). The first month I had Marlowe I was constantly spitting or throwing food at him any time he would look at me throughout the day (I still do that now, btw, but more randomly). Now I'm running into some crowding problems on heeling b/c he wants to look up at my face and he doesn't have the shoulder/structure to do it without getting out of position. It's no problem for Maya, my GSD girl, who has a beautifully laid-back shoulder and a loooong neck, but it really throws Marlowe off. Now, I'm going to try to go back and have him use my left hand as a focal point.

I've been to a couple of competition OB seminars (mainly local people, but they have multiple OTCHs). It's really interesting to see different techniques and methodologies, but it can also be confusing! I think it takes a lot of time, patience, and intuition to figure out what works for each individual dog.


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## AquaClaraCanines

If you do buy the Teri book, you have to let me borrow it when you're done


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## FlyingQuizini

I have to be careful about spitting too much food to Quiz when we're training or he wraps when I heel 'cuz he's trying to look at my face, too. One thing that helps with this is using the attention armband and also teaching the dog that the food can live in the armband. I store as much food wedged between my arm and the armband as I can, and I *always* wear my armband when I train heeling. In the beginning stages, the food is on a stick attched to the armband (actually, it starts on a belt and then I move up to the armband) and then a fade off the stick.


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## Rastadog

*with dogs that want to forge*

why let them? Most heeling practice for the ring is done on lead. If the lead is the right length, I started with a 30' lead, rolled up and rubberbanded so there was almost no slack, you can get them and keep them in heel position. It also minimizes the correction by letting you move your wrist just a small amount to correct for forging or lagging.You may also want to try a second leash that goes behind your back in the right hand with little slack that you can step back into when they forge, really good for left turns. I had the chance to watch a lot of good teams here in the Northeast and at the Allstar Tourny. Most of the top handlers warmed up on flexis or leads. There was very little off lead heeling done. I went from having a lagger to a forger so I understand.


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## AquaClaraCanines

I don't use a leash ever when teaching heelwork... I only hook it on when I am done training. I don't use leash corrections or guidance at all for attention heeling. Food for thought...


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## katieanddusty

CreekviewGoldens said:


> What about agility?


There aren't any really good books on agility training. The Clean Run special focus issues are excellent (they've done them on puppy training, contacts, weaves, jumping, and handling).

Morgan Spector teaches basic obedience for the Petco around 15 minutes away ...


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## FlyingQuizini

Rastadog said:


> why let them? Most heeling practice for the ring is done on lead. If the lead is the right length, I started with a 30' lead, rolled up and rubberbanded so there was almost no slack, you can get them and keep them in heel position. It also minimizes the correction by letting you move your wrist just a small amount to correct for forging or lagging.You may also want to try a second leash that goes behind your back in the right hand with little slack that you can step back into when they forge, really good for left turns. I had the chance to watch a lot of good teams here in the Northeast and at the Allstar Tourny. Most of the top handlers warmed up on flexis or leads. There was very little off lead heeling done. I went from having a lagger to a forger so I understand.


I think that truthfully, for most of us, we are inconsistent in communicating with our dog just where exactly perfect heel position is while actually heeling. Quiz is only the second dog I've trained for competitive work and I know I've had inconsistency issues. I'm better with him than I was with my first dog, and I'll be better with my next dog.

The double leash technique does work really well...

-Stephanie


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## AquaClaraCanines

Maybe I should try it... but when I am shaping this behavior, I have the dog target a target stick or my hand, but never do I use a leash.


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## AquaClaraCanines

BTW the dog I was working didn't forge or lag... but he wouldn't always look at me the way I want him to!


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## FlyingQuizini

So you're doing like the "choose to heel" method, right?

Lots of different ways to train a dog!


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## AquaClaraCanines

Yup, and I don't walk one step until I have the dog clearly getting what heel position is standing still and sitting... I wait until I can say "heel" and the dog will come from any place in the room and glue himself to my leg. Then I start moving... one step, then three or four, and so fourth. I am no expert, but all my dogs do pretty decent heelwork with this method. I just am too insecure with my footwork and have NO ONE around here who I can work with. SO I give it up!


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## AquaClaraCanines

BTW I taught my childhood dogs to heel with leashes and the results are very poor. The dogs were/are (one is still living, Rigby, age ten) very accurate, but look totally bored and have no attention. I did use food with Rig, by then I knew to use food, but he isn't foody so it didn't help at all.

Here's where I want your advice- Epic as the ATTITUDE!! He's amazing... but how do I clicker train a dog that has no interest in food??


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## Rastadog

*How far we go for scores is an individual thing*

My girl got cancer, mast cells, which interfered with our training. I thought we could get an otch for a while. She didn't have the drive that Stephanie understands and has. I mentioned our lousy f&f inshes. I hated that work and blew it off. Stephanie I wasn't trying to be critical. There are ways to deal with a forger. Taking lessons from Teri wasn't always easy or fun. What I learned from her, and I havent been in the ring since 3/04, will be forever etched in my mind. I watched your heeling video Stephanie and I loved the drive and enjoyment you have with Quiz. AquaClara you made my point with your last post. If you want ZERO off heeling 99 of 100 will need to use the leash and correct. That's the only way to teach reliable heeling that you will take in the ring, not the training stuff. You have made a choice and I respect that. I made the same choice by not working on fronts and finishes. It cost us placements. I loved my first dog and just didn't care enough to drill the boring stuff.


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## FlyingQuizini

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Here's where I want your advice- Epic as the ATTITUDE!! He's amazing... but how do I clicker train a dog that has no interest in food??


Teach that dog to tug his little heart out... and then click and release to a toy!

Right now when I heel with Quiz, I have a six-inch braided fleece tug that I wad up and stuff in my left armpit. You can't see it at all when I'm heeling, but when he's up and high-stepping and motivated I click and let it fall out of my arm. He loves that almost better than the release to food!


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## FlyingQuizini

BTW - I have a Nov. Debut date now! We're doing Novice for our Club's Top Dog team in November! If that goes well, I'll hit the Dec/Jan show circuit!  Of course, to get ready I'm having to back off agility, which is a bummer, but it's motivating me to get out and heel everyday!


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## AquaClaraCanines

I am not against leash instruction, but I'm definitely not going to yank hard... I have a Whippet as my future hopeful. He is a wild fearless tugging freak.

A good yank on a Whippet can turn the dog off even wearing the choker (or whatever you used) for weeks. Goldens are a lot less sensitive and emotional than Whippets, and so I adjust accordingly in that I might be willing to issue some VERY mild pops with a leash to a Golden if I knew I'd get results. Can you tell me what you mean by leash corrections for attention? The "upward" yanking that AMS does?

Stephanie- Epic LOVES to tug! He adores it... I also have some hope I can, when he's done growing, reduce him to one evening meal per day and have a hungry enough hound to be foody for liver treats during the day.


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## AquaClaraCanines

WOW looks like I am getting an obedience book! The only gift I got this year for my birthday was from my ex husband of all pepple... LOL and it was a gift card online for Amazon! WOOHOO!


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## FlyingQuizini

I do motivational pops, too... and even used them on Zoie with no ill-effect. The woman I train with uses the Terry Arnold method. You start with the dog on the training collar (I didn't use a pinch on Zoie, just did this on the flat) in front of you (not a formal front, just in front). She's watching the food and then get release to jump up and get it, but as they jump to to get it, you pop up a bit on the lead. It's actually motivating them to jump up quicker. Big praise, party, etc. It's basically teaching them that the pop is more of a good thing than a bad thing. Pop up to food in front and then pop up to food stationary at heel.

Oh - I was just thinking... in the early days of Zoie, she wasn't super foody in training. I cut meals down to once a day and for a while, used boiled chicken hearts and gizzards in training. Should've seen the looks I got heeling around with a chicken heart on my attention armband stick!

A friend of mine with an APBT used to use chicken feet on her armband stick. That REALLY looked funny!

-Stephanie


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## AquaClaraCanines

That doesn't sound so bad at all... I am picturing circle jerk stuff... to use your hysterically funny term LOL


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## FlyingQuizini

Two words for you: NO TOAST!


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## AquaClaraCanines

HA so now tell me...

What book for $40 or less can/should I get?


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## FlyingQuizini

Well, Terri Arnold's book #1 is probably the best of the three. I know it's $40 on dogwise.com.


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## hawtee

Stephanie,
Could you explain the attention armband and how you do that, where in the worl do you put the treats?
I've never thought about putting a toy under my armpit will have to give that one a try. I have threatened to sew a frisbee on my shirt lol...


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## AquaClaraCanines

I can only use my card at Amazon and her first book is 70 bucks there


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## FlyingQuizini

Do you already have Playtraining Your Dog? It's pretty good. Author does obedience with Greyhounds.


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## AquaClaraCanines

Yup, sure do!


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## AquaClaraCanines

You know I even have thoughts of getting a CD on Chrissy just to prove old dogs can learn new tricks... she loves working with me (I trained her a little the first time I fostered her) LOL hey why not we KNOW she's foody, and she already knows sit, down, stand, stay, and a formal recall


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## FlyingQuizini

hawtee said:


> Stephanie,
> Could you explain the attention armband and how you do that, where in the worl do you put the treats?
> I've never thought about putting a toy under my armpit will have to give that one a try. I have threatened to sew a frisbee on my shirt lol...


Will do. RUnning out the door to teach now, but will address when I get home!

Stay tuned!

-S


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## Sit Happens

"Circle Jerk!" LMAO! Great term!

I don't normally use a leash when I train. I believe that dogs cue off of body language more than anything else, and I try to teach my dogs to "read" my body cues (head and shoulders), and then fade these cues over time. I also teach heeling on the right side, too, as well as backing, pivoting, backing in a circle around me, and sidepassing (in/out on both sides and in front). I'm honestly just more into freestyle/HTM, and K9Dressage...if he ever does well in OB, then great! If he doesn't, it's not going to break my heart. I definitely do aim for that goal, but it's not my be-all, end-all. 

And at least even if he never does OB or if he gets hit hard for his >>AKC<< heeling imperfections, he'll still be very flexible from all the right-side work and have a great attitude about heeling.


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## AquaClaraCanines

Can you explain side passing? I don't understand what this is. Is there a video of a dog doing FS doing this move you could point out the time in the vid of the sidepass?


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## Sit Happens

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Can you explain side passing? I don't understand what this is. Is there a video of a dog doing FS doing this move you could point out the time in the vid of the sidepass?



Gosh, this is a toughie! It's easier to SEE a sidepass than to explain what it is, LOL (and it helps if you have trained horses in classical Dressage!). I'm sure I have some sidepassing on my freestyle videos on my pc, but I wouldn't have a clue how to post them to this board. 

Basically, where ever the dog is in relation to your body (heel, right-side heel, or front), you move to the side (with grapevine steps), and the dog moves with you, keeping his body aligned perfectly in a straight position in the same direction. So, if you move >>straight<< to the right with a dog in normal heel position, the dog will cross his feet over to the right and keep his spine straight to move with you and mirror your movement. Is this as clear as mud??? 

I know you've seen it, you just didn't realize it is called a sidepass! There are a lot of variations on the sidepass...the "heel' sidepass to the left, the "heel" sidepass to the right, the right-side heel sidepass to the left, the right-side heel sidepass to the right, the front sidepass to the right, the front sidepass to the left, and then, of course, the rear sidepasses (very hard!).


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## Sit Happens

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Can you explain side passing? I don't understand what this is. Is there a video of a dog doing FS doing this move you could point out the time in the vid of the sidepass?


If you can help me figure out how to download the unknown file source from my camcorder (Sony Handycam, with the mini DVDs that don't want to load onto my pc!), I could load some clips of Marlowe sidepassing.


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## FlyingQuizini

It's just lateral movement, isn't it? 

Does the dog HAVE to cross its front legs? I was just re-reading that in the Terri Arnold book. I do lots of lateral movement with Quiz, but I realize when he does it, he just side steps - his front legs really don't cross....


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## AquaClaraCanines

Brits do that constantly since UK heeling is so much more flashy and attention oriented than ours (well in the UK you HAVE to have attention heeling, where as here, you can get your titles without it). I did that with Rachel over there and didn't even know it!


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## FlyingQuizini

Ok, I was out training with a friend this morning and she video taped some of my heeling. I'm uploading it now...


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## Sit Happens

AquaClaraCanines said:


> Brits do that constantly since UK heeling is so much more flashy and attention oriented than ours (well in the UK you HAVE to have attention heeling, where as here, you can get your titles without it). I did that with Rachel over there and didn't even know it!



Yes, Rachel did know sidepassing, actually, now that I remember...I saw her! The "sidesteps" she did was sidepassing! She was an awesome working dog, and gorgeous, too.


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## AquaClaraCanines

Awww, I miss Rachy. She was awesome. RIP my girl....


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## Sit Happens

FlyingQuizini said:


> It's just lateral movement, isn't it?
> 
> Does the dog HAVE to cross its front legs? I was just re-reading that in the Terri Arnold book. I do lots of lateral movement with Quiz, but I realize when he does it, he just side steps - his front legs really don't cross....


They don't *have* to cross their front legs that I know of. However, the dogs that I have seen who aren't capable of crossing the front legs on a sidepass do have a particular build/structure. Do you have any pix of Quiz in a stack and also a front view. A lot of the dogs who can't cross their legs in a sidepass are loaded in the shoulder. Quiz hasn't struck me as a dog who looks to be loaded, and it could just be a result of how he's been trained, so that's why I'm asking for pix. I'm truly just curious.


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## FlyingQuizini

Well, here is my quicking attempt at a stacked shot. Now that I look at them, I think I have his front legs out a bit too much. I am not by any means a conformation person - I won't even attampt to critique his conformation... but you're certainly welcome to! 








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This is really the first time I've look at him from a conformation standpoint... Again, I don't really know much at all about conformation -- and what I do know pertains to Whippets and not Goldens. He looks sorta funky in the front to me... 

Well, comment away! Good, bad or indifferent, I won't mind! He's practically perfect in my eyes anyway!


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## AquaClaraCanines

I love all his tail! I trim my guys' tails like show Goldens so I am not used to seeing a Golden with a long tail! He looks FAST...


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## FlyingQuizini

AquaClaraCanines said:


> I love all his tail! I trim my guys' tails like show Goldens so I am not used to seeing a Golden with a long tail! He looks FAST...


He does have quite the decorative flag to wag! :

I should have prefaced the pix with the fact that he really needs to be groomed! ('Tho I don't really do anything with the tail, other than to trim it just a bit when the ends start to look too scraggly.)


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## AquaClaraCanines

I wanna groom him!


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## FlyingQuizini

He needs it! His ears are a mess and it makes him look like a little hooligan! He has Grinch Feet... his feathers need to be evened up... He is one funky monkey right now! The gal who normally does the trimming for me just had double knee replacemements and isn't back on her feet yet. I bathe him myself and do a little work on the Grinch Feet, but then I turn it over to someone else. 

C'mon over!

You're seriously welcome to critique his stacked shots, too. I'm serious when I say I don't really know what I'm looking at....


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## AquaClaraCanines

He needs to be set up better... he's doing a stay and saying "what the hell is this crap, mom????" have a friend take doggy pics


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## FlyingQuizini

Totally! That ****'s hard to do by yourself... nevermind the fact that he kept wanting to turn to look at me... what, with all the attention work and all!

Okay, I'll wrangle up an assistant to shoot some pix!

-S


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## AquaClaraCanines

yes it is very difficult to do that alone... I make C take pics, even though she has no clue how to photograph a dog, she is getting good


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## Sit Happens

This will be short and sweet (hopefully! I'm pretty road-weary at this point!). I've had a crazy weekend, but wanted to check in before I go to bed. Jenna, where are those UK Rachel pix??!!?!!?

Stephanie, Quiz is GORGEOUS! I am not about to try to evaluate him as a conformation dog (b/c that would be like comparing apples and oranges!). The first thing that strikes me when I look at his pix is that his structure is a lot like a desertbred Saluki (Jenna, don't you agree?)! He looks very FAST and very AGILE! 

I think the pictures are very nice -- you did a great job! The way he is stacked is very natural and allows a greater visibility of his true structure. I was wondering about his front b/c you said that he doesn't cross his legs when he sidepasses...he looks very wide in the front, but I think a lot of that is just from lack of brisket (front fill), and lack of a prominent pro-sternum. He doesn't look loaded (heavy muscling underneath the shoulder blades) to me. He seems to have a really short upper arm, and he is quite straight in the front altogther. He has a long, sloping pastern (I'm sure the GR conformation people wouldn't like that, but it is functional in that it provides cushioning for jumping, running, etc, provided the "slope" isn't too extreme and the dog has good overall ligamentation, which Quiz obviously does). He has a very short back and short loin ("closely coupled," as they say, lol), short croup and a pelvic angle that reminds me again of desertbred Salukis and racing Greys. He has a lovely long upper thigh (broad enough to have ample room for proper muscle attachment), and his hocks are well let-down (again, important for jumping, turning, and running). Some people would probably say his feet look flat in these pictures, but it looks to me that he has more of a "hare" type foot than a cat foot, and the hare foot can be beneficial in a lot of ways if you are doing performance.

Overall, he is a stunning, well-conditioned dog who looks to be a serious contender in any performance venue! I would be very proud to own a dog like him! His color and furnishings are the icing on the cake!


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## MaddieMagoo

WOW! I can't believe this thread has grown into a 7 page conversation! LOL! I'm so lost reading it all.


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## FlyingQuizini

I was wondering what happened to you!  So, did you get any books?


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## MaddieMagoo

Well, I'm going to have to start in the beginning and see what other people's thoughts were. 

I have Terri Arnold's Steppin' Up Series. I have Competition Obedience-A Balancing Act. And Success is in the Proofing. I am planning on getting Sylvia Bishop's Heelwork 1-3.

I have a mentor who has BC's. But she is helping me alot and I can't believe the results we're getting. Her name is Linda Koutsky, her dog's name is Ticket and they are one of the top obedience dogs in the country. They have been invited to the NOI and have won many HIT's and HC's. They have also won the HIT 3 years running at the BC National Specialty. WOW!!

Anybody else have good books that haven't been mentioned?


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## AquaClaraCanines

Oh I missed this... Yes, Mia, I agree, he has that loin and more of a sighthound build! I love it!


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## laffi

Hello, 
I am just starting competitive obedience training with my golden and this thread is very helpful 

The books recommended on this thead were:
Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act
Steppin Up to Success series by Terry Arnold
Playtraining Your Dog by Patricia Gail Burnam 
Clicking for Obedience by Morgan Spector
Success is in the Proofing by Debby Quigley & Judy Ramsey 

Are they all based on positive training and/or clicker training? 
I only know that Spector's one is since it's the only one I have 

One more question: how do you use the armband in training? And what armband do you use/ where can you get one?

Thank you!!!!!


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## FlyingQuizini

THe only clicker book is Morgan's. The others will have corrections built in. Play Training and Steppin Up are fairly balanced in terms of corrections. I'm not familiar with the other ones. They sell the balancing act book on dogwise, which is biased toward dog-friendly methods, so I'd guess it's good in that way, too. Teri Arnold teaches the use of a pinch collar for what she calls "motivational corrections".



laffi said:


> Hello,
> I am just starting competitive obedience training with my golden and this thread is very helpful
> 
> The books recommended on this thead were:
> Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act
> Steppin Up to Success series by Terry Arnold
> Playtraining Your Dog by Patricia Gail Burnam
> Clicking for Obedience by Morgan Spector
> Success is in the Proofing by Debby Quigley & Judy Ramsey
> 
> Are they all based on positive training and/or clicker training?
> I only know that Spector's one is since it's the only one I have
> 
> One more question: how do you use the armband in training? And what armband do you use/ where can you get one?
> 
> Thank you!!!!!


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## LibertyME

I got my armband from J&J Dog

http://www.jjdog.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=2CATNEWPlasticArmBandHolder

I use it to store treats...so Liberty looks up while heeling....


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## FlyingQuizini

You can order the attention heeling kit at www.poochabilitydogtraining.com. She calls it the "heeling helper". It's the armband with a stick on it to hold the treat. Actually starts with the stick on the belt, then you move to the armband, and then take off the stick and keep treats in the armband as Mary said.


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## laffi

Thank You So Much!!!!!


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## laffi

FlyingQuizini said:


> You can order the attention heeling kit at www.poochabilitydogtraining.com. She calls it the "heeling helper". It's the armband with a stick on it to hold the treat. Actually starts with the stick on the belt, then you move to the armband, and then take off the stick and keep treats in the armband as Mary said.


What is the purpose of the stick? (sorry for being slow )


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## FlyingQuizini

laffi said:


> What is the purpose of the stick? (sorry for being slow )


You put a treat on the stick... and the treat orients the dog's head upward. It's used specifically for teaching attention heeling where not only in the dog in proper heel position, he also heels while keeping his head up and looking at the handler.


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