# Starting Intermediate Classes Tonight



## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

Good Luck to you and Mercy


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Good luck. The best thing you can do for the CGC test is to teach sit and stay for petting, grooming, etc., if you haven't already. The obedience skills parts of the test are very easy. For the three minute supervised separation, it works well to leave your dog in a down stay. That was actually what was recommended by our instructor. It makes jumping up far less likely, obviously. Out of sight down stays can easily be practiced in the house.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

goldhaven said:


> Good Luck to you and Mercy


Thanks dear!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Nairb said:


> Good luck. The best thing you can do for the CGC test is to teach sit and stay for petting, grooming, etc., if you haven't already. The obedience skills parts of the test are very easy. For the three minute supervised separation, it works well to leave your dog in a down stay. That was actually what was recommended by our instructor. It makes jumping up far less likely, obviously. Out of sight down stays can easily be practiced in the house.


Thanks for the tips. The things that Mercy struggles with most are:

Jumping up, pulling on the leash, wanting to say hello to other dogs


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

*Mercy and I had a great time tonight!*

This will be a great class for Mercy. It builds on what we already know and adds new tips. It should help Mercy prepare for the CGC. On the calendar, there are no advanced classes. Now, it is just a matter of getting Mercy to not be so stubborn in obeying commands. After this class, Mercy and I will be on our own practicing for and taking the CGC.

Picture of Mercy at tonight's class:


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

MercyMom said:


> Thanks for the tips. The things that Mercy struggles with most are:
> 
> Jumping up, pulling on the leash, wanting to say hello to other dogs


That's pretty much the whole test right there.

That's why you work really hard on the sit/stay for petting, grooming, meet other dog, etc. Don't give her a chance to jump up, pull on leash, etc. 

The only thing I saw people have trouble with is down on command, but you can give the command more than once.

My CGC class was made up of a very mature group of dogs (except Bella ) Their weren't a lot of jumpers, and everyone passed.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

*How Mercy is progressing so far*

Mercy is improving in her heeling. I am practicing the auto sit so that she'll sit without a sit command or treat when I halt. She is doing better with her sitting for petting. I ask others to ask her to sit also. I am practicing with her not jumping on guests in our home also. I look forward to our next class tomorrow night. I have some pictures from last week's class. 




























Some additional news: After searching extensively, I finally found a dog training club that suits my fancy. The name of the club is *Stafford Dog Club* and they have all sorts of classes including novice, advanced novice, as well therapy dog prep courses and certified Delta Pet Partners evaluators! I spoke to a lovely lady named Lynne. She currently has a novice class that is on the same night as Mercy's current class, so I am hoping that in May, I will be able to take this Novice class at Stafford Dog Club. The distance is pushing it a little farther than I would like, almost an hour's drive, but they are just 10 miles south of the Prince William County border not far from Quantico and I do not have to drive on the interstate, like I would to attend other classes at the other dog training clubs in Stafford County (Colonial K9 and Pup and Iron). I can hardly wait!:headbang2


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

I love the pictures of Mercy at her class. She looks like she's being such a good girl. Good luck with the training.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Max and I walk at the local park a great deal - and there are a great many other people who walk there as well. He, too, would like to say hello to every other dog and person that approaches. I used to bring along a pocket pack thing full of small treats, and when someone approached, we would go to the side and I would have him sit and feed him treats like I was a pez dispenser till they passed, constantly telling him what a good boy he was. Gradually I reduced the number of treats, while still bringing him to the side and having him sit. Now I can say to him "you know the routine!" and he will take me to the side and sit while the person or dog goes past. 

Unless it's another Golden and then he just gets super excited. 
Anyway. It might help you with Mercy to try something like that.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

*Mercy and I had a great class tonight*

No pictures this time, but Mercy and I had a great time in class tonight. Vicki is so awesome! We have only one other person in the class with a Shitzu, so we get personalized attention. Our relationship is getting better. I had been slacking off with the clicker, because I kept losing my clickers over and over and one of the classes, a Basic class we took last year used choke chains and no treats instead. In fact, this class, which took place at an AKC Dog Training Club, might have actually caused our setback. It's just as well that their intermediate classes were too far away. I was using clicker training in the beginning when Mercy was a small puppy, and we were off to a good start. We didn't fare as well when she was an adolescent. Now that I am being more consistent with the clicker, she is much more compliant. She's being my happy snuggy pants girl! Squeeeeal!:smooch:


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I have decided to repeat this class. I realize that Mercy needs additional training due to her jumping and pulling along with selective hearing. I plan to start in June. Hopefully, by the grace of God, I can overcome our issues and help her to pass her CGC. Vicky teaches advanced as a class that requires heeling to be more reliable and the CGC test is given at the end of the class. I am not ready for it yet.  Plus, with it being summer, there will be more daylight to work with her in the evenings after I get home from work.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

If that makes you feel better, it sounds like a good plan! You know, Liza got her CGC at ten months, but I have not yet started therapy dog classes, because she is still too wild. We are taking field en hunt classes now, to polish her heeling and teach her hand- and whistle signals. And just to have fun. Mercy and you will get there!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

MercyMom said:


> I have decided to repeat this class. I realize that Mercy needs additional training due to her jumping and pulling along with selective hearing. I plan to start in June. Hopefully, by the grace of God, I can overcome our issues and help her to pass her CGC. Vicky teaches advanced as a class that requires heeling to be more reliable and the CGC test is given at the end of the class. I am not ready for it yet.  Plus, with it being summer, there will be more daylight to work with her in the evenings after I get home from work.


I have decided to cancel this class and take another class elsewhere. See my new thread -> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...-another-dog-training-school.html#post2836138


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