# How to start on the right foot for Competition Rally/Obedience



## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I would start with attention games, fun little recalls, tugging, circles(both ways), perch work, backing up, and other little things like that. I also like to get mine used to picking up things like metal articles form a young age as well.


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## DScritchy (Apr 12, 2012)

Thank you for the quick reply Stretch and I'm going to show my NoOb-ness here... I get attention games, tugging, backing up etc, but what do you mean by "perch work?"

Also what types of recall games would you recommend? I have an aloof doodle who is a nightmare on recalls, so it's definitely a part of training I want to master hardcore. And what exactly would you recommend doing to get a pup use to picking up metal articles? Do I need to get the actual articles they use in trials or is there something else I could/should use?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I guess... 

Most important things I had in mind when I got Jacks was teaching "watch" very early. Teaching COME very early. Teaching walk nice on the left side while looking up for a treat for 2-3 steps - very early. Teaching sits correctly the frist time (don't teach sloppy sits). Teaching downs without getting in the habit of fighting with the pup each time.

Use treats.

Use toys.

Use praise.

Use soft hands. 

And be watchful for those moments when your puppy offers desired behaviors on his own. You have to be ready with your clicker or marker word and PRAISE. 

The other thing is think like a dog. If you want an excited and reliable come, you have to drop down and really make yourself inviting to come to. <- Some people stand upright and look tall and grabby to the dogs and that is something you do not want while teaching come. 

Every time he has something in his mouth, that is a moment to praise and ENCOURAGE that puppy to have things in his mouth. 

Spot a "come" moment. Like every time you see your puppy and have a good idea he is going to come running, drop down and "play bow". And when he gets to you and is nomming around in your space, you tell him good "come" right there. <- Try to avoid telling a dog to come if he's not on a leash. 

Take/Hold/Give - which you will use later on in competition obedience, would be better taught to you by an instructor vs going alone on this. Only because it is pretty easy to get frustrated when you have a retriever who does not want to take something in his mouth and hold it without chewing or dropping it. 

*** I'm disorganized in my thoughts at the moment because I'm running out on errands for work. Good luck with the puppy.

Most poodles that I know of are pretty stubborn.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

I would suggest finding a nice training place and attending Puppy classes there. You want your puppy to be socialized and getting out and about. I would also let your instructor know you have plans to show and that you are serious. They should be able to hands on show you things to work on. Everyone does different things and there a hundreds of games out there that work for some dogs and not for others. So best advice is get your puppy into a regular obedience puppy class and a training club..not pet store..


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

DScritchy said:


> Thank you for the quick reply Stretch and I'm going to show my NoOb-ness here... I get attention games, tugging, backing up etc, but what do you mean by "perch work?"
> 
> Also what types of recall games would you recommend? I have an aloof doodle who is a nightmare on recalls, so it's definitely a part of training I want to master hardcore. And what exactly would you recommend doing to get a pup use to picking up metal articles? Do I need to get the actual articles they use in trials or is there something else I could/should use?


For perch work you could use any little box type thing. It is for him to get used to where his butt is ect. Nothing too big or too high. You can then incorporate it into something for them to sit on when they come in for fronts. 
For perch work in older dogs you can even use exercise balls ect. It helps with their core.
I started my lat two dogs on a very old set of utility articles the moment they got home. I just wanted them to get used to the taste in their mouth. Before I had that old set, I used other things with my GSD spoons, keys, tuna cans..

For puppy recall games I like to use a light long line(just in case I need to give them extra encouragement), and then call their name and run away, another one I like to do is calling there name, and then throwing the treat through my legs or past me, once they grab the treat do it again ect. I still do that one with my older dogs.
With the 4-H kids I teach, I have some of them running with their dogs on leash, and then calling them to come, and backing away from them. When the dogs reach them it is party time.

Those are just things I do, I am sure others have some other great ideas


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I see you are from St Louis, have you contacted this club at all? They could probably give you a lot of help.

GRC of Greater St Louis


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

For a young puppy I am not really teaching many skills, instead I am setting a foundation to use to teach those skills later.

Here are some things I had as a priority of doing with my pup the first few weeks I had him:

Playing tug...I packed a little puppy tug toy with me when I went to pick him up and we played tug that very first night, right there in the hotel room.

Getting him out and exposed to as many different places and experiences as we could. And every time we went somewhere, the tug toy came out. I wanted my dog to be comfortable enough to tug anywhere.

Puppy recalls: toss out a treat, let the puppy run after, then call them back and give them another treat for coming back (toy can replace treat)

Skills in this order: fold back drop, spins in both directions, scoot sits

Teaching the dog it's okay to be wrong, you don't have to stress if I tell you that's not the right way.

Doing a lot of hands on playing that includes me grabbing my dog in all kinds of ways, thumping on him, pulling on him, so he isn't too sensitive about having his body messed with later on


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

A really helpful DVD for all puppies is "Crate Games" by Susan Garrett. It is so important to have a puppy love their crate and it is so useful for obedience and agility. It has been a big help for my obedience dog and it is also a foundation exercise for the agility class we are currently taking.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Titan1 said:


> I would suggest finding a nice training place and attending Puppy classes there. You want your puppy to be socialized and getting out and about. I would also let your instructor know you have plans to show and that you are serious. They should be able to hands on show you things to work on. Everyone does different things and there a hundreds of games out there that work for some dogs and not for others. So best advice is get your puppy into a regular obedience puppy class and a training club..not pet store..


^ Totally second this. 

Though I still wouldn't wait until 12 weeks to get started on training and foundation work and with socialization (people, dogs, noises, places, car rides, etc). And sometimes you can't get into clubs until the pup has had all the shots. 

My guy was supposed to start classes at 12 weeks, but our instructor left us stranded when she suddenly retired again. We didn't get into the next set of classes until he was 15 weeks old. 15 weeks is about that time when they start getting that spinning golden head effect in public.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I think the most important thing a performance dog can have is confidence. You can teach them all the skills in the world, but if they don't have confidence it is so very challenging when it comes time to show them.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

You might attend a dog show that is offering obedience. You can usually spot the teams in the ring that are hands down great. If you have the show program you can see who they are according to their armband numbers. Approach them after they have shown and ask them if they teach or where they take lessons or if they could recommend a good instructor in your area. 
I have a breed ring bred dog that I'm training for obedience and have started down the path you are about to begin. I couldn't find an instructor in my area until my dog was 18 months!!! That was not an ideal situation so it would be good to get your young puppy training sooner. Look for a really good training instructor. A good group should list or display all of the obedience titles their group has won. It is a fun and rewarding sport. Plus, you get to spend all of this special time with your dog which is the thing you will remember when the dog ages and retires from the show ring.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> I think the most important thing a performance dog can have is confidence. You can teach them all the skills in the world, but if they don't have confidence it is so very challenging when it comes time to show them.


But sometimes that confidence is worth only so much if that dog has mental glitches about abnormal things. And sometimes no amount of socializing will prevent that. You accept the challenge and train through it anyway. 

Something my guy's breeder told me when I came to take Jacks home - she told me - "This puppy has no fear". And she went on to warn me about how that fearless and open nature could be dangerous for him. I think she was making sure I knew that he would go walking off with ANYBODY and would trot up to any strange mean dog or cat. But there I was also thinking about how awesome it was having a dog who had no fear of people... considering our other golden was very shy of strangers. I did my best all through his puppy months and into adulthood to really get him out in public, socialize him, make sure that every interaction he had with every person, dog, thing, place, event was extremely positive and fun for him.

He even went to the vet with us every time we took our other dogs. Our poor vet had to deal with a rambunctious "I love the world" golden puppy while we came for checkups or visits. 

Even now, Jacks goes with to the vet even when I'm picking up meds or taking care of one of the other guys. 

Oh, and I also took him to dog trials with me. 

The result of all that is I'm pretty sure that if noises don't bother him where we might be (he is very noise sensitive), then nothing else will bother my dog - no people, dogs, long car ride, strange building, etc.

That's definitely something I would do again EMPHATICALLY SO with our next puppy, whenever that happens.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

I suggest that you practice running with your puppy. My pup, 9 months, thinks that if I start running that it's playtime and he can jump all over me. Even that fast pace required for obedience is enough to get him going. I'm sure he'll outgrow it, but still. Arg.


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## gabbys mom (Apr 23, 2008)

Where are you getting your puppy?


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