# When do you start competing?



## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

My current dog was 3 before I started showing her. I wouldn't worry about it right now, yopu will get there if that is your goal.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Obedience takes time. And goldens are slow maturing dogs. 

With Bertie I'm vaguely planning on getting him into Beginner Novice or Rally this fall, but only if he's ready. I'm more than happy waiting until he's 2. Most goldens are between 2 and 4 by the time they get out there the first time.

Check with Sunrise as far as any facilities in your area?


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## coaraujo (Nov 2, 2012)

Megora said:


> Obedience takes time. And goldens are slow maturing dogs.
> 
> With Bertie I'm vaguely planning on getting him into Beginner Novice or Rally this fall, but only if he's ready. I'm more than happy waiting until he's 2. Most goldens are between 2 and 4 by the time they get out there the first time.
> 
> Check with Sunrise as far as any facilities in your area?


Oh wow, this is definitely good to know. I think I might have gotten a little ahead of myself . It definitely make more sense to start competing once they're a little older - when they grow out of their puppy phase (if they ever do ) I'll keep working on building a solid foundation for now and exposing them to new things! 

Thanks for the recommendation - I'll ask Sunrise about facilities! I just joined the Obedience Dog Training Club of Waterbury so hopefully they'll have some good classes.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I started Conner and Flip when they were 2. On both of them I wish I had waited until they were 3. They knew the skills and had multiple High in Trials out of novice, but I feel they lacked some maturity which came to bite us in the butt in the long run. Better to wait until they are solid and confident.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I don't know where this video was taken, but I'm betting it's in another country. It's definitely not AKC obedience.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

But it looks like fun!

Australia?


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Beamer got his RN title at around a year and a half. Now we are going to be competing for our CD starting at the end of March and he will be 2.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Fisher went into the Novice ring first at 13 months and had his CDX by 2. Took him 4 tries for each. Slater is almost 4 and while he is accomplished in field work, is not yet ready for novice obedience. No one will give you an award for the youngest dog so no need to put them in before they are ready.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I sent you a PM 

I generally do not show in standard obedience until my dogs are 2-3 years old. Rally I will show when they are younger and I might show in Beginners Novice. There is a level of mental maturity and stamina that I feel is needed and many goldens just take a while to grow into themselves 

I know many goldens whose lines frequently do not start showing until they are 4 or 5; they then can excel.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I recognize that Bella may not be mature enough to comptete until 2 or 3. Question is, what do you do until then? Do you just keep doing the same training over and over....day after day? Or, do you get them involved in other activities until they mature?


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I train all the exercises through utility while we await deliveries of brain cells


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

coaraujo said:


> Oh wow, this is definitely good to know. I think I might have gotten a little ahead of myself . It definitely make more sense to start competing once they're a little older - when they grow out of their puppy phase (if they ever do ) I'll keep working on building a solid foundation for now and exposing them to new things!
> 
> Thanks for the recommendation - I'll ask Sunrise about facilities! I just joined the Obedience Dog Training Club of Waterbury so hopefully they'll have some good classes.


Liza and I train there,too! We just finished the CGC class and are starting fieldwork next week. Maybe we will see each other! Excellent training school!


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

Bella and I are BOTH green (I have never trained a dog ever- in anything, and we got Bella as an 8 wk old), so I'm sure it will take us longer than someone who has trained and competed with other dogs before. 

Bella received her Rally Novice at 18 months old. We then moved on to training in formal obedience and hope to compete soon in Novice Obedience. Bella probably, in more experienced hands, could have earned her RN sooner, and probably would have more advanced titles already, both in obedience, as well as other areas ~ I am, by far, the weakest link in our team. (She forgives me and is patient, lol)

We dabble in a bunch of other things too, so we aren't in any hurry to get titles for the sake of getting titles. We are just enjoying the journey together. Me and my heart girl.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Nairb said:


> I recognize that Bella may not be mature enough to comptete until 2 or 3. Question is, what do you do until then? Do you just keep doing the same training over and over....day after day? Or, do you get them involved in other activities until they mature?


If you train thoroughly and ask for drive, precision, attitude and consistency, that should keep you occupied for, oh, several years! LOL
They are mature and ready enough to compete if they can precisely and consistently perform the required exercises in a motivated and enthusiastic way, in novel places surrounded by strange people, dogs and noises. It doesn't matter their age.
In the beginning stages of training it is easy to multi-task and train for multiple venues so if you feel you're hands aren't full enough with obedience, branch out into fieldwork, tracking or agility.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Riot is 2.5 years old and certainly NOT ready to enter Novice yet. But I think that's because of my goals for him. Can he do all the exercises? Sure. But with more training, and more maturity, he could be really, really good. Like Anney said, if you are training to have the next OTCH, it can take years. And maintaining that level of ability takes time too. Don't rush it. Don't compare your dog with other dogs and trainers. Enjoy the journey!! That's the best part!


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## coaraujo (Nov 2, 2012)

I just want to say how much I love this forum! There's so much to learn and every day I'm on this forum I just keep learning new things. I always thought that everyone started out with obedience because I've heard that you need the solid obedience foundation to be able to have control over your dog in other events. I never realized that that obedience foundation isn't competition obedience. It makes sense that golden's need to mature more before obedience competition. 



> *In the beginning stages of training it is easy to multi-task and train for multiple venues so if you feel you're hands aren't full enough with obedience, branch out into fieldwork, tracking or agility. *


I'm definitely going to be that person who dabbles in every area . I figure we'll expose our pups to multiple venues and see which ones we all like best. Kinda like my parents are doing with my little sisters - they're trying a whole bunch of different sports now to see what ones they like best. Its so exciting . 



> *I am, by far, the weakest link in our team. (She forgives me and is patient, lol)*


This is EXACTLY how I feel. I'm excited to start training at OBTCW because I think I'll be exposed to some more advanced dog owners. Right now the facility I'm at is more just individual's who want a good mannered pet - which is great, but it doesn't really help me become a better handler. But I definitely wouldn't want anyone else handling Oliver/Bernie - its the journey we'll have together trying to gain titles that I'm excited for. I know they'd both be capable of getting them easier with someone else, but that'd be no fun!



> *Liza and I train there,too! We just finished the CGC class and are starting fieldwork next week. Maybe we will see each other! Excellent training school! *


That's so exciting! I've heard really good things about Frank from multiple sources. You'll recognize me right away, I'll have the two boisterous pups out of control haha. I'm hoping they'll be able to focus their energy on the fieldwork . 



> *I train all the exercises through utility while we await deliveries of brain cells *


this made me giggle - sometimes I think I can see them being delivered one by one. we'll be practicing an exercise like stay and all of a sudden I can see it click in their head. its amazing to see them thinking!

Thank you everyone for your responses!


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## coaraujo (Nov 2, 2012)

Oh and one other thing. I guess what got me most about the video was how happy and attentive the dog was to its owner. He was prancing around glued to his leg like this was the most exciting and fun activity in the world. That's what I'm really striving for. I want my dog to be as excited and loving of these activities as possible. Is this attained by keeping training fun and enjoyable? Any tips on making something as difficult as heeling fun? I've heard that heeling is one of the most tiring exercises for a dog because it requires precision.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

coaraujo said:


> Oh and one other thing. I guess what got me most about the video was how happy and attentive the dog was to its owner. He was prancing around glued to his leg like this was the most exciting and fun activity in the world. That's what I'm really striving for. I want my dog to be as excited and loving of these activities as possible. Is this attained by keeping training fun and enjoyable?


YES!!! One tip I can give right off the bat is train with people who have dogs that work like you want your dog to work. This holds true in all dog venues. Now, not all dogs have the prancing, buoyant heeling work of many goldens. But the dogs should want to work. You have to figure out what makes your dog want to work. For mine, he loves treats, petting, jumping around, playing tug. 

Training heeling starts with really REALLY short intervals, building up to longer patterns. Keeping things interesting for the dog is a major part of training, especially once you have taught all the exercises and want to demand precision.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

coaraujo said:


> Oh and one other thing. I guess what got me most about the video was how happy and attentive the dog was to its owner. He was prancing around glued to his leg like this was the most exciting and fun activity in the world. That's what I'm really striving for. I want my dog to be as excited and loving of these activities as possible. Is this attained by keeping training fun and enjoyable? Any tips on making something as difficult as heeling fun? I've heard that heeling is one of the most tiring exercises for a dog because it requires precision.


 
Here is an old video of a young Flip working on his heeling (and some signal work in the middle of the video). He's a little awkward in his work still at that time, but you can see how I release and really interact with my dog. At first he was released much more often, and we built up to working the length in the video.





 

Fast forward a couple of years and he's smoothed himself out but still enjoys what he's doing. Here's some heeling from a trial about four months ago:


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Loisiana said:


> Here is an old video of a young Flip working on his heeling (and some signal work in the middle of the video). He's a little awkward in his work still at that time, but you can see how I release and really interact with my dog. At first he was released much more often, and we built up to working the length in the video.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I noticed in the first video, you were keeping him on a short leash with your left hand. I assume that's to keep them in position, and paying attention. Is that how you typically train, or just when they're younger?

I might try that.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I use that when they are still learning how to maintain heel position. The less leash between your hand and the dog, the less the are able to ever get out of heel position. And you can steer them just by moving your wrist.

At this point he knows how to stay in heel pretty much so my hand is usually at my waist, but I still do most of his heeling on leash, and never with a loose leash. There isn't tension in the leash, but there isn't any extra slack either.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Loisiana said:


> I use that when they are still learning how to maintain heel position. The less leash between your hand and the dog, the less the are able to ever get out of heel position. And you can steer them just by moving your wrist.
> 
> At this point he knows how to stay in heel pretty much so my hand is usually at my waist, but I still do most of his heeling on leash, and never with a loose leash. There isn't tension in the leash, but there isn't any extra slack either.


That's so interesting since I taught Molly to heel without a leash. I do own a 2ft lead for class. She did have a bit of a forging issue until I reinforced my shoulder as the focal point and not my face, but we haven't had a problem since.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

In our case, dropping the head is the main issue. The short leash might help with that. Lagging is also a slight issue, but some of that may be due to practicing on a very slippery hardwood floor. She slips and slides all over the place. Soon, we will be transitioning to outdoor heeling with the improving weather.


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