Humans love the number 3 - there’s a beginning, and middle, and closure. That’s how I try to plan my sessions for competition obedience exercises, though they don’t necessarily always fit into 3 parts. Having overall goals and progressions planned out like a flow chart (if this happens, then next rep I do that), helps to ensure each challenge is at the right level for each dog. I am trying to be more conscious about having a reason for everything I do in the training session and about not tossing my dog into the deep end. Overcomeable challenges build confidence. Insurmountable challenges shut both dog and human down. This makes for more planning than training if done right. It doesn’t always look as neat and tidy as this session and 💩happens sometime that put me right back to the drawing board, but this is what I aim for.
#competitonobedience #obediencetraining #dogobedience #akcobedience #dogtraining #australianshepherd #aussiesofinstagram #bluemerleaussie #performancedog #sportdog #herdingdog #akcaustralianshepherd #obedience #confidencebuilding
Does anyone else have a herding dog that stalks them? 😂
#herdingdog #australianshepherd #aussies #aussiesofinstagram #doglover #purebreddogs #purposebred #dogsofinstagram #doglover #workingdog #dogbehavior #cutedogs #bluemerle #bluemerleaussie
Does anyone else have a herding dog that stalks them? 😂
I was so eager to prove a point with my Novice A dog that I threw her off the deep end so many times. I do feel like I pushed her through Utility at the expense of a long-term obedience career. I should have allowed us both time to learn together instead of rushing the process. While her son is testing me to the extremes being a regular adolescent learning about the world, I am having to remind myself to be patient and answer his questions; and that confidence and fun is much more important. I still make training mistakes almost daily, but I am conscientiously striving to reprioritize the “why”. And I thank my Novice A dog for the lessons she has taught me, and continues to teach me, every day.
Something smells fishy about this 🐟🤪. #scentdiscrimination #akcobedience #australianshepherd
It’s almost Fourth of July! Have you started getting your pup ready for fireworks? A large part of it is getting them used to the sound. One of my favorite methods is utilizing a Bluetooth speaker playing fireworks sounds (you can find them easily on YouTube; I like those 10 hour long ones with no interruptions for ads) on the -outside- of the house, and against the wall closest to the room your pup is in currently. Or, put it on a high shelf. Your neighbor might dislike you for a bit but honestly, how will they know it’s not real fireworks from somewhere? 🤪 This simulates booms coming from outside. For my dogs, it’s the start of the fireworks that they will think about most. So pausing and starting the noise repeatedly to create that “startle” will be helpful. Start with the lowest perceivable volume and then gradually work up. Make sure you walk your pup on a leash at night and use well fitted collars and harnesses that they can’t wiggle out of. If you need to, it is always ok to ask your vet for meds to help. I’d love to know some ways you’re getting your pups ready for fireworks in the comments!
May the Fourth be with you! 🌌⚔️ #maythe4thbewithyou #australianshepherd
I’m one of those weird people that love heeling. My biggest challenge, and also my ultimate goal, is getting focused, prancey, collected heeling that’s consistent and precise. What’s your favorite thing to train? What’s a goal you’re working towards? #dogtraining
Five month old Truffle working on obedience foundations of retrieving, come to front with guides, hind end awareness, orbit (going around object and coming back), backing up rear feet onto platform, position changes, and heeling starts with attention.
Truffle is still looking for his people. He has a lot of competition obedience foundation training on him, so I would love to see him go to a home that would like to pursue that. But I’m more concerned with him finding the best home, to spoil him than anything else.
Cannoli relaxing through his MANi-pedi 😴
