Matches are valuable, but often scarce - letโs make the most of every opportunity! In todayโs video, I discuss strategies to use match time effectively, whether youโre prepping for a show or tackling an issue that only seems to happen in the ring.
Hereโs a quick preview:
If Your Match is the Night Before a Show: Focus on building confidence rather than testing. Avoid the โwill he do it?โ mindset; simplify exercises and reinforce your dogโs skills to ensure you both go into tomorrowโs show feeling prepared.
If You Are Addressing Problems That Only Happen In the Ring: For challenges that only appear in trial settings, use the match to mimic a show environment. Note minor errors but let them go until you reach the specific exercise that needs attention. This way, you create an environment where the problem will most likely occur, allowing you to address it in the ring.
With a little planning, each match can be a powerful training tool!
The "Stand for Exam" might seem like one of the simpler exercises, but as many handlers know, it can present some unique challenges! Two common issues I often hear about are: โMy dog doesnโt like being touched!โ or the complete opposite, โMy dog is too friendly and canโt resist moving when the judge approaches.โ
If either of these sounds familiar, Iโve got some tips in todayโs video that will help. The key is using your Reward Marker at the right moment to show your dog that standing still and maintaining focus during the exam can lead to big rewards. This strategy helps build a calm, confident stand that feels rewarding for your dog.
Training Question Q&A Session!
Have a training question? Message me on FB and let's chat about it!
See you on Thursday!
Live Q&A
I received several questions related to my free training series, Improving Your Performance.
Join me as I discuss how to cause an error in training so you can ultimately increase your dog's understanding of an exercise and feel confident that certain errors will not happen again in the ring.
Are You Using Your Reward Marker To Your Advantage?
One of the biggest challenges we face in this sport, is the ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ.
Some dogs like to jump, some like to retrieve, but there is much about obedience that is not instinctively fun for a dog to do such as heeling, position changes, pivots, or retrieving without bobbling or mouthing the dumbbell.
When you learn to effectively use a Reward Marker to connect the reward with an obedience skill, the behavior will become enjoyable.
But hereโs a problem! Many of us think we are using a Reward Marker, but simple, silly mistakes are preventing us from getting those results.
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Are you using your reward marker to your best advantage?
Check out today's video to be sure!
Competing in Multiple Venues
If you enjoy training your dog, it comes as no surprise that you are participating in multiple venues. Add the complexity of multiple dogs to multiple venues, and itโs easy to become overwhelmed as you juggle your time and energy to pursue all your goals!
This week, Iโm sharing a segment of a webinar that I gave to Obedience Road members titled, "Simple Strategies for Competing in Multiple Venues".
I hope you find it helpful.
๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ? ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐!
Competing in obedience for a weekend implied two trials, one Saturday and one Sunday. Each trial had 6 classes: Novice A & B, Open A & B and Utility A & B.
Now weโre faced with far more choices. Many clubs have more than one trial in a day, as well as Optional Titling Classes, Preferred Classes and even Wildcard Classes. Additionally, there is often a Rally Trial going on simultaneously!
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the number of choices available? What day will you enter? Which Trial? How many classes.
This week Iโm sharing a segment of a webinar that I gave to Obedience Road members titled, Strategy: What Class Should You Enter? I hope you find it helpful.
When my dog has a disappointing performance on Saturday, I am almost always willing to try again on Sunday. However, I absolutely train between the shows, addressing both the exercise(s) that my dog failed, as well as the exercise(s) where his performance was weak.
The Fix โn Go is an incredible tool to fix errors, but it only indicates that my dog can perform correctly on the second attempt. Itโs worth it to me to do some training before the next day.
Watch this video for some tips to help you โFix it Overnight!โ
- Connie
Ps. Often, you have the choice of entering more than one show in the same day. Keep an eye out for my next message discussing the pros and cons of entering multiple classes and multiple showsโฆ
Another Training Q&A with Connie!
I had a great time during my first Facebook LIVE, so let's do it again!
I received several more training questions. I'll answer those here on Tuesday, 1/23 at 6pm EST!
See you there!
Problem Solving: Whining & Barking
Do you have a dog that whines when setting up for a retrieve, or barks when sent on a go-out?
Noise in the ring can be a difficult problem to tackle!
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐จ-๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฏ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ?
Coaching obedience teams for over 30 years, Iโve had to develop techniques that work for both traditional and non-traditional breeds. In this weekโs video, I describe a solution I have used for years to address noise. It is a careful and systematic solution to the problem.
I hope you enjoy it. As always, do not hesitate to send me your questions!
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P.S. You still have a few days to join the Obedience Road. Enrollment is only open twice a year, so Join Now!
Techniques to Avoid Common Problems
Today I want to talk with you about avoiding problems, that is, staying out of trouble. My goal is not just to help you address problems but also to guide you in avoiding them altogether!
The order and techniques you choose to teach the obedience exercises has an impact on your progress.
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I want to keep you out of trouble!
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I want to make sure you teach the skills and exercises in an order that will make sense to your dog.
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Letโs be sure you pick the best techniques available to avoid common problems!
In this weekโs video, I discuss strategies for choosing the order you teach the exercises and the techniques you choose to teach them.
Teaching obedience classes for over 30 years forced me to develop techniques that would work for traditional and non-traditional breeds, as well as experienced and inexperienced handlers.
As always, feel free to send me your questions and comments.
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P.S. Registration for the Obedience Road is NOW OPEN! Let's get to work on making 2024 the best year you and your obedience partner have ever had. See you there!
Live Q&A
During this session, I'll be diving into the training questions youโve sent my way. Itโs a great opportunity to engage in real time and discuss the training challenges youโre currently facing.
To join the event, simply click on the link below at 6:00 pm Eastern on January 18th.
If you have any specific questions you'd like me to answer, please feel free to reply to this email.
