Training - Experiences, Challenges, and Mindsets

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Comment by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on December 31, 2010 at 12:04pm

Yay, Murph! Starting the New year off right!

Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on December 31, 2010 at 11:58am

Today was a great day for training in CT....40's and no wind (for a change).  Murphy and I had a great time at the park, and he was really good.  We did have a couple stop to ask about Murphy, and he did a sit/stay with no excitement.  We only saw one other dog (but he was off leash illegally).  I didn't want to deal with that so we left and went to a big vacant parking lot for heel work.

Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on December 30, 2010 at 7:33am

Apparently different CGC evaluators approach the sit/stay differently.  My evaluator had me do a sit/stay, drop the leash, walk across to the other side of the facility and then do a recall.  She was testing the sit/stay and the recall all in the same "exercise".  She did not allow a long line for this.  It was not an issue for us because we had practiced it so many times.

Comment by Ron Carnes on December 29, 2010 at 6:48pm

You are correct on the CGC test. Zack took the test last summer. No off leash durning the test. They are held during seperation by volunteers. They gave us a 25' lead to use durning the stay command. One dog was very reliable off leash but during the test he had to use the leash.

Comment by Adina P on December 29, 2010 at 6:10pm

If you work toward off leash reliability, then you'll get the CGC on route long before you get the off leash reliability.  I don't think you have to worry about that.  But in order to get to off leash reliability it helps, in my opinion, to work toward 'excellent' on leash work before removing letting go of the leash anywhere but at home or places you KNOW are low risk.  If a dog can heel (not necessary for CGC) and hold stays and has a good recall .... the CGC will be a breeze.  My memory of the CGC is that someone was always holding the leash.  During the out of sight part of the test, the evaluator or someone held the leash...he was not let to roam.  I think the recall may have been without a leash, though.  Not sure anymore.

Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on December 29, 2010 at 2:36pm

We actually have been using a long line for Murphy's sit/stay training in public places.  I posted a video of that in the December assignment.  I keep going back to the CGC test, and at least with Guinness I did have to drop the leash and walk away (in the training facility).  They did not allow the use of the long line for this part of his evaluation.  So, I was just thinking ahead to that.  I don't have a training facility to practice in right now, so I'm trying to think of places where we could practice this, and I thought of Petco (our training home away from home).  I'm assuming that I will have the same evaluator, so I want to be sure my training includes all the exercises he'll be expected to do.  I was incredibly single-minded and short-sighted in Guinness's training.  My goal was his TDI certification.  I never worked on "off leash reliability", which is clearly my objective with Murphy.  That said, I do want Murph to get his CGC, and that's my short term goal.  I'm trying to approach his training with both objectives in mind.

Comment by Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom on December 29, 2010 at 2:09pm

Jane --- I have a 25' light weight leash that I use when I'm working in the street in front of the house.  That way, I can get far enough away to really rest them, but still have control should they see a squirrel or leaf blow by or something else that catches their attention and tempts them.

Comment by Adina P on December 29, 2010 at 1:55pm

I didn't mean to sound so "this is the only way."  But in my opinion, there is just no good reason to drop the leash...at least not in an uncontrolled environment (and I'd guess the training facility is a much more controlled environment).  With Delta, they always force us to keep a leash on the dog unless we get a signed consent from the facility in which we work.  I can see if the end goal of training is therapy and the class focuses on therapy work then the class teaching will be geared toward that and may do some things differently than if the class was geared toward obedience and off leash control. But from your perspective, what gain is there in dropping the leash vs. NOT dropping it or using a longer leash for distance work?  How does dropping the leash add any sort of 'test' that a longer leash doesn't?

Comment by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on December 29, 2010 at 1:47pm

I do see your point, but I'm thinking back to Guinness's training.  We did reach a point where I did a sit/stay, dropped the leash, and then had to walk across to the other side of the training facility.  Then I did the recall.  This was all in practice for his CGC evaluation.  He was at about the same point with sit/stay as Murphy is right now which is why I was wondering.

Comment by Adina P on December 28, 2010 at 8:40pm

Not sure how Carol or others go from on to off leash, but it's not a cold turkey transition.  The program I'm following has a very clear and gradual transition where the dog earns final off leash work...there's no 'off leash' testing here and there.  For example, long before the leash is gone, we move to a very light line (masonry line or parachute cord depending on the actual product) that is 100 feet long and that is gradually cut in increments as the dog earns less and less leash.  It's more complicated than that, but my point is sneaking in 'off leash' tests here and there without some sort of assurance and gradual   'earning' of the privilege really comes with considerable risk: risk of setting your dog back AND risk of a dog running off and not obeying.

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