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OBEDIENCE START ROUTINE As a judge for 18 years, I have had the opportunity to witness a great number of exhibitors enter the obedience ring. The way the dog/handler teams enter the ring is varied. A team may enter the ring with prompt heeling and focused attention, or they may enter with the dog acting and wishing it were elsewhere, or in the case of the open/utility rings when the dog is off leash, it may enter wandering around and not having any connection to where the handler is going to start the first exercise. Many times in the latter two examples the handler is attempting to gain the dog’s focus yet is unsuccessful, or the handler is so nervous that his/her mind is not in the game as well. To signify to the dog that we are about to start working, a start routine must first be practiced when training in your regular training building or at home. Consistent routines help the dog to know that you are about to start working with me – the handler. If a handler regularly walks into their training building and just starts practicing the obedience exercises, but at a show, the dog is crated, left to sleep and then is asked to work, that is a very different picture of “time to work” for the dog. In preparation for getting ready to enter that trial, part of your practice, must be to have the dog crated, or laying by a chair with you sitting, as would be simulated at a dog show. The next step is what needs to occur after the dog is released from its resting place and asked to work. Typically, again at your training building, you would go right to working the dog, and not have a routine. But, then at a show, while waiting your turn to go into the ring, I observe people doing one of two things, either jazzing up the dog with little moves or heeling, or having the dog sit at heel and waiting patiently to enter when the judge calls them in. If incorporated in practice at home, either method of getting your dog ready to enter the ring can be successful depending upon the need of the dog. I would not allow a soft dog who can easily shut down to sit at heel position at the entrance of the ring. Judges are easily detained by questions from the steward, marking their books, etc, and what might be 30 seconds, could turn into three minutes and in that time a soft dog could easily drift into shut down. On the other hand, a more up dog might benefit from the calming effect of that sit at heel. This is where it is important to know what your dog needs, and to incorporate it in your practice sessions, so that you and the dog know you are ready to enter the ring. Your next step is to actually take that step into the ring. Is it done with confidence that you are ready to partner with your dog in this exhibition? Or, do you do a death march of nerves as you enter the ring. Surely, your dog will see the difference in you and will respond with a “what is the matter, this must be scary”. How is the sound of your voice as you lead your dog to the first exercise? Is it natural and the way it sounds in training at home, or does it sound stressed? Again, this is a signal to the dog that there is something very wrong here, if your voice does not stay the same as in training at home. Finally, have you practiced walking up to a chalk line? Sounds easy? Well, it is something I saw an OTCH handler get very stressed about when I asked her to take only one step up to the line to start. We joke about it now, but it was not pretty. You can make your dog and you feel much more comfortable if this is a part of your routine in practice at home. I see many handlers walk up to the line and take a deep breath to calm themselves. That is fine, but also incorporate that in your home practice if you plan to do that or need to do that in the ring. In summary, keeping as many variables in the ring the exact same as practice at home will aid you and your dog in getting that backyard 200 at the dog show. |
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