THE VERSATILE GOLDEN RETRIEVER – Part 6

Can you train your Golden for obedience if you show in the breed ring?  Will teaching your dog to sit have a negative impact in the show ring?  Will you break a dog’s “spirit” if you insist on good canine manners?

How often have you heard these statements?  Are they true?

My personal feeling is that while the personality and make-up of individual dogs must be considered, the perception of the owner/trainer/handler will have the greatest impact.  If you truly believe you cannot successfully train for both obedience and the breed ring at the same time, then that will most likely be the case.  However, if you have an open mind, or if you believe in the concept of a versatile retriever, then in many cases it is absolutely possible to teach the dog in such a way that he can both recognize and separate the various venues.

In my mind puppies are like sponges and can absorb a tremendous amount in their first months.  As I have pointed out before, I spend the first few weeks developing a working relationship with the pup that has joined our household.  The pup will learn to sit, down and stand.  Once the basics are mastered, signals are introduced.  Fun puppy recalls are done when a second person is available.  The pup learns to hold a dumbbell, puppy bumper, metal and leather article and glove.  Fun puppy fronts are introduced. The pup will learn to walk on a leash without hesitation.  He is taught early on that pulling on the leash is not acceptable.  Retrieve games are started with toys.  At about 10 weeks, I start teaching self-stack to the pup.  Gait training is also started.  These early training activities establish a foundation of skills useful for a versatile retriever.

The use of different equipment has helped me separate the different working venues for my young puppies.   A show lead (martingale) was used for the breed ring, while a quick release nylon collar was chosen for early obedience training.  Early agility activities and retrieve games were either done on the nylon collar or with no collar.  As time goes on and the puppy matures, different collars may be chosen for various activities, but by then the basics have been established.     

Timing and appropriately rewarding desired behaviors help the puppy understand those behaviors he should elicit at a particular time.  If I am working on self-stacking and the puppy chooses to sit as I hold that treat, a calm “Show” or “Stand” command is given as I use the treat to encourage the pup to stand.  There is no physical correction, but the puppy is rewarded only when standing in position.  Puppies are more adaptable then we think.  My husband insists that all my dogs sit when he gives them a treat.  My younger pups have no difficulty learning that when a treat appears they must sit for him in order to get that goodie, yet also quickly learn that standing in a self-stack is what produces that reward from me.

As you progress with both obedience and gaiting work, you may well encounter brief periods of “confusion” on the part of the puppy.   The most common situation where this has occurred with my pup is when I begin to move out in front of him to teach holding the self-stack for longer periods.  When you attempt this, the pup may “volunteer a sit” in an attempt to please.  (If the pup is asked to Stand and that magical goodie does not appear within a few seconds, the pup may well react by sitting in an attempt to offer a behavior that will produce that goodie.)  At this point, the pup does not understand what behavior is the correct response in the given situation.  Since the concept of “Stay” has already been introduced, I will assist the pup by verbally reminding him to “Stay”.  Again, the important element here is the timing of your verbal reminder.  It is best given before the puppy has the opportunity to sit in front of you.  (See Versatile Golden Retriever Part 4 for specifics on how the Stand is taught.)  Remember, too, that you need to take the time to gradually increase distance and the amount of time the pup will hold the stay.   Such skills do not come automatically for the puppy.  You must take the time to teach these skills to your pup.

I teach obedience classes at a local kennel club and sometimes people in class insist that they do not want to teach their dog to sit in heel position when forward motion ceases.  They feel this will confuse the dog and cause him to sit in the conformation ring. 

I have not had this problem.  In obedience, the dog is taught to sit in heel position when forward motion stops.  This sit at heel is aided by my body movement.  I stop the same way every time, and provide a cue for the dog that we will be halting.  (Simply stated, I plant one foot, thus placing it flat on the floor, and bring the opposite foot up to the planted step.  Placing my weight on this “planted” foot signals my dog that motion will cease and he is to sit.)  In the conformation ring, the dog is gaiting; he is not asked to sit.  Bringing the dog in to the judge and having him self-stack is taught as a separate skill….again, the repetition and frequent practice of this skill help the dog learn what is expected from him.  (Early on I may use the verbal cue “Show” or “Stand”, but the pup learns what is expected in his situation pretty quickly.)  Also, the principle of “Control of the Head” applies in these situations.  When teaching a young pup to sit, a treat is held at the puppy’s nose and is moved to raise his head upwards.  As the pup’s head moves upward, he will sit.  When stopping gaiting motion, a treat is used to hold the head level, thus encouraging the pup to remain standing.

Some people seem to worry that a dog doing obedience will attempt to “heel” and prance rather than gait freely when in the breed ring.  Early puppy training for heeling encourages my pup to focus on me.  Bait or toys will be used as a “lure”, frequent rewards and fun releases are employed, verbal praise for correct response is given, etc.  As the pup matures and learns what is expected (this will vary from pup to pup) I then I begin to insist that the pup focus on me when in heel position.  Just as I expect the pup to focus on me, my full attention is given to the dog when he is in heel position. 

However, in my mind all dogs need to be dogs, and I do not insist on heel position every time a dog is on lead.  It is important that a young dog have time to explore and just have a bit of freedom when on lead.  The puppy is never allowed to pull, but he is given freedom to roam to the end of the lead, sniff the grass, etc.  I think learning to go the end of the lead while out to potty, going from vehicle to show building, etc. helps build the confidence for the pup to gait in the show ring.  The owner who insists a dog stay in heel position (or the vicinity) at all times may well not have a dog with the confidence to gait freely in the show ring.  My pup has had not issue gaiting freely and with confidence in the conformation ring.  He gaits as nature intended him to gait when moving on his own.  I do not see the same type of movement as often seen from a dog when heeling.  In fact, my 10 year old obedience dog, a dog who clearly understands heel position and focus on me, had no difficulty gaiting when shown in the Veterans class.  I can’t help but wonder if in part he was comfortable doing so because I have always allowed him to move at the end of the lead as he chooses, as long as he does not pull me.

So, if you want to nurture a versatile retriever, I think much of your success will be dependent on the time you take to teach the separate elements necessary for each venue.  You cannot spend hours teaching your dog to heel and then suddenly expect your Golden to go into the breed ring and shine.  Being able to work in both situations takes preparation and practice.  If you invest the time and energy necessary to provide your dog with the skills and understanding to separate the different venues, then by all means you can have success in whatever you choose to do.  At least that is my humble opinion!  

Pat Quinn

Everlore@insightbb.com

If any of you have ideas for future articles on training a versatile retriever, please drop me a line and let me know what you would like for me to discuss in upcoming articles.  Also, if you are experiencing a specific difficulty in transitioning from one venue to another, perhaps others may be having the same problem and might find it helpful if certain situations are explored in an article.  Your input would be greatly appreciated!

Even this lady who seems to always have something to say has the fear that I may run out of ideas for this series that will appeal to others.

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