Obedience Fun match? A question for you competitive obedience folk

[Ayoka]

How "ready" are you when you go to a fun match?

I went to my first training session to prepare for an obedience trial this weekend. The lady we're working with has trialed herself (of course) and has seen Bear progresss since I got him. Her opinion is that we have more "polishing" to do than actual learning new things and suggested we go to a local fun match at the end of the month.

How ready are people/dogs usually for this sort of thing? Do you tend to see a lot of errors or is it really just a practice for those who intend to trial the next week? I think that training in a "trial-like" environment will be invaluable training (for ME!!!) if we are at a point that we can complete the exercises, in order on our own. But I don't want to go and make a total butthead of myself.

Thoughts?

[TrishB]

You need to be solid enough for your FIRST TIME so that you know your dog:
- won't leave the ring
- shouldn't break their sits / downs
- "good enough" (heeling / retrieves / etc.)

You need to go to change the environment, get ring experience, have the match judge tell you what you need to work on and see if your dog can work with distractions.

You should probably go again, when you think you're "ring ready", just to be sure.

Fun matches are supposed to be fun, educational and informal. That being said, it is not a place to socialize your dog or to 'train'. There is an expectation that your dog is stable in the ring and won't interfere with other dogs (they're there for themselves, not to help your dog).

If your trainer feels that you're ready - go for it! You'll learn so much about yourself (how to handle properly without losing points) and your dog (what he's good at and what he needs work on). They're incredibly helpful!

If you get the chance - or if they need help - or if you're available another day, I'd also suggest ring stewarding! You'll learn SO MUCH by doing this. It will help you in the ring.

[Ayoka]

Thanks, you've pretty much covered what I was thinking regarding where the dog should be in order to go.

We are lucky enough to have access to practice gates (through the flyball club) and our plan was to try setting up a "ring" at various local parks to practice. We also get a chance to practice some obedience things in the presence of other dogs during our flyball practices and I have lots of friends with dogs to simukate the long sits/downs.

I think the end of the month will be pushing it but I guess that the beauty of the fun match is that you register the same day that you do your runthrough so I can play it by ear. There are plenty matches around here about every 2 weeks so I'm not worried I'll lose our one and only chance.

[TrishB]

Yup - you'll be in a good place to go by the sounds of it. Be sure to stay around to watch everyone as well - make a day of it. You'll learn a bunch and your dog will learn the other, more boring side of obedience - waiting! He'll learn to relax in his crate and use the time to sleep. Trust me, when you enter 2 trials in one day and your dog has to wait 4 hours - you'll be glad you taught him how to relax in his crate with everything else going on.

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What burns people is when people enter dogs that are clearly not ready. If you've got a dog that is too focussed on other dogs, please don't enter! Attend the day, get them to sit quietly. Do some drills, work with the distraction. But don't enter.

We had a dog at one match I was ring stewarding at that would NOT recall! I literally had to catch this dog as he bolted for the gate (try catching a flying flat-coat retriever!!). Then, during the sit / stays - he ran various victory laps around the ring. People pay good money to attend matches and are trying to prep their own dogs. They don't deserve to have their time / effort wasted.

Of course, there is the argument that this could happen in the ring (and it does!) but you'd like to introduce something like that during training, with a controlled dog. A dog that is out of control is a danger to everyone. Who knows what they'll instigate.

[Ayoka]

Thanks to the all flyball tournaments we have been to over the past year, Bear is quite comfortable just about anywhere so long as I bring his own crate, blanket and something to gnaw on.

It's ME that would stress waiting for those 4 hours!!

It's funny how it's not the dog I doubt, but ME!

[TrishB]

Originally Posted by Ayoka

It's funny how it's not the dog I doubt, but ME!

Yup, Yup and YUP! hehehe Don't you know? It's NEVER the dog - it's ALWAYS us!

[targonrotts]

remember that most matches offer non regular classes such as pre novice(all on leash), wildcard novice(pick one exercise you don't want to do) that you can try for practice too.
i like the on leash for first experience in case i need to correct something.
just like i personally don't do outdoor matches or trails if not under cover and it's past 80 degrees. i don't like to set them up for failure.
to me, i do the first match when they are pretty reliable in dog obedience class and usually after at least a level 2.

[Ayoka]

Originally Posted by targonrotts

remember that most matches offer non regular classes such as pre novice(all on leash), wildcard novice(pick one exercise you don't want to do) that you can try for practice too.
i like the on leash for first experience in case i need to correct something.
just like i personally don't do outdoor matches or trails if not under cover and it's past 80 degrees. i don't like to set them up for failure.
to me, i do the first match when they are pretty reliable in dog obedience class and usually after at least a level 2.

Well we've done all the classes offered by our trainer the last class being full of small yippy dogs (for lack of a better word) that strangely enough, Bear was very good at ignoring them...I think they stressed him out more than anything with their vocalness.

Your right about not setting a dog up to fail...I think I'll do the pre-novice, even if we (meaning I) can do the novice exercises just to get used to the ring procedures etc...good advice, thanks!