Asking for advice...

Everyone has to ask for advice at some point. We simply don’t know ALL the answers to ALL the problems.

But before you start asking for advice, stop and think…

1) Are you ready for peoples' opinions?

Maybe you are wrong, maybe you aren't...but are you ready to hear what other people think? If you don't have an open mind going into it, you may miss something wonderful. Did someone suggest a training method or a tool that you aren't willing to use? If you say no before they even explain their reasoning, you won't understand their methodology behind their answer. If you want someone to give you their time by answering your question, the least you can do is listen with an open mind. Understand, this is NOT the same as when someone gives you an unsolicited opinion. But when YOU ask for advice, be prepared to listen...to everything and everyone before making a decision.

If you're wrong, be prepared...the truth hurts. Maybe you've completely messed something up and someone (if they're being truthful) will tell you. Is it the end of the world? Absolutely not. But, maybe, most of what you are doing is correct and it just took someone from the "outside" to see the issue. Either way, if you aren't prepared to listen and HEAR, then don't ask.

2) Do you really need advice or are you just looking for validation?

Yes, sometimes it may be a combination of the two things. Where you "think" you are doing something correctly (or handling a problem the right way) and you want to see what other people think of your methods. But, if you are just looking for a pat on the back, don't bother asking.

3) Who is the best person to ask?

There really isn’t a “best” person, but the only rule is that the person needs to have more experience than you. And don’t evaluate a person solely on titles. If you have having a problem with your little terrier’s retrieve, the local “professional OTCH trainer” who has worked with countless Border Collies or Golden Retrievers may not be the best person to ask. It doesn’t mean you can’t ask them, but I’d also seek out a successful terrier person to ask for advice.

Be prepared for a different answer from every person you ask. Thus, don’t ask very many people. Ask the people you trust, the people you respect and, above all, the people with experience.

4) What are your reasons for ignoring advice?

Trust me, you do not have to listen to every piece of advice you are given. You know your dog and your steps of training better than anyone. But, if you are ignoring advice simply because it's not what you wanted to hear or you don't like the answer, then you are never going to learn. Instead, think through the person's advice and make sure you understand exactly what they are trying to say. Maybe, after you understand it, you may be able to adjust the advice to your particular method of training. If you don't understand, then ask questions!

Don’t made decisions based on emotion. We are great at coming up with excuses for not listening to “good” advice, simply because we are too close to the topic at hand.

But, in the end, trust yourself. A mistake is simply a mistake. Even if the advice doesn’t work completely, maybe it addressed a portion of the problem. Keep working towards your end goal and surround yourselves with people who want to see you succeed.

Train hard. Play harder.
Shannon

Interest vs. Commitment

I ran across a wonderful quote this morning....

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” (Kenneth Blanchard)

Wow, how true. I know a lot of people who are “interested” in training their dogs, but make excuses when it comes time to actually do the work. The people who are committed are obvious. They are the people training their dogs in the early morning before it gets hot or the people in several layers of clothes because it’s cold outside. We train in the rain, in the wind (stake those ring gates!), in the heat and the cold. We haul our equipment to parks, fields, parking lots and anywhere else that has enough space for us to train our dogs. We get in the car and drive two hours to a match, where we will pay to rent a ring for 10 minutes, just to get back in the car and drive the two hours home.

When things don’t go right in the ring, we come out, sit down and figure out what we need to do to fix it. We don’t blame the dog, the environment or the judge.  Instead, we blame our training or our preparation.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with just being interested in showing and wanting to have fun on the weekend. But, if this is the case, don’t hold your dog accountable to YOUR failure to prepare him to compete against the dogs with “committed” trainers. And, by no means am I saying that being “committed” means all other areas of your life are ignored. I have a family, a home and a job that are just as important. However, you will only “get out” what you “put in”. Do you find time to do what is important or do you just say “I’ll train tomorrow”?

So, before you enter a show, decide which person you are....are you “interested” or are you “committed”?

Train hard. Play harder.
Shannon

Train the details

In my opinion, two of the most important things to train your dog before showing are ring entrances and setups. I also consider removing the dog's lead as part of a ring entrance if showing in Open and Utility.

The next time you are at a show, sit and watch these two specific items. Who walks into the ring with an attentive, focused dog? What is their body language saying to the judge? Who moves easily between exercises, setting up efficiently and quickly for the next exercise?  

These two items are not subject to judging (unless the handler has difficulty or delays the ring, then the judge can mark them below the line), but they need to be trained just like any other exercise. Obviously, dogs are different...some need to be formally heeled between exercises, while some need a chance to disconnect briefly and allowed to refocus. Some dogs need a spin or hand touch while moving to the next exercise. 

Take the time to teach these skills, so your dog will know exactly what is expected on show day. Teach your dog some stress relieving behaviors in case you need them to use them between exercises (spins, hand touches, bounces, front feet up on handler). These need to be practiced and reinforced OFTEN, not just taught, then forgotten.  In practice, these behaviors (after taught) should be required. Meaning, that if I tell my dog to put his front feet up on me, he must do it. If I tell him to do a hand push, he must get into position and push. 

While training, don’t forget the perfect picture in your mind. My “picture” includes speed, effort and precision. So, if I call my dog to setup, I require that he does it quickly and accurately. Anything that does not meet my expectations is addressed. Require 100% in practice, because you will probably only get 90% in the ring. Consistency is extremely important. Decide what you want from your dog and reinforce it. Every....single....time. No exceptions!

Your ring entrance sets the tone for the entire run. The judge’s first impression of a team is extremely important. It is your job to make sure it is the best impression possible.

Happy training!

It’s the little things...

I started teaching a Competition Puppy class last night. Six people with visions of grandeur, all with future OTCH dogs on the ends of their leashes.

We started with “little things”...how to play, rewarding their dog’s name, basic position changes and voluntary attention. It made me think. In life, they say the little things make a difference. And they do. What good are the “big things”, if the “little things” aren’t that great?

Think of the “little things” as your building blocks. It’s what you are basing your dog’s future on. Doesn’t it make sense to have the foundation as solid as possible? I saw a few eyes glaze over last night, when I started explaining how important the dog’s name is. It needs to be taught. It needs to be rewarded. Sure, it sounds easy...most people probably thought to themselves “my puppy already knows his name”. But, does your dog come running when they hear their name called? If your answer is “no”, then you have a problem. And, honestly, it doesn’t matter if your dog is 12 weeks old or 2 years old, if they don’t respond on their name, that’s a problem. Is that a “little” problem or a “big” problem? If you ask me, that’s a HUGE problem. For one, it can be a matter of your dog’s life if they are loose and run after something, crossing a road in the process.

Keep this in mind as you are training exercises. People have a tendency to focus on the big picture, while losing sight of the “little” things which build the foundation of the exercise.

Let’s use directed jumping as an example - “big” things include the dog going straight to his go-out spot, taking the correct jump, etc., while little things may include attitude, precision and handler response. When I started training my first dog, I looked at the big picture. Heck, I was thrilled if he just got to where he was going!! I completely forgot about the little things and looked solely at the principles of the exercise. Why worry about the little things?

Why? Because my dog is always learning. I’m either teaching him to do something correctly or I’m teaching  him to do something incorrectly. Say I’m working a green dog on articles. When he brings me back the correct article, I let him sit anywhere in front of me, while I tell him how smart he is for finding the right one...all while my dog is sitting at a 45 degree angle to front. How does my dog know this isn’t the way a front is performed? He doesn’t. I just told him how smart he was!

I’m not saying that the little things don’t sometimes take a step back when working on something, because they do, but the final product should always be at the forefront. Keep the ‘perfect picture’ in your mind and work towards it unwaveringly. Is this hard? Absolutely! But it’s worth it in the end.

So, while you work to get a handle on the “big things”, it still pays to focus on the little things.

Happy training!

Confidence

Part of our job as dog trainer is to give our dogs the confidence to make their own decisions...even if that involves making mistakes. If you continue to make things easier for your dog, they will never gain the confidence to make the correct decision for themselves when necessary.

There is a saying that goes “Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong.”

Step back and watch your dog work or have a knowledgeable friend watch you. If you train alone, videotape your session. Later, watch the video with the sound turned off. Watch your dog’s body language...how he moves, how he interacts with you, is he tense or loose, and does he respond quickly.

Watch your body language when your dog makes a mistake. Are you moving towards your dog or away from him? What is the expression on your face? Now watch your dog. How does your dog respond after a mistake? Does he shrink down or does he bring his head up, ready to try again?

If you see signs of tension, indecision or uncertainty, you need to stop training the exercise and work on the element of the exercise which is causing him stress...EVEN if your dog does the exercise correctly.

I had someone tell me the other day that they didn’t want their dog (who is training for obedience competition) to make any decisions for themselves. They wanted the dog to look to them, as the handler, for everything. They were surprised when I disagreed. Yes, I require attention in the ring and I expect my dog to listen to me, but I want them thinking for themselves too. I want them to solve problems and I want them to trust me to keep them safe. But, most of all, I want a happy, confident dog.

A mistake is not the end of the world. I can not micromanage my dog’s environment so he is never wrong, especially in the ring. Things are going to happen and the dog needs to be prepared to deal with the pressure. But, this doesn’t come naturally (or easily) for some dogs...my current competition dog is a prime example. So, one of the skills I had to need him was HOW to bounce back from an error. But, to do this, I had to first let him be wrong. He quickly learned that being wrong was simply a mistake and he would be given the opportunity to try again. He actually gets “higher” after a mistake, trying harder to get it correct. The confidence in his body posture is clear. His head is up, his tail is up and he’s focused on his job. Unfortunately, there are no “do overs” in the ring, but that is what is so fun about this sport. We work towards perfection, appreciating every step along the journey.