Intoducing your puppy to other animals

When Comet was a puppy I took him for Puppy Socialisation classes and Agility Puppy Classes.  One of the excersises we had to do was to introduce our puppy to two horses.  While Comet was meeting his new buddies for the first time I made sure I spoke to him encouraging him all the way!  PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!

Comet did very well, at first he wasnt too sure what these HUGE dogs were, but he wasnt afriad of them!  I had to pick him up so he was at eye level with the horse...he handeld it VERY WELL!!! :)

Here are some photo's of Comet's new friends.

Comet now realised he is interested in this BIG THING!

I help Comet back as I didnt want to scare the horse or Comet.

Comet slowly started getting ok with the idea of this BIG thing!

I praised Comet while he stood right by the horse..showing him it was all good!!

Then we did some heel work by the horse and he coped very well!

A little hesitant...but he managed!

He worked very well, trying to pull and move away...but not scared!

This was the second horse...he did much better witht he second horse.

Totally ignored the horse!

MUCH CLOSER....

Comet actually sitting infront of me (right by the horse). He offered me the sit!

Comet not caring at all about this BIG THING...watching the other pups play....

Still not botherd and not scared...he sat in my eyes very happily :)

I praised him!! :)

We did some more heel work around the BIG THINGS. ;)

"Why Puppy Training is Important"

Why to train a new puppy and how to go about it

by Candi Moon

Got a new puppy?

Acquiring a new puppy is a wonderful and exciting experience, but can bring concerns along with it. Right from the outset you may wonder how best to cope with issues like potty training your puppy or how to control biting with needle sharp teeth, playing tug of war with your clothes, chewing, digging, barking, pulling on leash and jumping on guests.

You may also worry about a puppy who cries every time he or she is left alone or be concerned that your pup may grow up to be aggressive towards people or other dogs.

These issues may seem overwhelming, but take heart. Puppies under the age of sixteen weeks learn extremely rapidly and its quick and easy to set them up with all the good habits you want them to have later in life.

Why is it important to train a puppy, why not wait until the dog is older?

Puppies are like sponges, soaking up every new experience eagerly and without fear until they reach four or five months of age. After this it is much harder to instill good habits and your dog may already have become fearful of other people, dogs etc. It is now a much longer and more difficult process to rehabilitate your dog. The time up until 16 weeks or so, it varies a bit from breed to breed and dog to dog, is the primary learning window of your dog's life. Just as early learning is important for a child, so it is for your puppy. Your pup's early experiences will have a fundamental effect on the dog he or she grows up to be.

So, how do I go about training my puppy?

There is a wealth of information available on the internet for training puppies. How do you tell if its any good? Websites and articles which advise you to hit, growl at, forcibly roll over, shake or choke your puppy with a choke collar are to be avoided. These are old fashioned and outdated training methods based on faulty research and will only serve to scare your puppy and teach your puppy to be afraid of you. Websites and articles showing how to use positive reinforcement training, lure and reward training with food and toys, clicker training and TTouch are beneficial and useful. These methods of training are easy to learn and fun to use and will set you up for a training experience which both you and your dog will enjoy. My most recommended web resource for online dog training information is Dog Star Daily at www.dogstardaily.com

However, no matter how good web resources may be, there can be no substitute for a good puppy training class. Having an experienced dog professional on hand to observe both you and your puppy and ensure you get all the information you need is the best and easiest way to set your puppy up for success. Also, puppy class will create a controlled environment for positive interactions with people and other dogs, for a puppy who will interact confidently and appropriately when older.

Your puppy class instructor will be able to tell you how to avoid future problems you may not have thought of yet, as well as help you to quickly and easily fix any problems you have now. He or she will be able to give you hands on direction with obedience training, helping you to position a lure correctly or get your timing right, or show you how to troubleshoot a problem when the usual methods aren't working. Your instructor will know how to interpret your dog's body language and teach you how to interpret it, and tailer-make the training process around the needs of you and your dog.

So how do I recognise a good trainer?

Firstly you should enquire about the methods and training equipment used. Avoid trainers who mention 'scruff shakes', alpha rolls' and 'choke chains'. Good trainers will use positive reinforcement and gentle training methods, usually lure and reward training using food treats. You can often find this kind of information on the trainer's website.

Talk to the trainer about any problems you may be experiencing or what you want to achieve during puppy class. Are they easily able to answer your questions in a manner that satisfies you?

Take a look at what previous clients had to say about the trainer or ask if you can come and view a lesson before enrolling. If the trainer refuses, or you feel uncomfortable with the training methods used, walk away. It is far better to travel a little further to go to a good trainer than to choose a substandard one who can potentially cause great damage to your puppy's personality.

If you do attend a trial class, to see if the trainer is for you, then look for the following: the training area should not be so large that off leash puppies during a play session cannot be reached easily by the trainer and should be securely enclosed. Periods of the class should be devoted to off leash play, training sessions should be kept short and fun and puppies should be exposed to different stimuli such a the sound of an umbrella opening, walking over different surfaces etc. to help them develop confidence and balance. Both owners and dogs should be treated with respect and have fun in the classes.

Ask what is covered in the course. A good course should cover socialisation to people and dogs, teaching bite control and having the puppy come reliably when you call him or her. Basic obedience training e.g. sit, lie down, stay and walk nicely on lead, should be covered but formal obedience is not appropriate for puppy classes. The instructor should address common puppy issues such as house training, biting, chewing etc. and provide a puppy obstacle course in the class for developing body awareness and resilience to new experiences.

Congratulations on your new puppy, I wish you many happy and enjoyable years with him or her.
This article may be freely distributed provided it is left intact and the source is credited.

 

I always tought Comet how to "Sit, Down and Stand" next to me.

Comet and one of the pups that was in his class.

Comet really enjoyed this puppy, but sometimes this one got a bit to much for Comet.

And Comet would tell him that he wasnt happy!

They always understood eachother!  Comet and his buddy!

Comet trying to play with the labby but she wasnt too sure!

"WHAT IS DOG AGILITY"?

I get asked all the time "WHAT IS DOG AGILITY"?

Here is the answer:

Dog agility is a spectator sport that involves dogs racing through an obstacle course while being guided by a handler. The race is judged on the agility, dog's speed and accuracy. Different courses and obstacles are used for each race, or trial, to keep the race challenging for both the handlers and the dogs.
Tunnels in dog agility courses include open-topped and long, closed cloth tunnels. Contact obstacles are featured in dog agility and they are angled and/or suspended boards that dogs must either walk or run on. These contact obstacles have painted yellow ends that the dog must either enter or exit on.
All breeds and sizes of dogs, from chihuahuas to Doberman Pinschers, may participate in dog agility. Border collies are especially known to be superb in the weaving poles. Vertical poles are spaced a certain distance apart and the dog must move through the poles quickly and accurately. Mixed breeds as approved by the American Kennel Club (AKC) may also participate in dog agility.
Most dog agility regulations state that an agility dog must be at least six months of age to compete. Dogs should be examined by a veterinarian before becoming involved in dog agility to be sure that the individual animal is healthy enough to participate in the sport without being likely to become injured due to a muscle, joint or other problem. Agility training is done gradually to get the dog used to the sport and to increase the height of the jumps at a rate that is safe and comfortable for the dog.

You dont start your dog off with high jumps, you start with the bar on the ground and gradually (at the dogs pace) move the bar up!  Dont rush it, a rushed dog is never a happy dog!  Work to your dogs pace and you will suceed!!!  :)

All breeds of dogs can do Dog Agility and all breeds of dog LOVE AGILITY!! :)

Some of the different types of common obstacles used in dog agility are jumps, tunnels and contact obstacles. Singe bar jumps in which the dog jumps over one bar are common as are triple jumps that the dog jumps over in a row. These are similar to the jumps in horse events, but also may include tire jumps in which the dog jumps through the center of a rubber tire.

IT'S LOADS OF FUN TOO!! :)

Blaze Competing in an Agility Show

Comet is a new dog in Agility and Comet is loving every second of it!

Weave poles, one of the hardest obsticles to train! But once you have them, its fun!!

Tazz coming out of the Tunnel! Get your dog to "LOVE" the tunnel! This is where you can work on the drive of the dog! You always want your dog driving (running fast) towards, through and out of the tunnel!

Blaze negotiating the A-Fame. That blue line, that is painted blue from that line to the bottom of the A-frame. That is known as the contact point. The dog has to touch that in order to not get 5 faults!

Puppies can do contact training - BUT, work slow (to the puppies pace) and work on low contacts! Always have someone there with you incase your puppies loose their footing!

.....now we introduce the flyball crosses with other dogs.....

What is Flyball?

The flyball lane layout

Flyball is a relay race with 4 dogs on a team. The course consists of a starting line, 4 hurdles spaced 10 feet apart and a box. The hurdle height is dependent on the height of the dogs in the team -- 4" below the shoulder height of the shortest dog. 7" is the minimum height and 14" is the maximum height. The first hurdle is 6 feet from the start line and the box is 15 feet from the last hurdle making for a 51 foot overall length. The dogs jump the hurdles and step on a spring-loaded box that releases a tennis ball. The dog catches the tennis ball and then runs back over the 4 hurdles. When the dog crosses the starting line the next dog goes. Teams race against each other at the same time and the first team to have all 4 dogs run without faults wins the heat.

Tournament Formats

Tournaments in the UK are organised on a round robin format, each race is usually best of 5 legs and the first team to win 3 heats receives 1 point towards their standing in the tournament; the final placings within the division are decided by the total number of points each team achieves. In the event of a 2-way tie the placing is decided by which team won the race between the two, in a 3-way tie you can sometimes get a run-off or sometimes it is decided on the fastest times each team has run that day.

The Technicalities of Racing!!

Run times and 'passing' (the next dog may not cross the start/finish line until the previous dog has returned over it) is monitored via electronic sensors and timing devices as is the start which is similar to a formula 1 grand prix style lights countdown...the start dog may not cross the line until the green light has come on but by using the countdown lights handlers can judge when to release the dog to achieve the best start possible, by releasing the dog some 30 or 40 feet from the line it has chance to build momentum before reaching the racing lane, the same is true when subsequent dogs are released to pass...with both dogs running flat out you want them crossing nose to nose within the timing sensors to achieve the best possible time, it is being able to judge this 'passing point' and adjust where necessary that makes a good handler, races are won and lost on 100ths of a second!

If a lead dog gets two consecutive false starts or a following dog crosses the line too soon (before the previous dog has returned over the line) it is considered a fault and that dogs fault light will be switched on by the line judge...handlers must keep an eye out for their dogs fault light (each position 1st to 4th has a different colour) because their dog will have to run again as a '5th dog' as a penalty. Fault lights will also be switched on if the dog does not trigger the box correctly, drops it's ball before crossing the line or misses a hurdle. In the event that a dog runs out of it's racing lane and crosses to the opposition the race is immediately halted by the judge (in the interest of safety) and the leg is automatically awarded to the opposition on the grounds of interference.

The combination of noise, shouting, lights and the speed at which everything is happening makes competition quite daunting for novice handlers...it's not as easy as it looks!

...now we added the jumps....

Comet in the beginning of his flyball training.......

Comet from the first time I met him to today.........

Comet is a Border Collie I waited a year for!  It was great that I had so long to plan for his arrival and the planning of his training could begin.  When the Giftnell Litter was born I had no idea which puppy I was getting.  I only found out I was getting Comet at 6 weeks of age.

The first time I saw Comet when he was 2 days old I had told my mom he is the one I want!  I was SURE i was going to get him!  6 weeks later - Onel sent out an email telling me that I was getting Comet :)  The excitement grew even more!  When Comet was old enough I started puppy agility and socialising at Tracey Landers Puppy School....BEST MOVE EVER!  Tracey helped me build up the MOST WONDERFUL bond with Comet and help me ignore his bad habbits and helped me encourage his GREAT HABITS!! :)  Comet graduated and moved on to BIG school with Noelene Pretorious at KAD in Kyalami.  Another BRILLIANT MOVE!!!  Noelene is helping Comet and I as a team so much and we are working together brilliantly!  Comet is responding to me like a champ and to top it off, he LOVES Agility!  Speed, Speed, Speed and Control!! :)  This young man is going to take me far!!! :) 

Comet and I have also now started training in Flyball and he is doing BRILLIANTLY!! :)

My biggest goal with Comet is to Compete overseas in the Agility World Championships!

The way im going to get there - FUN, AGILITY TRAINING and NO PRESSURE on my dog!!!

Watch this boys progress!

Duke my Agility Contact, Non Contact and Dog Jumping Champion

Duke is my 13 year old Rescued Border Collie.  When I was 13 years old I got Duke from my mom and my dad!  The rest is history ;)

Today Duke is retired from the agility world but still LOVES coming to the shows and greeting as many of his buddies as he can! 

Duke is a retired:

 Kusa National Champion in Agility Contact

Dog Jumping Champion

Double Contact Agility Champion

&

Non Contact Agility Champion.

This man was truly amazing to train and watch!  He is the reason I have this blog and he is the reason

Duke's Academy for Dogs was started.

D.O.B: 16.09.1997 

Tazz and her LOVE for Agility

Tazz is my little 3 year old Jack Russell who thinks she is a Border Collie ;)

Tazz and I compete in Agility and Dog Jumping and are doing very well, Tazz has a stride that of a Border Collie (im not even joking) 7 feet she can take off before the jump!  This is a bit of a negative as I believe it slows her down and she sometimes misreads the jump and knocks :( But she LOVES her Agility and I WOULD never stop competing with her because she has a stride of a Border Collie :)

Tazz was recently invited to Top Dog - unfortunalty we had to decline as Tazz is at home resting after pulling a ligament in her back leg!  But she is on the mend!! Rest is all she needs :)

Blaze doing Agility and LOVING IT!

Blaze is a truly Special Young Man!  He is 6 years old and has a heart of true gold!  A year ago we found a lump on Blaze and it was cancer.  The vet operated and removed the lump and thankfully the cancer too!  Blaze has a very soft soul and a gentle personality, one that you would fall in love with. 

Today Blaze does train in the agility world and competes.  He enjoys it very much!