Obedieince run through last night

**Milesmom** · 08-27-2010, 06:40 AM

Hi there!

Went to an obedience run through last night. Miles did very well but we still have work to do. Did great on signals we just need to build distance.

Scent articles, he blew the metal one. Now I have a question. I used ATC method so for 3 months I always scented the same dumbbells and even kept them in a plastic bag never aired them out for that period of time. Ihave since aired out my articles often. I think those original two now still have that scent becuase he sometimes selects those. Now I am looking at the rules. The handler gets to pick which two articles to scent, right? So I can just stay with those original 2 right?

Directed retrieve he did very well on. We've made big progress there. He blew the #1 but it was clearly in how I directed him. When we retried, he got it.

Moving stand for exam went fine but he licked the "judges" leg.

Go outs, he's making great progress on but we still need to build distance, but we now have more distance than we've ever had before. In both tries, he went to the correct jump.

I wasn't very pleased with his heeling last night but it was pretty warm in there and I suspect he was a little tired from a busy week. We have been in class every night this week. I do need to get back to more heeling work again. I am going to save the special treats for obedience and use the good treats for agility. Agiltiy is pretty rewarding on its own for him.

It was overall very good. I kept it light, I had his ball so I could throw that around the ring. I wanted to keep it fun and rewarding for him right now.

**MicksMom** · 08-27-2010, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Milesmom

...The handler gets to pick which two articles to scent, right?...

Interesting. I haven't trained to that level yet, so I have no idea. However, after all the years I've spent doing Novice stuff, I didn't know you can "stack" your dog for the Stand For Exam, either. LOL

Originally Posted by Milesmom

...Moving stand for exam went fine but he licked the "judges" leg...

Well, he is a Lab after all! LOL Seriously, tho- is that OK? My thinking is if he doesn't move his feet he's OK.

Originally Posted by Milesmom

...Go outs, he's making great progress on but we still need to build distance, but we now have more distance than we've ever had before...

Sounds like you're making progress.

Originally Posted by Milesmom

...I wasn't very pleased with his heeling last night but it was pretty warm in there and I suspect he was a little tired from a busy week...

You're probably right. We all have off days, even the pups.

**windycanyon** · 08-27-2010, 12:53 PM

Are you washing your articles? Certainly the metal ones should be easy. Hopefully someone has some ideas on the leathers as I will need some help there too. Anne

**Milesmom** · 08-28-2010, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by MicksMom

Interesting. I haven't trained to that level yet, so I have no idea. However, after all the years I've spent doing Novice stuff, I didn't know you can "stack" your dog for the Stand For Exam, either. LOL

You can stack your dog for the stand for exam in Novice but you can't "stack" your dog in the utility moving stand for exam.

Well, he is a Lab after all! LOL Seriously, tho- is that OK? My thinking is if he doesn't move his feet he's OK.

Sounds like you're making progress.

You're probably right. We all have off days, even the pups.

Yeah, well, with all the focus on the other stuff, heeling suffers. My instructor suggests using one training day per week to focus on heeling. I also should make him heel to the starting line for all my agility stuff. We do practice glove turns while waiting in line at trials. That has helped those.

**Milesmom** · 08-28-2010, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by windycanyon

Are you washing your articles? Certainly the metal ones should be easy. Hopefully someone has some ideas on the leathers as I will need some help there too. Anne

I was told not to wash them with water but I am going to with metals, just something mild. My instructor did tell me, though, that I get to pick which articles he needs to find so I can keep reusing the same two. That will help.

**2yellowlabs** · 09-01-2010, 01:19 PM

Ann - To my knowledge you are usually not picking out the two articles that will be used in the ring. Generally you leave your articles bag at the stewards table and when its time to put the articles out the stewards do that and place a metal and leather article on a chair. I think the judge tells the steward what number they want to use and those are the articles the steward must place on the chair. Its usually the same number for both metal and leather but it doesn't have to be. I was at a trial once when the judge used two different numbers and many people thought they had NQ'd on the second article because it was a different number than the 1st. If your pup misses on the 1st article you will know because the judge will pick up the article that should have been retrieved and wasn't. If he misses the second article the judge may tell you but may not. My husband told me only once has a judge asked him to pick out which articles he wants to use. I don't think you can count on always having Miles retrieve the same two articles. B

**ObedienceLabs4Me** · 09-01-2010, 06:53 PM

No you do not pick your articles. Either the judge does or they have the stewards do it. I never used the same article each day. I always rotated articles so my dogs learned fresh hot scent. I have wiped my articles off but only recently when Caleb had some issues and honestly thought he was right. I lightly wipe them off with just water and let them air out. I use a different article each day and let them air out in the bag. I usually just throw them in with the other ones so they learn fresh hot scent.

Also most days I do at least 5 minutes of heeling. If I work my dogs I work on heeling. If you only do it once in a while that is the type of heeling you will get. I keep a log of what I have worked on and do a variety of stuff each day. All ready Micah is doing wonderful go-outs, articles with 99% success, gloves, retrieves. I do a variety to keep things exciting. When I am working on heeling I do break them out with food or a ball so heeling is a lot of fun for them.

**Belles mom** · 09-02-2010, 01:04 AM

You can not count on being able to pick the articles. Only very rarely will a judge let you pick which two to scent. Do you only have one set of articles? If so, when you show, be sure to exclude those that were used in training (assuming you had a set of six articles to train with). Also, as Susan suggested, get Miles used to working hot scent and training using a different set of numbers each day. I also "cancel" out all articles at the end of a training session and grab the bar of each article as I am putting them back in the bag. Gets the dog used to working the "hot" scent, rather than just "your" scent. (If you have just one set of articles this hot scent concept will be very important to you and Miles). I am an article junkie and have about 6 sets, three that both Hoss and Kodi can compete with two that just Kodi can use and one that are absolutely worthless (well I am training Hoss on them, but the ends are loose and rotate obnoxiously).

I also do heeling every training session. Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of doodling. Pace transtions, halts, figure eights etc. With both Kodi and Hoss, a big break out with lots of silly praise is best for them. I can do this in a show (I sound like a nut) and they are happy.

**Milesmom** · 09-02-2010, 07:11 AM

Okay thanks all you Utility veterans. I thought the handler choosing the articles to use was too good to be true! I did wipe mine with just a damp paper towel. He's doing very well with the articles, we just need to work a bit more.

Heeling, I DO work on heeling every training session. My post may have made it sound like only once a week. When working heeling, I do lots of 360s and 270s to keep is attention and I do break him out with a ball.

We are making good progress but one day I think "Gosh, we might be ready for November!" then the next day I rethink "Oh, we may never be ready!" LOL

**2yellowlabs** · 09-02-2010, 10:46 AM

Ann - Only you will know when you are ready but sometimes I do think you have to give it a try to see what happens in the ring. Utility A is hard - there is no way around that. So many things that can go wrong - but Miles is a smart guy and I know you trust him. Now you have to trust yourself. CABTC is having a run thru on Sat. Oct 24th just FYI. B