Adventures in Training the Beagles

Sits

I am still not getting consistent sits.  If I’m in the kitchen yes.

If I have food in my hand and I am just starting my day?  Not so much.

In the middle of a training session?  Sure, especially since the food is evident.

Wanting in the house at the door?   Not so much.

Definitely a work in progress.

This is a test

Now is the time for all men to come to the aid of their country.

I think I know how my dogs feel

I went to class last night – the week before we’d come up with a plan for Dulce and her naughtiness.

I started to follow the plan and my instructor completely changed the plan!

Argh!

And poor Macy – she is suffering from impacted anal glands again, and kept feeling like she needed to poop during the run.  I put her up, but at least that let me focus on Dulce.

Agility Trialing has become fun again!

Though it might be because I go on Friday when most of the people who are there are also retired or work on their own schedule (and yes, I’m both).

I take distractions with me, and I’ve got things set up so that I’m physically comfortable, without having to exert a lot of effort.

Both local Friday trials were an absolute blast for me this month.

I also think that will help both dogs performance.

I did cancel a March trial but I want to spend more time working on their behavior before trialing.

Macy is slow but accurate.

Dulce is still a goof.

Interesting Day

Went to the Greater Collin County Kennel Club agility in McKinney – great trial, love GCCKC and their people.

However, Macy ran JWW just like the judge.  Slow.  (Her class was an hour behind schedule, and don’t asked about Dulce’s).

It was an interesting run, she did everything absolutely right, looked happy, didn’t stop everywhere, but I was two jumps ahead of her. And of course, if I slowed down, she did too.  So there was no letting her catch up to me.

Sort of like a certain beagle who was on TV last weekend.

The good news was that I had plenty of time to work on Dulce’s focus.  I would take her in the building, ask her to sit and reward her if I got one.  If I didn’t she went back to the car.  We even had time to try that on the practice jumps.   With the food several feet away.

By the end of the day, I was getting sits everywhere but the ring.

I did surprise both the judge and the rep.  I was a good student and did what my instructor said.  If I didn’t get my sit, I walked out of the ring.

I did excuse us.  I explained to the judge the first time, that I knew if I didn’t get the sit, she’d run out of the ring, and that this was the best option.

The rep was in the ring the second time – and I told her I was preventing the loose dog that runs out of the ring.

Need a dog for a friend!

I heard from an old friend this week.  The best dog trainer I know.  He is retired from Vietnam, retired from South Lake PD, and retired from the DOD.

He’s been blown up twice, once in Vietnam and once in Iraq.  He and his partner were trying to clear a car.

He wants a standard poodle first, and has a groomer friend who would help.  Bloodhound, golden retriever and Labrador retriever are also on his list.

I liked bloodhound best – but he has always liked standard poodles and so does his medical team.

He needs a dog as a companion first, hopefully later as a medical alert dog.  He has been having trouble with blackouts and fortunately he knows what precedes them. 

I went to visit him today and evaluate his living situation.  He is mobile, lives in a nice, well kept house, and has a fenced in backyard.   He does suffer from some mental confusion which he blames on his medication.

We think a young dog – between one or two years of age would be best with some training.  I think a young retired show dog would be nice.  A dog that grew too short, or some other type of problem that keeps them from showing. 

Contact me in the comments if you know of a good prospect.

Frustrations

I went to Belton, Texas – great trial site, nice people but lousy if you are working on running out of the ring issues.

I was the most comfortable I’ve been at a trial – drove in real early, took a nap.

Macy’s class was up first – Open Fast – had a nice short fun run from her and she was Miss Lazy Butt.  I told the judge she hadn’t had her coffee first. 

Dulce was up next and dashed out of the ring.  Came right back out, but still.

And again for her next run, didn’t even stay for the afternoon run.

Very disappointed as I had spent some time and money to make sure I was at my best.

Get to class Wednesday night, stepped out of the car, the wind hit and my knee immediately started aching.  I was ready to get back in the car and boy oh boy, Dulce didn’t want to play either.  Gritted my teeth and put up with.

The good news, I went to Myers on Friday and Macy ran fast.  She could have been faster – at one point I was two jumps again.

Dulce is still in whatever mood she was in and ran out of the ring.

We try again next Friday.

 

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