obedience brag

[alex]

I guess there are not that many people here interested in pure obedience training and competing, but I'd still like to share with you that my Airedale Tiara of Blackjack (show lines) has achieved title CDX in AKC obedience winning last 2 trials during November in Open A.
14 dogs in each trial (of course no more Airedales) and we took 1st place in both with 192 and 195 points in almost 100 degrees SoCal heat!
Regardless of anything - I still love to see the face of the judge the moment we enter the ring (Airedale and obedience dont go together for almost all of them) and than hear his/her compliments by the time we leave the ring!

I've learned and experienced so much while training and trialing her in the past 3 years. If I have to single out one thing out of everything - I'd say that if she knows an exercise for sure and proved - she'll always do it in any environment.

I know that Don will ask what's next. I'm not sure yet. My Mal puppy takes a lot of time but I would love to have Utility with my Airedale. So, if time permits - I'll try to do UD.

[theresa]

Congratulations!!

You two sound like a great team!

[phil]

Great Job Alex,
it is always nice to hear about success,regardless of the venue.
I'm sure you are learning that passion and persperation go hand in hand in all of your Airedale's accomplishments.
Go for for Gold!! It is not the destination that is reward, moreover it is the journey.

Wanabee like Alex!!

Hal
aka Phil

[hicntry]

Congrats Alex. I gotta give it to you. I gave up on trying to teach absolute obedience with the third wife. Never could reach a level of obedience that I was satisfied with so I got rid of em( You listening Curt). At that point, I am positive it is much harder to part with a dog but guarantee you....it isn't cheaper. LOL Seriously Alex, I wish I had the patience for training, but, alas, I am too much like Michael. What are you going to do next? I will have to look up Utility dog and see what that is about. Congrats again Alex.

[alex]

Thanks for your congrats everyone!

Don, Utility routine has scent discrimination (metal and leather), directed jumping and retrieve, send out, hand signal exercises. It is an ultimate top in obedience.
If I can only transfer that fire that Tiara has when she is going to swim or when she is after the squirrels into obedience ring...
Actually, I have yet to see any dog on any level doing AKC obedience with the energy and fire Malinois (or some other breeds) are doing similar obedience in Schutzhund... I guess you are right - obedience by itself is not too much fun for the dog but it is for sure fun to train for the trainer.

[markbaldassarre]

Alex, great accomplishment. I do think the Dale can perform in ob as well as the herders, but it takes a little more understanding on the part of the handler. Every dog is a little different regardless of breed.

If you look up the all the PSA 1 OB scores to date... you'll see Bear's scores are on the high end for any breed, including the Mals.

If we actually trained ob.....look out .

Regardless of breed-great work. I will say, most people could not bring any breed, let alone a Dale to the level you have. Are you doing any protection w/this dog?

[alex]

Thanks Mark,

I didnt mean that herders are the obedience kings.
What I was trying to say is that AKC obedience alone is not enough for any breed. Eventually dog is shutting down. In Schutzhund advantage is that there is protection and tracking parts also and I think both of them correctly incorporated into the training system give great benefits to obedience.
I train with a lady that has BC and scores always above 198 - but her dog has no fire like for instance this one on this video - www.ksmalinois.com/video/assets/2006-AWMA-MarinaB.wmv. - my Mal's cousin (will represent USA at Malinois World Championship next year)...
And when I was giving Malinois as an example - I meant that on average they are the once with fire!

No, I dont do any protection with her - she would not go after the sleeve if I'm not the one who is holding it.
But yet she even does not let my kids jump into my arms. If I have someone put a suite on and attack me (in your theory) - I'm almost certain that she will protect me (you never know for sure till you try ).
All my protection work is directed to my Mal right now.

I'd love to train obedience (or protection) with a thinking trainer, especially who owns Airedale

[markbaldassarre]

Alex,

Maybe the dog just needs to be brought out in defense. I'd try a little civil agitation w/her and see if that doesn't spark her up. You can then transfer her into more prey based scenarios once she is biting.

Even starting her in rag-work with the decoy playing {peek a boo} type stuff with a civil edge may build drive towards the equipment.

I had a female Neo that really didn't care much for tug until she got her first bite. Although I test in defense, she decided after that, that she LIKED it. Then the tug games began.

Curt,

In PSA the steward tells the handler what to do to eliminate any pattern.
The routine is changed every trial {even if it's the next day} so that handlers, nor dogs can memorize the routine. For example: a weekend trial will have the Sat field set up one way, then on Sun everything is changed! The patterns are totally different, the distractions that the decoys use against the dog are totally different, the distractions thrown on the field are totally different and even the decoys change.

If you can memorize a routine... it's MUCH easier to pass. Dogs learn patterns VERY quickly.

[alex]

Thank you Curt.
The handler on that video is only 24 years old and the dog is going to be 2 years old in December.
Here is her Protection routine - www.ksmalinois.com/video/assets/2006-AWMA-MarinaC.wmv. The quality is not so good but the file is relatively small.
Here is much better quality and much bigger size (for sure not for dial-up accounts) - www.ksmalinois.com/video/assets/2006-AWMA-MarinaC.mov .
They received 97 points for protection - it was HIT in Malinois National this year. Btw - they had 92 in obedience. That girl is an exceptional trainer (Russian immigrant also ;D) and her dog Simba is once in a life time dog. They did BH and Sch1 in May, and Sch 2 in August, and Sch 3 at those Nationals in October.

You have to remember about Sczhutzhund obedience - the same as AKC its a precision work for both - dog and handler. It is pretty much useless in a real world, but very very hard to train and keep dog on edge during the routine.
PSA and rings obedience is not a key element in those disciplines and geared more towards life situation, for example - you want your dog heel right next to you, but he/she does not have to look at you and prance.

Curt, are you talking agility for you and Gator?

Mark,
Thanks for your input.
I didnt try her in defense situation yet and probably will not. I'm of the opinion - if its not there right away - no reason for me to try to create it. She is a very good dog in the other areas and I'll continue those venues - obedience and tracking. I'll leave protection part to my Malinois...

[markbaldassarre]

Alex


"I didnt try her in defense situation yet and probably will not. I'm of the opinion - if its not there right away - no reason for me to try to create it. She is a very good dog in the other areas and I'll continue those venues - obedience and tracking. I'll leave protection part to my Malinois"

When you said she'd probably defend you in a test w/the suit...that indicates to me that IT is there! Many equate play/tug with the ultimate goal of protection. I'd rather put the work into a dog that really will protect. Food for thought/my perspective. Regardless, good luck w/both.

[ed]

Congratulations! Is a UD on the agenda?

[alex]

ed said:

Congratulations! Is a UD on the agenda?

Thanks Ed...

Yes, UD is the goal if time permits.