Cran's rally weekend July 2019

Piper's mom said:
Fantastic runs you guys had! You had such focus from Cran, his barking wasn't too bad. I find with Piper I have to work him for a good 30 minutes before we go on and I won't get a peep from him, otherwise it's bark bark bark!
I need to get a cd of dog show sounds to try to condition Finnie...with the clapping it just gets him so anxious he constantly barks!
Did you find that your boys took awhile to learn to heel (or that they just had so much oomph they were always one step ahead?)
My trainer said to me she thinks the reason for this is because Finnie isn't neutered. However she has Shepherds, much more laid back dogs than Shelties...
I had the same issues with Piper, don't know if it's a maturity issue or a neutering issue (I like to wait to get him done). He turns 2 end of January so his time is coming lol.
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thanks- Cran is really pretty good- he hasn't barked in the obedience ring but we've only done beginner novice and novice. Jumping can get him barking and if he thinks something is wrong- so when he's not sure about what to do....
He stays in the crate pretty much until it's his turn or he can get worked up. maybe he'd bark less if I worked him that long but maybe not. he will bark if I take him back in the ring for ribbons- especially when people clap so I have been leaving him in the crate for that for a while now. I do try to take him outside before things get started and then if there's something we need to practice, do it away from the rings. He was pretty early in the rings and even first in the last trial of the weekend as some people had already left. I don't mind being first- getting it out of the way is not a bad thing.

I don't think any of mine were that one step ahead. Cran was pretty much always there, even in the house he stays pretty close to me- I've gotten multiple compliments on his heeling and focus which I don't really deserve. I know people actually work and train to get that but really, he came that way. Destin is pretty much a natural too. Jocu was pretty good until we took a big break to do agility so when we went back to rally, his heeling was terrible. actually we're still working on that. Dixie didn't take too much work either- she got some treats while heeling- sit when we stop was something we had to work on a lot.
I would think it's more maturity than intact vs fixed. Destin and Jo were done at 2, Cran was 13 months and Dix was just a little under a year- didn't need intact littermates.....
 
I agree, I think its maturity as well. With my trainer only having Shepherds now for many years (and never a Sheltie) I dont think she has the experience to give an opinion (irks me too!).
I do think Finnie understands heel position but he forgets at times. Piper wasn't really good until he was 2.
 
Piper's mom said:
I agree, I think its maturity as well. With my trainer only having Shepherds now for many years (and never a Sheltie) I dont think she has the experience to give an opinion (irks me too!).
I do think Finnie understands heel position but he forgets at times. Piper wasn't really good until he was 2.
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I was looking to see if there was video from Cran and Dix's first rally trial- if there is, it's not on youtube....
they were about 2 at their first trial- Cran failed to Q as there was only one dog between Dixie and him- took him out of the crate, can't remember if I even took him to the grass to potty but when we approached the ring area, they were waiting for us so we went in and he was a little too exuberant. any amount of warmup would have helped but he didn't get any at all... I was more prepared for that the next day and there were 2 dogs so had a little more time.
now, we pretty much always go crate to ring so he doesn't get too worked up before going in the ring- but we are heeling from the crate to the ring so I guess that counts for warmup. so I really do think it's maturity and not intactness.
 
I went pretty much crate to ring on the last day of the trial with Finnie and it certainly helped. He still barked but he wasn't as worked up and I had more focus from him (of course it's also lack of ring experience too I think). There's a Rally match in two weeks and I'll definitely get Finnie and Piper in that! There aren't many (if any) matches in the summer here and Finnie will be going into Advanced (all off leash:fl:lol:) so I need to know how is he going to be...how much will I need to talk to him (a LOT I'm sure) and I'd rather pay $6.00 rather than 30!
Piper is great at Rally, I'm sorry I stopped doing it 2 years ago but I was so focussed on his obedience. Only problem with Piper is he gets bored and then goes so slow lol but I have a tug toy he loves and we play with that off and on, Finnie doesn't need any help in that department!
 
I kind of went back and forth with obed and rally. wanted to be in the rally A classes so had to put off finishing their BN titles as any obedience title kicks you into B. I haven't worked with Jocu and Destin enough to even try Beginner Novice but we need to get started on that....
generally the only matches around here are associated with trials so we don't get to many...
the trial over the weekend had a match after the trial on Sat- except the trial ran so late, I decided not to stay. they were going to start the rally match with novice and go up to master and I did not want to wait that long so we didn't even do it when there was one.....
 
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