If you can do obedience, Rally is a piece of cake! I remember being so nervous when first entering Trace. Looking back - I should have looked at it as the fun event it turned out to be! Don't get me wrong - we practiced - a lot. But it was so much more fun than getting his CD. Of course, we stopped after earning his RE title. The folks that go beyond that are way more serious than we were.
Puppy Kinder Question
- Thread starter Mom2Melli
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If you can do obedience, Rally is a piece of cake! I remember being so nervous when first entering Trace. Looking back - I should have looked at it as the fun event it turned out to be! Don't get me wrong - we practiced - a lot. But it was so much more fun than getting his CD. Of course, we stopped after earning his RE title. The folks that go beyond that are way more serious than we were.
Ann
Moderator
I agree completely with Dr. Shelli on this! My experience with the "free play" time was a disaster. Even though they were released two at a time, puppies were being chased by other puppies with little or no consideration for size and it was just a bad situation all around. I would never do it again. I lasted 3 classes and quit. It only takes one bad experience for a sensitive Sheltie to develop a lasting issue from something like this.
yeppers not a fun time
I made that mistake with Kaleigh, I hadn't had a puppy in 17 yrs, and before I had family to interact with, so my concern was her getting lots of exposure...I went to a class for "smaller" puppies, AH NO. Granted she was on the smaller size but still the "puppies" there were 6mths and older, it was chaos, she was smaller and there were bigger puppy breeds, nothing at ALL her size, and she was timid in that environment..the "trainer" picked her up as she was sorta standing out of range observing and threw her in with the "pack", they were male dogs and they tried the obvious, ugh, and NONE of the owners were able to control their dogs. Kaleigh already knew, sit, shake, etc and when she yelled potty break, Kaleigh squatted on command-oops, but she was basically traumatized from the experience...and the trainer said oh that is normal...ah NO...it was CHAOS and I regretted going, didn't do anything for any of the puppies that I could see and they had been going for mths...none of them listened, the owners didn't care, not what I wanted for her. I think shelties benefit from one on one, or being with very trained dogs, in the beginning. IMHO.
I made that mistake with Kaleigh, I hadn't had a puppy in 17 yrs, and before I had family to interact with, so my concern was her getting lots of exposure...I went to a class for "smaller" puppies, AH NO. Granted she was on the smaller size but still the "puppies" there were 6mths and older, it was chaos, she was smaller and there were bigger puppy breeds, nothing at ALL her size, and she was timid in that environment..the "trainer" picked her up as she was sorta standing out of range observing and threw her in with the "pack", they were male dogs and they tried the obvious, ugh, and NONE of the owners were able to control their dogs. Kaleigh already knew, sit, shake, etc and when she yelled potty break, Kaleigh squatted on command-oops, but she was basically traumatized from the experience...and the trainer said oh that is normal...ah NO...it was CHAOS and I regretted going, didn't do anything for any of the puppies that I could see and they had been going for mths...none of them listened, the owners didn't care, not what I wanted for her. I think shelties benefit from one on one, or being with very trained dogs, in the beginning. IMHO.
Agreed
Shelties are such a sensitive breed and that personality really needs to be guarded so it isn't stifled in a negative way, or traumatized, as they can regress or are marked for life. They need lots of reassurance and confidence building exposures and exercises. And unfortunately a lot of trainers seem to have a one way fits all breeds mentality and what might work with a lab, isn't gonna be effective on a sheltie.
Shelties are such a sensitive breed and that personality really needs to be guarded so it isn't stifled in a negative way, or traumatized, as they can regress or are marked for life. They need lots of reassurance and confidence building exposures and exercises. And unfortunately a lot of trainers seem to have a one way fits all breeds mentality and what might work with a lab, isn't gonna be effective on a sheltie.
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We did end up skipping the puppy free-for-all, but we went a lot of places on our own for exposure. When we got to Basic, he was one happy outgoing little fella and ahead on most of the skills. We had a couple down weeks during the teeth falling out/coming in, but now we are back to head of the class.
I never realized how poorly shelties fare in free-for-all's and I am glad we have had no negative experiences.
I never realized how poorly shelties fare in free-for-all's and I am glad we have had no negative experiences.
Judyg
Forums Enthusiast
I never found a puppy class out here and it sounds like that was just fine. Lacey is pretty outgoing all on her own so I'm not sure she really needed that kind of stimulation. She has been to Dawns house several times and Dawn actually took her to a club meeting and to visit her family where she did very well. I thought she did well at the Sheltie Picnic last weekend as well. I have taken her out a few times and I'm just starting to walk around the neighborhood with her. She is very outgoing and I don't think will be a problem at all. We start basic obedience in the next week or so (we may miss the first class due to hubby's birthday) but the trainer says she will be able to catch up easily.
She knows how to sit and down. She walks pretty well on a leash and has a good recall in the house and yard. I do need to teach her to stay still, but I think that should be pretty easy as she is really smart.
She knows how to sit and down. She walks pretty well on a leash and has a good recall in the house and yard. I do need to teach her to stay still, but I think that should be pretty easy as she is really smart.