Introduction to my Blog on Competitive Dog Obedience Training

I am a retired college professor, but still working half time, who has been competing for the last two years in AKC trials. I have 3 dogs, Sophie a 4 year black lab with a CDX title, Bella a two year old lab that I am just going to start competing with and Hoover a 14 year old Shih Tzu whose name describes his hidden abilitiy.

While Sophie has received two titles, novice(CD) and open(CDX) the path has never been anywhere near a straight line. I swear sometimes at trials, she just forgets everything no matter how many times we have practiced it. In one open trial, there is an excercise called,"Down on recall." With this event you stand about 100 feet away from your dog and call him or her when the judge tells you. About half way to you, the judge gives you a signal and you command the dog to a down position.

Sophie had been doing this on a consistent basis, but at this trial in Jacksonville instead of laying down on my command, she sat down(yuck) and of course I did not qualify for this trial. Why she did it, I have no idea but that is just dog training. Sometimes it is very good and sometimes it is horrid.

Been writing enough and now I am going to go out and start to train my dogs this evening as I try to do this every day.

My best to you.