Obedience in the Real World

[Chip's Mom]

Last night we took Maybelle and Chip to a walking trail in town by the river. This is a first for Maybelle as she has just accomplished the leash barely and we are now attempting to socialize her. She has a major fear factor of strange things. Anyway, Pawsitively Perfect Chip did not do hardly anything that he had learned in training class. He would sit and did leave it when I told him too but he smelled the yummy goose droppings quite abit and stole tastes every once in awhile. When we got home, I worked with him in the driveway for about 5 minutes and he was the perfect gentleman. He did everything I told him to one right after another. Has anyone else had this experience. We are going to start walking down there quite often so should I keep working with him down there or just let him have fun. I thought the first few minutes just let him walk and then try. That is what I did last night. To many things to see I guess.

[corgimom]

Chips mom,

Cody is always good with the "leave it" when we practice it at home - I can throw treats on the floor and leave them within a foot of his nose and he will listen and he is pretty good most of the time outside...but once in awhile there is just somethng too yummy that he must taste - I still work on this outside, but hey, sometimes that rabbit poop and dead toads in the road are
just too appealing! - Chip is still young. Cody is older than Chip, and my last puppy trainer said that he is still way too young to expect him to always listen - still a work in progress - she said in another year, if I am consistant with him, I will see great strides in development and his listening.

working with them at home and then having them do all these things in
the outdoor enviornment can be challenging at times - lots of distractions and new smells

[tandemgal]

In real life Chloe is more like Chip - loves to smell those smells and when we went to the park yesterday the goose patte" was on the menu - uggg - till we moved her away from the lake area!

When she is in Pet Smart or walking on a sidewalk her manors kick in so I think when she is a little older and more home schooling she will be fine...just like Chip - we shall hold Cody out as an example for them!

[Jeni D]

Dudley is the same way. He is very good at obedience in the house, but when we are out walking, if I tell him to sit before crossing a road, he just looks at me and continues doing what he wants (little terror!). In contrast, Dudley ALWAYS comes when called, no matter where we are. Last night we were out playing with Gunther the basset hound and he saw a woman walking her dog across the street. He started to run over to see, but as soon as I said, "Dudley come" he stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. I was very proud of my little guy

[glencorgi]

Keep a little perspective here. Chip is young (as are most the dogs mentioned in this thread) and you've just started structured training with him. He's doing good, you both are. What you are talking about here is "proofing" your dogs so they respond or ignore or whatever all the time. That takes time, patience, work, training, more time, more patience, more work and more training. Don't be too hard on yourselves or your corgis and expect too much too soon. It is coming, I can see it in your posts.

Another little tidbit to file away for future reference; it is a part of the corgi rule book to do all training classes exercises perfectly at home and then forget they even have a name, much less have a clue as to what the command just given to them means when not at home. This is just a way of making sure their owners stay on their toes.

Debbie

PS: Yay Dudley on the great recall!

[Robby1974]

Hey all:

This is very interesting. I actually logged on today to post 2 questions and this thread was exactly what I was going to post. Rhys has a way of doing this very same thing when we are walking him in the evening. The other night while walking him he found some chinese food that someone had apparently tossed off of their deck into the woods. He wouldn't come for anything...Normally we have him on a leash except late at night (like 2am ) when there is nobody wandering around the apartment complex. Then last night he had found something under someones car and wouldn't come out for anything. It sounds pretty normal if all our corgi pups are doing it. Looks like its just gonna take patience and a little more work. I do worry that Rhys might find something that would be bad for him or make him sick. We NEVER give him people food so I suppose this might be why he gets so enamored with the smell etc...

Good Luck all,

[jprechel]

It is calming to know we all have the same "problem" for lack of a better word. Ace is about Dudley and Chip's age and he loves to find interesting smells (things). And it seems to happen outside when we are walking. He stops dead in his tracks to sniff out something. If I pull at his leash and redirect him to "let's go" he normally does. But he has his moments and I am always worried about what he does find and gets into his mouth before I can stop him!

[Corgis'R4me]

Originally Posted by glencorgi

Keep a little perspective here. Chip is young (as are most the dogs mentioned in this thread) and you've just started structured training with him. He's doing good, you both are. What you are talking about here is "proofing" your dogs so they respond or ignore or whatever all the time. That takes time, patience, work, training, more time, more patience, more work and more training. Don't be too hard on yourselves or your corgis and expect too much too soon. It is coming, I can see it in your posts.

Another little tidbit to file away for future reference; it is a part of the corgi rule book to do all training classes exercises perfectly at home and then forget they even have a name, much less have a clue as to what the command just given to them means when not at home. This is just a way of making sure their owners stay on their toes.

Debbie

PS: Yay Dudley on the great recall!

*~* FIRST... I have to compliment you ( Debbie ) on your positive encouragement and respectful praise on the efforts of the corgi moms & dads that have posted here.

You make it easy to want to post.

Now...for my experiences regarding this topic: Midnight & Sunshine have been doing very well with the recall test. I have been testing them BOTH.
I have seen that they respond very well by me just calling them by their name & using a firmer voice (NOT yelling..though). I have been bringing my leash along with me at night ( around 8:30PM)...but, letting Midnight & Sunshine walk without it alongside me. My daughter, sara, will be in front of me. I have been training my puppies to walk beside me...NOT ahead. They are doing so well. Of course, with the leash on...they go ahead of me. I do get nervous having them BOTH off of the leash...but, with my daughter there with me...I feel like I have back~up help IF something happens. They just follow me...so well.

I have shown them TRUST...and they have shown me OBEDIENCE !!

Too cool...WAY too cool !!

*~* Nikki

[kalima62]

I have a question for the Experts. As i'm training Rommel for obedience and agility, I wondered if the so called "Bond" that ties the dog to the handler when you work together is ruined if sometimes my husband get's him out for a walk and not me. He follows me all over the house when he know the time has come for going out, as i get dressed or put some makeup on, he's glued to my feet even in the toilet!!! But if my husband goes out first, he just doesn't look at me!!!

[nrhareiner]

Keep in mind that dogs have no resaprosity when it comes to learning. SO what you teach them in one enviroment they will not take that into anouther envoroment and do it the same way or at all. You need to take them to many many places and keep working on each element until they can do it consistanly in each place and then after practicing in many areas they will start to pick it up and do the comand in new envoments.

Then you add in more and more distractions which take even more practice. Never ending job.

Heidi

[Michael Romanos]

This will lay doubts on your theory about who a dog will follow. Most dogs in agility including my Corgi will perform in agility for different handlers as long as the dogs and the handlers have gotten to know each other a little beforehand and the handler is well briefed with commands and gestures/signals that the dog will easily follow.

[pmavrich]

For agility ... I did all the training with the boys, but my husband runs them. The boys both prefer hanging out with me at home, but I am too spastic running the coarse and my husband is much more exciting (and way too competative).

As for avoiding the snacks on the ground at the park. I use "leave it" and if they are not paying attention, I clap my hands Loud & quick to get their attention and use the command again. It really works with Miller who is my little space cadet!