Have you seen THAT look?

[gemjunkie]

Have you, in training your dog, seen that look in thier eyes when they realize what you are saying and do it right? I've been working with my girl, who is just a 7 month old pup and I've gotten that 'look' a few times in the last couple weeks.

I'll explain a little....

I have her in conformation classes and as is required, I had to take her to beginning obedience first before I could enroll her in that class here. The poor thing got pretty confused over a couple things.

In obedience, when you stop, they are to sit at your left side, in conformation, they are supposed to STAND in front of you.

Well, just last week, for the first time IN class, with only 2 more lessons to go, she walked right in front of me, pretty as you please and did her version of a stack (it's SO wrong but she finally got it!). She looked up at me with 'THAT LOOK' like, HA I had you fooled all this time, I knew, been doing this forever mom!

Not only that, for the first time, she kept her nose OFF the floor. OMG that is the hardest with this girl!!! She will leave it but must sniff it, or DID. She looked so grown up!

Now for the last thing to TRY to get her to do, in 2 weeks so she can pass, get her to STOP freaking out over seening the judge at the end of the walk and stay DOWN without sitting! She does fine around the ring, fine on the way down but that walk back sets her off. She gets all wiggley and bounces around wanting to jump up on whoever is there to look at her. On the table she sometimes tries to sit too. I'm wondering if I should have started her sooner with home schooling.

Any ideas? This girl LOVES people and will show ANYONE that talks nice or even looks at her. I don't want her to NOT be a person dog, I would like to try to get her a Delta title but I'd like to show her too. I've been changing out the equipment for the different things we do and it seems to be working to some extent. Will it come with time? Am I being too impatient?

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by gemjunkie

Now for the last thing to TRY to get her to do, in 2 weeks so she can pass, get her to STOP freaking out over seening the judge at the end of the walk and stay DOWN without sitting! She does fine around the ring, fine on the way down but that walk back sets her off. She gets all wiggley and bounces around wanting to jump up on whoever is there to look at her. On the table she sometimes tries to sit too. I'm wondering if I should have started her sooner with home schooling.

Obviously you have never seen any of my puppies in the ring! LOL!

She's a puppy, and IMO, the first order of business for her in the ring is to HAVE FUN! If she doesn't learn that it's fun now, it's quite possible she'll become bored and not like showing.

I don't expect my puppies to behave like adults or to be little corgi statues. And so what if they jump on the judge at the end of the down and back? It won't be the first puppy that's done that.

And sitting on the table is no big deal, just get her up and restack her.

Don't expct too much too soon. Let her be a puppy and have fun now and go slowly. She will learn, take your time with this.

Will it come with time? Am I being too impatient?

Yes and yes.

Peggy