Success in the Obedience Ring

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floor, about two feet from your dog while in sit position. Always keep the dog on a leash so he doesn’t break the sit stay early and you maintain control. Tell the dog to “mark” (point to the treat) and let him keep watch on the food. After he watches the food for ten seconds, release him to get the food. First count to ten seconds, but as the weeks and months progress, extend the

time for a minute, or even two minutes. Obviously, this needs to be done where no other dog is in the vicinity that will steal the food prize. If the dog breaks attention, then you gently walk him around in a small circle and set him up again. If he repeatedly breaks attention, then shorten the time span that you are asking for.

glove (the mark signaled by the side of your hand). See photos.

If you are starting to consider entering a local obedience trial, be sure to practice entering the ring with the dog. Too often we spend time training the specific exercises, but not entering the ring, or keeping focus in between exercises. If you want to be successful, then entering the ring must be practiced as a separate exercise. In training, you can use treats or toys, but you also need to think up a game that you can use in the ring. For example, you will always have your hand with you in the ring. So teach the dog to “touch.” One of my doxies loves to jump up to touch my hand and she finds this fun in the ring. I often tell her to “touch” just as we enter the ring, before the judge asks if we are ready. No treats there, but we still can interact.

For the initial exercises, which is always heeling in Novice, Open A and Utility A, your dog must watch you and stay close.

Practice heeling with a loose leash at all times. Without the leash, there is no opportunity to provide a correction. The only time I practice without a leash is the week prior to an obedience competition. Using the loose leash helps with muscle memory, so that the dog knows he is in the correct heeling position at all times.

obedience. This breed is smart and versatile, and can be taught almost any skill. However, recognize that obedience does require consistency and frequency in training. Keep your training sessions focused, short and fun. If you follow these basic steps for attention, before long, your doxy will not only be “ready!” but on the path to becoming an obedience star!!

Another attention game played when the dog is in a sit stay position is to tell the dog to stay, and walk a few feet away. If the dog stays and is watching you, throw the treat behind him and let him chase it. Never throw the food in front of the dog, because it will prompt him to break the stay position, moving forward. Most dogs get excited during this exercise because they are filled with anticipation. Even the most anxious dogs will sit and wait, knowing their reward will soon be coming! This exercise is also great for training in agility, when you want the dog to wait while you position yourself past a few jumps in the ring.

These attention games can be extended to upper level obedience classes, teaching the dog to wait and “mark” the dumbbell. Or “mark” the

After heeling practice, I often break it up with a toy tug, or game so that the dog can relax and get a rewarding break. If your dog finds heeling to be stressful, then more games are the answer. Teach the dog to “touch” your hand and to “spin” by your side as part of your training session.

It is commonly postulated that “you can’t train a dachshund.” Personally, I am a naysayer as to such negativity, having put multiple CDX titles and even a UD title on my own dachshunds. It is a misnomer that dachshunds can’t be trained to perform well in

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