# Training Difficulties



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Regardless of training venue or dog, what has been the toughest training issue for you or your dog? I'm looking at the points in Schutzhund as being one, how to shave the most off and still have a good score. Someone said training to cheat. But what about areas like herding, PPD work, PSD applications?
My number one training issue is trying to calm down......


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## Ben Colbert (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but here goes...

My top training issues is that I'm working with a soft dog. Too much correction and he shuts down. This means I have to be a bit more imaginative than most in training.


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## Maria Falicon (Apr 14, 2010)

My sheep dog was actually a breeze to train. Then again, I've always had a knack for getting breeds that are ridiculously easy to train. As I mentioned earlier, I'm considering a St.Bernard or a Rottie and they're the most trainable dogs I know of. If they're provided with a work order, they'll listen. 

You would think German Shepards would be easy to train (and they can be), but when I helped my sister train her dog, it was really quite difficult. I suppose you have to use certain commands or certain voice inflections to get the dog to do what you want. Puppy potty training for a German Shepard is probably the worst. I don't know how cops can get them to be such obedient working dogs.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Regardless of training venue or dog, what has been the toughest training issue for you or your dog? I'm looking at the points in Schutzhund as being one, how to shave the most off and still have a good score. Someone said training to cheat. But what about areas like herding, PPD work, PSD applications?
> My number one training issue is trying to calm down......


In PSD, there are those that want good working dogs and there are those that are competition whores. The two are not always mutually inclusive. There are ways to cheat in PSD competitions. I'll let the rookies figure it out for themselves. 

As for training, for me, it's the out, after a fight. Not just a get 'em, good boy, out type scenario, but a fight. That can be tough - - - for me anyway.

DFrost


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

My biggest problem in training is me! I make too many mistakes! \\/


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

With my AB it is always the send out. He goes out good about 25 feet and then turns and looks at me (I keep my arm up) and usually end up giving a second/third command bc/ the judge tells me I must. Then he runs the remainder of the field and downs fine..... 

With my GSD I haven't gotten too far yet but he is a quick learner. Not teaching him the wrong thing with out realizing it has been a challenge.

Both if my dogs are very drivey and some what on the hard side. One day while tracking with the GSD he stopped on the track and went down.... I stupidly thought he was faking an article and got after him.... Stupid. He was on it/perfect but I couldn't see it. I spent the rest of the summer trying to fix that.

As far as staying calm..... If my dog is working well and we are flowing through the routine then I am pretty calm, however if something goes terribly wrong early on I tend to get lost in the routine..... Try not to do that ](*,)

Howard I have a paper that was sent to me by a jude that tells you where all the points go. I think there is something like 29 basic positions in a SchH3 trial. If that spot isn't perfect then you will loose points for each basic. They add up real quick.


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## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

Ben Colbert said:


> I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but here goes...
> 
> My top training issues is that I'm working with a soft dog. Too much correction and he shuts down. This means I have to be a bit more imaginative than most in training.


That's the kind of issues I really can't stand having. I don't envy you.

I guess I haven't been firm enough lately. My dog anticipates my commands, preemptively acts on them, and I haven't consistenly corrected him for it. Also, he's been breaking his downs a lot before I release him. But, that's usually when I'm working another dog while he's watching, and not when we're alone on the field. But I'd have to say that my TOP training issue, is that I'm simply not _training enough _lately.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

I guess I'm sorta in the same boat with David, except a different venue. My bouv, Khira loves a fight. Being able to be in the picture when she is in that mode is my goal. With cattle you have to be careful though. Wrong call or interference and you can get your dog seriously hurt or killed. Just worked her in a four day seminar though and with me focused and concentrating on each aspect of what I wanted over the 8 sessions, she just blossomed. The prey drive explosions lessened and by the last session, I didn't have to down her to call her off but could do it with her in motion around the sheep. This is huge.

Terrasita


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Last summer I pushed him to long and to hard, I force tracked him in the spring I keeped him peeked basically for 3 1/2 months I thought he was indestructible and I was stupid for thinking so. This year should be a breeze I'm shining up my dumb bell work and tightening up my motion exercises, bite work is looking great
I'm lucky to have a great crew and club we watch out for each other having to fix shit is a wast of time.


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## Pamella Renaldi (Mar 6, 2010)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Regardless of training venue or dog, what has been the toughest training issue for you or your dog? I'm looking at the points in Schutzhund as being one, how to shave the most off and still have a good score. Someone said training to cheat. But what about areas like herding, PPD work, PSD applications?
> 
> My number one training issue is trying to calm down......


Yesterday I thought of making the same topic as this one. Your goal is also the same as mine ! What a coincidence.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Location. I'm interested in many things and enjoy spending time with dog people - unless they're weirdos or blow hards, but the distance and lack of local resources for technique and skill variety presents an obstacle for growth potential that I don't particularly care for.

Relative to a specific dog. That's easy, it'd be that crafty witch I own now.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

From a standpoint of what "I'M" doing herding has been one of the hardest things I've done with a dog. The reason being is learning to let the dog work. Great instincts on both my dogs but letting them work without my need to control is a big one for me. For totally different reasons both my dogs have shown me that.
I don't want a mechanical dog! I've seen it. I'm not crazy about it. Nothing shows what the mechanical dog is really capable of doing.
I'd rather walk out off the field and be congratulated on how nice the dog worked rather then how well trained the dog looked.


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## Loring Cox (Sep 6, 2008)

From a PSD side, I am having a hard time balancing making the street like training and training like the street while still keeping foundational skills sharp.


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## Adi Ibrahimbegovic (Nov 21, 2008)

My biggest training hurdle is being lazy aka "I don't feel like training this morning and setting up a track at 6 AM". The dog is willing all the time, sometimes I am not.

When I find motivation, he's there.

Working on it.


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## Pia Porko (Oct 8, 2008)

I'd say my biggest training issue is that I CAN'T TRAIN ANYMORE!! Since my GSD got diagnosed with lumbosacral stenosis and my dobermann is still a pup ](*,)


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

So when does the spirit of the rule and the letter of the rule leave the sport venue? I had a chance to purchase a SCH III GSD, $15,000. For that price the scores had better be spotless!!!

With all of the issues you face for points, it almost makes it NOT worth doing. You have an off day, the dog has one, then the team gets it right and the judge gets a wild hair! Nope" KISS" for me...


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I don't believe this:

St. Bernard dogs are easy to train - experienced it years ago (not mine) but like the Queen, "was not amused".

A good number of years ago, the GSD was the No.1, to train, i.e. obedient, skimmed through "C" (oh! shame!) and could track well. A number of handlers looked down on you as if you were taking the easy way out.

Today's GSDs are, due to their drive (and especially in Schutzhund "C") not as easy although, depending on the handler, definitely not impossible. I started too late on the obedience, i.e. heeling.

The Briard also thought Schuthund training was just biting, everything else was SHoneT but I got him round to thinking my way and he was a good sports dog. At a GSD trial, he'd often trump.

Howard, the price, pedigree of the dog alone will not bring you points. That is up to you!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Gillian to spend that kind of money can only show how little I really think...[-X


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