Maggie's beginner obedience class
The room is huge and everyone has their own bench and a eyebolt to secure the dog in place. Maggie was not the oldest -- there was a 5 year old rescue poodle who was so sweet and timid and there were a number of 1 and 2 year old dogs plus a few older puppies. Maggie did everything I asked her to do right away and then just layed there being quiet during the times when the instructor was talking or demonstrating something. We went through Sit, look at me, a mini-Come exercise, wait for your dinner. This was hard for the other dogs, but it is something Maggie is required to do every day at home. It is clicker training which I was sort of skeptical about but really does seem to give fast results. At the end of class, they had a 10 minute play session and Maggie had a ball. She was cracking everyone up with her signature handstand/flip where she swings her rear legs up and over the back of another dog and then pivots and swings her front legs over. It is quite an acrobatic move. Then she peed a bucket in the middle of the room. I had taken her out to a park before the class so I was really surprised by this. I wonder if the stress of being on good behavior caused some urgency? I am looking forward to the next class. . . |
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| GOOD GIRL MAGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think peeing is a stress response. Tasker, who hasn't peed in the house in 12 years, peed a bucketload in the middle of the firehouse floor the first time he waqs there and the alarms went off. It totally flabergasted me but he hasn't done it since. |
Yay Maggie! What a good girl!
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| Maggie is the poster child for why people should rescue...she is so full of life and happiness. She loves her mommy and just wants to please.
Way to go Mags.... |
Woo hee Maggie, way to go  |
'Atta girl, Maggie!!  Bet the other owners were like - what's she doing here? She can already do all the stuff!!
How old is Maggie now, Val? |
| Woohoo!!!!!!!!! |
| Maggie is 2 1/2.
She is great at alot of things already and that was really nice to see. Going into the training, she can sit, down, stay (so-so, depending), wait, go lie down, crate time, leave it, and she is even getting the hang of loose leash walking but she is awful at the front door and when we meet friends on the street (so exuberant!) and while I can take anything out of her mouth, she does not have a good drop it command. So, for example, at the park, if she has someone's ball, I can only get it back if she comes near me and I can catch her to take it. I am hoping the class will help us with drop it and also maybe getting all the building blocks solid enough so that I can manage her greetings at the front door and outside. |
| That is great! I bet she is enjoying it.
Most of them really get to love socializing with the classmates and spending 1:1 time with you. Can you get some pictures??! And, what do you use the bench and eyebolt for? |
| We all sat on our benches at various times while the instructor was talking or demonstrating. I used the eyebolt to hook Maggie up when we first arrived so I didn't have to hold the bucking stallion to prevent her from trying to greet the other dogs. She settled down quickly and later she just stayed near me after I unhooked her. |
| I love picturing Maggie doing acrobatics |
Here I was hoping for some hot new training tip with the benches and eyebolts..........  |
got sheep wrote: Here I was hoping for some hot new training tip with the benches and eyebolts..........
Since you asked, I have worked with a personal trainer and she recommended that I install eyebolts in various areas throughout my house where I want/need to keep Maggie secured so she does not get into trouble. For example, I have one near the front door close enough for her to see who is coming in but far enough that she cannot leap up onto my guests. The idea is that no one is supposed to approach her til she calms down. It is effective in keeping her off my guests but she takes a long time to calm down. I also have eyebolts in my office, on the porch, and in the kitchen. This is so she can keep me company and not wander off and into something. She mostly doesn't need it but when I have guests, it is really great because without it, she can be somewhat of a pest wanting to go up and lick everyone. Instead she stays on her dogbed with treats or a bone and everyone is happy. The trainer said it can also be used to reinforce stay. That is, they have no choice but to stay and it helps it sink in that is what stay means. Instant success and I am supposed to reward as if it were her own decision. Maggie has gotten better at an untethered stay since I have been doing this. |
Valerie wrote: Since you asked, I have worked with a personal trainer and she recommended that I install eyebolts in various areas throughout my house where I want/need to keep Maggie secured so she does not get into trouble.
Where did you install the eyebolts (wall, floorboards, etc), and do you just hook her with her regular leash or do you have something special? When we took Murphy to obedience training as a puppy they used eyehooks as well and we loved it (it was also a clicker training class). The instructor had also said it was a great thing to have in the entryway to keep the dogs under control while they were learning. I've been thinking about it for Lucy. There is nothing like trying to open a door around a big bouncing dog when someone unexpectedly shows up at the door!! |
MissingMurphy wrote: Where did you install the eyebolts (wall, floorboards, etc), and do you just hook her with her regular leash or do you have something special?
I installed them into studs in the wall. After trying both, I have concluded that putting it low on the wall, near the floor, and using a 2 foot leash works best for us (found the short leash at a local store -- made of climbing rope). That way, she can sit up but it restrains her from jumping. I tend to keep the 2 foot leashes there so I always have one when I need it. I have carabiners on the eye-bolts and sometimes I just hook her up using her regular 4 or 6 foot leash. |
| That sounds interesting. My 1st mental picure was of the hooks about 4 ft up on the wall - and I thought "hhmmmm, how would that help?" then my brain kicked in and I thought about them near the floor!
I will keep it in mind as a tool to try at home if people in my classes are having trouble. |
got sheep wrote: That sounds interesting. My 1st mental picure was of the hooks about 4 ft up on the wall - and I thought "hhmmmm, how would that help?" then my brain kicked in and I thought about them near the floor!
I will keep it in mind as a tool to try at home if people in my classes are having trouble. It works either way. 4 feet up lets the dog jump but you have to instruct people not to approach til she stops. Might teach better but down near the floor keeps them less crazy acting. |
| Well done Val and Maggie, so glad you guys went to a class, you are both going to have a fantastic time and just such wonderful socialisation too and getting maggie use to all sorts of situations, dogs and people with the over enthusiastic personality. She is going to excell there
The peeing could of just been the overexcitement of the whole time. I use to get that with brie when first starting to go to dog shows, she would potty when we got there, potty after grooming her through and still manage to pee in the ring, always wondered where the heck the pee was coming from. Just so excited to be there and she eventually grew out of it as she got use to the excitement on the day.
Have fun you two, Hmmmmm I can see the future, agility there with her.  |
Sounds like the police station, with all of those places for them to hook up the suspect's handcuffs...not that I'd really know about things like that 
Safety is good! |
lisaoes wrote: Hmmmmm I can see the future, agility there with her.
Actually, the fact that you keep promoting agility for Maggie is another reason I decided to sign us up for lessons. We have to go through the obedience program to be eligible for the agility classes. . . I hope we can make it to that level. . . |
| OH YOU WILL THERE with your fun bouncy girl.
She is custom made & PERFECT for that activity. |
| What great ideas! I need to find a puppy class around here for Carley. She is 4 months old now and she will always come when called and she is good at sit. She understands No and Off. She still has a problem with jumping on people when she is excited. I have to watch how the rings are set up because my husband lost his hearing in one ear due to a virus a couple of years ago. Carley might be OK but he would become frustrated if he couldn't hear the instructor. |
| Way to go Maggie! Keep up the great work! |
| Agility will be fun. She always looks very fast and agile to me. Whenever you post action shots, I think how funny it is how we all have the same breed dogs but they're all so different, although Clyde can get into the car by himself now!
I can't wait to see pictures from agility when you get there. (See I'm being very positive that it will happen, not might!  ) |
| GOOD GIRL MAGGIE!!! |
| I must have missed this post! Good job Maggie!! |
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