Bella failed her CGC test
Mary |
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| because of other issue Marley doesn't have a cgc but we did have to work on the walk away and disappear thing - drove her crazy. we started with her on a wall clasp - (no one in the class could hold her she is that strong) and me stepping away one step ct and back it took weeks, but I could disappear round the corner and she woul stay relaxed (that was the goal she need to be relaxed). we now have a solid sit stay at the start line in agility and she is much more relaxed if I have to hand her to someone and she can probably work up to the 3 minute stay. |
| CGC is not the easiest test to pass due to the supervised separation test. I think you are wise to get a professional to help with this part.
When I went through CGC with Millie, my Beardie and Pearl, my OES, I took a special CGC class that was offered through one of the training centers here and without that, I doubt if we would have passed on the first try. The class helped both of us with being comfortable with all the different sections and right after the last class, the test was given by a CGC tester -- Good Luck! and keep us posted!!!!  |
We also took a special CGC class and it was the trainer who gave the test. Unfortunately, we did not test the supervised separation until the week before the test, which was when I discovered her issue. We had practiced this part of the test in a previous class prior to the accident, and she did just fine. My trainer is going to let me attend some additional classes at no charge to work on this issue and has offered to retest her at no charge once she thinks she is ready. Her name is Shannon Holstein. If you google her you will find she is an awesome trainer, does outreach, headed up the prison dog training program here. Her method is gentle, positive, non-physical. I love her. She has done wonders helping me with Simon, my rescue, who came to me with lots of issues!  |
| Poor Bella sounds quite traumatized from your injury in the agility ring.
Sounds like you have a great trainer that can help you, but maybe, in the meantime, you could try to reinforce the fact that you are coming back, and do it tiny step, by tiny step, literally measured in seconds. Is she food motivated? If so, I would try the down stay and move out of sight for one second, and before she has a chance to react, reappear with a "good girl" and a treat. Do that a couple of times. Try two seconds. If she can handle that, try four, etc. If you hit her threshold, back off to where she was successful and stay there a bit, and end your session on a positive note. Oscar has never suffered from separation anxiety, but the "down-stay" was particularly difficult for him to learn, I think due to his deafness. He follows us to watch for hand signals, so when he can't see us, we are, for all intents and purposes, gone. But using this method, and tasty treats, Oscar will "down-stay" for 10 minutes or so with me out of sight, as he's waiting for his num-nums! Hopefully some other folks with more experience will chime in as well. Laurie and Oscar |
| I'll probably be skewered for offering this advice but here's another point of view:
Forget about the accident and "abandoning" Bella while you were in the hospital. Bella is much less likely to remember the agility accident than you are. Dogs are so much more resilient than we give them credit for. Stop beating yourself up for the days you couldn't be with her. Don't turn this into guilt on your part and hold her back from learning this important part of the CGC test. Go back to square-one and work with her, and the trainer if needed. It took some time for my dogs to get this part of the test but eventually they became comfortable with it. Use praise or treats, whatever works best with Bella. Gradually increase the time and distance you are apart from her. I'll bet on the next try she'll pass with flying colors. Can't wait to hear an update!!!  |
Maggie McGee IV wrote: I'll probably be skewered for offering this advice but here's another point of view:
Forget about the accident and "abandoning" Bella while you were in the hospital. Bella is much less likely to remember the agility accident than you are. Dogs are so much more resilient than we give them credit for. Stop beating yourself up for the days you couldn't be with her. Don't turn this into guilt on your part and hold her back from learning this important part of the CGC test. What Nita said 
Though all of the previous good advice on training through her specific issue stands, don't worry about the whys, just the hows. Maybe this will put things a little bit in perspective for you regarding your particular incident: http://www.performanceoes.com/FlyingHigh.html It was written in '05... I personally think they get bonus points for taking us out...  Glad you're OK.
Kristine |
| We also recently took and failed the CGC test and it was the 3 minute seperation that got us as well. My OES is a year and a half old and REALLY a velcro dog to me. We take obedience classes weekly since he's been about 14 weeks old and have gone to two doggy camps together as well. But he is what trainors term a "soft" dog. Not very independent and stresses easily.
What we've been doing to overcome the anxiety with the 3 minute seperation is daily I find someone to help me ( my Dad lives with us but I use the kids next door, my husband, a friend, etc). I put him on his leash and as part of our training, I leave him in a sit stay or down stay and walk away, hide behind a wall, car, etc and immediately come back and give a big treat and release. Progressively, I started then just counting to five and coming back...then ten...you get what I mean. We are now up to a solid minute ( can't believe how long a minut really is!). I know it sounds like a slow process, but it works. My trainer suggested I get the time up to 4 minutes so that during the test, 3 minutes wouldn't seem as long to him. Training is a slow process. But if you break every exercise down to the tinyest of steps, get confident on that and move on to the next tiniest of steps and then string them all together, you'll get there! Good Luck! Diane & Bowie |
| I agree with Maggie McGee and Mad Dog. We tend to give our animals "human" emotions which, in reality they do ot possess. Dog, while they most definately do have a "memory" live more in the here and now. Chances are pretty slim that this has anything to do with your accident, traumatic as it was for you.
Odds are this is a training issue and with work you will be able to overcome it. |
| Thank you for all the suggestions and help. I agree I need to start slowly at the beginning. I got a big kick out of Kristine's article, especially about the A Frame. In one of our agility classes we were practicing a jump set, the next set over was the A Frame, Teeter. Three times in a row, Bella flew over 2 jumps, took one look at the broad jump and ran over and did the A Frame! Couldn't keep her off it it, it was so funny. When we finally got to that set, the instructor says, "Mary, start Bella on the A Frame since that's obviously where she wants to be!" |
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