THE TRIALS ARE NEXT WEEK FRIDAY

Life has been a little hectic this last month. Sophie injured her paw amongst other things. I had a horrible migraine last week, this week I have a bad cold.  I'd like to tell you what has been going on with what I now call practice, since we are only doing the obedience part of her training. If things are a little muddled, it's because of my cold.

A few Sundays ago we went to the field where the trials are being held to practice. We do this so the dogs can get familiar with the field. With the exception of sniffing the ground, Sophie did just fine, I on the other hand, not so good. I was so nervous because were practicing with the Schutzhund Hawaii club, these are people I have never worked in front of before. I actually forgot to do one part of the routine. I was so embarrassed, at one point Ted told me to breath. While Sophie was doing her long down, I said to Ted "I"m sorry I'm so nervous, it's because we are practicing in front of people I don't know." His answer was something like this, " You shouldn't be nervous because of them, you should be nervous because of the people you know." I looked at him and said "Why, they've seen me fall down several times." We both just laughed at that.

The following Sunday was much better. I had relaxed a little, but, I did get a little confused with the pattern. I'm thinking, on our field doing the routine is second nature. I'm in a new area and actually have to think about what I am doing. 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Last Wednesday was, I want to say, the best practice I have ever had. Ted paid us both compliments. Sophie did her routine so perfect. I got complimented for how well I have been doing with her. He was happy with me for giving the commands correctly and praising her at the right moments. He said he could tell I have been working really hard with her these last few months. 

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

Thursday, everything seemed fine. We practice and she looked good. Friday, not a good day. Sophie was once again limping, only this time it was really bad. I had taken her up to the National Park to practice in the ball field, we stopped by to see Mr. Aloha. He helped me check her out, as this is a very difficult thing to do by myself. She's a big dog and I'm a small person. Unlike the last time she was limping, this time we found a cut on her pad on her right paw. I think she may have cut it on a rock in our drive way.  I sprayed her paw with a topical antiseptic called Gentocin which heals sores quickly. I also kept her crated until practice last Sunday.   I have to say, by Sunday, her paw looked much better.

This past Sunday was an even better day for us. No mistakes, well that's not exactly true, I may have made one or two. I really don't remember, I just know I did the pattern correctly.

Here are some videos of Sunday's practice.

   
Checking in with the Judge

In this video, the dogs who are competing in the BH obedience segment of the trials must walk together up to the Judge. You are to introduce yourself to the Judge, (your dog should be sitting properly at your side) give the dogs name and what Phase of Schutzhund you are doing. You then decide who is going to do what first. It will either be the Long Down or Field Exercise

The Long Down                                                     

An explanation of the Long Down: You walk to the other end of the field, when you come to a stop your dog is supposed to sit without you telling it to. You take the lead off, tell your dog "down", then walk 30 paces away from your dog, stand with you back to him/her for about 7 minutes. When the judge tell you to return to your dog, you walk back all the while your dog is to be in the "down" position. Tell him/her sit, put the lead back, have him/her heel then start the Field Exercise upon the Judges say so. If you have completed both the Long Down and the Field Exercise you then return to the Judge  to check out.

   HEEL ON LEAD (problem loading video)

In the heeling on lead, your dog should go willing with you, be attentive and close to you. Your dogs shoulder blade should be approximately at or near knee-height through all of the changes in pace, turns and in the group. Once you have gone through the group with the leash on, you take the leash off go through the group again, and do the field exercise again.

Starting from the sit position, give the command heel, you walk down the field roughly 50 paces. Make an about turn, give your dog the heel command, walk 10 to 15 normal paces, 10 to 15 fast paces, 10 to 15 slow paces, 10 to 15 normal paces (you give the heel command each time you change paces). Make a right turn, walk 10 to 15 paces, turn right, walk 10 to 15 paces, about turn, walk 7 paces come to an abrupt stop. Your dog should be sitting at your side. 

Wait 3 seconds, give the heel command then walk 7 paces, turn and walk into the group making a right turn and then a left turn, stopping by one of the people in the group. Your dog should be sitting at your side. 

Walk out of the group, take your dog off leash, walk through the group again, then do the field exercise again with the dog off leash.

Once you are done with this exercise, you go on to the next exercise. The walking sit/walking down.

 

WALKING SIT/WALKING DOWN

Here you start from the basic position, the sit. Tell your dog to heel, walk 15 paces, while in motion tell your dog to sit. Walk about 35 paces away from your dog, face your dog. Wait for the Judge to tell you, you can return to your dog. Walk back to your dogs side, give the command heel, walk 15 pace, while in motion tell your dog down. Walk to the end of the field, wait for the Judge to tell you to call your dog. Give the command here. Your dog should run to you fast, stop close and sit in front of you, wait 3 seconds give the command heel. Your dog should be sitting close and straight on your left side.

So, there you have it in a nut shell. It's a lot to remember. Hope I didn't confuse any of you.

GREAT NEWS!

Sophie has been to training off and on for the last couple of weeks. She still limps now and then so I don't push her. Besides, she knows the routine, I'm the one who needs work.

SOPHIE HAS A HUSBAND

Above is a picture of Whiskey, he is the perfect mate for Sophie. He has wonderful drive just like Sophie and a good disposition. As soon as she goes into  heat sometime at the end of this year, they will meet and mate.........hopefully. Will keep you posted. If you  or anyone you know would like to purchase a high drive working German Shepherd, leave a comment.

 Also, Sophie's hips and elbows are now certified which means no hip dysplasia.

LOOKS LIKE NO TRAINING FOR A WHILE

Sophie is not getting any better. Not only that she is getting.....frustrated? Due to no playing. 

How do you explain to a dog, you cannot play with her until she is better? I've checked her over so many times, I can't seem to find out why she is limping. Looks like a trip to the vet.

SOPHIE'S HURT

I thought it looked like Sophie was limping as she was running back to me after getting the ball. As she got closer, she looked fine. I threw the ball once again she looked to be limping. I watched as she returned with the ball, through the yard. She looked fine. I then thought to myself maybe the driveway isn't a good place to play ball with her. Our driveway is not paved. 


Later that evening Mr. Aloha and I were outside, I let Sophie out of her kennel to go potty. I asked Mr. Aloha if she looked like she was limping. Of course at the time I asked the question, she was in the yard. After he watched her for a while, he said it kind of looked like she was limping.


I hadn't been feeling good all weekend and really didn't feel like going to practice. We went anyway, when it was our turn, I mentioned to Ted I thought Sophie was limping would he take a look at her. He knew she was the minute he saw her walking. He asked if I checked her paws. I told him I checked her paws, gently squeezed her legs from her shoulder down to her paws. She didn't wince or act like anything was wrong. He said not to work her hard, just practice with food instead of her ball (which is high drive work). We did sits and downs for a while, then her dumbbell work. 

It was raining real hard, which didn't make me feel any better. After a while I took Sophie to the truck. I walked back told Ted I was leaving, I really didn't see the point in being there. She really couldn't do anything and what she could do, I could do at home.  He said to keep her crated at night and walk her on a leash whenever I let her out so she avoids getting hurt any further.  Let her rest for a few days. I said okay. As I was walking back to the truck, I couldn't help but think "Let a high drive dog rest for a few days, how am I going to accomplish that without Sophie going bonkers with pent up energy!"

So basically we drove 30 miles (60 round trip) for nothing. Not really nothing, I wasn't sure if she was hurt or not. Believe it or not, our dog Ginger limps when she wants attention. She is so funny, she will be limping on one leg, we shower her with attention then go back to whatever we were doing. Next time we look at her she is limping on the other leg. When we let her know she's been caught faking, she walks normal with a huge grin on her face. Dogs can be just as funny as humans.

TODAY WAS PLAY DAY

Today we just played. At the advice of Ted, Sophie and I took the day off from training. I grabbed the chuck it and well, chucked it for her until her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Sophie and Harley had a good time chasing around after each other. We may just play again tomorrow.



It was time to take a break. With all the "practicing" we've been doing you would think we wouldn't have had a day. I swear it seems to me, if we practice twice a day in between training days down at the field, we do horribly. By horribly, I mean both Sophie and I do not do well.

One of the most important things people seem to forget, dogs are living beings. Like humans they too have "off days".  It's really bad when we both have an off day.

Yesterday,  was one of those days. Sophie did the long down without any problems. After that, I have no idea what went wrong. When we started off doing the routine, she was distracted. I had to correct her several times. Then when she would look up at me like she is supposed to, I'd forget to say good girl.  It just was not a good day.


I felt like we didn't practice at all.

TRAINING IN A DIFFERENT AREA

Yesterday we did something different. I took Sophie to the park to practices her routine. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that is, there is a baseball field at KMC (Kilauea Military Camp). It was nice going to a different area to practice. She was distracted at first but once we really got into practicing her routine, she did quite well, until the recall. 

Below is a video of Sophie's walking sit (after she sat), the walking down and the recall. You will see once I give the command Here, she pauses briefly in front of me, then does the finish Heel without waiting for me to give her the command.  This can be very frustrating especially with the trials being so soon.  (I am trying to get Mr. Aloha to video the whole routine so I may post it on here for all to see.)

Part of the problem is me. I am supposed to praise her. A habit for some reason I can't get. Since I am concentrating on her getting it correctly, I almost always forget to praise her and give her, her ball. As you can see in the video above, I ask Ted, "Now what do I do."  I know what to do, why am I asking him? I've been doing this for so long. Maybe it's because the trials are soon. As I said before in a previous post, I do not do well with test! I am amazed at how much patience Ted has with all of us.

 Back to yesterday, I must admit, after repeating this exercise several times, she did get better or shall I say, we both did good. We practiced at the park for about half an hour. After we were done, she played for a bit chasing the ball. It was a hot day so she didn't play for too long. She absolutely hates getting hot!

ALPHA DOG

Last week Monday I had no voice. Saturday night I let Sophie out of her kennel to go potty. As I was bending down to pet Ginger,  Sophie jumped over her, hurting her. Ginger grumbled and that was it. Next thing I know, the two of them are fighting. Mr. Aloha was in the house watching TV, I must have screamed his name at the top of my lungs (while closing my ears) at least ten times. He came running out grabbed Sophie by the hind legs, I grabbed Ginger and we pulled them apart.

Ginger is 13 years old. I think I've mentioned that before. I'll be damned if that dog didn't charge after Sophie once we got them separated. I am at a loss for words. Jenny and Ginger still have it in them to fight with Sophie over the Alpha dog status. So now I have to keep Sophie away from both of them. She thinks she should be the Alpha, and the other two aren't ready to let her be it. 

After we got things under control, Mr. Aloha said to me, "One more dog fight and you have to get rid of Sophie" My response was simple yet firm "No". I couldn't believe he actually said that to me. 

I went outside to smoke, while I was out there, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Sophie had gone after Ginger like that. She had never done that before. When I went back into the house, I quietly said "I'll find a home for Sophie. You're right, we cannot go on like this." Mr. Aloha was quick to respond. "No, I don't want you to get rid of her. You've invested a lot of time and money. We just need to talk to Ted and find out how to get this under control. If it means he has to come over and help us with it, then that is what we will do."  As much as I hate admitting it, Mr. Aloha was right, we just needed to get a handle on it. 

The next day was training day. Ted asked me if I was sick or just lost my voice. I told him the dogs got into a fight, would Mr. Aloha and I be able to talk to him when training was done?

After class we sat down with Ted, told him what had happened. We talked for a while. I told Ted I was considering finding Sophie a new home. I cannot even begin to describe the shock on his face. "No, no, no" was his answer. He reiterated what Mr. Aloha had said the night before about all the time and money I have invested in training her. He also mentioned how dedicated I am. Which made me feel good. Ted then explained to us Sophie is a high drive dog, working dog, bred with all the qualities needed to work. With out any type of training she would be the same or worse. He also agreed with me when I said "It's the third dog syndrome."

What we or rather I need to do? Tie Jenny or Ginger up or put her in a kennel, have Sophie on her pinch collar. Walk up to her, when Sophie tries to fight with them, turn in the opposite direction while giving her a good yank on her leash. When she comes into the heal position tell her good girl. Repeat until she won't even look at the other dog. Have I done this yet? No. Am I going to? Yes. 

I asked Ted what to do if Jenny growls at Sophie while I am doing this. I said I felt Jenny was too old to be yanked around on a choke chain. Ted agreed, he said to keep a choke chain with me when Jenny growls throw it at her. It won't hurt her but it will startle her.