t the beginning of this section I let you know about some of the events involved in what is called performance. Assuming that you started with the purchase of a puppy from a reputable breeder
which did basic training, then you came home with some expectations as to what lay in store. You also have probably found that some good habits can be replaced with bad ones and that further training
is required. During this early period of time with your fur friend, your family also found that inconsistencies and varied commands for the same action results in confusion by everyone including your
new dog.
So what to do next? Although a dog can bond to only one person, having the whole family involved and consistently, not just when the mood strikes, will more often than not give a feeling of responsibility of the family to the dog and result in generally acceptable actions by the dog.
Lets take the family and the dog to a performance event in the neighborhood or close by which is either a fun match, club training session or a sanctioned AKC trial hosted by a dog club. Talk to the participants, listen to the participants and rub elbows with ordinary people like your family who started with a dog and wondered what to do next.
The reason I suggest the above is simple. Gauge the reaction and action of the family and dog as to a genuine desire to become involved. At this point you have say been to an event involving agility. Next find another performance event close by, like conformation, obedience and so forth. Now you are finding out first hand and not relying on just books, video or film.
No matter what you decide to do as a family with your dog, realize that the resources available to help prepare for that blue ribbon are always close at hand. Then too if you only participated in performance events to socialize or get into shape or loose weight, those are worthy reasons.
Resources
Now that my children Chloe and Star can read too, the three of us are on the lookout for our local club news (Mobile Bay Dog Training Club) for the brags and wags and upcoming performance events.
We also anxiously await the AKC Gazette which lists all of the performance events in the United States and even have family vacations together. My mom always carries a plastic bag to pick up and dispose of our you know what, so the motels where we stay know that we are very special dogs and have trained our humans to be responsible. We stay quiet in our kennels in the room too, but love to jump up and down on the beds.
Now and then I hear of training seminars which will help my human understand how to work with me. Petey looks for obedience training and Chloe, well she is very flighty most of the time, but when she gets her act together with my pop they do pretty good. Petey and I always do better because we are handled by mom.
© 2005-2009 Carolyn Lancaster