# Training poll



## Karla (Dec 14, 2010)

What is your commitment to training your dog?


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

There really isn't a choice for those who have taken formal training, but not utilized it for competition.


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## Scarlettsmom (Jul 12, 2011)

Lilie said:


> There really isn't a choice for those who have taken formal training, but not utilized it for competition.


That's the group we fall into. We are using her training now for Therapy Dog stuff, but we don't "compete" with her.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

At this time all of my energy and training goes into schutzhund. Of course the training I do in SchH also will cross over to the AKC OB and TR venues.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Schutzhund is the main thing, SDA second (though eventually that will probably be #1). I'm going to get back into agility this coming summer and am starting two dogs in flyball tonight. We also do a few other things that don't require a lot of training, you just show up and either your dog does it or he doesn't (dock diving and lure coursing, for example).


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I do a lot of obedience training with my dogs but have not competed in OB. I am thinking of trying out rally competition with Bianca though. She already had some Sch and tracking training in her previous home, I have done obedience and agility training with her and therapy dog training.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I fall between the cracks of your poll, lol! I go way beyond basic manners, but I've never trained anything to the point of competition. That may change, Halo is doing very well in flyball class and the club that we're taking the classes from has asked if we're interested in joining them for practice when it's done. If she continues to do well, and they like us and we like them, she may end up racing on a team.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Right now I am consistently training three dogs. Two have earned obedience titles so far. Two of the three are training in tracking right now also. I train them several days a week.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Basic house manners: Sit, Stay, Down, Come, Find it
Would like to get into tracking but nothing formal nearby, will have to look for a book.


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

Lilie said:


> There really isn't a choice for those who have taken formal training, but not utilized it for competition.





Cassidy's Mom said:


> I fall between the cracks of your poll, lol! I go way beyond basic manners, but I've never trained anything to the point of competition.


Yup, I agree... there's an option missing.

I train my dogs in "house manners," obedience, agility, skijoring, and hope to add tracking and carting, but all of this is for fun, and I don't compete (yet).


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Currently training two dogs in schutzhund and one in herding and rally.

Getting ready to compete in a week while the other one is just a spectator at trials at this point (she is only 6 months old).


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Same here- formal training but not competing. Maybe we'll compete in herding


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

I chose basic house manners. I feel like it goes way beyond that though, as it is basic house manners necessary with 3 kids full time.....and a daily in home daycare. So we require a lot from them and it is a daily never ending "practice" We have trained K and are working on the puppy such things as never step on to a staircase that children are on (they are in sit at top or bottom of stairs until kids are off them) In addition parents come in and out throughout the day and they are trained to not react. K did some training with a SAR group, but unfortunately we relocated before he got to do any work with them. Our trainer just invited me to a "nosework" seminar for Sherman Tank and I so I am thinking about trying that out.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I started with basic "Good Citizen" type training, and then it just escalated. The dogs love to train, and they also love the trials. If they didn't, I wouldn't be spending my weekends at shows.


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## Karla (Dec 14, 2010)

Sorry folks.......I know there are many options that weren't included in the poll because it only lets you put four. I just wanted to get an idea of what people were doing with their dogs.

It just makes me happy to see people involved with their dogs. Being on a forum is a nice way to share your experiences with other like minded people. 

Unfortunately, I see a lot of people who get dogs and don't do anything with them and then when they grow out of the puppy stage, they are dumped at a shelter. Over the years, I've seen many obedience classes start off with a large group and in the end, there may be 3 or 4 who stuck with it. People want a nice dog, but don't want to make the effort to train it. That's my rant.

Thank you all for the wonderful life you give to your dogs!


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Karla said:


> Over the years, I've seen many obedience classes start off with a large group and in the end, there may be 3 or 4 who stuck with it. People want a nice dog, but don't want to make the effort to train it. That's my rant.


Oddly, I'm in an agility class that started out with 7 dogs. Now there are only 3 dogs at any one time in the class.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Rott-n-GSDs said:


> Yup, I agree... there's an option missing.


Yeah my previous dog was trained in obedience (past Novice level but we never actually competed), agility, a bit of flyball/rally, carting, a little weight pull and freestyle, and also did lure coursing and was a therapy dog with several organizations. We competed a little in agility and she earned Dog Scout badges in many sports but we didn't compete in most of them. So she was very well trained in obedience and also other activities, way more than house manners but not actually involved in competitions for most things.


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## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

I compete in Obedience and Rally with Frank right now, I've thought about agility just for fun but dont' have the time for another class yet, I would also love to do tracking Frank loves to play our game of Hide and Seek, but I keep hearing how hard it is to get into tracking trials right now and how expensive it can be.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I train one dog in ScH and want to get him into agility...I don't want to have him vaccinated for Bordatella(and others) and that is a requirement in all the classes available. It is a drag, because I really don't see the point of over-vaccinating. So we do private obedience lesson$ along w/ SchH, neither of which require the vaxing.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I train one dog in ScH and want to get him into agility...I don't want to have him vaccinated for Bordatella(and others) and that is a requirement in all the classes available. It is a drag, because I really don't see the point of over-vaccinating. So we do private obedience lesson$ along w/ SchH, neither of which require the vaxing.


Jane, I had signed my two up for agility at the new facility (same owners/trainers) but the new place requires both of mine to have their annual shots (I titer) plus the Bord. vaccine and I won't do it. Zefra would of been okay on the annual shots aspect since she did receive her puppy vacs but I won't give her unnecessary vaccines and I wasn't about to give them to Stark either!

We are doing schH and working with someone privately on the side in obedience as well. And of course herding (we haven't been in a couple of months due to my work schedule and schH but plan on going for a few weeks before the snow again) as those don't require anything but rabies (required by law here).


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## sddeadeye (Apr 5, 2011)

With my last GSD, we didn't do any formal obedience classes. We lived pretty much in the middle of nowhere and the nearest training facility was over 100 miles away. He was still very well trained in the basics though.

Now that we live in the city, I do plan on pursuing formal obedience and agility with my next GSD. My husband's lab will also probably do some dock diving and possibly field trials. I would love to get into ScH, but the nearest club for that is still over 3 hours away.


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

We have graduated basic obedience and intermediate obedience at Petsmart , have taken some more obedience and agility.
We have just begun Shutzhund a few weeks ago. We will continue with that as it has obedience, agility, tracking and protection.


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## southernfiction (Oct 5, 2011)

I bought the Schutzhund books when I first brought my puppy home and started her that way. Tried for months to find a training partner or group, but I might as well be living in the Northwest Territories for all the good that did. Then her hips went "weird" and I see I can't ever train her that hard, but she does not limp or act in pain, so we continue with happy obedience lessons. She really likes to learn. If her xrays come out decent, we might go for obedience competition.

The other girls have house manners.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Started Schutzhund training this summer.

Same with our obedience classes, started with 10+ dogs and it's varied but only 4 of us have been consistent. Sometimes it's just us 4. Not sure what is up with that as the place we train is very nice, affordable and friendly to all newcomers. 

...and as luck would have it we 4 regulars all have German Shepherds that are going on to schutzhund/protection training. I bought all my GSD training buddies a little present, a sticker for their car..... (get yours at amiart.com  )














BlackPuppy said:


> Oddly, I'm in an agility class that started out with 7 dogs. Now there are only 3 dogs at any one time in the class.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

Karla said:


> Unfortunately, I see a lot of people who get dogs and don't do anything with them and then when they grow out of the puppy stage, they are dumped at a shelter. Over the years, I've seen many obedience classes start off with a large group and in the end, there may be 3 or 4 who stuck with it. People want a nice dog, but don't want to make the effort to train it. That's my rant.


I totally agree with this!! Especially the people who get a breed like a Husky, GSD or the likes, and don't do ANY sort of training or socialization, and then don't understand why their dog doesn't walk on a leash right, or pulls, or gets aggressive, and then they end up at the pound and are put down just because someone wouldn't take the time to train their dog. My neighbors have a husky who is about 3 years old, who they let pull on his leash, he's WAY out in front, doesn't listen to them, and they don't put any time into behavior training. sorry. end my rant now.


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

All of my dogs have earned obedience and rally titles. I and a CGC Evaluator and I teach classes instructiong folks on how to teach thier dogs companion dog manners (sit, down, stand, stay, coming when called, and loose leash heeling) and am always happy when students leave my classes with a dog who they have bonded better with in addition to learning the basics of obedience. Of course, I am always encouraging my students to be active with thier dogs, as well: be it obedience, rally, agility, therapy work, or other non-strucutred but equally rewarding activites.


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## ed1911 (Jan 19, 2011)

Both have multiple titles in AKC comp. Smokey recently earned his BH in Schutzhund, I hope to have both titled in Schutzhund in 2012.


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