From the Chief

Training Update:

Congratulations to the following members for passing up on Saturday; Debbie with Bonnie into class 2; Ina with Stella and Rod with Pepper into class 3 and Daniel with Oden into class 4.
Congratulations to our tracking teams who successfully passed tracking trials1 & 4.
Instructors will be including Dumbell Retrieval training during classes 2 – 4. Members that are interested in getting a head start at home, below is the first step to follow;
Use high-value training rewards, start and finish your training session with motivated fun play (ball throwing, tug, or fast easy obedience movements) to gain momentum from the dog. The dumbbell is best learned with progressive training (breaking down the exercise into small step).
STEP 1: the dog holds the dumbbell in its mouth.
Hold the dumbbell in your hand and when your dog touches the bar with its nose or mouthes the bar, mark the exercise and reward. Progress to the dog taking then dumbbell in its mouth while you are holding. Progress to releasing the dumbbell while your dog has it in its mouth (this may be for a second only).
Limit your training to 5 – 6 exercises to avoid your dog becoming bored with the training. Do your best to finish on the best exercise. Take your time to train and ensure the basics are correct. End the training session with something fun for your dog. Instructors are available on Saturdays to assist and answer any questions. Good luck