Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
My Rally 'stable'
- Thread starter Joy
- Start date
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
She's so sweet and happy 
. Great to see her in action.
. Great to see her in action.
- Location
- Isle of Man
Tess looks so keen to learn. Lovely to watch.
- Location
- East Sussex
This morning I've worked with both Tess and Rajah. I've started taking Tess in the car to different places and her focus and engagement was excellent this morning, ignoring other dogs, cyclists and runners. A couple of her actual movements/exercises aren't accurate enough (e.g. 'stand from sit') so I might need to go back to a garden session to refine these.
I'm learning more about Rajah and his feelings - I think he's quite a complex character. I took him to a recreation ground which was empty on arrival. On a trailing long-line I allowed him to sniff a limited area (about 20x20 yards) and after 5 minutes he oriented to me and was keen to 'work' (Rally exercises) and did so accurately. However when dogs appeared at a distance he stopped and stared at them. I just waited and when they had moved out of sight he again focused on me. Then someone with two dogs approached within a couple of yards and again Rajah froze and stared. The person was insistent that the dogs 'say hello' (despite me trying to explain that I was training and that he wasn't my own dog!) so in the end I released Rajah. He then had a sniff at the other dogs and looked much more relaxed, but didn't jump around or instigate play and when he glanced at me I said, 'Come' and moved away and he immediately fell into heel position.
I think he is showing what Denise Fenzi calls 'cautious curiosity', i.e. he is unsure about other dogs and can't focus on me because of this. Fenzi advises training at a distance from other dogs, but this is very hard to achieve in practice as I can't control other people's behaviour.
I'm wondering whether it would be better to take him to places where there are other dogs off-lead and simply not attempt to 'work' but just allow him to meet as many other dogs as he wants, but on the other hand he might find this overwhelming, and of course I'd need to make sure they were all happy encounters. Hmm perhaps not - I need to think about this some more.
I'm learning more about Rajah and his feelings - I think he's quite a complex character. I took him to a recreation ground which was empty on arrival. On a trailing long-line I allowed him to sniff a limited area (about 20x20 yards) and after 5 minutes he oriented to me and was keen to 'work' (Rally exercises) and did so accurately. However when dogs appeared at a distance he stopped and stared at them. I just waited and when they had moved out of sight he again focused on me. Then someone with two dogs approached within a couple of yards and again Rajah froze and stared. The person was insistent that the dogs 'say hello' (despite me trying to explain that I was training and that he wasn't my own dog!) so in the end I released Rajah. He then had a sniff at the other dogs and looked much more relaxed, but didn't jump around or instigate play and when he glanced at me I said, 'Come' and moved away and he immediately fell into heel position.
I think he is showing what Denise Fenzi calls 'cautious curiosity', i.e. he is unsure about other dogs and can't focus on me because of this. Fenzi advises training at a distance from other dogs, but this is very hard to achieve in practice as I can't control other people's behaviour.
I'm wondering whether it would be better to take him to places where there are other dogs off-lead and simply not attempt to 'work' but just allow him to meet as many other dogs as he wants, but on the other hand he might find this overwhelming, and of course I'd need to make sure they were all happy encounters. Hmm perhaps not - I need to think about this some more.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
- Location
- East Sussex
Today I took Rajah to his second 'real-life' Rally competition and he was terrific. He came 4th in Level 1 in the morning but then won first place in Level 2 this afternoon with a score of 209 (out of 210). Of course I'm delighted.
I realise I hadn't updated my training approach on here, but in the end I opted to take him to lots of off-lead places and let him meet other dogs. All the ones he met were friendly and we just had one slightly dodgy encounter when the dog was friendly but completely over-the-top. On that occasion Rajah ran to me and squeezed against my leg so I grabbed the other dog's harness and took him back to his owner (the owner had been trying unsuccessfully to get him to come so was fine with me doing that.) Then I worked at getting Rajah to focus with other dogs at a distance, which meant selecting places carefully.
Today was really good training as all dogs were on leads and sitting with their owners on the grass between classes. Rajah looked genuinely relaxed and didn't attempt to initiate play or stare at the other dogs or look worried in any way. I think the reason his focus was so good in the afternoon was that by then he was completely acclimatised to the area and had had time to sniff every smell and see every dog.
I do feel very lucky to be trusted with such a gorgeous boy.
I realise I hadn't updated my training approach on here, but in the end I opted to take him to lots of off-lead places and let him meet other dogs. All the ones he met were friendly and we just had one slightly dodgy encounter when the dog was friendly but completely over-the-top. On that occasion Rajah ran to me and squeezed against my leg so I grabbed the other dog's harness and took him back to his owner (the owner had been trying unsuccessfully to get him to come so was fine with me doing that.) Then I worked at getting Rajah to focus with other dogs at a distance, which meant selecting places carefully.
Today was really good training as all dogs were on leads and sitting with their owners on the grass between classes. Rajah looked genuinely relaxed and didn't attempt to initiate play or stare at the other dogs or look worried in any way. I think the reason his focus was so good in the afternoon was that by then he was completely acclimatised to the area and had had time to sniff every smell and see every dog.
I do feel very lucky to be trusted with such a gorgeous boy.
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Well done both of you!
Naya
Moderator
- Location
- Bristol, UK
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Well done both of you. 
- Location
- East Sussex
I took Rajah and Tess (one at a time) across the Downs today. They were both off-lead the whole time and fabulous at coming when called. We just did the odd minute of heel work and a pivot every so often. I'm more and more coming to the conclusion that for Rally success relationship with your dog is more important than anything else. If they are enjoying being with you the actual movements/exercises can be learned fairly quickly.
On Sunday I'm setting off for the Midlands with Rajah to attend a Rally competition next Monday at the KC Building at Stoneleigh (near Coventry). (Molly is staying at home with my OH). It's a very big event - large classes and several parallel ones, as KC rules limit class sizes to 40.
I've also entered four shows with Molly, in the north at the end of July, so we'll be doing a tour of England again. Managed to book a couple of nice looking places on Airbnb.
On Sunday I'm setting off for the Midlands with Rajah to attend a Rally competition next Monday at the KC Building at Stoneleigh (near Coventry). (Molly is staying at home with my OH). It's a very big event - large classes and several parallel ones, as KC rules limit class sizes to 40.
I've also entered four shows with Molly, in the north at the end of July, so we'll be doing a tour of England again. Managed to book a couple of nice looking places on Airbnb.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Good luck Joy , hope you have a really good time too x
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Have fun Joy, and good luck!
Hope everything goes well and you all have s fun time
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
This is all very exciting Joy, so much to look forward to and enjoy! The very best of luck with it all, and I look forward as ever to hearing about it all.
- Location
- East Sussex
We've had a very enjoyable but also very tiring day at the Stoneleigh Rally. Rajah gained 5th place in the special reward class which was a good achievement as there were 46 in the class. (This class had areas coned off in the ring that you visited mid-round to reward your dog with food or play.) We weren't placed in the 'real' classes but scored 189 in Level 1 ( a qualifying score just one point from being 'excellent') and 191 in Level 2. Again big classes and stiff competition.
I was so pleased with how Rajah settled at the show. The reward class was outdoors on grass so that was fine, but when we first stepped into the building, which is big and noisy, he looked really scared - so we left and I thought we might have to abandon thoughts of competing in the L1 and 2 which were indoors. However they weren't until the afternoon so after we'd done the reward class and had a wander round outside I took him back to the entrance and he went in willingly. He still looked a bit overwhelmed so we only stayed for a few minutes before leaving again. But actually after a few more (spaced out) repetitions he began to look relaxed and lay down by my side when I sat down. By the time I'd had a cup of tea and he'd had a quantity of liver cake he was able to walk around the hall normally. I do think all the novelty tired him though - he was definitely waning by the time we got to compete in L2 mid-afternoon. He's stretched out on the bed next to me now, sound asleep.
I was so pleased with how Rajah settled at the show. The reward class was outdoors on grass so that was fine, but when we first stepped into the building, which is big and noisy, he looked really scared - so we left and I thought we might have to abandon thoughts of competing in the L1 and 2 which were indoors. However they weren't until the afternoon so after we'd done the reward class and had a wander round outside I took him back to the entrance and he went in willingly. He still looked a bit overwhelmed so we only stayed for a few minutes before leaving again. But actually after a few more (spaced out) repetitions he began to look relaxed and lay down by my side when I sat down. By the time I'd had a cup of tea and he'd had a quantity of liver cake he was able to walk around the hall normally. I do think all the novelty tired him though - he was definitely waning by the time we got to compete in L2 mid-afternoon. He's stretched out on the bed next to me now, sound asleep.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Here's very handsome, well done lovely boy, what a big day, not surprising he was tired.
Lovely to read about it all!
Lovely to read about it all!