How often are your protrained dogs home?

[Loren Crannell]

For the owners that have their dogs trained by a pro, how often do you bring your dogs home and of training? For how long?

I have two dogs in training (yard work/basics) and one is about to go into the field training. We miss the dogs a lot, but the training is important. btw..the trainer is in Oregon, and we are in California so it's not a short drive.

Curious to know how others manage their dogs while keeping the training moving forward.

Loren

[YardleyLabs]

I bring mine home for occasional vet visits and keep them no longer than a few days. However, I have the good fortune to be close and visit and train with them every week. In watching other people's dogs, I am convinced that home stays set training back noticeably if they last more than a few days. However, at some point you will want to bring your dogs home to stay and need to learn how to maintain their training attitude even when they're home. You might simply want to consider the time "lost" as part of your training homework. You may also want to schedule some trips to the trainer's when you can handle your dogs and learn how to maintain their new skills.

[Nor_Cal_Angler]

you know i wonderd that myself....i was extreamly reluctlant to send my lab away...that is why i did my homework for almost a month i looked out of state in Or. Wa. NV. AZ. and ID....then i started looking in state....and decided upon after visiting 6 different trainers and there grounds that in state and less than 2 hrs away was the best for me and my dog...i plan on handling my dog at events so i wanted a trainer that would start my dog and then allow me to work with him as training progressed....my dog starts tommrow...and for 6wks is one on one with the trainer which i understand they need to get on the same page without interuptions from me....at week 7 i come up..i work with him 1 once a week on even weeks and 2 twice on odd...being that i work a 9/80 schedual it works great because i have every other fri off...

all i can say is that i am sooo glad i went with a trainer that is relatively local..because i can see my dog anytime i want. (except the first 6wks)

at the 12 week mark i will make my eval. along with the trainer weather to continue with him or finish his work at home...and that is why it is important for me to be there for the last 5 weeks of training...after that i may switch to a different trainer, (but they were partners) to further the field work, i am on his waiting list and the timing couldnt be better becaue week 13 is when he has his opening....

just my opinion and why i choose to keep it local.

NCA

[junfan68]

I am dropped the 14 mo. old started dog I bought in June...she will stay with him and go do all the HT's she can, then will come back for November, December, and January period for hunting and bonding. Then she will be back out with the trainer for Spring campaigning.

I have taken her out to my lakehouse for 1 day, but other than that she does not come home.

[JepDog]

Loren,
I've had one of my dogs with a trainer for over a year and just recently brought him home for awhile. During that time he came home for vet visits, and occassional weekends during hunting season. The key factors for me were 1) I chose a local pro that I train with on a regular basis 2) I have other dogs that I train so I knew to maintain his training and standards when he's home and 3) I tried to schedule around the training as not interupt progress at certain times.
It is understandable that you miss your dogs and trainers understand as well. I would discuss it with your trainer and since they are finishing up basics, maybe you could get your dogs home for a short while before transition? It would be a good idea to train with the trainer if you go up to get them and be sure you are maintaining their OB standards while home and any other instructions the trainer may have. The other consideration is you could go to OR and train with them for a week or two. That way you can see your dogs daily, note the progress, watch the trainer. Then get a pet-friendly hotel (Motel 6 ) and ask to take the dogs overnight for a couple evenings for some mom-time! I'm sure something can be arranged without too much of a hiccup!

[cakaiser]

We like to leave ours alone if they are young, only bring them home for vacations when trainer is taking time off. If a dog is in the intensive learning stage, very hard on them to come home to Mom, then go back into training mode.

When they get close to AA level, we keep them home a lot more, so we can run them. They may go back for a couple months tune up.

[Lisa Van Loo]

In basics training, stay there until at least swim-by is completed. Definite setbacks otherwise.

Once a dog is in maintenance training, then taking home now and then isn't such a big deal. I can keep them tuned up until I send them back.

HT dogs can generally miss bigger chunks of training time without obvious issues. FT dogs, well let's just say while your dog is home sitting on the couch "taking a break", your competition is out fine-tuning their A-game. There is a point beyond which there is no catching up...

Lisa

[Buzz]

FT dogs, well let's just say while your dog is home sitting on the couch "taking a break", your competition is out fine-tuning their A-game. There is a point beyond which there is no catching up...

Lisa

I had my dog that recently aged out of derby home for 6 weeks to have a minor surgery. I figure it set her back at least 12 weeks. Tuesday I saw her try and cheat a simple water mark, then after an attitude adjustment she smacked a tight down the shore mark. Then yesterday on a retired gun she tried to return to an old fall. She probably wouldn't have done that before being home with Dad. Don't plan to have her home again till Christmas, then back to the trainer mid January for the winter trip to Texas.

It was painful having her out.

[jrock]

I brought my dog home for the first time after 1 1/2 years with the trainer to hunt with and have a litter of pups. She went back to the trainer 11 weeks after the pups were born. It took about 4 weeks to tune up and start running qualifying and hunt tests again. It was not real easy to do much in way of training after the pups because we had so much snow on the ground. My trainer said that she was in better shape than most when she started back into training. I am planning to bring her home the end of October for a couple months of hunting and then back to training for winter trip to TX. BTW my trainer is in OK and I am in SD.

[Loren Crannell]

Thanks for the replies. I feel better that we are leaving them alone during the critical time.....

Luckily in the winter time the pro that I use is in Nor. California so it would be an easier drive.

I do agree that the basics require 100% concentration and after seven months have only spent a couple of days with them. I do plan on spending a week of vacation throughout the year to handle/train my own dogs witm them, as well as, meeting them on FT events.

An expensive and emotional ride, but it will be worth it once I see them run their first Derby/Qualifying.

Thanks again,
Loren