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Waiting to compete in field trials

5K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  gdgnyc 
#1 · (Edited)
I am completely new to the world of FIELD TRIALS . I have titled or trained many SH and several MH level dogs.I have a 15 month old Grady pup , who is nowhere near ready to compete. We are just coming out of winter and need to do swimby , cheaters etc. And I have no idea yet if he has the talent to play in the big field but I do know he is awesome smart , and "my little boy" as he looks me in the eye for hugs ;)
I just came across this article in the Chronicle. This is how I am going to approach the whole trial thing....thought you might be interested.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/short-term-sacrifice
 
#2 ·
I think that's a great approach. My pup is with trainer right now for a few more weeks. He is my first lab and I bought him as a meat dog. He has a great pedigree and the trainer said he learns quickly. I decided that I'm going to do hunt tests with him. I'm going to take it slow and steady. It should be fun for both of us.
 
#3 ·
Sounds like a good idea to me... never understood what everyones big rush is to push the young dogs
 
#4 ·
Bridget

You and I have the same age puppy.

I like your approach. Most all the "help" I have recieved, would prolly agree with what your plans are.
I too plan on taking it slow, and seeing what develops..
I am not planning on rushing to run HT's, but rather spending a LOT more time training, making sure I do the correct things to reach MY goal, and that is to have a well trained dog..
We will see where that takes us..
Good luck with your puppy......


Gooser
 
#8 ·
My mentor is a former field trialer, an old timer. I am thankful for him instilling his philosophy in me which is: Enjoy your dog, what is the rush with titles, and do________(fill in the blank) when the dog is ready. Train the dog that you have.

I have taken the advice and I look at the long term goals which I think is the gist of your post. Delayed gratification, I guess. Good luck with your pup.
 
#10 ·
Yep Probably, that I have not gotten out and trained.Maybe in my next life , I will have winters in Georgia.I saw water for the first time in 3 months last week, it is gone now, 14 degrees this morning.
But when and if the dog is ready to run derby , we will
 
#12 ·
Aside from personal enjoyment, the only reason I could think of in campaigning a pup in derby, would be to get added value if you wanted to sell him. If you don't want to sell him, and he's your lifer dog, no real reason to rush into it, or even him run in the lower stakes at all. I'm sure rather than derby points most prefer titles/points from FC, AFC, even QAA, MH, HRCH, etc. from a lifer dog. These requires significantly more resources, skill set and training to campaigne. Save the money, build the skill-set, and then go for the bigger titles, would be the way I'd do it, to me it makes the most since ;)
 
#13 ·
Aside from personal enjoyment, the only reason I could think of in campaigning a pup in derby, would be to get added value if you wanted to sell him. If you don't want to sell him, and he's your lifer dog, no real reason to rush into it, or even him run in the lower stakes at all. I'm sure rather than derby points most prefer titles/points from FC, AFC, even QAA, MH, HRCH, etc. from a lifer dog. These requires significantly more resources, skill set and training to campaigne. Save the money, build the skill-set, and then go for the bigger titles, would be the way I'd do it, to me it makes the most since ;)[/QUOTE

I agree and would go a step further once one makes the derby list or wins a derby move on. I have training friend who had a dog with 92 all-age points and won a double header (open and amateur at same trial) when asked how many derby points he had , eleven was the answer or I would had said who cares. The derby with it's smaller entries and Friday starts is dominated by pros. The Saturday quals, with OH and put with a hunt test have become the derby of yesteryear for amateurs. QAA is the stake goal unless you are going to sell the dog or try for the National Derby Championship, lots of luck!
 
#16 ·
I see puppies for sale where they list how many derby points the sire and dam have and also siblings of the sire and dam and if they made the derby list. This seems to be a big selling point to the seller but I'm not sure how big of a selling point it is to the buyer.
 
#21 ·
Bridget I've been kinda gnashing my teeth over this thread wondering if I should pipe up or not.

I read that horse jumper article.

I hope this doesn't come as to much of another dunking of ice water. ;)

Like everyone else I got the feel good, rah rah rah, don't push, let it come as the horse is ready, go slow etc. I'm not saying that that's bad, but I want to say that's not the way for most of us to build a trial dog. It takes steady, step by step, dedicated work to turn out a trial dog and then there's no guarantee that the dog will be good enough to title. It's really not hard work, mostly just steady 5 or 6 days a week work, week in and week out. My feeling is if you go to slow through basic yard work you bore the dog and if you rush to fast through it the dog doesn't get it. With young dogs, I feel there's a rough window of time when it's best to go through the program advancing the dog through the basics and then transition. To slow and they're bored and don't get it, to fast and they've rushed through and haven't gotten it, not regular enough in your training and you are often starting all over again not advancing like you should. If you go through basics and transition with a go slow attitude, you'll put things off, miss days, not give your dog enough repetitions to get what you're working on. You'll be competing against some of the best bred dogs in the world with the best training that money can buy. You can't make lots of mistakes! The good thing is is that you can compete with those guys.

I think the best way to get a trial dog is to train with trial dogs. Train your pup to the level of the FC's in the group. Figure out the steps necessary to get your pup to that level.

The Lardy program gives the best framework I've seen so I suggest everybody bring their dogs through that up to the advanced stage. You'll have to read your dog adjust the program to your dog's progress but I don't think there is a better program out there, and you NEED the best. When training you've got to have the conviction that you can get your dog to the highest level. If you don't think you can make it, you won't.
 
#24 ·
Bridget I've been kinda gnashing my teeth over this thread wondering if I should pipe up or not.

I read that horse jumper article.

I hope this doesn't come as to much of another dunking of ice water. ;)

Like everyone else I got the feel good, rah rah rah, don't push, let it come as the horse is ready, go slow etc. I'm not saying that that's bad, but I want to say that's not the way for most of us to build a trial dog. It takes steady, step by step, dedicated work to turn out a trial dog and then there's no guarantee that the dog will be good enough to title. It's really not hard work, mostly just steady 5 or 6 days a week work, week in and week out. My feeling is if you go to slow through basic yard work you bore the dog and if you rush to fast through it the dog doesn't get it. With young dogs, I feel there's a rough window of time when it's best to go through the program advancing the dog through the basics and then transition. To slow and they're bored and don't get it, to fast and they've rushed through and haven't gotten it, not regular enough in your training and you are often starting all over again not advancing like you should. If you go through basics and transition with a go slow attitude, you'll put things off, miss days, not give your dog enough repetitions to get what you're working on. You'll be competing against some of the best bred dogs in the world with the best training that money can buy. You can't make lots of mistakes! The good thing is is that you can compete with those guys.

I think the best way to get a trial dog is to train with trial dogs. Train your pup to the level of the FC's in the group. Figure out the steps necessary to get your pup to that level.






















/

The Lardy program gives the best framework I've seen so I suggest everybody bring their dogs through that up to the advanced stage. You'll have to read your dog adjust the program to your dog's progress but I don't think there is a better program out there, and you NEED the best. When training you've got to have the conviction that you can get your dog to the highest level. If you don't think you can make it, you won't.

Howard, your opinion is a well educated one and is what most I think will say. However, what comments could you make on any dogs that you have seen that have not done well but might have done well with a different (slower) pace? Maybe the dog needed a little time to mature, for example?

I would think that like people not all dogs develop at the same pace. Even Einstein had problems with his learning.
 
#22 ·
WOW! Really well written Howard! Thanks. I am happy you posted it.
Funny, you point out most of my issues...not regularly training being the biggest issue! which is why I guess I have to go slow attitude. I am my dogs's biggest problem as at the end of the day , after running a dog boarding/breeding/training business , I don't always want to get serious with my dogs. I am NOT as dedicated as what it probably takes to be an FC/AFC. But I hope in the years to comes, if my dog is patient with me , I can get to QAA....
 
#23 ·
"It takes steady, step by step, dedicated work to turn out a trial dog and then there's no guarantee that the dog will be good enough to title. It's really not hard work, mostly just steady 5 or 6 days a week work, week in and week out. You'll be competing against some of the best bred dogs in the world with the best training that money can buy. You can't make lots of mistakes! The good thing is is that you can compete with those guys.

I think the best way to get a trial dog is to train with trial dogs. Train your pup to the level of the FC's in the group. Figure out the steps necessary to get your pup to that level."

Well said Howard. You have to train often, steady, and be dedicated. If you hope to do good at this there is little time for anything else. You have to train the right way on the right things. If you train with a good group there is hope.
 
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