# Blue Ribbon Ricky



## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

:first: Ricky finished Numero Uno! Ricky and I competed today at the Palm Springs Kennel Club annual event. Ricky walked away with the first place, blue ribbon in Beginner Novice class. Actually he got two ribbons, a blue for first, a green for achieving his first leg in BN class, and a very nice travel food bowl, food saver, and water dish combo! We are all thrilled!!!!! :whoo:

Ricky scored 186 points out of 200. He lost 7 points for an occasional lag on his heel. He lost 4 points for lagging once on his figure eight. And finally, he lost 3 points because I had to call him twice on his recall. The judge was fair but he was tough. He NQ'd two participants. This point loss was really the handlers fault (me). Here is why, an explanation of rookie mistakes. 

I misread our starting time from the program that was sent in the mail. I thought we started at 8am but it was really 11:30am! So we get up at 5am, leave at 6am for the one hour drive to the venue. Arrived a little after 7am to allow an hour to get acquainted with the grounds. Presented ourselves at Ring 34 at 8am for competition........"no, come back at 11:30 for your division". :doh: The temperatures rose to the mid 70's (understand, this IS Palm Springs during the Winter), no shade (everything is outdoors), and Ricky and I were starting to come unraveled during the 3 1/2 hour wait! By 11:30 Ricky was losing his concentration and he was getting tired.....so was Popi! I now no why Karen takes a crate for Kodi and maybe some shade when she competes! Second mistake was Ricky pooped outside when I got him up at 5:30 am. I knew he was due again by 11:30 am and I was panicked he would poop in the ring which would be an automatic NQ! How can dog concentrate on his competition when he is feeling so uncomfortable in his loins? Fortunately he held off and 20 minutes after he left the ring he let loose with a pile that would make a Great Dane proud! Third, was our our training schedule. Ricky had not competed for the last year since competing at this same venue, but in a more difficult division a year ago. We were both unprepared then and we were NQ'd. 2016 was a challenging year for me with tremendous highs and lows. I was lax in my training with Ricky and there were months when we didn't train at all. In October, I decided to get back into our training routine after a significant loss in our family that left me devastated and so I decided to get back into training to distract myself. But mother nature didn't cooperate with our outdoor training. All the competitions are held outside on turf in Southern California and so we train outside on turf. Abnormally high amounts of rain, caused by global warming, prevented us from going outside on a schedule and all the turf is wet and soggy. So we trained indoors and on our concrete driveway, not familiar surroundings for Ricky in competition. The result is I cost Ricky 14 points in competition.

We returned home at mid-afternoon and I was exhausted. I headed straight to bed for a nap and Ricky joined me on the bed (maintaining his 4 foot rule) where we both dreamed about our excellent day. After waking up refreshed, sort of, Momi and Popi opened a bottle of Proseco and toasted Ricky while he happily munched on the bully stick I gave him to celebrate. All three of us were grinning from ear to ear. :grin2:

Pictures and video will follow in the next few days. Cameras and Momi are mutually incompatible! Fortunately, a neighbor was present at the show. Her name is Teri D'Martino and she is an occasional presence on Animal Planet TV. She took pictures and video of us in competition and she will forward everything to me. We also had professional pictures taken with the judge and all Ricky's loot, but that will take a week to get.

There were over 3400 dogs competing in the various divisions in obedience and conformation from all over the Western US. 34 Havanese competed in conformation. Ricky met a Havanese there, Maestro, who looked like his identical twin brother! As far as I know, Ricky was the only Havanese competing in obedience and he showed his tail to the young Labs and German Shepherds in his division.

I have entered Ricky in two more competitions later in January. NOW we know what we need to work on and come sun or high water, we're going focus on improvement before the next competition. Ricky and I are getting our groove back and we feel confident that our future looks bright in every way.

Thank you to everyone on the Forum for your inspiration, encouragement, and support. In reality, Ricky's success is your success.
Ricky's Popi


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Big congrats! First place at one of the bigger shows is something to be very proud of. You have worked so so hard with Ricky, and now you are reaping the rewards.

Just an fyi, if you are feeling up to it, matches will always make a dog do its business. I could never do it, but if you are feeling desperate...


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

How very exciting! Thank you for sharing in such detail, and I really look forward to seeing photos and videos later!

Congratulations, Ricky and team!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Congratulations!!! :clap2: Can't wait to see the pictures and video!


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## PaulineMi (Feb 5, 2016)

A huge congratulations on Ricky''s first place win! I'm sure there will be more to follow.


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Congratulations to both of you!


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## April R (Oct 29, 2016)

Congratulations to both of you! Way to go Ricky!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Absolutely FANTASTIC, Ricky and Popi!

I think you probably could have done this a year ago if you'd been in the right class. Don't worry about the lost points though it IS a good thing to check on where you lose points, so you can see is any pattern develops... I make it easy for myself to keep track by taking a cell phone picture of the judge's sheet at the end of the class!

You are right about shade and crates! Even here in New England, everyone who trials outdoors (usually for agility... except for the hunting breed specials, most obedience trials here are indoors) uses an EZ-Up and a crates their dogs. The EZ-up, a folding chair and a small cooler give YOU a place to hang out without getting baked and/or exhausted too! (you can even fit an extra chair for Momi!  ) In fact, as you get to know other people, lots of people will test up in groups and have a pot luck tailgate party at a trial.

That is more than a "larger" show... It's HUGE!!! We don't even have shows approaching that size here in N.E. I don't think I've ever seen more than 10-12 Havanese in the ring together here, and Kodi is pretty much ALWAYS the only Havanese doing obedience. For you and Ricky to be first in a class there, your second time in the competition ring is OUTSTANDING!!! 

As far as eliminating in the ring is concerned, did I ever tell you about the time Kodi and I NQ'd at a trial the first time we had to do a run-off? The judge was not being very kind, and was rushing me, Kodi hadn't had time to go pee, and during the off-leash heeling pattern of the run-off, he jut couldn't hold it, and peed in the ring. This wasn't marking, he just stopped and let go what seemed like gallons! He was NQ'd, so it wasn't just moving down to second place... it meant losing the whole leg.  AFTERWARDS, I found out that I would have been within my rights to MAKE them wait for me to potty my dog, OR I could have also just declined to do the run-off, just taking second place rather than first. (which would have been FINE with me!!!) But I didn't know any better, and because I was new to the game, just got flustered and didn't advocate for my dog. Oh well, live and learn!  Honestly, I'm pretty selective about run-offs now. Unless it's a run-off for High in Trial, I'd rather take the lower ribbon and the Q than take any chances!  Kodi doesn't care what color his ribbons are! 

As far as working outside is concerned, I have such respect for you, having to learn all this stuff outdoors, with all the added distractions. Kodi works well outside NOW, but he is 7 years old. I can only imagine how hard it would have been at the beginning of his career. Huge, huge, HUGE congratulations!!! :cheer2::rockon::drum::flame::whoo::first:


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

So happy for you and Ricky!!! Congratulations!!!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Good for you! What a guy!


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

Yeah!!!!! Way to go Popi and Ricky. That is so exciting you should be very proud of such a huge accomplishment. That is a massive show. So glad that after everything you went through that day you won big. Well worth the drive and even though you had hassles it paid off with your determination. Big congrats.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Awesome! What a great day! Congrats to you both!!!! 
Will be sitting here hitting refresh until pics and video show up.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Thanks, everyone. UGH, it is raining here today, but that didn't prevent us from working on our recall this morning before breakfast. This judge wanted recall to be at about 25 to 30 feet away. We have an open concept in our casa and it is easy to get that line of sight with Ricky inside the house. We're going to work on this until he is 100% reliable. Fortunately Ricky learns quickly. Momi is still walking two feet off the ground!

The pictures are starting to trickle in. This first picture shows us preparing for our sit and stay off leash while I walk around the perimeter of the ring. The picture is funny because I look totally confused and Ricky is looking elsewhere. But the exercise went off without a hitch and we got zero deductions on this exercise. I am also showing a copy of Ricky's scoring sheet. The judge gave each competitor his scoring sheet when the competition was over. I presumed that was common. More to come.

Some odds and ends from the show:

The show went for four days, Thursday through Sunday. I didn't realize this, but I could have entered Ricky on all four days in his division because each day had a new judge for each division. I thought we could only enter once per show. WRONG, rookie mistake.

This was a huge show. There were 36 rings of competition with competitions going constantly from 8am until mid-afternoon and later for four days. It's like that every year. Although there were over 3400 dogs officially entered in the competitions, there were at least 3400 more dog visitors and those not entered. Dogs everywhere and I did not see or hear one incident of not getting along. Ricky was just wide-eyed in amazement.

Everyone we met, total strangers, was very supportive of us. I watched a lot of the Obedience competitions over the intervening 3 plus hours. Ricky was by far the smallest competitor, being only one third the size of other 'small' dogs. Something about Havanese that make people want to root for them - the small underdog, looks like a skunk needing a major haircut, a windup toy, and that Havanese swagger with little legs going lickety split under all that fur! Ricky was the crowd favorite, any Havanese would be.

Second place finisher was a 13/14 y.o. girl with her young Black Lab, maybe 2 years old. I was rooting for her and felt kind of bad we beat them out. But she was thrilled with second and her team did a great job. She and her dog were totally in love with each other. I am so pleased to see young handlers in this sport. So many bad things kids can involved in today, they need other healthy, productive outlets.

Ricky was the perfect gentleman around strangers and other dogs. Except, when he spotted Teri and her husband. Teri has a Doberman and a standard Poodle and they all have competed in Conformation. Ricky knows all of them because they go on our weekly pack walks in our community. Ricky insisted that they both pick him up so he could give them besos. He was thrilled to see them.

We were constantly approached by strangers wanting to know about Ricky - what is it, are they fragile, how much grooming is required, do they shed, etc. Havanese are still rather uncommon in the Western US. One couple in the 40's approached us and asked if he was Havanese. They had never seen one before, only in pictures. They said they wanted a dog and had selected a Britney Spaniel, but the breeder said her dog would not be appropriate for them and suggested they look for a Havanese. I allowed both to pick up Ricky and Ricky worked his charms on them - oh so soft, very mellow, he weighs more than he looks, we travel a lot and he would be perfect for air travel, etc. Things were going good until they said they both worked full time. I said, nope not the dog for you now. I said wait about 15 years when one of you retires and then consider a Havanese. They were disappointed.

Right before the sit for exam exercise, before the judge asked me to step away, Ricky got the itches which is rare for him. Maybe it was a bit of stress. Anyway, the judge said, "let him scratch until he is done." I thought that was very fair of him. Then he asked me to move away and he approached Ricky for the exam and Ricky was fine. Zero deductions on that exercise. On another dog he NQ'd on sit for exam because the dog moved waaaay away from him, he took extra time in the ring to coach the handler and spent some time to let the dog approach him for a gentle touch while he reassured the dog. Very fair of him.

Okay, we have a bit of sun outside. Time for a 10 minute training session

Ricky's Popi


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

WAY TO GO!!!!:grin2:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Awesome! Actually, it's very unusual for an obedience judge to give you anything in writing. He sounds like a gem of a judge for new competitors!

And, yes, Ricky's scratching was almost certainly stress relief. No matter how. Hard WE try, our nerves are apparent to our dogs. They are very good at that... and it rubs off. . (This is something Kodi does pretty often between exercises too... They judge says, "Are you ready?", I look down, and he's scratching. I say, "not yet" and then we wait for him to stop. The judges will always let you do that. "Are you ready?" Is a real question. 

And Ricky (and you) look fantastic!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, one more thing... While you COULD have entered all 4 days, think long and hard before doing that. Many dogs don't hold up well over multiple days of back to back competition. It is fun, but it's also stressful. Go slow adding more days too close together.

I have learned that Kodi can't do more than 2 days in a row, and if it's a 4 day show, we do better by doing day one and four. Every dog's tolerance is different, but just keep it in mind. I know you well enough to know that Ricky's happiness is most important to you!


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

Big congrats to you and Ricky.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

We are so proud of you! Love seeing picture of Ricky and Popi. Awesome job you guys!


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

You guys make a great looking team! ⭐


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> Many dogs don't hold up well over multiple days of back to back competition.


Interesting you should say that. I was talking to one woman who entered her dog in three straight days of Obedience, Rally I think. She said day one they got Blue, day two NQ, day three Blue again. She said no accounting for that. Maybe there is! She also said to think of your lead as an electrical transmission line. Whatever the handler is feeling is transmitted directly to their dog. I think there could be a lot of truth in that.



> I know you well enough to know that Ricky's happiness is most important to you!


It is more important to me than life itself. If Ricky is not happy, I'm not happy. And more importantly, vice versa.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Interesting you should say that. I was talking to one woman who entered her dog in three straight days of Obedience, Rally I think. She said day one they got Blue, day two NQ, day three Blue again. She said no accounting for that. Maybe there is!


Well, things DO "just go wrong"... and sometimes it's not at all apparent WHAT went wrong. And in obedience, it's SO easy to NQ on "one little thing" and have an otherwise flawless run. I'll take a happy, up-beat NQ over a barely-qualifying-as-you-beg-the-dog-to-do-the-exercises Q any day!  Also, keep in mind that Q's get scarcer as the levels go up. It's common for most of the dogs in the class to Q in BN and N, but i Open A, the Q rate goes down to close to 50%, and Utility A, the Q rate is closer to 30%! So an NQ doesn't necessarily mean a terrible day AS LONG as you and the dog had fun. 

There are dogs who can compete day after day, moth after month, year after year. Those are the OTCH dogs. They also tend to be the high-drive BC's and Goldens. I just think it's better to go slowly when learning what your dog's tolerances are rather than make him hate the ring.



Ricky Ricardo said:


> She also said to think of your lead as an electrical transmission line. Whatever the handler is feeling is transmitted directly to their dog. I think there could be a lot of truth in that.


Absolutely true, but it doesn't end there. Once you are past Novice, (which is just the beginning of an obedience dog's career) they re only on leash to enter and leave the ring. believe me, even with no leash at ALL, the dog can still feel your emotions, very, VERY well! 



Ricky Ricardo said:


> It is more important to me than life itself. If Ricky is not happy, I'm not happy. And more importantly, vice versa.


We have a wonderful judge in this area, who reminds the competitors during EVERY briefing, "Be nice to your dogs. Remember THEY didn't write the check and decide to come!"


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Love hearing about Ricky being such an ambassador for the breed  Nino's breeder previously bred Goldens and was president of the huge Golden Retriever club here up until last year (her only living Golden is now 11...she figured it was time to let those more involved step up, though she was just the chair for their back-to-back 98 dog specialties. Yikes...), so most of the Golden people around here know her, her dogs, and since she has become my mentor, me. While we were watching Goldens the other day, I gave multiple club people permission to pick Nino up to introduce to folks who weren't totally familiar with Havs. During the 3 hours (no kidding) of Goldens, he was on my lap for just an hour of it total. Otherwise, he was shaking his Hava-booty and charming the heck out of everyone he met...as long as I was still visible


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarMar said:


> Love hearing about Ricky being such an ambassador for the breed  Nino's breeder previously bred Goldens and was president of the huge Golden Retriever club here up until last year (her only living Golden is now 11...she figured it was time to let those more involved step up, though she was just the chair for their back-to-back 98 dog specialties. Yikes...), so most of the Golden people around here know her, her dogs, and since she has become my mentor, me. While we were watching Goldens the other day, I gave multiple club people permission to pick Nino up to introduce to folks who weren't totally familiar with Havs. During the 3 hours (no kidding) of Goldens, he was on my lap for just an hour of it total. Otherwise, he was shaking his Hava-booty and charming the heck out of everyone he met...as long as I was still visible


It's interesting that Ricky and Nino seem to be more than OK with being picked up by strangers. While my dogs would all tolerate it, NONE of them LIKE getting picked up by strangers, and look decidedly uncomfortable if it happens. They are perfectly happy to sit beside some one (or even on a lap) on the couch, or to schmooze from the floor or the stroller, but being carried isn't big on either Kodi or Panda's hit parade, no matter who is doing it, and Pixel ONLY likes to be carried by Dave or me.


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## Bowie's Mom (Oct 1, 2016)

Salud to you all! It's a team effort to accomplish all you have done and all three of you seem to be working so well together. Looking forward to more updates and humor from you!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Here are two likely suspects at the Palm Springs Dog Show. NO! that is NOT Momi on the right!









Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

LOVE IT!!!!! :hug:


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## whata_dog (Sep 10, 2015)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Here are two likely suspects at the Palm Springs Dog Show. NO! that is NOT Momi on the right!
> 
> View attachment 132017
> 
> ...


Ricky! You are so handsome- congrats on your win!

Love hearing how it went!


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## Lisa T. (Feb 5, 2015)

Congrats Ricky and Popi! Can't wait to see pictures!


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

I just discovered this thread. It's nice to put faces with the posts. You should be very proud of Ricky. I would love to get Tux involved in that but I don't think there is anything in Naples. There used to be an indoor training arena but the owners just closed their business.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

goldanimals said:


> I just discovered this thread. It's nice to put faces with the posts. You should be very proud of Ricky. I would love to get Tux involved in that but I don't think there is anything in Naples. There used to be an indoor training arena but the owners just closed their business.


I just Googled "Competition Obedience Training, Naples, FL" and got a LOT of hits. You would need to ask some questions, because not all places that train for competition obedience are positive training based. You want to avoid places that use choke or prong collars, teach dumbbell holds using ear pinches, etc. I'm not going to tell you that these methods don't work... They definitely DO with some breeds. But they are neither necessary nor a good idea with a "soft" biddable breed like a Havanese.

Anyway, here's just one of the sites I came up with for competition obedience in Naples: SW Florida Professional Dog Trainers

Ask if you can go and watch a class, and see how it would work for you! If Tux doesn't already have his CGC, That would be a good, entry level goal for you.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> But they are neither necessary nor a good idea with a "soft" biddable breed like a Havanese.


I would like to add that it appears that most Havanese love to "work" following commands. They like to be given a job to accomplish. If you use positive training techniques, its just a game to them. They love the praise, the successful completion of a task, and working together with their master as a team.

I don't think Tux is too young to begin some very simple training. I started serious training with Ricky about 18 months. He was more than ready. I get the impression that Tux will like it too.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I would like to add that it appears that most Havanese love to "work" following commands. They like to be given a job to accomplish. If you use positive training techniques, its just a game to them. They love the praise, the successful completion of a task, and working together with their master as a team.
> 
> I don't think Tux is too young to begin some very simple training. I started serious training with Ricky about 18 months. He was more than ready. I get the impression that Tux will like it too.
> 
> Ricky's Popi


Absolutely! When I take one of mine down to the training room, the other two mutter around upstairs waiting for THEIR turn to "play". 

And an 18 month old dog is DEFINITELY not too young to start... All three of mine started at about 12 weeks.  Everyone I know who is serious about sports and already has some experience starts their dogs as soon as they get them home. Even if you don't intend to show, it makes them better household companions!


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

krandall said:


> I just Googled "Competition Obedience Training, Naples, FL" and got a LOT of hits. You would need to ask some questions, because not all places that train for competition obedience are positive training based. You want to avoid places that use choke or prong collars, teach dumbbell holds using ear pinches, etc. I'm not going to tell you that these methods don't work... They definitely DO with some breeds. But they are neither necessary nor a good idea with a "soft" biddable breed like a Havanese.
> 
> Anyway, here's just one of the sites I came up with for competition obedience in Naples: SW Florida Professional Dog Trainers
> 
> Ask if you can go and watch a class, and see how it would work for you! If Tux doesn't already have his CGC, That would be a good, entry level goal for you.


Thanks so much. I will definitely check this out. Tux picks up on performance quickly (and I'm not a trainer). He twirls on his hind legs for treats, lies down while his dinner is dropped on the floor in front of him but "waits" until i say "okay". He sits in the elevator unless another passenger goads him into "visiting". He sits in a sit-up position the entire time I'm getting his dinner ready (no prompting). He stops on a leash when I say "wait". He has run and jumped through a hoop a couple of inches off the ground with great glee. I don't insist on a heel position (he's 10 months old and is well behaved when walking). I will take your advice and go visit the SW Florida Trainers. I want to do this mostly to entertain Tux. I think he would like this. He's good around dogs but very apprehensive since an over zealous Bichon jumped on him (playing) when he was only 3 months old. He likes calm dogs but is Mr. scardy pants around most. I totally agree about positive reward training. I'll take it as far as Tux wants to go. Can't wait to check this out. Thank you again, Nancy


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

goldanimals said:


> but "waits" until i say "okay".


I would be very careful with the "okay" command. In the beginning I used this command often and ONCE at a practice trial. I had Ricky in a "sit" off leash and the judge gave me instructions and I said, "okay." Ricky took that to mean he was released and he took off like a shot and went to visit the dogs in adjacent rings who were in the middle of their exercises! :surprise: My machine came off its tracks and went spinning out of control. :grin2:

I have Ricky "wait" for his meals too. But now my release command is "get it." "Okay" is just too common a word in our language to be a clear and concise release command for our dogs.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I would be very careful with the "okay" command. In the beginning I used this command often and ONCE at a practice trial. I had Ricky in a "sit" off leash and the judge gave me instructions and I said, "okay." Ricky took that to mean he was released and he took off like a shot and went to visit the dogs in adjacent rings who were in the middle of their exercises! :surprise: My machine came off its tracks and went spinning out of control. :grin2:
> 
> I have Ricky "wait" for his meals too. But now my release command is "get it." "Okay" is just too common a word in our language to be a clear and concise release command for our dogs.
> 
> Ricky's Popi


Very good point!


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I would be very careful with the "okay" command. In the beginning I used this command often and ONCE at a practice trial. I had Ricky in a "sit" off leash and the judge gave me instructions and I said, "okay." Ricky took that to mean he was released and he took off like a shot and went to visit the dogs in adjacent rings who were in the middle of their exercises! :surprise: My machine came off its tracks and went spinning out of control. :grin2:
> 
> I have Ricky "wait" for his meals too. But now my release command is "get it." "Okay" is just too common a word in our language to be a clear and concise release command for our dogs.
> 
> Ricky's Popi


Oh that is SOOOO Havanese! What a hoot!

Good idea. Don't know if we will compete or not, but you are absolutely right about "Okay" as not the ideal release word. LOL LOL LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

goldanimals said:


> Oh that is SOOOO Havanese! What a hoot!
> 
> Good idea. Don't know if we will compete or not, but you are absolutely right about "Okay" as not the ideal release word. LOL LOL LOL


It's not really "Havanese", it's "dog".  They are very literal creatures!


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

krandall said:


> It's not really "Havanese", it's "dog".  They are very literal creatures!


I have owned a Boxer, a St. Bernard, a Heinz-57 Variety, and an Akita. This is my second Havanese but there is a distinct difference......or maybe I've just come to understand dogs more. These little clowns have personality and a quick mind times 10.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, I'm not saying there aren't differences between breeds! If there weren't, we wouldn't need all the different breeds! But ALL dogs, if they learn "OK" as a release cue, will respond to it as a release cue... It's simply a learned behavior. The human may not have MEANT for the dog to learn it, but they did.


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

Mine have no issue with "okay" as one of their (many) release cues. I don't say it in training in a way I would ever say it in a conversation (even in a one word response to someone), and they don't seem to have had any issues distinguishing between tones. By that logic, would a dog not hit the deck every time we talked about someone walking "down" the stairs? Or in my boys' case, sit pretty whenever I tell them to stop "begging"? Unless there something I am missing...

Nino does occasionally confuse his "down" with his "bow" as they have similar hand signals and sound alike. If I tell him to lie down and his rear stays up, I give him a "butt too!" and down it goes. Pretty funny, but something we need to work on (bow is, after all, much more fun for him that down)


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarMar said:


> Mine have no issue with "okay" as one of their (many) release cues. I don't say it in training in a way I would ever say it in a conversation (even in a one word response to someone), and they don't seem to have had any issues distinguishing between tones. By that logic, would a dog not hit the deck every time we talked about someone walking "down" the stairs? Or in my boys' case, sit pretty whenever I tell them to stop "begging"? Unless there something I am missing...
> 
> Nino does occasionally confuse his "down" with his "bow" as they have similar hand signals and sound alike. If I tell him to lie down and his rear stays up, I give him a "butt too!" and down it goes. Pretty funny, but something we need to work on (bow is, after all, much more fun for him that down)


The problem is that people's voices often change... A LOT under the stress of competition, AND the dog is keyed up and WAITING for a cue. So in THOSE situations, they are likely to pick up on something you didn't MEAN to be a cue.

Here's another inadvertent cue that Kodi "learned" and we are currently "proofing" against. On the Drop on Recall exercise in Open Obedience, the judge gives you all signals... to call your dog, drop your dog, call your dog front, then finish your dog. In two trials in a row, Kodi finished before I cued him. That's not an NQ... It's just points, but who wants to lose points you don't have to? When I watched the videos of my runs, I realized what was happening. We look at our feet as the dog is coming front, because it helps remind them to get close. When I lifted my head to wait for the judge's signal to finish, Kodi was taking the lift of my chin as his cue! So I WAS "cueing" him... but it wasn't my INTENDED cue, and it was subtle enough that there was no way a judge wouldn't call it "anticipating". 

So just because your dog doesn't confuse cues around the house doesn't mean they won't do it in a trial situation, and that's what Ricky's Popi was describing.


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## Chi-Chi's Mom (Dec 10, 2015)

krandall said:


> When I watched the videos of my runs, I realized what was happening.


Another great reminder of the value of videos. I have got to be more diligent!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> We look at our feet as the dog is coming front, because it helps remind them to get close. When I lifted my head to wait for the judge's signal to finish, Kodi was taking the lift of my chin as his cue! So I WAS "cueing" him... but it wasn't my INTENDED cue,


Yes, these are the kinds of things I was talking about. If I say, "Gunfight at O.K. Corral", Ricky doesn't pick "Okay" out of that string of words. But if I simply say "okay" to another person, it confuses him since it was one of his cue word. Therefore, I don't use "okay" as a cue word anymore. Another example, also on recall, is that I was holding a treat in my right hand on recall. Ricky would return to me promptly but would halt slightly to my right rather than immediately in front because he knew that's where the treat was. I am proofing that by changing up which hand I hold the treat in or I will hold my hand centered on my torso. It is working great! I prefer to give him a treat after his "finish" but that is not part of BN exercise and I don't want to confuse him. Now that I think about it, I think I will cue Ricky to finish after the judge says "exercise finished." That will cue him in our next level of Obedience competition.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Yes, these are the kinds of things I was talking about. If I say, "Gunfight at O.K. Corral", Ricky doesn't pick "Okay" out of that string of words. But if I simply say "okay" to another person, it confuses him since it was one of his cue word. Therefore, I don't use "okay" as a cue word anymore. Another example, also on recall, is that I was holding a treat in my right hand on recall. Ricky would return to me promptly but would halt slightly to my right rather than immediately in front because he knew that's where the treat was. I am proofing that by changing up which hand I hold the treat in or I will hold my hand centered on my torso. It is working great!


One thing that works really well is, even if you have cookies in only one pocket, put your hands in BOTH pockets when you reach for a treat, then bring your hands together along your midline, and deliver the treat straight down your body to the dog.s mouth, keeping your hands touching your legs all the way down. This helps with two things... It keeps the dog straight, AND it gets them in close on the front. Little dogs are notorious for not wanting to get too close on the front, because they can see your face better if they stay little further away.



Ricky Ricardo said:


> I prefer to give him a treat after his "finish" but that is not part of BN exercise and I don't want to confuse him. Now that I think about it, I think I will cue Ricky to finish after the judge says "exercise finished." That will cue him in our next level of Obedience competition.


Be careful of this. We usually find that it makes more sense to practice set-ups and finishes separately from the fronts. MANY (if not most) dogs very quickly figure out that every front (except that one in BN) is followed by a finish. It is really, REALLY common for dogs who are hyped up in competition to go right to finish rather than fronting, or to come front, but then finish as soon as the judge says "Finish" rather than waiting for the handler's cue. As I said, this isn't an NQ, but who wants to lose points for something like that!

At Utility level, Kodi is practicing the Moving Stand for Exam, which ends with calling your dog directly to heel. We almost never practice this part of the exercise, because it is so easy for most dogs, and you DON'T want them to get the idea that they should go directly to heel regularly.


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## whata_dog (Sep 10, 2015)

krandall said:


> One thing that works really well is, even if you have cookies in only one pocket, put your hands in BOTH pockets when you reach for a treat, then bring your hands together along your midline, and deliver the treat straight down your body to the dog.s mouth, keeping your hands touching your legs all the way down. This helps with two things... It keeps the dog straight, AND it gets them in close on the front. Little dogs are notorious for not wanting to get too close on the front, because they can see your face better if they stay little further away.


Great info... I have been working on Front and have been insisting on her getting close before the treat so will keep this tip in mind for when I give the cookie. 
My Lil Girly sometimes now gets SO close her paws are on top of my feet! ound: It is adorable and reminds me of my kids when they were little and "dancing" with me by standing on my feet. I have to giggle. I suppose this is not acceptable in competition huh? How do I discourage it without her then thinking I don't want her close?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

whata_dog said:


> Great info... I have been working on Front and have been insisting on her getting close before the treat so will keep this tip in mind for when I give the cookie.
> My Lil Girly sometimes now gets SO close her paws are on top of my feet! ound: It is adorable and reminds me of my kids when they were little and "dancing" with me by standing on my feet. I have to giggle. I suppose this is not acceptable in competition huh? How do I discourage it without her then thinking I don't want her close?


Just remember that to be effective, any "encouragement" to get close has to be BEFORE she sits, not after. Many dogs get in the habit of sitting then adjusting. The judge has to score the FIRST place the dog sits, no matter if they adjust to a better position after or not.

Another good way to practice close, straight fronts with little dogs is to have them come front with your feet slightly apart, and have them actually sit BETWEEN your feet. Then they have no choice but to sit straight. Another option is to throw a cookie between your legs so that the dog goes through your legs and straight back. That encourages straight fronts too.

As far as her putting her feet on yours for the front is concerned, you're right, that's not allowed in competition (though it would be points, not an NQ) but the fact is that MOST dogs back off in competition, so be careful not to work TOO hard on backing her off until you have her fronts RIGHT where you want them, and have done some show and goes or other practices of full obedience routines. If you have to back her off, usually just bending your knees as she approaches will be enough to give her the message.

Also, I know they sometimes do the cutest things while learning, but be careful NOT to giggle at behaviors you don't want to encourage... a laughing human is usually a big "yes" to the dog!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Karen, thanks for your tips, tricks, and advice. All great information! :thumb:

Regarding throwing a treat between spreadlegs for close sits, I have taught Ricky a trick which I cue with the word "bridge." It is a figure eight between my legs starting from the front, figure eight, and then a "finish" on my left. Of course I have to stand with my feet somewhat spread for him to get through cleanly. If I cue a recall with my feet spread, he sometimes gets confused and passes straight through my legs and into a "finish." Therefore, I now practice our recalls with my feet very close together.

Now, where should a dog stop on his recall? I believe the rules say, close enough for the handler to touch him without exertion. For me that is about two feet in front of me, which is where Ricky stops. I hope this is correct. In my opinion each judge uses somewhat different criteria.

What I am working with Ricky on right now is the speed of his recall. The further I stand from him, the faster his return. If I stand 30 yards from him, he returns at a gallop, peddle to the metal. If I stand 25 or 30 feet away, like in a trial ring, his returns are brisk, but rather casual, a trot. 

I have decided to leave the TV off today :smash:, even though it will be raining all day, and do something fun with Ricky like paying together and training. Come to think of it, I may take him to the Mall and go for walkies. Ricky will find that very stimulating and he can dispel some of the gloom on this day.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Karen, thanks for your tips, tricks, and advice. All great information! :thumb:
> 
> Regarding throwing a treat between spreadlegs for close sits, I have taught Ricky a trick which I cue with the word "bridge." It is a figure eight between my legs starting from the front, figure eight, and then a "finish" on my left. Of course I have to stand with my feet somewhat spread for him to get through cleanly. If I cue a recall with my feet spread, he sometimes gets confused and passes straight through my legs and into a "finish." Therefore, I now practice our recalls with my feet very close together.


Although this would be a WONDERFUL way to practice discrimination... Did I tell you "Front" or did I tell you "Through" (or whatever cue you give for your figure 8) We do the same sort of discrimination work on a sit box for stays. Sometimes we want the dog to remain in position. Sometimes we want them to come to us when called and sometime we toss a cookie behind them while releasing to the back. A well trained dog waits and listens for the cue rather than deciding what to do based on context.

But another way to practice close, straight fronts is with a sit box that fits the dog well. They have to get all 4 feet onto the box, and when they do, they will be straight and close. Of course you need to train the sit box first by itself, but the sit box becomes and EXCELLENT tool for all sorts of training.



Ricky Ricardo said:


> Now, where should a dog stop on his recall? I believe the rules say, close enough for the handler to touch him without exertion. For me that is about two feet in front of me, which is where Ricky stops. I hope this is correct. In my opinion each judge uses somewhat different criteria.


Yes, the rules say the dog must sit close enough that you can easily reach him. (remember, this is a beginner exercise leading to those where the dog has to allow you to take things out of hiss mouth... first a dumbbell, and eventually the glove for directed retrieve and the articles for scent discrimination) The exact wording is, "The dog must be close enough to its handler so that the handle could touch the top of its head without excessive bending, stretching or moving either foot." In actual practice, it makes sense to TRAIN the fronts absolutely straight and as close as possible without the dog touching you, because in competition, especially as time goes on, fronts and finishes tend to deteriorate. Particularly when they start coming back to you with an object in their mouths, if the behavior isn't REALLY strong, the dog tends to sit farther back, because they are thinking more about holding onto that thing in their mouths.

I suggest that you read through the rules for the exercises at higher levels too, so you understand WHY certain exercises are included, and how they progress to the next level. While the ONLY front in BN and Novice is on the recall, there 4 in open and 6 in Utility, so you can lose more and more points on poor fronts as the levels go up.



Ricky Ricardo said:


> What I am working with Ricky on right now is the speed of his recall. The further I stand from him, the faster his return. If I stand 30 yards from him, he returns at a gallop, peddle to the metal. If I stand 25 or 30 feet away, like in a trial ring, his returns are brisk, but rather casual, a trot.


Obviously, you want to encourage him to maintain at least a brisk trot, but that IS all that is required in the rules, and as long as it IS a brisk trot, you should get full marks for it. It actually has some benefits in terms of control... Kodi comes back like a bat out of H--l. Most of the time that's OK, but when we were starting in Novice, he very often plowed right into me when he tried to front because he was coming so fast. People would laugh because he was "cute", which only encouraged this behavior. It wouldn't have been funny if he was a 75 lb Labrador... he would have FLATTENED me! 

He (fortunately) did learn to slow down in time to front correctly, but his speed STILL causes some problems. On the Drop on Recall, it has several side effects. First, I'm a nervous wreck worrying that the judge will give me the drop signal soon enough that I can actually get my hand up to drop him before he gets to me. Second, he often has trouble dropping because of his speed. Several times he has skidded quite a distance when he has dropped coming fast on a slippery floor. One time he skidded sideways and rolled. THAT scared him enough that he started doing what is called "traveling". When I give him the drop signal, he takes a number of steps to slow himself down before actually dropping. THAT may feel safer to him (and I think it really is) but it's also scorable. A dog that TROTS briskly, is much more stable, with at least 2 feet on the ground as he starts to drop, and his speed is slow enough that he tends not to slide. So be careful what you ask for. 

The recalls are short in BN, but they are full ring length, so between 45-50 feet in Novice. I suspect he'll come faster once he's doing more than the BN length. You can also encourage him to come faster by doing exactly what you've said... Make the distances longer... If you are practicing in a ring, do it diagonally for more length. Another way t increase speed is to turn and run as soon as he starts toward you, and make it a game. If you do that, don't put a formal front on it, just make it a game and play, play, play when he catches up to you! Be unpredictable. That's the way to keep him engaged and really watching you, and more "in the game".



Ricky Ricardo said:


> I have decided to leave the TV off today :smash:, even though it will be raining all day, and do something fun with Ricky like paying together and training. Come to think of it, I may take him to the Mall and go for walkies. Ricky will find that very stimulating and he can dispel some of the gloom on this day.
> Ricky's Popi


I'm with you there!!! I wish dogs were allowed in our malls! Take your clicker and cookies along, and you can work on fronts and finishes and set-ups where ever you are. GREAT distraction training!!! Have fun!


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## Milo's Mom (Aug 31, 2008)

Fantastic work with incredible results! Congrats, Ricky and Papi!


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