Maddie - Obedience School
Originally uploaded by vicrochet
Outfit color is red, truest in flast pic at top.
People try to say that Scotties can't be trained but that isn't true.
Take Maddie, for instance. She is all decked out and ready for her obedience class. Yes, you can teach a Scottie to do ANYTHING....as long as they think it was their idea in the first place!
Maddie is made from 100% acrylic yarn, polyfil, safety eyes and nose. Her outfit, by "Build A Bear" is removable with a velcro back on both top and skirt. She is 11" tall from the top of her ears to the bottom of her feet.
When Dugan was just a pup we decided to take him to Miss Barb's Obedience Class. He started off in Puppy Kindergarten to help socialize him with other dogs. The emphasis in that class wasn't so much on actual obedience but on building a relationship with your dog. Most of it made a lot of sense.
One exercise was to go over your dog thoroughly with your hands. The idea was to get to know the details of your dog so if they were ever to get sick you would know what was normal and what was not. We inspected their ears, the pads of their feet and their teeth.
One aspect of the exercise went against Dugan's level of tolerance. Miss Barb expected us to sit on the floor with our knees slightly apart, lay the dog on its back with his head resting on our lap. Dugan was not comfortable at all in this position. I can't say that I blame him. Scotties LOVE to lounge on their backs but this position made his tail area squish against the floor.
He growled gently at me one night to say "No Mom, that hurts" so I immediately went to the next exercise where he was to lay on his side. Miss Barb wouldn't have it, though. She insisted he do the exercise. I tried to explain that is was uncomfortable for him but she would give it up.
That is when she decided I just didn't have "control" of my dog and she would do it herself. She grabbed up Dugan and began forcing him on his back across her lap.
Of course, Dugan bit the fire out of her.
"This dog needs to be neutered!!" she howled. "He is aggressive! Scotties are aggressive and they should all be neutered!"
No, Scotties have dignity and will tell you politely the first time if you are going against their grain.
If they have to tell you twice they will use emphasis.
I am happy to report that Dugan is still "in tact" and has never bit anyone since. Then again, everyone else has listened to him...
From the Scottish Terrier Club of America's Website:
"The new motivational methods of training now used in most classes, can allow the words “Scotties” and “obedience” to be used in the same sentence. Gone are the harsh commands, unexpected leash jerks, and regimented drilling. These have been replaced by positive reinforcement and creative, upbeat methods that can make it fun for both of you.
To find a good obedience instructor, get some suggestions from your local kennel club, your breeder, the Humane Society, Dog Show, Community Education Program, and your Veterinarian. Then you may wish to observe the class to see if they are using the newer methods. If the class is fun and the dogs seem happy, then your Scottie should be, too.
At the end of six to eight weeks of basic obedience, your dog should walk on a leash without pulling and should know the commands “Sit, Down, Stand, and Come.” However, your Scottie will likely still consider these commands to be optional, so you will still need to continue practicing.
There are five obedience titles in the AKC program: Companion Dog, Companion Dog Excellent, Utility Dog, Utility Dog Excellent, and Obedience Trial Champion. The dog must demonstrate a higher degree of training and skill at each level."
I had the pleasure of attending the Scottie Obedience Trials at LuLu Temple last October. I was amazed to see Scotties perform so eloquently!
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