Tamaron Rough Collies:Obedience Champions

OBEDIENCE CLASSES AND TRIALS

Every dog, whether it be a purebred show dog or a Heinz 57 mutt, needs basic obedience. This should include come, sit, down, stay, off, leave it and maybe even "be quiet"!! This can be practiced at home but the most benefit would come out of being in a class with a qualified instructor. Here your dog would learn to listen even with distractions around him. We've all heard people say "he does this at home perfectly". Of course he does! At home there are no distractions, no other dogs, and it is usually quiet. Take your dog to a park, school yard, neighborhood function or even a parking lot to add distractions to his daily training session. Everyone will benefit from your well-behaved dog. Your family, friends, newspaper boy, groomer, and vet: will like your dog much more if it is well behaved.

If you are more of the competitive type ("my dog is better than your dog..."), and you have a purebred, registered dog, then prove it by taking competitive obedience classes where you and your dog can be trained to compete in CKC-sanctioned obedience trials. Here the dogs must heel (on leash and off) in a pattern with an automatic sit each time you stop, sit-stay for 1 minute with the handler across the room, down-stay for 3 minutes with the handler across the room, do a stand-for-examination, a figure 8, a re-call and a finish, all of which are marked out of a possible total score of 200. You must get at least 50% of the total mark in each exercise and a total of at least 170 out of 200. You must get a passing score three times in order to earn your CD (Companion Dog) title. Sound easy? It can be if you and your dog are well prepared. Sound like fun? Give it a try- you'll love it and so will your dog!! The only catch is that your dog must be a purebred, registered dog to compete in CKC events, but any dog can go to classes and then compete in fun obedience matches where no titles are given out. There are sometimes awesome prizes though! Check with your local dog club to see if there are any classes being offered where you live and enter the world of obedience!!

OUR OBEDIENCE CHAMPIONS

Ch. Gemstone Diamond in the Ruff, CD (Skye)
Ch. Tamara Foxy Lady, CD (Tami)
Ch. Tamaron's Barbie Doll, CD (Seiko)
Ch. Tamaron's Just By Chance, CD, HIC (Laddie)
Ch. Tamaron's Once in a Blue Moon, CD (Pia)
Ch. Tamaron's Sure to Delight, CD, CDX (Roo)
Scarlett's Wish, CD (Sasha)
Tamaron's Brittany Spitfire, CD (Brittany)
Tamaron's She's Got the Rhythm, CDX (Reba)
Trisfyn's Titan, CD (Jocko)

!My new challenge is putting obedience titles on many of my dogs this next year. First to go will be Deja (Ch. Tamaron's Deja Vu) with her dad Flint
and brother Frazier next on the list. One of our twin daughters, Brooke will be taking our male Whippet in obedience and agility as well. Kelly Anthony will also be taking obedience with her male Timber (Tamaron Legend O Th' Blk Pearl). I'll keep you posted on our progress!