If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I am a big fan of using training, especially obedience training, to build a dog’s confidence.

We spend a lot of time training our dog’s in different disciplines.  We train them for hunt tests and for the show ring.  Those seem like two entirely different things, but they have something in common.  They both require the dog to practice obedience work.

Last weekend at the dog show we saw evidence of how a summer of hunt test training also benefited Freighter at the show.

After Freighter finished showing, hubby was standing outside the ring chatting with someone we know who shows his lab.  The two were standing maybe 8 or so feet apart with their dogs on lead next to them.

For some reason, the lab took offense to Freighter and started growling and barking at him.  It wasn’t a nice bark either.

If you read the blog, you also know that while Freighter won’t go looking for trouble, he is not one to shrink away when trouble finds him.  He has been known to answer a growl with a growl or a snarl with a snarl.  Understandable but not at all desirable.

However this time, Freighter did not even curl a lip.  In fact he was wagging his tail.  I was so happy that he was on best behavior because if there is any place you don’t want dogs to mix it up, it is outside the show ring.

Hubby and I talked afterward and we both agree that the time Freighter spent hunt test training all summer gave him the tools to deal with this situation.  Hubby spent a good part of the summer enforcing Freighter’s obedience even in the highly exciting hunt test environment.  We both feel that this went a long way to boost his confidence so he did not feel the need to react to the lab.

Sometimes training a dog can be frustrating.  Other times it pays off big!

Freighter
Freighter

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18 thoughts on “Thursday Barks And Bytes–Obedience Boosts Confidence”

  1. Good job, Freighter!! Donna usually ignores little dogs or other known breed dogs growling but when its other local mongrels like her, she is like Freighter and will return a snarl for a snarl *oops*

  2. Nice work. I know I like to mix it up with strange dogs, growl, or howl at them sometimes. Other times I’m the perfect angel and the other dog barks and growls at me.

  3. Such a reserved gentleman that Freighter! Owner awareness is a huge factor in behavior being exhibited by the fogs. Just last night at the edge of the training area, a cute little Springer decided she wished to move into Macha the Chessie’s space. wrong!
    People were chatting and assuming that these dogs knew one another? One can never be unaware! Macha has aged and is well behaved, until another dog gets too close! No dustup, but the growl.

  4. Great job, Freighter! And amazing job to y’all – all your hard work is paying off! I love it when hard work yields good results.

  5. We are HUGE fans of obedience as well. We use it in our everyday lives. It’s a must! I’ve so enjoyed reading your posts on all of the training that you guys have been doing throughout the summer. 🙂

  7. Penny starts her “big girl” obedience class next week! Puppy training was fun, but this will be great!

  8. If you read my most recent post, you know that I am not very dog friendly — except at the big dog park. Mum and my trainer (Phyllis) both say I need to learn better behavior if I am gonna be a service dog!!!!!! Oh, well — bol

  9. Good job to all of you. I know how hard you’ve worked with Freighter and it’s good to see it paying off!

  11. Great job, Freighter! Doesn’t it make you proud when they listen well and all that training time pays off? 🙂

  13. Hi Y’all!

    Still havin’ problems loggin’ in on line, though WLW works fine, we can’t get into admin to add links, etc.

    Freighter showed everyone how important training in a group situation is to us. If you and your dog never experience interaction with other people and dogs how do you think we’ll learn to behave in various situations. That’s what training teaches.

    My Human is a huge advocate of attending a good AKC obedience class with any new dog, no matter how well obedience trained. It’s how we learn to interact with our human both alone and in a group of other dogs and peeps.

    Y’all come on by,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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