Page 36 - Chow Life - Spring 2017_Neat
P. 36

Beginning Novice Obedience

                                           The Performance Chow Chow
                                                                         by Loiuse Wilson, CCCI Performance Chair



            Though I have earned many titles   a little verbal encouragement, in   attend as well.  Chief Solano KC has
          in obedience, rally, and nosework, I   addition to the commands.       sessions about 10 miles from my
          have not earned a Beginning Novice   Per the website, the BN test      home.  They offer both obedience
          Title on any of my dogs.   I entered   consists of:                    and conformation!  You can also
          Bronwyn in BN after she completed      - a short rally course which includes   check with your municipality and
          her CD and she flunked the recall      right and left turns, an about turn,   see if any dog training is available.
          both times.   She always got passing   fast and slow paces and a halt/sit.    Many pet food stores, Petco for one,
          scores in Novice B on the recall, but   This is all on a loose leash.  offer training as well.   Even some
          she would not come close enough        - a sit for examination, requiring   veterinarians offer classes.
          on the BN recall to get a passing      the handler to sit/stay their chow   I will continue training at the
          score.   Personally, I think she did it   and walk 6 feet away.  The chow   end of our daily walks.   I will
          on purpose!,                           remains on leash.   The judge   concentrate on the right, left and
            I have ring stewarded in most        approaches and touches the top of   about turns, the recall and the sit/
          forms of obedience and rally, but      the head, retreats and the handler   stay while walking a distance from
          not BN.  I have observed it a few      returns forward and around their   Bruno.   In addition, as I am a
          times.   My impression was that it     chow returning to the heel position.    member of the Davis Dog Training
                                                 The chow must stay throughout the
          begins with a short Rally Course,      exercise and  not shy away or show   Club, I will attend the weekly
          that there is a Sit for Examination, a   resentment.   Might be a good idea   training sessions, going over all of
          Recall, and a Sit Stay.                to remind the judge that chows   these requirements.  I will let you
            Bruno (GCH Fuchau Sweet              have poor peripheral vision and will   know how it is going in my next
          Lambrusco, RN, CGC) has                likely follow their hand!       article.
          achieved the Rally Novice title        - a recall, requiring
          and as a conformation champion         the handler to sit/stay
          is experienced in examinations by      their chow, leave and
          judges.   I do not think he is a good   walk a distance, turn
          candidate for Rally Advanced or        and on the signal from
          Excellent, due to his size.  He is     the judge, call their
          21 inches and weighs 80 pounds.        chow.  The chow must
                                                 come close enough to
          However, BN does not involve           the handler that it can
          and jumping.   I have started some     be touched.   No sit
          training at the end of his daily walk.     or return to heeling
          He seems eager.                        position is required.                               Bruno doing a sit
                                                                                                     stay
            As I have suggested in prior         - a sit stay, requiring the
          articles to folks interested in        handler to leave their
          competing in Obedience or              chow and walk around
          Performance events, I reviewed the     the inside perimeter of
          requirements for the BN  title on      the ring, returning from the front
          the AKC website.   It includes, not    and walking around to the heeling
                                                 position.   The chow is expected to
          only the requirements for the title,   stay in place while the handler does
          but what the judges are looking for    this walking.
          and what is permitted.  In Rally,
          you can talk to your dog through     You can train a chow on your
          the entire test.   In Obedience, you   own very successfully, but it is a
                 can only talk to them to     bit easier if you can attend classes
                 give commands.   It appears   and train with other dogs under an
                 that in the BN you can give   experienced trainer.  Many kennel
                                              clubs have training sessions you can           Bruno doing a recall
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