Can anyone recommend a good obedience (for a gsd)training book, i have looked on Amazon and there are so many books avalible but this one pocked out Clicker Training for Obedience has anyone readit before if so what are you opinons.

Cordelia

Do different breeds need different books then?

no just thought i would say it was for a GSD before anyone asked what breed.

Cordelia

Remind me who wrote it?

morgan spencer

Ah yes, it is an excellent book.

Roy Goutte has a new book out called "get it right". really good , straight forward, loads of good tips.

yes i looked at that one too, it is soooo easy to spend a fortune getting books but a lot turn out to be no good.

Cordelia

Roys got collies, but it is for any breed. it gives info for the beginner to advanced, & lots of loveley personal experinces. its only about a tenner!

I bought myself a book called "Dog training in a  weekend" by Caroline & Keith Davis.  It gives you sarters to do over the course of a weekend and I found it really helpful.  It gives you tips on obedience training for puppies and adult dogs.  

Id also recommend the "mary ray" ob vidoes, "puppy to novice" & "novice to crufts"

Talking of Videos, Motivation Movie by Joanna Hill

The original clicker technique was devised by Karen Pright (SP?).  She used it to communicate with dolphins and it kinda caught on in the training world.  I've read some of her basic books and it's worth a look.
It would also pay to ask around in some local clubs as most are involved with competition obedience and they will be able to help you get started as well as recommend books etc.  Be careful about the club and if you don't like the training method then don't join!

MW

I have thought long and hard about clicker training and this is one thing that i may consider doing but i have to read up on it more to make sure i do it right from the begining.
There are a couple of clubs in my area that do obedience and agility but my only problem with that is the times they are held (i don't drive)>
Thanks

Cordelia

There are alot of people using the clicker in obedience,very successfully! the Mary ray vid shows this how to start etc! ive never managed to get to grips with it though! always got muddled!

Karen Pryor, author of Don't Shoot the Dog

can't find the video on Amazon is it old.

Cordelia

This net searching is not doing my dieat any good or my keyboard, its covered in sausage roll crumbs and my work station has tea rings on it from all the tea i have drank today :-D
Would like to find the videos aswell if i can, can anyone tell me where they bought them from

Cordelia

You can get the Mary Ray videos from Obedience UK. Agility Net sites etc
You can also get the Motivation Movie from Obedience Uk (look under Joanna Hill courses)
or from Sarah Whitehead who is a member of the APDT (look under APDT site or Alpha Dog Training Site

Hi Tohme,
  I was looking at the Motivation Movie - it's £30 - so before I go spending any more, is it a really good worthwhile video?  I'm hoping to start some competition obedience this year, so am always on the lookout for any good tips!
  Hilda

The Motivation Movie is produced by Joanna Hill one of the premier clicker trainers in the UK and a successful competitor at the highest level in both Obedience and Working Trials.  I have to say that attending one of her weekends was the first time in 11 years that I had been motivated to train heelwork :D  Also involved was Sarah Whitehead a member of the APBC and no mean trainer herself!

Joanna is a clicker trainer and the purpose of the video is to demonstrate that you can use a clicker and motivate all sorts of behaviours/heelwork etc with all sorts of breeds and is an introduction to the concept which you can take further on your own or with an experienced trainer.

Mary Ray does use a clicker although her videos are different.

It all depends what you want out of a video.  I have been to both Joanna and Mary and they are both excellent, Joanna probably has the edge on Mary on how to get her point across.  If I had a spare £30 to spend I would probably rather spend it on a practical day with either of them rather than a video!

Joanna Hill runs regular courses/days at various venues around the country, however she does have waiting lists at most of them.  I found her inspirational however, like me, she does tend to call a spade a spade :D

I believe that to seriously compete at WT and/or obedience you need regular 1:1 sessions with a "coach" who can pick up and correct things before they become entrenched bad habits.

However, this is only my personal opinion :D

Marys vids can be bought from crosskeys books -they often put catalogues in the dog press/mags

Have a look on ebay i got loads last week, which are all brand new being unwanted xmas presents!!! and they are all upto date.
We are moving to te back of beyond so no ringcraft until i get searching for a new one so i thought the books would keep me 'in the know'.
:)

looked on e-bay but couldn't find much in there, where r u moving to if you don't mind me asking

Cordelia

i stand corrected, did not realise they had a pet section in books

Cordelia

Hi! what area are you in? are you going to compete?

From Merseyside to Anglesey. :)
Yes if you go to non-fiction then animal care (i think) then dogs you should get loads.

ohhh did somebody mention Mary Ray? I'm going to see a demonstation by her tommorrow evening and i'm really excited!!

Lucky you :) She's fantastic and a really nice person as well.
                                                                             Anne

I recently bought Brian McGovern's Competitive obedience for winners.  I found it really useful especially the foot deportation.

Yes footwork is very important and should be practised a lot without the dog :D

This is also an excellent book. Mary probably has the best deportment ever.

Brian McGovern uses Charlie Wyant's techniques.  I can often be found in my garden "dogless" practising my footwork with book in hand and my dog looking at me as if to say what on earth are you doing now!

Can you tell me a bit more about the Brian McGovern book? It was one i considered but  heard the book asssumed you started with a pup and were going to use his programme all the way which put me off...is this right, or not?!

I love Jo Hill, went to a demo once and was dead chuffed she did some stuff with my adolescent dog and was thrilled with her, partly because she actually got to really play with her :) I agree she is incredible for motivation and getting dogs "into" doing things....a friend is working for her working trials CD with her 2 beagles and they really do need motivation as a breed! I am sure she will get her CD soon :)

The movie is more about general motivation rather than obedience, but for me it was unmissable as i find it hard to get to individual workshops as i dislike driving a long way to places.

I also have the Morgan Spector book and this is brilliant, very very in-depth and although i disagree with him over a couple of things, the book pulled a lot together :) I find i keep dipping into it.

I dont attend any clubs near me due to a difference in training methods so have to teach myself, rather frustrating at times but i do have a working trials trainer who keeps an eye on me when needed ;)

Lindsay

Lindsay if you are going to do Working Trials you will have to get over driving a long way :D Unless you are planning to do only 2/3 a year :D

I am sure Alex, Hector and Pocket will get their CDex soon too.

I don't really use books as "method to follow", generally I dip in and out and pick various things that suit me and my views.  I bought it mainly for the heelwork patterns as I don't really "do" heelwork and so I found it helped me with my turns etc.  Nothing beats a good, successful, experienced trainer though.

Hi Tohme

Yes, i must admit the driving is a bit of a worry for me .... i loathe motorways you see :( as i get a sort of claustrophobia with the traffic so fast and so close. I have attended several trials locally though which i can drive to, and have offers of lifts etc so i will  manage somehow!! <g>

Do you know Alex? I think her beagles are wonderful :)

Lindsay

Brains book is good,.easy to follow common sense stuff.most books are much of the sameness but can often pick up different tips etc

I still have Charlie Wyant's book "Heelaway your dog". Not many now would remember Charlie but for years he wrote a weekly column in "Dog World" until his death and also ran the Obedience instructors courses at Totness. One of the greats of obedience.

Best wishes, John

Mary has VERY interesting ideas about footwork!

Do tell!!

She dosent believe you HAVE to stick to the "accepted" footwork patterns, justs says "keep your knees together,so it will be a neat turn",
i think she has the MOST amazing deportment & never sruggles on the turns{like i do,....i think i have foot dyslexia!}

That's interesting, perhaps I will stop trying so hard, might keep my balance that way. She always makes it look so easy.   Knees together........have never been very good at that.....but I will try :D

Sandra

Good luck! do you compete at all? class/breed /area?

I compete in breed, just starting out in obedience, have my first proper show this weekend.  I am in the south east, how about you?

oh miles away then! south west! go to slough/upton park though.really good shows there. i think my boys brother will be at that show,if its the one im thinking of!
good luck with it,i expect youll get really nervous...this is entirley natural!are you going with friends who can help you find your way around? what breed/s? do you have?

I have a Border Collie, I am going on my own, probably best, might not be so nervous then.  What have you got and what classes do you work?

Get there in plenty of time then,other people will be happy to help you find your way around if you ask!
i have collies too,only offically working shheepdogs as opposed to B.Cs! i work novice & A at the moment, hopefully nellie will get her last novice this year! flynn,14months,is lovely,hes had 2 2nds 2 3rds a 5th & a 6th in novice already! hes totally obedience bred. nellie is half old farm lines, 1/4 Nz [clanabby B.aberdoone],1/4 caristan.
good luck!

Small world, mine has Clan abbey and Caristan in her too.  Very pretty girl, such a little madam but she does enjoy her obedience.  Good luck with your too.

Edited -  My last collie was out of Mary Ray's Mr Chips, dog of a lifetime he was.

On Nells caristan side she goes back to a son of w.cap ,sup int ch bill,who is in Mr Chips line! yes very small world ,dogs!
Nellie loves working ,shes held back by a stay prob & singing!!!! she sings in the ring when shes having fun & not everybody likes it!!!!!!

must say i can't wait to get my GSD to walk to heel on and off lead and only concentrate on me.
but then that could just be a dream at 9 months she is more interested in what is going on around her :-)

Cordelia

I found Brian's book really good.  I went to puppy class and novice class and learn the basics then when I moved to advanced training I bought his book.  There are really good tips in there.  I would certainly recommend it.  It even has little footsteps for you to follow in all the turns and different levels of skill.