My dog is 10 months old and I have not owned a dog previous to this for a couple of years.  I recently joined a dog club, which was very recomended.  After getting her to a good level myself (at least i think so) :)  to start in the club's novice class with view to graduating to there competition class.

however although i give my dog plenty of encouragment and praise they have said that it is not enough!  they want me to play almost twice as long as train.  It seemed to me that there was more playing than traning involved.  Is this normal?

thanx

For a dog to really enjoy competitive work they really need to enjoy it and precison is not enough on it's own.  This is why after getting a reasonable level of control they are concentrating on motivating the dogs.

This is where many people like myself prefer a flat but responsive to basic commands dog, rather than a dog exhibiting a lot of drive and enthusiasm, needed in competition, but what I woudl find hard to live with.  This is why I couldn't live with some breeds of dogs if they were the last ones on earth :D

Many years ago obedience training was all about "making" the dog do what you want by compulsion & it was very regimented, chokers were the only collar used & it was not unknown for dogs to be physically forced to do things in a manner I can only call brutal

Fortunately(although there still those trainers out there that believe that"might is right"& still use chokers & harsh methods)over the years kinder more play related styles have become more common.

Lots of competitive handlers use play methods to get the sort of stylish heelwork etc that seems to be very much the vogue & even that has changed at one time dogs "laying on"(head on the front of the handlers legs & body tightly almost wrapped around the handlers left leg & the hanlders having a very odd gait(some people still work their dogs this way), the current fashion seems to be the head on the handlers thigh(or whatever part of the leg their head reaches)looking vertically upwards to the handlers left armpit :O & the front legs lifted high like a prancing horse

Personally I like the dog working shoulders & bum in a straightish(as straight as is natural)line & the dog moving naturally without much prancing on the front legs.

To get the degree of concentration needed to work a dog in obedience especially in the middle & higher classes where very little handler assistance by means of verbal & non verbal commands are allowed The dog needs lots of motivation so play is the order of the day & when the dog learns that the concentration is rewarded by quality play then he/she gains rewards for the concentration

I must add that I had to learn motivational techniques very early as I trained a dog for someone else that had been to a "dog breaker"back in the 60's & she was terrified of any collar & lead(they had been used to punish her)so I had to develop a hands off play intensive method(I was lucky that my trainer was very forward thinking & innovative in his methods)& I used titbit & play to get her to enjoy being with humans again & we were quite successful in obedience but she never actually managed to win a class lots of 2nds & 3rds

When I got my first collie(had to wait a long long time over 12 years)I used the same methods & because she had no hangups she learnt happily & quickly & took me out of Beginners(no Pre Beginners in those days) at her first show aged 6 months 2 days & was working the top class c by the time she was 2 1/4 I did get loose my enjoyment of obedience when the laying on became so popular & opted out for a long time.

I was persuaded to judge again in an emergency recently & I was pleased to see a more natural style again. So when the new baby arrives I might just get back into the swing of obedience(LOL for my sins I am judging twice more this year )

There are some quite laid back dogs in obedience & with non collie breeds slowly increasing(I judged an increbible mini long dachshund dog whose attitude & enjoyment of working was very obvious, a lady with Keeshonden who was in the inter regional competition at crufts last year & a scattering of standard poodles who are quite successful(one won the bitch Championships at Crufts a couple of years back & her handler has another one waiting in the wings, just starting to win in the higher classes

If you want to give competitive obedience a whirl then yes training will be lots of play & less training, whatever you choose enjoy the time with your dog it is very precious

Training should be all about play.

All about enjoyment.

Otherwise why would the dog (or the owner) do it?

If you want to get to the top in a discipline then having fun with your dog should be top priority, this intensifies the bond between you and enhances your "work"