We are currently training for our Gold Kennel Club award, and the exam is in two weeks. We just did our penultimate class before the exam. We have started practicing all the exercises in the outdoor compound where the test will be. The Pig is fine with most of the exercises apart from the stay and the relaxed isolation (the only ones that require staying still!). For the down stay, she just used to catch a sniff on the air (the compound is surrounded by scrubby countryside) and sit up, which is a fail. But now, it seems like she gets quite anxious in that particular compound and she has her tail right down when I come back to her. Because we have to do as the trainer says and have limited time, I can’t spend time in that compound myself doing short stays with lots of treats to try to fix this negative association she is building up. The trainer makes us do full two-minute stays, and the Pig usually gets up at 1:45ish and looks increasingly upset. She also looks very uncomfortable lying on the ground and keeps trying to raise her tummy up off the floor, which means she often changes position and fails. For the relaxed isolation (tied to a fence, and left for 3-5 minutes), she used to whine because she was bored, which is a fail. But now, again, she seems to be starting to get upset. And today it all went even more wrong, as they asked us to do a relaxed isolation, with me out of sight, when a cannon went off to mark the two-minutes silence for rememberence day. Obviously that terrified the Pig, and then I had to remain silent and out of sight listening to her whining until the two minutes was over, and then I returned to her against the trainer’s advice, because she was too upset. So now, she has really built up staying still in that compound as a negative thing. It was also freezing cold, blowing a gale and a sign blew off the fence and made a bang when she was doing one of her stays which upset her further. Ugh I feel really depressed about it all. It was already a challenge to train these two behaviours, and now I feel like we are rapidly developing this anxiety problem associated with our training class which I won’t be able to overcome in two weeks, especially given I have no access to the class compound between times
Do you have to take the award? It sounds like it's very stressful for both of you, and for what? In your situation, I'd take a break for a couple of months and come back to it - at a different venue - when I felt ready.
Urgh it has got even worse now, I am waiting in the car for OH who needed to meet someone briefly on the way back from Pig School. A little girl has just pressed her face against the window of the boot making barking noises at the Pig. I try very hard to get her to not bark at kids, as she finds them unpredictable and scary when they run and shout. Obviously she was scared and barked her head off and the little girl screamed at her and ran off now the Pig has barked at every kid that has walked past since. i’ll add this to the list of ‘things that have got messed up today that need fixing’
I wonder if you could find another class to complete this? I don't think I'd want to take her back to this particular compound without being able to work on her (understandable) fear. But you have worked so hard with her, it would be a shame to abandon it totally.
Yes you are right, we don’t have to take it, I think it’s my pride and perfectionism making me stressed about it. We were doing so well but this term we have slowly gone downhill which is why it is depressing. We were happily doing two-minute stays in that compound over the summer. I will see how she is next week but perhaps I need to swallow my pride
I was thinking just the same - Gold is such an achievement, but this place is setting him up to fail.
Unfortunately this is the only one I could find at the weekend, as I can’t get to weekday evening classes. The plan was to do this class until we pass Gold, then give up and join a gundog class for something different. I think that’s what is making me desperate to pass now as I don’t want to go back! But it’s silly as it’s a self imposed goal!
I'm sorry you've had these experiences. I too got Homer through his Gold more for my own pride (and Hubby's too, who now tells everyone Homer has a Gold Award). Our class and the examiner did everything to set up our dogs to succeed. Actually they were all so laid back that we often spent most sessions sitting on the floor playing with our dogs and chatting rather than getting much work done. Many dogs don't like sitting on cold wet grass, many people don't like it either, as far as I'm aware there's nothing to say that Pig cannot sit or lie on a towel or mat. Your trainer should be able to allow you to reinforce your stay and reassure Pig, ask if you can arrive a few minutes early or stay on a bit later.
It doesn't have to be put off forever, but I really think that the timescale is too short to be able to change her emotional response. You're setting yourselves up for failure. Just take a break, go do something different, or nothing at all, and come back to it when you feel you're both emotionally ready.
@Lara, sorry to read things have gone a bit downhill for you with this, I agree with @snowbunny , if it's stressing you out why not take your foot of the pedal for a while, and go back at a later date? I also agree that you have worked hard and it would such an achievement, but our dogs are not deadlines to be met are they? I don't think I could have stayed away from Cass if she got upset like that. I do think it can be a good thing to have a break from training something that is hard and going back to it later, you may be surprised how much has gone in. Regarding a child doing that through the window, really I think any dog would react in the same way. My father taught me never to approach a dog left in a car -- they are trapped in there, cannot get away and vulnerable. Daft thing to allow a child to do, in my opinion.
I agree with snowbunny I would leave it for a while, does it really matter that much, that she has to do it now? If she is not happy give it a break.
She can do the exercises you know this. So you have passed gold your certificate is in the post go and do something fun that you both enjoy. Life to sort to be miserable. Depressing training class title says it all. You don't have to sit on spikes if you don't want. I only did bronze with one if my dogs we're all ok.
You are all sensible and right, thank you. I think I knew this would be the answer, just didn’t want to admit it! I do put self-inflicted pressure on myself and have these silly made-up deadlines.
Ok, new plan of action thanks to all your good advice. I will go to class next week but observe the Pig closely and also ask the trainer if I can go back to her more regularly with treats and see how we do. If the Pig is still looking upset, we’ll not do the assessment, and perhaps skip next term and return for the summer term before the next assessment and see if we are in a better state of mind. I think the cold weather, biting wind and wet muddy gravel is also not helping matters. The compound is all metal fences with tarpaulin that flaps and bangs in the wind which the Pig finds a bit upsetting on top of everything else. And between times I will work on my own issues of perfectionism and achievements, which really make me anxious. I shouldn’t let those states of mind get into my dog training because it turns the Pig into another assessment to be stressed about, rather than a lovely funny velvety little friend that she is
It sounds as if you have made a plan you’re happy with. As everyone else has said, I wouldn’t press on just for the sake of a sense of completion in a situation where Pig is unhappy. I gave up bronze first time and did gundog classes instead. The following year I went back and did bronze and then the year after that got silver and gold. So pausing now doesn’t mean you can never have achieve it. I’m now a volunteer trainer for gold, and the stays, relaxed isolation and send to bed can be done indoors. At our club relaxed isolation is also done individually -each dog is put into a large storage cupboard, with a window in the door, while the owner answers the questions on responsibility and care. And as for the little wretch pressing her face against your car window and barking... grrr!!
Ah indoors would be much easier for us, unfortunately the whole training club is outdoors, expecting the dogs to lie down on wet muddy gravel. It’s fine for the hairy breeds, but the Pig (and a poor little shivery whippet) are bald-bellied and do not enjoy it! Not to mention all the sniffs coming in on the wind. You are right, a pause doesn’t mean giving up on everything, just a little sabbatical...
@Lara, so recognise those feelings you describe. I am a bit of a perfectionist too. I have this week, decided not to pursue Bronze with Red - I never set out to get certificates but the whole ethos of the class of course was to do the test and get one. I am going to focus on the fun training Red and I do instead and let the KCGCS take a back seat now until next year when we may/may not return. Bottom line, it’s the happiness of our dogs that is the most important things, not an award .
It's difficult being a perfectionist, another one here It took me a long time to pull back and realise that I didn't have to do everything which I did and I put Charlie in some situations that made him anxious i.e. indoor training classes, agility and awful "gun dog" trainers. None of these helped us and I felt so awful too @Lara you WILL overcome Indie's (sorry I just can't call her the pig because she's far too beautiful ) issues but all in good time I hope you are both OK. xxx
