Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks for Success At Club

Show up on time! Try to stay until all dogs have been trained. You can learn a lot from other handler's work!
To be successful, show up to training regularly. Twice a week is ideal, but aim to make it out at least once a week.
Potty your dog before every training session. The Sandhills potty area is the back corner of the lot. Pick up poop immediately! There is a trash can for bags, or you may scoop and place the poop over the fence in the corn field.
- If your dog pees on the training field, you owe the club a six pack. Poop will cost you a twelve pack.
All dogs must be leashed in the parking area.
Dogs must be in a crate to come to training.
This is a team sport! Work together as a group to get things done - be a spotter or a group member, help set up and tear down the field, get sleeves ready for protection, hold a line if you are able, etc.
Pay attention when others are training. You might be asked to do the same thing that another team was doing.
Ask questions! Anytime you don't understand something, even if it is not your dog, ask! Ask other club members during sessions or you can ask Julio or the helpers in between or after sessions.
Be open to help and criticism! There are a lot of talented handlers in our club. Listen thoughtfully and ask for clarification if you need it. We're all here to help and we don't want you to struggle through the same mistakes we have made in the past!

The ideal time to start tracking your dog? Right now.
While you can track on any natural ground, ideal tracking is:
- On ground cover that is thick, and 2-4 inches tall
- Damp
- Easy to see where your footsteps are
You can track any time of day - but morning is typically best. There's dew in the summer and frost in the winter which makes seeing your track way easier.
You should practice tracking on all ground cover (grass, hay, dirt, weeds, patchy grass, light leaf coverage, etc), all times of the day, and in all weather conditions (hot sun, rain, wind, etc)!
Use bait that your dog is motivated by! For some dogs, their kibble is enough motivation. Fresh Pet from the refrigerated section of the store is a good choice (I freeze mine to make it easier to work with and longer lasting). Hot dogs are a popular choice.

Good obedience starts with a PLAN. Know what you want to work on before you hit the field on club days.
Practice at home! At the store! Everywhere!
Work throughout the week with your dog, and then come to club with questions and problems you have been having so we can help!
Ask for a spotter! Anyone can help spot! Tell your spotter what you want them to mark - "Tell me when my dog is sitting all the way down" or "Mark when her heeling is looking nice - prancy feet and in the right position."
At Sandhills, spotters will tend to mark with a number, so the dogs are less likely to change behavior when they hear the number. Listen for numbers! The number doesn't matter - they're all good. Avoid 'six' and 'nine' because they sound like sitz and nein.
Be aware of what other members are doing around you. Try not to work directly in front of the jumps when people are practicing retrieves. Keep an eye out for someone attempting to do a send out.
Have control of your dog at all times! Either an e-collar or a leash. Untrained dogs should always be on a leash.

Do not practice bite work at home! There is a high chance of making mistakes, and then Julio & our helpers will have to work extra hard to help your dog unlearn those mistakes!
If you need help holding your dog's line - ask for help!
A lot can happen in just one protection session. Ask clarifying questions after the session is completed.
If you don't understand what the helper is asking you to do in the moment, ask! Either the helper or your line holder should be able to explain!
Protection is fast paced and can feel overwhelming. Everyone feels that way at some point!
Sometimes sessions can be super short - if the dog is young, if it had a particularly good bite, if it had been anxious but was briefly successful - it can be more advantageous and helpful for the learning dog to be done and carry the sleeve out than to repeat the same exercise multiple times.
With new dogs, your only job is to stand in one spot, keep the leash the same length, don't say anything, and watch the helper. This is called "being a post" or "posting up." Anchor your feet, bend your knees, and hold on! Posts don't talk to their dog. It is critical that the helper is able to tell where the dog can reach so don't move and don't let the leash go!
If your dog is big or strong or, alternatively, you are little, ask Ali to teach you how to more securely hold your line.