Drilling for Motivation with Precision Paws
I’m sure everyone reading this article would call themselves a dog lover; someone who enjoys training and playing with their dogs all the time. Most days it doesn’t require much effort on our part to grab a dog, a leash and head out to practice our favourite discipline or just have fun playing games with our canine partners. Then there are those other days when we just can’t get off the couch to get moving. The excuses run thick and fast. Too hot, too cold, too busy, and sometimes we even use the dog as an excuse…he ran around so much earlier he’ll be too tired. Really? The list goes on and on. On these days we need that extra motivation; something that makes us take that first step and head out. We know we’ll enjoy it once we get going, but that first step…it’s a big one.
I can honestly say, we're a huge hit and a good time was had by all!
I’m am a champion procrastinator. As much as I love being with my dogs I do have days when it’s easy to say “after lunch”, “after work”, “as soon as I finish reading this chapter” or some other excuse that inevitably makes me miss time with the dogs. I’m always trying to encourage my doggy friends to join me for some practice. I like working with other people, it motivates me. Sharing training tips and helping each other with exercises that require an extra body, canine or human, makes training more affective and to me more fun. The problem was finding people who were willing and able to join me for some dog time.
Years ago I was part of a drill team with my Golden retrievers and friends from our obedience school. We had a wonderful time and many of the people from that team are still good friends today. Remembering the good times we had prompted me to organize a just for fun drill team that would hopefully encourage my friends to meet regularly to have fun while practicing obedience/rally exercises. I put the word out telling people about my idea and was thrilled when I had a great response.
We decided to meet without the dogs for an organizational meeting which of course had to be a pot luck dinner meeting! Nearly 20 people showed up! None of them had ever been on a drill team and many had never formally trained a dog in obedience, but all were very enthusiastic. We had a variety of dogs including conformation champions, rally, field and obedience dogs, rescue dogs, seniors and puppies all with something to contribute to our team. The excitement at that pot luck dinner was palatable. We decided to meet every Monday evening at 7pm., but we wouldn’t start until the first week of April thinking the days would be longer and the weather better if we waited. That evening Precision Paws was born. Wow! We even had a name!
Over the next couple of weeks I did my best to choreagraph a routine. This is easier said than done and although I did have something ready for our first session it required numerous tweeks throughout the season.
Our first evening was not the lovely, April evening we envisioned. It was cold and damp as winter hung on just a little longer. The dogs were meeting for the first time and although excitement level ran high they all behaved and seemed to enjoy working together. It was a wonderful opportunity to socialize dogs in a controlled environment.
As our weekly sessions progressed we prided ourselves in how well our dogs were doing. Afterall, they never messed up the routine, but the handlers did! The team settled into about fifteen members who faithfully attended each practice. After several weeks of practice we decided to take Precision Paws on the road. Arrangements were made to perform for some of the local senior homes. The husband of one of our members offered to put together music, which we had never used in practice and we all wore red shirts with black bottoms. The dogs sported black bandanas with their names on them. We were feeling pretty special and the audiences loved the routine especially the difficult “wheel” which thankfully we managed very well. Extra applause always came with the wheel! At the end of our presentation some of the dogs showed off special tricks and visited with the audience. I can honestly say, we were a huge hit and a good time was had by all.
Being part of the team was especially good for the dogs. They all learned to work in close proximity while working through moves very much like a rally course would offer. When you are walking quickly, in formation, and the music is playing, there isn’t time to plead with your dog to execute a down or to allow for forging or lagging. Each team had their own space so handlers and dogs all learned to keep pace.
Precision Paws stayed together for about 3 years. We added dogs, my own Dazzle being one, and sadly we lost one special boy, but the numbers stayed about the same and the friendships we made are still going strong today. As a result of their fun times with Precision Paws a few of the members decided to take up the sport of rally/obedience and are now working towards CKC titles. Others have gone on to enjoy agility, nose work or pet therapy as their way of continuing with dog sports. Some of us still get together to practice our chosen disciplines and we always remember the good times with Precision Paws.