Perennial's Obedience Page

What is Obedience?

Obedience training is the foundation on which everything else rests. Whether you plan to compete to multiple titles to demonstrate your dog's versatility or whether you just want a pleasant companion, training gives you the means to tell your four-legged friend what you want from him. Besides, training sessions are terrific opportunities for bonding and for developing mutual respect and understanding. Even if you have no interest in titles, a trained dog is a secure, happy dog and a much better companion than an untrained one.

Puppies can start puppy kinder- garten at anywhere from two to five months. At that young age, don't expect too much of your canine child, but do begin to teach the pup not only basic commands like "sit," "down," "off," and "stay," but also teach that learning time is fun time. Find a training club or school that uses motivational training methods and encourages supervised social interaction among puppies. Dogs are social animals, and puppies need to learn "doggy manner" from others of their own species.

The older puppy or adult should start with a basic obedience class. Again, look for an instructor who uses positive, motivational training methods obedience should be a partnership built on understanding, not a power trip for the owner. If you think you might like to work toward an obedience title with your dog, be sure your instructor knows that and understands the difference between training for basic home obedience and the more precise requirements of competitive obedience.

Competitive Obedience

Australian Shepherds are eligible for obedience competition and titles in several registries. The American Kennel Club offers titles from the CD (Companion Dog) through the CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) and UD (Utility Dog) to the UDX (Utility Dog Excellent) and OTCh (Obedience Trial Champion). If your dog does not have AKC registration papers, but is purebred and altered, you can obtain an Individual Limited Privileges (ILP) number in order to participate in performance events, including obedience.

The Australian Shepherd Club of American (ASCA) also opens its obedience competition to all breeds and mixed breeds, and offers the ASCA CD, CDX, UD, and OTCh. To participate, your Golden Retriever must be registered with one of the major registries (AKC, UKC, AMBOR, or the Canadian Kennel Club).

The United Kennel Club (UKC) also offers an obedience titling program. To participate, your dog must be registered with the UKC or with AMBOR (American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry). UKC competitors can earn the U-CD (United Companion Dog), the U-CDX, and the U-UD. The UKC views working titles as equal in importance to conformation titles, and therefore places all performance titles in front of the dog's name. In addition to its regular obedience program, the UKC offers an annual "Top Gun" International Obedience Competition.

One nice facet of obedience is that you can set your own goals you can shoot for high scores and honors, or you can be satisfied simply to enjoy going in the ring with your dog, achieving your qualifying scores, and obtaining the dog's titles. Whatever your goals, get a copy of the obedience rule book and read the rules before you enter your dog in a trial.

Perennial's Obedience Dogs

We are proud to have owned two Aussies and bred another (so far!) who ranked in the Top Ten Novice obedience standings of the United States Australian Shepherd Association.

Owned, trained and shown by Sheila

Since 1993, Sheila has trialed 9 dogs to 16 obedience titles.

Lily (UCDX Diamond's Perennial Waterlily RN, TD, ASCA CD, CGC) is just getting started at 2 years old. She earned her UKC and ASCA CD titles, all with placements, as well as AKC TD and RN, in the summer of 2008. She's getting ready now for AKC, ASCA, and UKC obedience and AKC rally in 2009.

Jay (UCD Perennial See You At The Top, AKC & ASCA CD, Delta Pet Partner, CGC) got a late start in competition (see his story on his page) but he was a delight to train. He earned his AKC and ASCA CD's in 3 weekends in April & May 2004, and his UCD the following year. Although he learned all the open exercises, Jay decided he didn't like showing (although he loves to go train!), and Sheila decided not to force him. It's no fun if your teammate is miserable!

Teddy (U-CD Thistleridge Highland Dancer, CD TT TDInc CGC) finished 1997 in 6th place. Teddy had 2 legs each toward his AKC and UKC CDXs and one ASCA CD leg when he died.

Dustin (AKC & ASCA CH Brookridge Dustin U, AKC & ASCA CD). Dustin came to Perennial with his AKC CD, and was ranked 4th for 1998. Sheila and Dustin completed his ASCA CD. Dustin earned both titles with all first places, a HIT Aussie award, and qualified for the Gaines finals.

Holly (Catalina's Simply Irresistible CD TDInc CGC) earned her AKC CD with Sheila in three back-to-back trials after about 6 weeks of serious training in 1996. Holly & Ted are the parents of our pups Poet, Harper, and Trophy, mentioned below.

Rowdy (WTCH CH Jan-Mar Tuxedo Junction, AKC & ASCA CD, RD, RTDsc) came to us with his ASCA CD. Sheila and Rowdy did some retraining, and earned his AKC CD in 1999. Injuries and advancing age prevented Rowdy from completing his CDX, unfortunately, but he did great in training for open ~ honest!

Sage (ASCA/AKC CH Kantera's Head of the Class CD, TDInc, CGC) trained with Sheila and earned her first AKC CD leg in Lexington, Kentucky, in May 1999, and was High Scoring Registered Therapy Dog in obedience that day. Sheila also showed her in conformation and she was Best of Opposite Sex! (That's what we like -- beauty with brains!) Sagie finished her CD in 4 trials (she decided to do a "Sit for Examination" at the 3rd one). Sage now lives in Australia at HevnSent Aussies.

Before getting "into" Aussies, Sheila was active in competitive obedience with her Labrador Retrievers (and she's come full circle, it seems!)

Raja (Raja Jain, AKC CD CGC)

and

Annie (Anniversary Waltz, AKC and ASCA CD, CGC, TDInc.)

Perennial's Obedience-titled Pups

Twelve of Perennial's homebred puppies, and 2 more co-bred in New Mexico, have earned obedience titles, including 22 Companion Dog titles, 6 Companion Dog Excellent titles, and 1 Utility Dog. Go puppies!

Perennial Alamo de Los Suenos, ASCA & AKC CDX, NA, NAJ, NAC, RA, CGC (Travis).

MACH Perennial Poetry in Motion, AKC: UD RN PT OF NAP OJP CGC; ASCA: CD STDcs RS-E JS-E GS-E; NADAC: EAC EJC-OP ECC TN-O WV-O TNG-N (Poet).

Perennials Ultimate Treasure CD OA NAJ FDX HIC CGC (Trophy).

Perennial Irish Harper AKC CDX, ASCA CD, CGC (Harper)

UAGI UAGII Perennial Spellbinder AKC & ASCA CD RA AX OAJ RS-O GS-E JS-E EGC OAC EJC TN-E WV-O TG-N AD FDX CGC HIC TDInc DNA-CP (Ben)

Finnish Ch, BH Perennial Mythical Demeter CD

(Demi)

Perennial Once Upon a Thyme, AKC CDX, ASCA CD, NA, HIC, CGC (Story)

A-CH Perennial Ribbon of Darkness AKC & ASCA CD NA NAJ RS-N JS-N GS-N NAC NJC NGC ((Zoe)

UCD Perennial See You At The Top AKC & ASCA CD, CGC, Delta Pet Partner (Jay)

Perennial Los Suenos Valentino, CDX OA OAJ CGC ~ Rudy

CH Perennial Ironman of Los Suenos, ASCA & AKC CD, NA, OAJ, RS-O, GS-O, JS-E ~ Mac

And co-bred with and whelped at Los Suneos...

Los Suenos Maxwell Perennial CD NA OAJ NAC OJC RS-N JS-O TDI CGC ~ Max

Los Suenos Nyree of Perennial, CD, FDCH (Jenna)