we've passed obedience A!

[sian]

Well, we're just back from dog-training, and Izzy's just passed Obedience A (KKUSH).

All I need to know now is what this means!! I know that we now move onto obedience B, which will stretch Izzy some more (Weims get bored so easily!). And there are some classes - eg agility - where you need to have a certain level of obedience.... But I don't even know if we'll get any paper-work to prove what we've done. I'm sure I'm not the only person in more than one dog-club? ho hum!!

It wasn't too difficult:
(all on-lead)
heelwork in pairs, with 3 sits called out, and of course the "Keer" turn, where the dog turns to the right on the outside, and the handler turns to the left on the inside. I hadn't encountered this in UK obedience?
teeth check, with an apporach by a "stranger"
a mingling exercise, where you wander in and out of other dogs in a heel, with some sits
Some "drill work", with turns and close heel-work in a line (I was leader, so I had to remember which way!!)
and finally a slalom.

I knew Izzy could do it - we've been doing more challenging stuff in the English classes we go to - but would my Dutch be up to it!?
I now know that "doorstap" means to go faster, or "step out" a little. I was a little confused - I couldn't see any doorways, and I wasn't selling insurance!! ;D ;D

[sledgehammer]

He Sian!!

congrats to you and Izzy!!!
A job well done! And all this in Dutch! GREAT

[jai]

Hi Sian..
Job Well Done! Great that you could do the dutch. Great information too.. about what you and Izzy did!
Good Luck on the next level..
jai and falko

[marjolein]

Well done!

[Ann]

Congratulations to Izzy & Sian

Sian, I'll try to clarify the Belgian obedience program a little. Remind though that this is NOT the same as the obedience you can watch at the Crufts programs on the BBC. That obedience also exists in Belgium, but is not as popular as the "Belgian obedience".

The "brevet" as they call it in Dutch, is the first "official" obedience certificate you can get from the KKUSH in Belgium. This test is taken in an official competition and is judged by KKUSH judges. Most KKUSH affiliated clubs organize one such competition a year.
Once you get your "brevet" you can compete in the "Debutants" competitions. From there on - depending on your results in the competition year - you can pass (or not pass ) to the next level which is "Program I". Again, depending on your results in the competitions, you can pass to the next & highest level "Program II".
So every weekend all year round, there are official competitions all over Belgium for these levels.
(In the 2 highest levels, most of the dogs are border collies and other shepherds).

Now the clubs are free to organize their levels (classes) as they wish. The goal is to prepare the dog & conducter gradually for the "brevet" .
So below this "brevet", a lot of clubs use classes from A to C, but I know of clubs where it goes from A to E or even F. So the difficulty levels also differ from club to club.
You pass from one class to another with a internal test in the club - judged by the club instructor(s), and not by KKUSH judges. In the "highest" class that you can reach by passing these "internal tests", you will be prepared to pass the "brevet" test in an official competition.
The training classes for the levels above the "brevet" are usually named after the KKUSH designations (debutants, progr I and progr II classes).

In our club for instance, to get from A to B class, the test consists of :
Heelwork on the lead - Retrieve an object - Showing teeth and being touched by stranger - Refusal of food - Down & Stay for 1 minute - Calling the dog to you from a certain distance - the 3 positions "sit, down, stand up" in either order (determined by the instructor)

[sian]

Thank you, Ann. That is a very helpful insight to the system!

It must seem strange to you that I could do tests, pass them, and still not know what I've done! I do know that to do Agility at the Tienen Club Izzy has to have reached level B (not sure if that means she's in "B" class, or has passed "B" test, but that's by the by, as she's too young, and they've no one to teach the class at the moment!)

Meanwhile, I will continue with the classes, so long as I'm allowed to use my "gentle" training methods. I think it's good experience for us, anyway. It's oh so different from the training I've done in the UK! I've just looked at the time-table, and the classes go from A to D. So the class I've watched on the other field was "C". Well - nothing too shocking, from what I saw... We'll see how good she can be with all the other distractions!

Yikes! I've just noticed that Class "B" doesn't start until 21.15h !! I'll be ready for my hot chocolate by the end of that!! Just have to hope that I can stay awake for the drive home again!

[sledgehammer]

Hi Sian,

About that agility thing..

On the club website I found following info regarding admission to the agility class:

1. The dog has to be 1 year old and have no problems with the 'hinge' (=gewrichten)
2. The dog and owner has to attend the 'B-class' (not passed but be in it)
3. Candidates have to pass a trial where the dog has to stay with the owner unleashed and have a good social behaviour towards other dog's and people.

And we could say to them :
1. get a trainer to give the agilty class ;D

How old is Izzy now?
I'll have to wait another 6 months before Anubis is old/grown enough to attend this class...
Hopefully they find someone to give this class by then...

[sian]

That was my understanding, too, Gilbert. Glad to know that I wasn't too far off the mark!

Izzy is 10 months old at the moment. She has no problems with her hips (I guess that's the "gewrichten") and both parents have good hip scores...

We've done numerous obstacle courses, including cone and post weaves, off-lead in our English-language class, so that shouldn't be a problem. And whilst a little wary of overly-assertive dogs, or v vocal dogs (like the talkative Belgian Shepherd next to us last night!), she is never aggressive, and will keep focused, I think.

So - yup - time to start pushing for a trainer!! What's the point of having a lovely set of agility equipment, and no one to use it?!!

[Alkemist]

Congrats Sian and Izzy It's a great feeling to have something like this under your belt, well done.

Nina

[Locco]

Big congratulations to both of you Sian and Izzy!! Wel done Continue the good work with your dog and your Dutch.

[Wetdog]

Congratulations Sian and Izzy! Keep up the good work!