BEGINNING IN OBEDIENCE

Obedience trainer Anne Jones first fell in love with Rhodesian Ridgebacks in college, after meeting what she describes as "just a super sweet, smart dog." When the time came to purchase her own canine companion, she naturally chose a Ridgeback. But as she began training for obedience competition, she realized she had confused smarts with trainability.

Many words describe the Rhodesian Ridgeback, but "obedient" is not necessarily the first one that comes to mind. Ridgebacks may be loyal, charming, handsome, and true, but most are also independent and strongwilled, with a zany sense of humor that manifests itself through misbehaving at inopportune times, particularly in the show ring.

But don't let the breed's reputation discourage you. With a lot of patience and a little hard work, it is possible to win accolades-and ribbons-in the obedience ring. For inspiration and advice, read on to see how Jones and the owners of the 1996 top five obedience Ridgebacks have managed to put multiple titles on their dogs.

Intelligence Versus Trainability

To begin, it's necessary to recognize the difference between a Rhodesian Ridgeback and breeds that you more commonly see in the obedience ring, such as Golden Retrievers. "Ridgebacks are intelligent dogs, which is not the same thing as obedient dogs," says Jones. "That's not to say they are untrainable. "You just can't train them the same way as some other breeds." The challenge for Ridgeback owners is finding the methods that work for their dogs.

Jones has three dogs ("Ridgebacks are like potato chips," she says. "You can't just have one.") and has obedience titles on each, including Utility Dog (UD), one of the highest obedience titles you can earn. As a professional trainer, she works with numerous breeds. "I've found that Ridgebacks are very quick to learn a skill and have excellent retention," she says, adding that they often catch on faster than more well-known "obedience" breeds. The difficulty then becomes motivating the dog to perform.

"They have two drives; one to please you and one to please themselves," says Pat Brunstetter, owner of Ch. Wheatridge's O B Joyful O'Kahlu UD, who tied for third place in 1996. "Their drive to please themselves is pretty well-developed, so you need to train them to want to please you."

At the same time, it's important to be aware that Rhodesian Ridgebacks are also closely attuned to the moods of their owners, according to Virginia Gore, owner of Ch. Howlyn Samson Hung the Moon CD, the number five dog. "If they think they're making a mistake, they shut down. They don't even want to try, because they don't want a conflict with you," says Gore. To further complicate matters, Ridgebacks also have an innate sense of when a correction is deserved and when it is not, which can make training particularly difficult for the novice owner.

"They are fair dogs," says Brunstetter. "If you offend that sense of fairness, you've lost them."

But there are also advantages to working with Ridgebacks in the obedience ring, according to Maureen Tauber, whose dog Kimani's Bad and Beautiful CDX was the number one obedience dog for 1996. "They don't necessarily put their own twist on every exercise, and they aren't as easily distracted as some of the other breeds," she says. "It's hard work to perfect, but you get a more solid product at the end."

Training Techniques

Once you've got a handle on the Ridgeback's personality, take some time to explore training methods. Although each owner interviewed used a slightly different technique, they all agreed on a few basics:

• Use a positive approach. Ridgebacks just don't respond well to the more punitive, traditional methods that are used so successfully on working breeds. Joy Gochman, whose dog FC Kimani's Sea Witch CDX SC tied for third place, agrees, adding that her training style has evolved from one that relied heavily on corrections to one where her goal is simply for the dog to enjoy the sport of obedience more. And what constitutes enjoyment for her dog? The answer, as any Ridgeback owner can attest, is simple.
  

  "Lots of food. I'd be in trouble without it," says Gochman. "I will try different things but I rely heavily on food." She's not alone. All of the owners interviewed use food in varying degrees; some noted that they had originally tried training without it and have noticed a marked improvement in their dog's attitude since they introduced food.

  Other keys to the positive approach include keeping training sessions super short-some owners train for no more than 10 to 15 minutes at a timeÑand avoiding repetition. Ridgebacks get bored fairly easily, notes Gochman. "Keeping them happy and motivated in the ring is the biggest challenge."

  Almost all of these owners agreed that corrections have their place, however. "Compulsion is not a four-letter word," says Brunstetter, adding that it doesn't mean abuse. A correction can range from simply telling the dog "Oops," and repeating the exercise correctly, to placing a finger in a buckle collar and tugging. The key is to make the correction fit the situation.

  "You should never correct the dog harshly if he doesn't understand why you are correcting him," says Jones. "On the other hand, don't hesitate to correct them when they know they are misbehaving. They will test you to see if you really mean it."

• Seek assistance. All of the owners interviewed work with a partner or trainer, even those who have begun giving obedience lessons on their own. A good trainer can help you avoid making mistakes and shorten the training period. If you are just starting out in obedience with your dog, consider looking for a school or trainer that:
  • allows you to attend a session without your dog to get a feel for how the class is taught.
  • uses a positive approach.
  • has experience with Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
  • can help you with your footwork for the obedience ring.

  An obedience class can also help prepare your dog for the rigors of competition by providing distractions such as other dogs, interesting smells, and new locations.

  Of course, obedience schools aren't the only method of instruction. You can also pick up valuable information from videos, seminars, and books (see sidebar). No matter which method you choose, make sure it's something you are comfortable with, and remember that you can also pick and choose the approaches that work best for you. The most important thing to remember is that you know your dog, and what works for him, better than anyone. " Go with your gut," says Tauber. "If something doesn't feel right, don't do it. There's almost always another way."

• Think it through. One piece of advice everyone agreed on was that training Rhodesian Ridgebacks requires a cerebral approach. In order for the dog to understand what you want, you first have to understand what you are trying to teach.

  Tauber uses the analogy of trying to communicate in a foreign language. "You need to ask yourself, 'Am I encouraging and am I clear?'" she says. In addition, you need to ensure that you are explaining what you want in a way that makes sense to your dog.

  If the dog is not performing well, the first place to look is in the mirror. "If there's a problem, it's usually because I haven't explained it properly," says Brunstetter. If she hits a snag during training, she'll often take the night off to think about what's going wrong. "The problem may still be there in the morning, but you may have a better approach. (To be successful) you really have to figure out how your dog thinks. It's a brainy approach," she notes.

  For example, Tauber found that when she competed with one of her Ridgebacks in advanced obedience, the dog had a difficult time with an exercise that required her to select, from among several articles, the one that had been handled by her owner. "After thinking about it, I realized that I'd made the exercise too easy for her during training, so that when she was stressed during competition she didn't know how to work through it," Tauber says. To correct the problem, Tauber went back to working on the articles exercise, but with a twist. She made the exercise more difficult for the dog, not in a punitive way, but in a way that encouraged her to think. For example, Tauber would stack articles on top of each other, so the dog had to work harder to figure out which one was correct. By thinking through the problem, Tauber came up with an answer that helped her dog succeed.

• Keep a sense of humor. This is perhaps the most essential element for training and competing successfully. As one owner puts it "There are days when, if you can't laugh, you'll cry." Meryl Suess, owner of Juba Lee's Dakota Buckeroo CDX, the number two dog, recalls the time one of her dogs was retrieving over the jump and decided to bring back both the dumbbell and a piece of white plastic that was blowing around the ring "just to be on the safe side." Luckily, the dog qualified anyway.

  Gochman also had a close call. When working her dog Gizmo on hand signals, he had an itch attack. "He started rubbing his head and back on the ground, and pretty soon he had his eyes shut and he was upside down," she says. The judge chose that point to have her signal her dog to sit. Gochman waited until Gizmo had one eye partially open, but as she was halfway through the signal the dog's eye snapped shut. "I just froze halfway," Gochman recalls, until finally she had to complete the signal. Despite appearances, Gizmo had actually been paying attention and "just popped into a sit," Gochman says with relief.

  No matter how your dog chooses to entertain himself during obedience training and competition, try to maintain a sense of perspective. Which brings us to the final point:

• Have fun. Do obedience work with your dog because you enjoy itÑthere's really no other reason. "I really wanted to do obedience with my first Ridgeback because I was intrigued by the sport," says Suess. "I remember being told 'Well, this may not be the best breed for that,'" Despite the advice, Suess persevered, and competes in an area of the country where a score of 197 out of a possible 200 can mean just qualifying, not placing.

"It's tough showing here because we have some of the top trainers, but it's interesting to learn from them and to have some of the best dogs in the country in your class. It's also a thrill if you beat them," Suess says. "Just don't give up. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are smart and they can do it."