A little heeling (video)

OK, first off, I giggled at your spitting skills...[]
Despite that, you may be happy to know that I asked Julia about you and among other things she called you "a perfect student". I consider that high praise from that source!!  Good job, Rah!  What's his next competitive level you're prepping him for?

I swear to god in every other video that night he caught everything I spit at him. Of course, right then he misses, ya know? I'm blushing at home right now from the kind words from Julia She is actually the reason I did anything at all with my first dobe - she was the first trainer who told me he WASN'T a bad dog, and that he had POTENTIAL. So for that, I will always be thankful for!

Right now Rah is working seriously  (or not so seriously, depending on how you look at it!) in obedience, which is my focus. I had planned on doing a lot of schutzhund with him, but I don't have the time right now to devote to that fully unfortunately - I think he can get his BH easily, probably OB and TR titles, and his trainer thought a Sch I would be easy, but we shall see.

I am trying to resist taking him out too early - he could probably get a CD now if I pushed him, but my secret goal (or not so secret) is I dream of an OTCH. Ideally, the dream involves making him the first rescue OTCH there is in the dobe breed! SO I am trying to tell myself that except for nationals (DPCA and UDC), I am not going to show in OB until he's trained through open and utility completely. However, I may bring him out in Rally soon, just to get his feet wet. But I don't want to spend years in the novice ring, or the open ring So I would just prefer to have him at least trained in the fundamentals of all levels before he goes out.

He's going for his TT next weekend, and I want to put a WAC on him this year as well. Ideally this year we can get a BH, CGC, TT, WAC, ATT - and if I get my butt in gear, potentially a TD and RN. But that is all wishful thinking - I will be lucky if I can do half of that, purely based on time

He starts flyball next week (or is it the week after) and based on what others have told me, as long as I can keep his drive under control enough to focus for it, he can get his titles there in one weekend And I still want to try some lure coursing for fun

It's a blast having a do-it-all dog!

What is Julia up to these days?

Since you asked, I won't feel badly about "hijacking" the thread.
Julia is training her private clients ([linkhttp://www.fortunatek9.com]www.fortunatek9.com[/link]), working as a training partner at Olympia ([linkhttp://www.olympiakennels.com/juliavmcdonough.html]http://www.olympiakennels.com/juliavmcdonough.html[/link]), prepping her newest 4-legged proteges for their impending Sch careers, writing her book(s), getting her other articles published regularly, etc, etc.  Typical high-achiever professional that she is- ie, juggling a lot. 
 
Julia has been my trainer since G was literally a puppy, and last year I decided to consider exploring new avenues for G's continued improvements.  Julia encouraged my minor interest in competitive sport; supporting and helping to direct G's training to the point that Gracie earned her BH, CGC, RN, and RA titles/certs in about 5mos of part-time training - with 4 out of 6 events placing First.  (I am way lazy, but I have an easy dog and sound methods...Perhaps you could consider us competition for your first rescue OTCH Dobe... hahah!  If I ever got serious, though...)  Sounds like an impressive list of To-Do's for Rah this year!!!  You know I'll want to hear updates along the way!!
 
Anyway, as usual, I find Julia's training the most effective for me and my dog... as well as the,hmm, probably 300+ other dogs I have personally watched her train. (I think she's got to be in the 1000s for her career by now.)  Results matter, and she gets them, shows me how to get them consistently, so I listen to her.
She said "Kim worked VERY hard w/a real tough old Dobe from DRU" among other nice things, and to give you her warmest regards, so, enjoy the compliments!  []

your spitting skills are to be commended... it's the catching skills of rah that need work[].
 
and either you're quite short, or he's quite tall, or both[]

or he's quite tall, or both

I'd say a 32" Dobe will make anyone look short!!  []

he he, yeah i guess, that's more than half of my height[]

And he is exactly my height (ok I lied, hes actually 31.6 i think?? inches)... so yes, it is BOTH - hes tall, I'm short.