Barbara Cecil & Pistol heeling |
Löwchen are fun loving clowns. They are intelligent, want to please their owners (and themselves!), and are incurably inquisitive. If they don't understand, or have yet to be taught, what is being asked of them, they can appear to be stubborn. All these traits work for and against training for Obedience.
This said, the Löwchen can perform exceptionally well in Obedience, often scoring at the top. One just has to realize that while he certainly wants to do the right thing and please his owner, the Löwchen also seldom loses his sense of humor and joie de vivere. These two facets are not always mutually acceptable traits in the Obedience ring.
Make sure when training your Löwchen for Obedience to keep your training sessions exciting and fun. Unlike many other breeds, a Löwchen cannot be drilled; repetition equals boredom. Harsh corrections, which could include the tone of your voice or the look on your face, are counterproductive; the goal of all training should be to build your Löwchen's self-confidence. Indeed, there seems to be no limit to what a confident Löwchen can learn!
It may take a little longer to train your Lowchen for Obedience than another breed but in the long run you will be awarded with a great sense of pride, accomplishment, teamwork, and lots of interest in your dog from the crowd that will gather outside your ring.
|
