Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that a few people on this board are from Michigan as well. I was wondering if anyone new of any good trainers. Eventually I want to get Tyler into weight pulling but obviously first I want to do a lot of obedience training!
Snakey and everyone who contributed to the confirmation and weight pulling threads, that information was Great! It was really helpful!

Thanks
Veronica

It would be better if you can attend a few conformation shows and weight pulls before you start training or look for some one to train for you. There are several different rules for weight pulling, according to your dogs registeration. It would be bad if he was trained in A.D.B.A. weight pulling and is U.K.C. registered as they have different rules. Also both will not allow an unregistered dog to enter either weight pulling or conformation. The papers and shot record should be current also.

Yeah, I agree with TJohn. I think you should go first before you start the road to training. You may end up traveling a road and having to come all the way back and start over again but this time taking a different route. I think it would be informative if you cruise down to a show and mingle around to learn some information. Most everybody there is pretty nice and help you out. Also may run across some people to help get your dog ready. Which in my opinion would be better anyway due to the fact that they actually know the breed versus a "qualified" trainer..... This might help you a little so you can get an understanding. This is the only one I came across for Michigan any time soon......Here it is...*May 31 &; June 1: The Great Lakes APBTC (MI) will host 2 conformation shows (No Weight Pull) back to back Saturday and 1 conformation show with 1 weight pull on Sunday at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Saline, MI. (Ch of Ch and Ace of Ace classes will be held if pre-entries allow.)
There it is so you have some time to look around. Also alot of people like to travel to another state to see there shows so you might want to look into that if you like to drive.
LATER

Thanks! I kind of meant that I wanted to get him started in the basic obedience training with someone in Michigan and then eventually try weight pulling after attending a weight pull and looking into a bit more. Both peices of advice are very helpful though. I'm just trying to do a lot of research right now before I make any decisions.

If you have any real desire to try weight pulling it is best to not get too involved in obedience. They are in direct conflict with each other. Obedience training will a lot of times result in a dog who will not show very well in conformation. An obedience trained dog is nearly useless as a weight pulling dog. Some dogs can do all three but it takes an experienced handler and an exceptional dog with years of experience.

Why is that so? I didn't mean obedience like any show obedience, but basic obedience... What effect does that have on weight pulling?

In basic obedience the first thing the dog is taught is the heel and set. In a conformation show a dog who sits will loose points and will be beaten by a dog who may not be as good but will stand for show and examination. The basic obedience dog is taught not to pull and not to move ahead of the trainer. In a pull the dog has a harness on instead of a collar and needs to pull ahead of the trainer. Some pulls allow the handeler to be in front but some pulls do not allow the handler to be ahead of the dog.
The obedience trained dog usually will not pull or will stop when they feel a weight pulling on the harness as that is what he was taught to do in basic obedience. In a conformation show the dog shouldn't ever sit down but be standing for the judge to compare the dog to the other dogs. The basic obedience teaches the dog to sit when the handeler stops walking.
Most people who show dogs or weight pull dogs will train the dog in what ever event they want to compete in. Basic obedience should be taught after that. Usually the dog will learn enough basics for the handeler to be able to control it.
In the early days of weight pulling a lot of the dogs had to be carried to the track, had its harness hooked up and released to pull as the people didn't want a dog who had any training at all. They also were allowed to bait the dog to get him to pull. I knew one man who would put a lawn mower with the motor running in front of the dog to get him to pull. Most weight pulls have better rules now days about baiting dogs.

Now that you explained that it makes more sense. My problem is that he has to be well behaved, and he can't pull when i walk him. He is going to be a 75lb dog and I'm only 110lbs! That is the main reason I wanted to take him to a trainer because I realize how important it is that he is obedient. I don't mind if he walks to the end of the leash, but its the pulling that scares me. I don't really want to teach him heel at all. The trainer I've been talking to knows I want to get him into weight pulling, he said he has two people in one of his classes who do wieght pulling too. Do you have maybe a good training idea that balances the two out? Tyler is 5 months old... should i buy a harness and get him used to wearing it? Then in a few months mayeb attach an empty milk jug? I've read a lot about the training of weight pulling. But, then if I wait until he has an understanding of weight pulling he'll be about a year old adn I'm back to the point that I'm not ever going to be able to muscle him.
I'm sorry if these are stupid questions or statements but I really want to exercise him and condition him. I want to keep him as healthy and active as possible... I figured he would love weight pulling more than any other sport. Do you think that maybe agility is better for us? (as in Tyler and I hehe)
hmm, the whole confirmation thing is amusing to me because Tyler naturally just sits down when he's waiting for something. Ever since we first brought him home, he will come up and just sit and look at you. As if he is just patietenly waiting for something. Even outside, walking on a leash, he just sits whenever we stop adn waits. We never trained him. The only thing I did was teach him to associate the word "sit" with the action. It is kind of amusing. He usually sits before I even say sit.
I just definitely want to set a direction for him if that makes sense. I don't wnat him to just sit around and burn up energy...

The best way to train the young dog is to go through the school with the dog. Many people send their dog to a trainer and the dog works great for the trainer but if you do not have the skills to work the dog all of that training may go to waste. At least half of the training is for the handeler and half for the dog. Most dogs learn faster than the handelers.
If your dog will mature at 75 lbs or more and is A.D.B.A. registered it would probably be a waste to train him and enter conformation shows. The 45-40 lbs dog will beat you out every time, anything over 60 lbs will have a hard time placing no matter the conformation is.
In weight pulling he will be a catch weight dog. I am not sure of the weight but I think anything over 50-55 lbs will be in the same class so he will be pulling against some larger dogs. The class will probably be won by a 40 lb dog.
If you research pit bulls you will find all registerations discourage the larger dog. Usually anything over 60-65 lbs in U.K.C. and anything over 50-55 lbs in A.D.B.A. will not do as good as the smaller dog. Also you will find some people who are real suspicious of the papers on your dog as they consider a large dog not to be pure pit bull.
Doing weight pulling or shows will take a lot of time, training, and money. I don't like to advise people what to do with their dog but if I had a dog who matures at 75 lbs or over I would just enjoy him as a pet and forget the weight pulling or showing.