22 Saber Tails Winter 2016

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

Your PBGV Might Already Know

More Than You Think

2017 PBGVCA Triathlon

Written By Vickie Willmann

I

f you haven’t started training for the 2017 PBGVCA Triathlon competition it may not be too late.  In everyday life we 

teach our little hounds to do things we don’t even realize.  So you may not be starting at ground zero with your train-

ing.  Your PBGV might know more obedience and rally moves then you think.  To enter the Triathlon you have to enter 

three different disciplines which include agility, hunt, obedience, and rally but you only have to qualify in two of them to 

earn the Beginner Triathlete Award and in three for the Triathlete Award.  More detailed information and the rules for the 

Triathlon competition may be found on the PBGVCA website.  So if you’re getting a late start in training below are the 

three classes I would suggest you work on.  Be brave and get started on that training and be a part of the 2017 PBGVCA 

National Triathlon.  Everyone who enters the Triathlon will receive a gift just for entering and those who qualify in the 

Beginner Triathlon or Triathlon category will receive a nice award.

O

ne of the first things most people teach their dogs is to sit and lay down when they are very young as puppies.  Two 

things already learned on the training list for obedience and rally.  You walk up to the couch and your PBGV is in 

your favorite spot so you point or motion for them to move to the other end or get off and they follow your finger or the 

motion of your hand.  That is one of the skills you need for Rally.  Maybe you have taught your PBGV to wait at the door 

while you exit or to wait for you to put their food down on the floor.  With just a little more work they could have the stay 

command learned yet another skill already learned or almost learned to be able to do rally and obedience.  While you 

may need to refine some of the above skills the ground work has already been laid and you just build on that.

I

n Rally Novice your dog works on leash and moves around a course with signs placed at various distances.  When you 

get to a sign you tell your dog to do what is on the sign.  You can motion with your hands, clap your hands, pat your leg 

or talk to your dog as much as you want as long as it is in a pleasant voice to get your PBGV to do the action you want 

them to do.  There can be as few as 10 signs in Novice class plus the start and finish signs.  A lot of the signs involve a sit 

or down, turning right or left or turning in a circle right or left while walking around the ring.  That doesn’t sound so hard 

now does it?  Plus remember you can be talking to your dog the whole time keeping his attention on you and what you 

want them to do.

B

eginner Novice Obedience is another class PBGVs can learn in a relative short period of time.  Not as much talking is 

allowed from the handler but you can give a few words of encouragement during some of the exercises. In this class 

your PBGV will heel on leash around the ring.  Signs along the way will tell you when to turn and when to walk slowly 

and speed up for a few steps.  They will be expected to sit at the end of the heeling pattern. They will also heel around 

two people while still on leash in a figure 8 pattern.  Your PBGV will need to do a sit for exam where you tell them to sit 

and stay, walk just to the end of the leash, and turn and face your dog.  The judge walks up to them and touches only 

their head and then moves away and you return to the dog.  The dog will also do a sit stay in the middle of the ring while 

you walk around the ring and return to your dog.  The recall is the last exercise and you put your dog in a sit position 

and tell them to stay and walk to a designated spot and call your dog to you.  They must come within a close enough 

distance to be touched by you without having to move.  Ideally they should sit in front of you when they come but will 

not fail if they come and stand close enough to you that you could reach out and touch them without having to move.  

A few more challenges than Rally but still very doable for our intelligent PBGVs.  This class is not scored as tough as a 

regular obedience class.

T

he finale of the three suggested things to enter is the Hunting Instinct Test at the National hunt.  I can guarantee you 

this will be the one your PBGV will enjoy the most even if they don’t turn out to be a great hunter.  Being outside off 

leash on acres of securely fenced bunny playground with all those smells and other PBGVs will be a lot of fun for your 

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