OG Thomond

27/05/2026

☀️🐶 Hot weather & dogs – be always aware! 🐶☀️

When temperatures rise, our dogs rely on us to make safe decisions for them. Heat can become dangerous much faster than many people realize.

Here are some important DOs & DON’Ts for hot days:

✅ DO:
💧 Always offer fresh, cool water
🌳 Make sure your dog has access to shade at all times
🧊 Offer cooling options: cooling mats, damp towels, frozen enrichment treats or a paddling pool (if your dog enjoys water)
🚶 Walk early in the morning or later in the evening
🐾 Check the pavement with your hand—if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for paws
🏠 Keep indoor spaces cool and well ventilated
😴 Let your dog rest more than usual—hot weather is exhausting

❌ DON’T:
🚫 Never leave your dog in a car—even “just for a minute”
🚫 Don’t walk during the hottest part of the day
🚫 Don’t force exercise or active play in the heat
🚫 Don’t assume your dog will “push through”
🚫 Don’t ignore signs like excessive panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting, bright red gums, disorientation or collapse

⚠️ What to do if you suspect heatstroke:

✅ Move your dog into a shaded or cooler area immediately
✅ Offer small amounts of cool water to drink—don’t force it
✅ Start cooling your dog gradually with cool (not ice-cold) water
✅ Wet the paws, legs, belly and chest first
✅ Use damp towels or airflow from a fan to help reduce body temperature
✅ Contact a vet immediately—heatstroke is always urgent

❌ Do NOT:
🚫 Don’t use ice or ice-cold water
🚫 Don’t cover the whole dog in cold wet towels without airflow
🚫 Don’t cool too quickly

Cooling a dog down too fast can be dangerous.
Very cold water can cause blood vessels in the skin to constrict. That traps heat inside the body instead of letting it escape—and it can make things worse.

The goal is steady, gentle cooling while getting veterinary help as quickly as possible.

Dogs cool down very differently than humans.
And for brachycephalic dogs, seniors, puppies, overweight dogs or dogs with health issues, the risk is even higher.

Please take hot days seriously.
A little prevention can save a life. ❤️🐶
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26/05/2026

Congratulations to everyone!

What a weekend. Thrilling from start to finish.

So, here’s a little recap from the weekend! On Saturday and Sunday, the Irish IGP Championships took place. It was a wonderful day for the dogs—just a bit too warm, so conditions were a little more challenging. For the spectators, though, it was lovely—although some definitely walked away with a bit of sunburn!

We are proud that our Club Member Billy Hiney got Second place and Best Tracking💪🏼🥳 with his bitch
Altea vom Huttenhugel he achieved:

Tracking A: 99/ 100 Points

Obidience B: 94/100 Points

Protection C: 93/100 Points

TOTAL: 286

GRADE: V

Well done and Congratulations Billy

The results were very cool overall, though unfortunately, from our German Shepherd club, Joe was disqualified, as was Raymond. Such a pitty they did so well till the point. But hey, we’re working with animals, not machines—these things can happen! Now it’s back to work with our dogs—our beloved hobby—and here’s to a new year!

Thanks for the so well organized event OG Corrib and all the helpers, without you we couldn’t keep our beloved sport up.

11/05/2026

🐕 Training Plans - The Key Principles

1. Consistency beats intensity

Your dog does not learn best from one or two long sessions per week at the training field.

👉 What really makes the difference is:

* Daily training
* Even if it’s just a few minutes at a time

Short, frequent sessions create:

* Better learning results
* Less frustration
* More motivation

⸻

2. Keep sessions short and effective

Especially in dog sports, training should be focused and intentional.

* 🆕 When teaching something new:
➝ 3–5 minutes per session
* 🔁 When the behavior is more established:
➝ up to 15 minutes max

👉 Stop before your dog loses focus.
👉 Quality always beats quantity.

⸻

3. Break everything down into small steps

Every exercise should be split into tiny, achievable parts.

Instead of training the whole behavior:

* Isolate single components
* Train them separately
* Then gradually combine them

👉 This prevents confusion and builds confidence.

⸻

4. What skills does your dog need?

Before training any task, ask yourself:

Does my dog already have the necessary foundation skills?

Examples:

* Focus and attention
* Ability to follow a marker (e.g. clicker or verbal marker)
* Impulse control
* Body awareness
* Motivation for rewards (food, toy, interaction)

👉 If one of these is missing, training will stall.
👉 Always build the foundation first.

⸻

5. Create the right learning environment

Training success depends heavily on the atmosphere.

Ask yourself:

* Is my dog calm but engaged?
* Is the environment low in distractions (especially for new tasks)?
* Am I clear and consistent in my communication?
* Is my timing precise?

👉 A good learning environment means:

* The dog feels safe
* The dog understands what works
* The dog is motivated to try

⸻

6. If it’s not working – change your approach

If your dog is not progressing, don’t just repeat the same thing over and over.

👉 Make it easier
👉 Break it down further
👉 Adjust your method

The over salted soup doesn’t get better if you just keep adding more salt — change the recipe or maybe start new.

👉 Training is not about pushing through.
👉 It’s about adapting so your dog can succeed.

⸻

💡 Bottom line

Daily, short, well-structured training sessions—combined with a clear plan, the right mindset, and flexibility in your approach—will always outperform occasional long sessions.

If its not working, sorry not sorry, it’s your fault. Think what can I do better, different… not what should the dog do. That is where the focus is correct.

We are claiming to be the Leader, still some people put the responsibility on the dog. 🤡

08/05/2026

🐾 Success in IGP is never a solo journey – it’s built by a team. 🐾

When people look at IGP, they often see one dog and one handler on the field.
What they don’t see is everything happening behind the scenes — the people, the structure, the constant exchange, and the teamwork that make real progress possible.

IGP is not an individual sport. It’s a team effort in the truest sense.

Let’s break down what that really means 👇

⸻

🛡️ The Helper – More than just the “bad guy”

A good helper is not just someone catching a dog on the sleeve.

They are:

* A training partner
* A teacher for the dog
* A guide for the handler

A skilled helper reads the dog, adjusts pressure, builds confidence, and develops clarity in the work. Without a good helper, protection training quickly becomes inconsistent or unfair.

⸻

🐕 People holding leashes & managing setups

It sounds simple — but it’s not.

You need people who:

* prepare the exercise for you, so you can concentrate on the dog and yourself
* get your Teammate if something is needed
* Understand whats next, know the exercises

A sloppy setup leads to sloppy work. A clean setup builds clarity and structure.

⸻

⏳ Voraus & Down – You can’t train everything alone

Sending your dog out and putting them into a down at distance requires:

* Someone to put out the toy or Act as if you do for the dog

With a team, you’re improving.

⸻

👀 The outside perspective – Your blind spot is real

No matter how experienced you are — you cannot see everything while handling your dog.

You need people who:

* Watch your body language
* Notice small mistakes
* Give honest, constructive feedback

Progress in IGP depends on awareness. And awareness often comes from others.

⸻

🗣️ Feedback – The foundation of growth

Training without feedback is just repetition, often repetition Full of mistakes.

A good team will:

* Tell you what works
* Tell you what doesn’t
* Help you adjust in the moment

And most importantly — they will be honest, not just nice.

⸻

👣 Tracking – Someone has to lay the track

Tracking is a discipline on its own.

You need:

* People who can lay tracks and can teach you how to be a good handler on the track
* Different styles and challenges to optimize the individual dogs tracking skills
* Someone who understands progression

Without good tracks, you don’t get good tracking dogs.

⸻

🧠 Brainstorming & problem solving

Every dog is different. Every challenge is unique.

That’s why you need:

* Open discussions
* Different perspectives
* People willing to experiment

Sometimes the solution comes from trying something new — and that often happens together.

⸻

🤝 The real value of a team

A strong IGP team means:

* You don’t train in isolation
* You don’t get stuck as easily
* You grow faster — and more sustainably

It’s not just about having people around.
It’s about having the right people — people who care about good work, fair training, and real progress.

⸻

🔥 And here at OG Thomond – we have exactly that.

A team that shows up.
A team that supports each other.
A team that challenges, improves, and grows together.

No ego.
No shortcuts.
Just honest work, strong dogs, and real progress.

⸻

💬 If you’re looking for more than just training…
If you’re looking for a team — you’ll find it here.
Lots of fun included 🤓

02/05/2026

🌊 Summer is coming – and so is water fun for our dogs!

Swimming is one of the best things you can do with your dog.
It’s fun, it’s healthy, and it builds fitness, confidence, and a strong bond.

But here’s something most people don’t realize:

👉 Too much water fun can actually cause problems.

Dogs don’t stop when it’s enough.
They go by drive, excitement, and motivation – not by what’s good for their body.

One of the most common issues we see is limber tail (water tail).

⚠️ A painful condition where:

* the tail suddenly hangs completely limp
* your dog can’t wag it
* and often seems “off” or less motivated

And this is where many people get it wrong:
They think the dog is just tired – but in reality, the dog is in pain.

⸻

💡 The good news:

With a bit of awareness, you can give your dog the best of both worlds:
✔️ fun
✔️ fitness
✔️ and long-term health

Keep sessions structured, allow proper recovery, and pay attention to your dog’s body – not just their excitement.

⸻

🐾 Great dog handling isn’t about doing more –
it’s about doing things with understanding.

⸻

👉 If you found this helpful, please LIKE 👍 and SHARE 🔄 this post to help more dog owners understand what to look out for.

26/04/2026

SPECTACULAR

When you see dog sports in action, it might look spectacular on the outside—impressive jumps, perfect coordination, and that deep bond between handler and dog. But what’s truly behind it is a whole lot more than meets the eye.

Dog sports demand an immense amount of discipline, ongoing learning, and a willingness to grow personally. It’s not an ego-driven pursuit. In fact, to guide a dog effectively, you have to consistently work on yourself. You need to develop qualities like frustration tolerance, patience, an openness to feedback, and coachability.

In many ways, it’s a journey of self-development. You can only train and lead your dog well when you have yourself under control. By growing your own competence, you become more resilient, more patient, and ultimately a better social partner for your dog. It’s not just about teaching commands; it’s about building mutual understanding and trust.

So, while the performances may be thrilling, the real magic happens in that deeper connection—where both human and dog grow together.

You’re a great fit if you truly want to work with your dog and understand that reaching the top level takes several years of committed effort. You have the time to invest, and you’re a fantastic team player—because this is definitely a team sport where we all support each other. You’re eager to learn, ready to work through all the foundational basics with care, and know that this is never a quick process if you want to achieve a truly high level. If you’re highly ambitious and ready to commit, we’re excited to have you on board!

If you’d like to learn all of this, you’re in the right place with OG Thomond! We’re currently welcoming new members. Feel free to share this post if you’d like to support us and the sport. To join, just write is via PM!

24/04/2026

12/04/2026

A great weekend of dog sport hosted by OG Corrib is now complete.Thank you to the hard working members who did fantastic job running the trial. Well done to all our club members who did so well.
The trail winner was our own Billy & Jess. Runner up was Joe & Aero . Unfortunately Paul & Nidge had a DQ in protection work. Big congratulations to club member David who was the helper at the trial. This was David first trial since obtaining his A grade and did a super job. Now back to training to get ready for the Irish Nationals . Team Thomond home of champions 💪

12/04/2026

Hard conditions on the trial field today. Never the less Team Thomond did a great job in the obedience phase.
Billy & Jess 96
Joe & Aero 88
Paul & Nidge 85

11/04/2026

Great tracking scores for Team Thomond this morning.
Billy &Jess 98
Paul & Nidge 99
Joe & Aero 91