Lisey

Yes - must be the same one :) That's what annoyed me the most - blaming everyone including the ethical responsible breeders. The things they say don't make sense. Of course I want BYB's to stop pumping them out for $$ or just because they want their dog to have one litter, etc. but I would never want all breeding to stop. I love this breed and when my current dog's pass away I want another SBT. They need to focus on the actual problem/s and not lump everyone into the same basket. Not just put a post up that they know will cause arguements. Just to clarify - I am not a breeder - never will be - but I will always have an SBT or two in my house.

I think I know which rescue you’re talking about. I follow them on facebook and had thought about helping out previously but don't want anything to do with them anymore. Most of the people commenting have no idea and I just wanted to bang my head. It made me really cranky yesterday. I don't think posts like that by rescues are helpful...

Yes I watched it. Was very interesting & of course I cried at the end....

Love it! :)

Such good news!! I just balled my eyes out watching that video!

Thanks staffylover!! I'm trying them out tomorrow morning :) Hmm... I usually have Booker on either a half check or a martingale collar, so hopefully that's not an issue....

Lisey Our next day is at Kuraby on the 16th June. To enter email the race secretary (on the website above) and come along and join us and have a lot of fun. It seems to be a club with not a lot of bitching involved and everyone there to just have fun with their dogs. There's already some staffys involved, who do quite well.:) Edited cause the phone wouldn't let me swear and what it auto corrected too, didn't make a lot of sense. Email sent :) Hopefully I can make it.

Thanks Ridgiemal!!

Hi staffylover81 - do you have any more feedback on these guys and the training methods they use, etc? Am possibly looking for a new place to train on a Saturday morning :D

Thanks huski!! :)

Thanks everyone :D I've definitly decreased the frequency of the food from when we first started. It's really hard when I'm told different things by different people One trainer has made me feel bad about using food at all hence why I started to think about swapping. Is anyone here from Brisbane? Where do you take your dogs for obedience training?

Ok thanks Nekhbet. I've not thought about it like that before, I've always just rewarded as soon as he's done what I've asked and not worried about what he is looking at. ETA- I've got so much to learn!

Thanks huski.... I'll have a look at some youtube clips - is there any in particular I should search for? The club we go to on Monday nights asked if I could help out at their upcoming trial - I've never been so I think I will so that I can watch what happens :)

Yes, reward in the position you want :) There is an online heeling course available that just started but you can still sign up - http://denisefenzi.com/2013/05/23/heeling-games/ ($65 for an 'observer' spot) which is all about building motivation and should help with understanding reward generally if that's the kind of thing you're looking for :) If you can video your own training it can help a lot to see what you're 'really' doing too. Thank you! I'll look into that :)

I think he has trained yo u when to dole out the treats ;) The finer points of body language , and habit, can be powerful,almost invisible teachers ! Haha yes I agree. I need to swap it around :)

I'll try having them in my pocket and see how that goes. He is starting to swing his head around in front of my legs looking up for the treat when we are heeling. I think I need to swap my hand that rewards him (currently my right). Is this something you can get a trainer/behaviourist out to work on? We go to obedience twice a week (2 different places) but it would be good to have some 1 on 1 to give me some pointers.

How do you teach your dogs? It's hard to explain - most of the time he will do what I ask (and I don't have a treat in my hand) but I am still wearing the pouch but there are times that he refuses - maybe because he didn't get a treat last time and is not sure he will this time?

I give him a lot of verbal praise (with and without a treat) and a pat when he doesn't get a treat... So when he does something right he gets a 'Good boy!' I've been told that he gets too many treats by a trainer at obedience class.

I keep it in a treat pouch - but he knows exactly what that is...

He finds most things pretty exciting... He does enjoy a game of tug at home and will chase balls/frisbees.... But he does love food also, not to the obsessive point like my girl does though. If I have anything to give him (food/toy, etc.) he will do what I ask. My two are a bit weird and like chewing on grass (they are like cows grazing), they do it all the time and they definitly aren't sick. I can be sitting on the lawn with him and pick a blade of grass up and then I have his attention and he will drop/roll over, etc. just for that blade! :laugh:

I'm wanting to wean Booker off food rewards at obedience. He becomes very focused on my hand and/or treats. I've started cutting back treats with the basic things that he knows well but sometimes he won't drop unless I have a treat in my hand already and it becomes a stand off (but other times he does it fine...) I'd like the reward to be a quick tug of a toy or something at the end of a set of instructions if that makes sense (not reward each time he sits/stays/drops/etc.) Should I buy a new tug that I only bring out for training? And start with this at home? I'm very new to this whole world of obedience and would love some suggestions. He is a really smart boy and I'd love to compete with him one day - we just have a lot of work to do.

Thanks. Will have a look at them tomorrow. And I will be putting some kind of roof on also (at least part of it for shade). But that's a good point, they've never tried to jump the normal fences (why would they, life doesn't get much better than this house! :) ) but if there are tradies around they might try to get out to say hi...

Thanks Inka!

:laugh: cute

Beautiful!!