Pippi

That is just awesome - especially working 2-3 dogs at once. Thanks for posting, loved it.

The thrill of lighting fires. Thats given me my laugh for the night......

What did you clicker train your chickens to do? I have started clicker training again and playing some Control Unleashed games. We learnt about the clicker at puppy school but it was a pain to hold the lead, hold the treat and click at the exact right moment! However, I have started to use it again and Asti's attention and ability to respond to me has increased out of sight! My question is - at what stage can the clicker be phased out for old 'games' and only used for 'new' ones? and how do you do it or will I have to wear a clicker and a bag of treats on me for the rest of Asti's frenchie life? Clickers are only used during the teaching phase. Once the dog has learnt the behaviour you are teaching, it is reliable and on cue - you no longer need to use the clicker.

The best treats will be whatever your dog considers to be of high value. Doesn't matter what anyone else uses. Use something your dog loves and will work for. Whatever that is, it will be reinforcing to your dog. Try a few things that others have mentioned and then judge which your dog loves most.

The world would be a better place if people thought twice before correcting their dogs. I have seen dogs ruined by well-meaning people that think a dog needs to be told when they have done something wrong. They tell them the same way they would tell a kid: with a shout and a smack. I have faith in effective corrections, but I have no faith in the average dog owner knowing what one is. @ Corvus - Absolutely agree with this statement, spot-on. I would prefer to see more people put their effort into actually teaching their dogs to fluency, the behaviours they want, rather than teach something with minimal repetitions believing then that the dog should 'know' the behaviour. Corrections are then, IMO unfairly introduced when this is a training issue, not the dogs fault.

I'll lend you one, actually she's not laying - you can have her for free......

For each training session I also like to add value of reinforcement, rate of reinforcement, success rate, number of repetitions. I may also add, depending on the behaviour I am teaching, detail on my dogs behaviour such as, dogs enthusiasm or lack of, drive or lack of, etc etc. As Bob Bailey says you can't have too much data when you are serious about training something. The more information I collect, the clearer I can train in the next session. Cues are not important to me until I finish teaching the behaviour to my satisfaction. BTW I don't always go to this level of detail, depends what I am teaching...

Really? How come? The only thing I've ever changed when I up the distractions is the reward rate and the criteria. The method stays the same. I find reliability to be a function of reward history more than anything. I don't think I understand this idea of using two ways to train one behaviour. If you need two ways the first one didn't work? I think I'm going to go crawl back under the rock I have apparently been living under. This thread is doing my head in. Hey Corvus, I'm already under that rock and its a full house here.....

Standard obedience club method in the days I used to go to obedience clubs and still a common method when I wrote that article. Often combined with a firm push on the rump. Thankfully most have moved on these days. I don't think its a bad example at all. Instructors may not teach it much these days, but I see it happening at classes every week, where handlers still seem to think its a good idea

Lots of hugs and kisses to you all. You have so many wonderful memories and Buddy is running free of pain and discomfort across the rainbow bridge. So long old man, so glad I got to say my final goodbye on Sat.

Alika Alchemy Amber Amelia Amy x 2 Anais Anastacia (Annie) Angel x 3 Anishinaabe April Ariane Arizona Asante sana Ashka Askari Astro Audrey Aura Ayla Baba Baci Bailey Becky Bella x2 Bit Blossom Bonny Bree Bridie Buffy Cally Cara Cassie Cedar Chelsea Chloe x 2 Charlotte Cinta CJ Claire Claudia Clover Cleoparta Cleo Coco x2 Daisy x 1 Delilah Delta Dexta Durham Dyzney Ebony Echo Elizabeth Ella Ellie Ellie Elly Emily Emma Erin Fanta Finta Glitter Grace Griffin Gypsy x2 Harlow Hayley x2 Heddy Heidi Holly x 5 Honey Honour Imogen - Imy Jay Jay Jazz Jezebel Jodie Kara Karmen Katie Kayla Kenzie Kiesha Kierah Kizzey Krissy Kuean - (Queen) Lacey Layla Lea (lele) Lily x 1 Logan Lottie Lucy x3 Mable Marie Claudette Marlo Meg Merrique Mia Michou Millie x2 Minnie Mischka Molly x3 Molly Coddle Mya Myah Nala Narla Natasha Ness Nova Pearl Peggie Perri Pip Pippi Pixie Popcorn Porridge Reba Rommi Rosey Roxy Ruby x3 Sabrina Sally Sascha x 2 Sassy Satu Shae Shandy Sharnie Sheba Shine Sinta Skye Sophie x2 Sparky Springy Spook Stella Stimpy Storm Sue Tansy Tara Tayla Teegan Tess Tia x3 Tilly x3 Tinny (tin tin) Tori Trixie Tully Vada Voodoo Winter Wilhelmina Xanthe YUKI Ziva Zoe

Would you like to expand on that please......

Are we talking abou the same one? Maybe I'm thinking of another one but I believe they were the same. Heres the link. http://www.flexitrack.se/english/

Flexi Agility is no longer in business. The only other one I know of is Agility Blues which is very good but not free, although I believe it is cheaper that CRCD.

You could try Kepala Country Resort at Diggers Rest. Their facilities may suit your needs. http://www.kepalak9countryclub.com.au/

Yep The DVD is out and available at CleanRun. Here is my take on tugging. Its not actually about tugging or the tug, its all about YOU and your relationship with your dog. The tug is just something you use as a conduit between the dog and handler. You actually want the dog to think you are the best thing since sliced bread and that getting to play with you is his/her idea of doggy heaven. You want the dog to learn that playing with tug, sock [insert whatever toy dog loves] is the way to get to play with YOU.... I would spend time building my relationship with my dog and making that, all important, until the dog couldn't give a rats what else is going on around him - cause he just wants to play with you. BTW I'm not saying you dont have a good relationship with your dog - I think it can always be worked on and improved.

Yaaaaaay, Shortstep - I love it......

If you are trying to get your dog to tug and are just at the teaching phase then do the training with that dog alone with no other distractions.. A dog who is just learning should not have to compete with another dog for the prize.

Have another look at 12-1:30 - Page 1. I see black dog jumping, complete with handler ! OK Eagle Eyes, do you happen to see a chocolate princess anywhere.....cause I don't.

WOW......what a surprise.

;) You may be right but something just doesn't seem quite right to me. I would have thought a letter on letterhead would be sent rather than an email. ;)

Read the whole post Pippi. Ummm, I think I did read the entire post which is exactly why I made the above comment. I also read carefully the original post in which the OP asks for "a broad summary of the method" i.e. Susan Garretts 2x2 weave pole training method. Susan's method is based on shaping not luring. Producing the reward only after the desired response from the dog so the dog pairs the value of the reward with the work i.e. going through the poles. You can lure if you want to, but if someone wants to know about SG's 2x2 method then advising them to "chuck a couple of bits of food through the poles", is totally going against the way Susan trains her method.

In which case you are not shaping, you are luring. You would then need to have a clear understanding of the difference betweeen luring and rewarding and when to remove the lure and only reward. You can help your dog along without resorting to luring.

Geez I can't believe what you are saying. Hope there is not too much damage done and no permanent injury. Poor baby. Give her a few extra big hugs..

Congratulations and well done, 1 down 2 to go. Go Flea...