ness Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I would agree especially the stronger the drive. I have had a pup who has been a mad keen focused retriever since she was 9 weeks old (although obviously it was limited at first so that in itself increases drive). She is now 8 months and if you have a ball forget anything else thats all she cares about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Ruby - can't recommend enough Kay Laurence for teaching good focus and good heeling IMO. Never had a problem with focus myself (other than what is purely my fault and lack of training, not the method) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Ruby - can't recommend enough Kay Laurence for teaching good focus and good heeling IMO. Never had a problem with focus myself (other than what is purely my fault and lack of training, not the method) Hi Leopuppy04 Which particular DVD and where can I get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 http://www.learningaboutdogs.co.nz/html/special_deals.html The clicker world obedience book and the clicker clips (obedience) DVD They compliment each other really nice. I have used this method and instructed others to use it - hasn't let me down yet. It's simple, common sense and really reaps the results. The only reason you should have problems is if you don't put in the effort and proof the behaviour enough (raises hand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 LOL LP - no sharing out all my linkies will yah . I am still tossing up on whether the DVD is necessary can't find enough about it. I did find a clip somewhere that said some dogs are blessed with naturally good focus - I guess my newest addition is just lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 LOL Ness - that would be most of your working dogs I say get it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hmm dunno this clip had a sheltie on it and she said only her first one was naturally focussed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 Thanks! My first Lab is naturally focused - on anything but me!! Takes a lot of hard work on my part to get her to look at me. She's a cheeky bugger, she knows what I'm asking for when I ask her to look, so she'll just roll her eyes up for a second, not her whole head! If I'm holding something particularly tasty like chicken, then she won't take her eyes off me and grins like crazy! Can I hide some chicken in my hand in the ring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 The clicker world obedience book and the clicker clips (obedience) DVD Do you recall how long the DVD goes for? Woohoo it's in NZD so finally something that works in the AUD favour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 My golden retriever (almost 2yo now) used to be very distracted and her attention span was worse than that of a gold fish She is heaps better now and I can't recommend highly enough methods by Kay Laurence (Thanks LP for a great recommendation ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) Thanks LP. I'll buy them and put them on the shelf with all the other DVDs I haven't watched Edited December 12, 2008 by Luke W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Thanks!My first Lab is naturally focused - on anything but me!! Takes a lot of hard work on my part to get her to look at me. She's a cheeky bugger, she knows what I'm asking for when I ask her to look, so she'll just roll her eyes up for a second, not her whole head! If I'm holding something particularly tasty like chicken, then she won't take her eyes off me and grins like crazy! Can I hide some chicken in my hand in the ring? hehe - if only I was 2 inches tall and smelled like grass. or crunched when bitten and smelled like a chicken frame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) Luke W - if you ever need assistance - hunt me down at Croydon... most people now know the crazy lady with the Aussies... PM me if you want to organise a meeting Ruby – it’s all about making the heeling ‘spot’ THE most rewarding place to be. I cannot stress that enough. When I was working with Laffi – we practiced heeling over two days (among plenty of other things ) and we never took a step off. We want to teach dogs the position first which includes head position as well. If the dog totally understands this and it completely confident with it (as well as it becoming the BEST place to be because of the rewards) then you will ‘naturally’ get that focus. I spend ages teaching a dog where ‘heel’ is and how good it is to be there, before I even add in anything else. Mind you – just like teaching a 2x2 weaving method for agility… it sounds like a LOT of work, but it certainly doesn’t take long at all to teach . Use the food to your advantage. I recently took my friends staffy x to show her how to do some loose lead walking (for her test) and with a high rate of reinforcement and a bit of KISS (keep it simple stupid ) he gave me beautiful focus. Now this dog is one of THE most distracted dogs If you use the food smartly, fading it away shouldn’t be a problem. You are not taking the reward away, you are merely changing how the reward is delivered. Ness - don't know if that is the same clip. KL trains both BC's and Gordon Setters (not renowned for their motivation and drive) and has excellent results ... I don't think she ever mentioned the focus etc... but I could be wrong ;) Ruby to give you an idea - this is my girlie at 18mths old doing her heelwork... http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=CuNDsJcejj8 I do have more recent vids, but I don't think she is working as well - the whole thing of stressors and bad handling in trials... but it gives you an idea Edited December 12, 2008 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Luke W - if you ever need assistance - hunt me down at Croydon... most people now know the crazy lady with the Aussies... PM me if you want to organise a meeting Ruby – it’s all about making the heeling ‘spot’ THE most rewarding place to be. I cannot stress that enough. When I was working with Laffi – we practiced heeling over two days (among plenty of other things ) and we never took a step off. We want to teach dogs the position first which includes head position as well. If the dog totally understands this and it completely confident with it (as well as it becoming the BEST place to be because of the rewards) then you will ‘naturally’ get that focus. I spend ages teaching a dog where ‘heel’ is and how good it is to be there, before I even add in anything else. Mind you – just like teaching a 2x2 weaving method for agility… it sounds like a LOT of work, but it certainly doesn’t take long at all to teach . Use the food to your advantage. I recently took my friends staffy x to show her how to do some loose lead walking (for her test) and with a high rate of reinforcement and a bit of KISS (keep it simple stupid ) he gave me beautiful focus. Now this dog is one of THE most distracted dogs If you use the food smartly, fading it away shouldn’t be a problem. You are not taking the reward away, you are merely changing how the reward is delivered. Ness - don't know if that is the same clip. KL trains both BC's and Gordon Setters (not renowned for their motivation and drive) and has excellent results ;)... I don't think she ever mentioned the focus etc... but I could be wrong Ruby to give you an idea - this is my girlie at 18mths old doing her heelwork... I do have more recent vids, but I don't think she is working as well - the whole thing of stressors and bad handling in trials... but it gives you an idea As soon as school is back, I'll be looking you up! - Because I want to do agility, I'm going to have to teach him both sides. At Southside on Thursday we did a tiny little agility run, when the instructor said to do the course with the dog on the right...of course he kept coming to my left Nice work on the video! That's about Barkly's standard when he's working well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 With your agility heel work you don't want the same sort of focus. You want them looking in front at the jumps/obstacles. If you don't want to compete in obedience as well I wouldn't be worrying so much about face focus. I got told off the other week for having too much focus and asked if I had been doing that obedience stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) With your agility heel work you don't want the same sort of focus. You want them looking in front at the jumps/obstacles. If you don't want to compete in obedience as well I wouldn't be worrying so much about face focus. I got told off the other week for having too much focus and asked if I had been doing that obedience stuff! Yeah, I'm treading a fine line aren't I? I want UDX and AG CH ETA: With a Cocker ! Edited December 12, 2008 by Luke W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 I wish I too could take you up on your in person offer, LP! Dammit! Could really use the real life help in training that focus! I'm at work atm and YouTube is blocked so I will have to watch your vid tonight or over the weekend! My girl (who is almost 2 as well) has the ability to do some lovely heeling, WHEN she's looking so I think I am going to take your advice and buy the clicker training stuff and work on having the heel position THE best place to be, even if it means going backwards so we can go forwards and maybe putting our plans to trial in the new year off a bit. I'd rather she be working her best than throw her in half ready (but I keep getting advised to just take the plunge so I can see that failing isn't the end of the world though the 2 trainers who have said this also think she's pretty ready...) I do have a second Lab (a rescue with very little training) so will be good to apply this to her as well I'm off to order it, hope it arrives sooooon!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Join the club Luke W! It can be done ... though I quit after OC... UDX is too much work for me The dogs can differentiate between our body language as well as the sports.... one things for sure... heeling has helped with shadow handling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) Never fail Ruby - When Leo was 2-ish I re-taught his heelwork... I don't think I missed a trial by doing so (back then I wasn't trialling that much)... but it really is very quick to teach and wasn't hard to fade at all. I have never looked back since then and my friend who taught me everything (darn her for moving OS!) Edited December 12, 2008 by leopuppy04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Yeah I found the shadow heeling easy to do with Brock, but found that his normal heeling is now not as close. Not that I do obedience with him but I had a go the other day. I had also taught him to hand touch when heeling which means he follows my hands well in agility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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