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Lab_Rat
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If your dog is not motivated to tug and you don't have the motivation to get him motivated, I wouldn't bother with the tug anymore. There is no use pushing something on him he doesn't enjoy and is making you dread getting the thing out. Millie won't tug, and I don't have the motivation to push it with her either. Instead, I use what she already does like, which is food and squeaky balls. I got the retrieving dummies out last night and did some "fun" throws for her to hype her up, didn't expect her to deliver them. Tossed one, then ran in the other direction "woohooing" when she came back with it. She approached me, dropped the dummy and I threw the other. Kinda like the 2 food game but with dummies :thumbsup: I'm actually doing this with Ruby too to get her to think bringing it back is the funnest thing ever, and working on her retrieving delivery separate.

Rear end awareness can also take some time for some dogs. Ruby can get it on the perch, but remove it and it's back to feeling like I am trying to do a U-turn in a semi-trailer. Last night I broke it all down very small for her without the perch, she had to get her bum into me whatever direction I turned, even the slightest movement. She demonstrated she has the ability to do a nice left about turn on the spot if I slow it down for her, so I will just work it up from there. I've been doing this for a while with her now and we're still not there so don't get disheartened with Mason just yet!

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If your dog is not motivated to tug and you don't have the motivation to get him motivated, I wouldn't bother with the tug anymore. There is no use pushing something on him he doesn't enjoy and is making you dread getting the thing out. Millie won't tug, and I don't have the motivation to push it with her either. Instead, I use what she already does like, which is food and squeaky balls. I got the retrieving dummies out last night and did some "fun" throws for her to hype her up, didn't expect her to deliver them. Tossed one, then ran in the other direction "woohooing" when she came back with it. She approached me, dropped the dummy and I threw the other. Kinda like the 2 food game but with dummies :o I'm actually doing this with Ruby too to get her to think bringing it back is the funnest thing ever, and working on her retrieving delivery separate.

Rear end awareness can also take some time for some dogs. Ruby can get it on the perch, but remove it and it's back to feeling like I am trying to do a U-turn in a semi-trailer. Last night I broke it all down very small for her without the perch, she had to get her bum into me whatever direction I turned, even the slightest movement. She demonstrated she has the ability to do a nice left about turn on the spot if I slow it down for her, so I will just work it up from there. I've been doing this for a while with her now and we're still not there so don't get disheartened with Mason just yet!

The two toy game is great :thumbsup: , I play it with Banjo :( . I love that Banjo loves to tug but when I was training Sophie I accepted she wasn't a tugger but I found what she did love which was to chase her racoon tail toy :) .

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Hey MM, if he wants his frisbee why don't you use it as a reward, do some short bursts of training then play frisbee. Do you do that already? I agree if he really doesn't want to tug then don't worry about it, use something he does like.

And Tiggy there is no point comparing yourself to others! Each dog is different and each trainer is different. Trixie and Cider were puppy play mates and they are at different ends of the spectrum :thumbsup: but that's okay they are in completely different situations! The only dog I compare her to is herself, and as long as she is improving I am happy.

And I'm all for taking breaks from things if you need to, Every few months I have a couple of weeks off agility for whatever reason, too much to do at work, sick, school holidays, not in the right mindset, and without fail Kyzer has his batteries recharged when we go back to training.

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Hey RubyStar - get a look at the Silvia Trkman video if you can (I know Bedazzledx2 and Ptolomy both have a copy - or will shortly :o ). Its not overly technical but I discovered some steps I was missing with the whole rear end awareness trick and am now going back to it with my two (well ok at least one Kenz is being worked through it from scratch :thumbsup: ).

ETA. No Ptolomy on holiday is great - lots of time to be her constructively critical self - is much appreciated I have a million things to work on tonight.

Edited by ness
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Hey MM, if he wants his frisbee why don't you use it as a reward, do some short bursts of training then play frisbee. Do you do that already? I agree if he really doesn't want to tug then don't worry about it, use something he does like.

And Tiggy there is no point comparing yourself to others! Each dog is different and each trainer is different. Trixie and Cider were puppy play mates and they are at different ends of the spectrum :o but that's okay they are in completely different situations! The only dog I compare her to is herself, and as long as she is improving I am happy.

And I'm all for taking breaks from things if you need to, Every few months I have a couple of weeks off agility for whatever reason, too much to do at work, sick, school holidays, not in the right mindset, and without fail Kyzer has his batteries recharged when we go back to training.

Wise words there amypie :thumbsup:

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Hey MM, if he wants his frisbee why don't you use it as a reward, do some short bursts of training then play frisbee. Do you do that already? I agree if he really doesn't want to tug then don't worry about it, use something he does like.

And Tiggy there is no point comparing yourself to others! Each dog is different and each trainer is different. Trixie and Cider were puppy play mates and they are at different ends of the spectrum :thumbsup: but that's okay they are in completely different situations! The only dog I compare her to is herself, and as long as she is improving I am happy.

And I'm all for taking breaks from things if you need to, Every few months I have a couple of weeks off agility for whatever reason, too much to do at work, sick, school holidays, not in the right mindset, and without fail Kyzer has his batteries recharged when we go back to training.

Yeah I do use the frisbee as a reward with him as he loves fetching it and bringing it back - after all he is a retriever. Some days he will tug and other days he wont, its a bit of a pain really to work out because some days he is all for it and other days he couldnt be bothered!!!

RS I cant even get Mason to put his feet on anything to do the rear end awareness, I taught him to do it on my Wii balance board and I sold it with my Wii, now he wont do it on anything else!!

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RS I cant even get Mason to put his feet on anything to do the rear end awareness, I taught him to do it on my Wii balance board and I sold it with my Wii, now he wont do it on anything else!!

He will you just have to break it down into tiny pieces, Sophie pretty much offered every behaviour except putting her feet on the book I was using :thumbsup: but I persisted with tiny steps and she got it and what a great lesson for me to be a splitter not a lumper, I think I stole that phrase from Ptolomy :o .

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Did you miss me :(

yes :(

Get back to work you :o:)

bahahahahahahaha busted rofl ;)

I found out today I am extended till the end of Feb :thumbsup:

woohooooo.

Kelari doesn't tug unless its a soft toy rofl.

i pulled out a clicker yesterday and i taught her to sit though she does it with caution guess cos i have never allolwed her to sit. will not allow it with her show collar on but at other times i will reward. i did some drops and stas too think she is learning wohoo.

Got hubby's halloween costume today he is a pimp lol here it is not him in pic

post-33396-1288065664_thumb.jpg

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I think you need to get over the distance thing - even if you can come to K9 once a month - it will really help with your motivation and you might pick up a few different things to try at home.

I used to travel from Bunbury and Rockingham :thumbsup: so sorry have no sympathy.

But then if you can't be bothered far be it for us to try and change that

Now ducking for cover............

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I think you need to get over the distance thing - even if you can come to K9 once a month - it will really help with your motivation and you might pick up a few different things to try at home.

I used to travel from Bunbury and Rockingham :thumbsup: so sorry have no sympathy.

But then if you can't be bothered far be it for us to try and change that

Now ducking for cover............

bahahahahaha run ptolomy run.

how far do you have to travel??? it take me 40 odd mins from midland and i do that on a tuesday. would love to come down on a monday but i work :o

i also travel about 40 mins when i get up on a sun for obedience

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I'll be at K9 on Tuesdays with Shimi next year doing the puppy agility class :thumbsup: I use to whinge it was too far but it's probably only 40 minutes and it'll be well worth the drive, I'm very tempted to come on Mondays for obedience to but Banjo has agility at Eden Hill on Monday so not sure but I just know if I got to watch Ptolomy/bedazzled/RubyStar on Mondays I'd learn soooo much :) , plus it's cake night on Mondays :o .

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I think you need to get over the distance thing - even if you can come to K9 once a month - it will really help with your motivation and you might pick up a few different things to try at home.

I used to travel from Bunbury and Rockingham :thumbsup: so sorry have no sympathy.

But then if you can't be bothered far be it for us to try and change that

Now ducking for cover............

Mas all I can say is I was like you and was all urgh it's so far! And now I do it at least 2 times a week (and I think it will be 4 times this week)! It is the single most motivating thing for me!

Edited by valleyCBR
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By the way Shimi's sire Tonka is from Magicmine and he's in UD at 4 :thumbsup: and his dam is OC so I'd love to continue that legacy with Shimi it's just a matter of surrounding myself with the right people :o .

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Mas all I can say is I was like you and was all urgh it's so far! And now I do it at least 2 times a week (and I think it will be 4 times this week)! It is the single most motivating thing for me!

You're loving it aren't you :thumbsup: We should organise a bus for all of us that come from the same way :o

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