Training Talk Thread

[RubyStar]

I swapped to plastic after my BC sized wooden DB was blown back at me after a trial in WA.

Another reason to make sure the wood is not a soft light one I go plastic now

The obedience trial I did in Bunbury recently was terribly windy, I couldn't even walk in a straight line! I didn't see what the people throwing dumbells had to endure! I do know the seekback took some dogs a while because the scent was being blown all over the place!

[ness]

I can probably even find the video of the DB landing back at my feet on the ROH. Anne L-H was the judge and I got a rethrow because of the wind and then managed up with 30 for the exercise . We then screwed up the bloody COP .

[RubyStar]

At the shop at K9, valley

I bought mine from some online place, can't remember the name. But will buy my next one from the K9 shop when I start trialling in Open (as my current one Millie found in my bag ages ago and thought it was a chew toy )

If you want a wood one, like amy says, that website sell them. But be careful what type of wood you get, the one I brought from there the edges chipped very badly from general use (was only thrown on grass and wasn't a mouthing issue!) Get a hard wood one if you don't want to go plastic.

Are the ones at K9 grippy? I don't want to teach him to mouth hard because the dumbell is slipping around.

I don't think you'll find dumbells with grip on the mouth part IMO, wood encourages the dogs to "chomp" on the dumbell, as the soft wood is so enticing! But I only have one dog experience in that You can teach them not to mouth though with whatever one you use.

[RubyStar]

I can probably even find the video of the DB landing back at my feet on the ROH. Anne L-H was the judge and I got a rethrow because of the wind and then managed up with 30 for the exercise . We then screwed up the bloody COP .

Think I might have seen it but if you can dig it up I'll watch it again. I'm bored at work

[RallyValley]

At the shop at K9, valley

I bought mine from some online place, can't remember the name. But will buy my next one from the K9 shop when I start trialling in Open (as my current one Millie found in my bag ages ago and thought it was a chew toy )

If you want a wood one, like amy says, that website sell them. But be careful what type of wood you get, the one I brought from there the edges chipped very badly from general use (was only thrown on grass and wasn't a mouthing issue!) Get a hard wood one if you don't want to go plastic.

Are the ones at K9 grippy? I don't want to teach him to mouth hard because the dumbell is slipping around.

I don't think you'll find dumbells with grip on the mouth part IMO, wood encourages the dogs to "chomp" on the dumbell, as the soft wood is so enticing! But I only have one dog experience in that You can teach them not to mouth though with whatever one you use.

My concern is that wet, smooth plastic can slip, causing him to use his teeth, I have never seen a dumbell up close so this fear might be unfounded

[RubyStar]

I have a funny from training last night. Well, it quite amused me, not sure others will get it being that they don't know my dog! (or not agree with the way I train!)

I was doing some shaping with Ruby to get weave entries right. When she got it wrong, I simply ignored her while she stood there waiting for me to throw her a treat or ball (I was mixing the reward up a bit). There were a few repetitions when she got it wrong one after the other (yes I should have made it simpler if she was getting it wrong more than once or twice, but that's another story!) then out of nowhere, she came and sat looking up at me, then woofed at me! The reason I found this amusing is because this dog is a silent learner, she doesn't make any noise while training, even when we're shaping and she's trying to work out the criteria. She was clearly frustrated that what she was doing wasn't right, enough to give me a little woof! Whether it's the right reaction or not, I found it amusing and had a bit of a giggle. I then made it simpler for her and it was the one and only woof of the night

[RubyStar]

At the shop at K9, valley

I bought mine from some online place, can't remember the name. But will buy my next one from the K9 shop when I start trialling in Open (as my current one Millie found in my bag ages ago and thought it was a chew toy )

If you want a wood one, like amy says, that website sell them. But be careful what type of wood you get, the one I brought from there the edges chipped very badly from general use (was only thrown on grass and wasn't a mouthing issue!) Get a hard wood one if you don't want to go plastic.

Are the ones at K9 grippy? I don't want to teach him to mouth hard because the dumbell is slipping around.

I don't think you'll find dumbells with grip on the mouth part IMO, wood encourages the dogs to "chomp" on the dumbell, as the soft wood is so enticing! But I only have one dog experience in that You can teach them not to mouth though with whatever one you use.

My concern is that wet, smooth plastic can slip, causing him to use his teeth, I have never seen a dumbell up close so this fear might be unfounded

They can roll the plastic ones around in their mouth. When it comes down to it, a dog can mouth wood or plastic, its you who has to teach the dog that mouthing isn't allowed

[RallyValley]

At the shop at K9, valley

I bought mine from some online place, can't remember the name. But will buy my next one from the K9 shop when I start trialling in Open (as my current one Millie found in my bag ages ago and thought it was a chew toy )

If you want a wood one, like amy says, that website sell them. But be careful what type of wood you get, the one I brought from there the edges chipped very badly from general use (was only thrown on grass and wasn't a mouthing issue!) Get a hard wood one if you don't want to go plastic.

Are the ones at K9 grippy? I don't want to teach him to mouth hard because the dumbell is slipping around.

I don't think you'll find dumbells with grip on the mouth part IMO, wood encourages the dogs to "chomp" on the dumbell, as the soft wood is so enticing! But I only have one dog experience in that You can teach them not to mouth though with whatever one you use.

My concern is that wet, smooth plastic can slip, causing him to use his teeth, I have never seen a dumbell up close so this fear might be unfounded

They can roll the plastic ones around in their mouth. When it comes down to it, a dog can mouth wood or plastic, its you who has to teach the dog that mouthing isn't allowed

Lincoln won't even squeak an i Sueak, just holds it, so I should be ok. I was just looking and if I get one that is the right sizeI should be fine. RS does Ruby fetch anything now you have taught her to get a dumbell or did you have to teach each object sepereatly.

[huski]

LOL Rubystar, Daisy can be quite vocal so a woof of frustration is not uncommon for her

[RubyStar]

I haven't asked her to fetch random objects like keys, slippers, etc. so I don't know for sure. But she fetches the dumbell, bumper, and scent discrimination objects. Though she finds it very hard to pick the SD articles up, so she tosses them around in her mouth to get a better grip. She looks like she's trying to smoke it most times, as she comes back with it holding it by the end I obviously need to do more work on this, but have been focusing more on other exercises.

[RubyStar]

LOL Rubystar, Daisy can be quite vocal so a woof of frustration is not uncommon for her

Millie barks her head off if she's NOT training, waiting for her turn, but she then goes silent like Ruby when training. I like my quiet thinkers But the only shaping I have done with Millie is the dumbell, so I have no idea if she'd woof at me too. It was just very unlike Ruby! It was a half hearted woof, not so much AT me, just a small noise of displeasure kind of under her breath at being wrong!

I enjoy shaping with Ruby as she was a clicker trained pup, but Millie drives me bonkers having not done a lot of it. She hasn't "learnt to learn" like Ruby has, but is trying hard to catch up!

Edited May 14, 2010 by RubyStar

[kathq]

Am ecstatic right now. We have been having problems with the scent discrim - my once super confident girl had gone all hesitant and uncertain. For the life of me I do not know why anyway took her back to basics. Sessions inside on the lounge room floor only one type of article high repitition, huge reward when she got it right. Took it outside again this afternoon and my super confident, happy girl was back. Still high reward in between types of articles but she did it.

Perhaps a lesson for me in giving her easy to do sometimes. Still think I dont know what I am doing though

[Mas1981]

RS- Ruby cracks me up Mason is also a silent trainer lol

[RallyValley]

Lincoln has an attitude. He will bark at me all the time if I am doing something wrong or he is bored.

[Sue & Waldo]

Lincoln has an attitude. He will bark at me all the time if I am doing something wrong or he is bored.

Cindy NEVER barks if she is confused or bored...

She rolls over for a tummy rub but only if the grass isn't wet

[pie]

Trixie never barks at me but if I am frustrating Kyzer or stuffing him up somewhere or not being forthcoming with enough treats during a clicker session he will tell me off, most of the time he is good though. It's an annoying yappy bark too, not a cute little 'boof' like Ruby did

I've just gotta be careful not to accidentally click when he barks, that could be dangerous

[huski]

That's great news Kathq!!

Well after Wednesday's very negative training night I took Daisy down to our local sports oval tonight - lots of kids there playing hockey again and despite us keeping our distance and minding our own business loads of kids came over to watch her They wanted to get involved so I used them as figure eight posts again which they thought was awesome (LOL) and then they got their hockey sticks and held them up a little way off the ground and I called Daisy over them which they thought was the coolest thing they'd ever seen Nothing like training with some kids to make you feel good about your training again - they even awww'd and ahhh'd over Daisy doing automatic sits

[TerraNik]

Sounds like you had a great night!

[J...]

Does anybody else train inside at nighttime when they haven't managed to get to the oval in the arvo?

If so, what sort of things do you do?

Most of my training is done inside at the moment, just not enough daylight of a weeknight to give my guys a decent run and train.

I'm doing contacts with a travel plank, targetting, balance & strength work on a ball and disc, hand touches, crate games, general tricks, rear end work (backing up, perch work) and some heel work "doodling" with Darcy.

[The Spotted Devil]

Does anybody else train inside at nighttime when they haven't managed to get to the oval in the arvo?

If so, what sort of things do you do?

A lot It's freezing here at the moment and I've been flat out at Uni so night times are invaluable - usually train with Zig's dinner.

Spent months shaping a dumbbell retrieve - WELL worth it

We practice fronts, finishes (both ways), heeling turns, retrieves, change of position, picking up articles - especially leather and double especially metal, start peg focus. On the decking we practice 2O/2O on a plank if it's not raining.....i.e. not much at the moment