Training Talk Thread

[RallyValley]

I am starting more serious training with Lincoln as of tomorow! So hopefully by the rally seminar he will have a sit, down, front and finish. Plus I will keep working on bombproofing him for the show ring and shaping a free stack now I am happy with his hand stack. For anyone who has trained retrieve using the Chong method do you know if the initial shaping of holding a dumbell correctly can be done in short sessionsover time or does it have to be grouped togther?

After owning crate games for so long and watching it like 4 times I am finally going to start it with Toby!

[RubyStar]

Sounds like you're going to be busy

I used the method for Millie (though I more used the shaping concept she talks about, not exactly step by step of what she writes) and I did it in many short sessions. I didn't train it religously so it took Millie a while, but now she does a very enthusiastic dumbell retrieve

[RallyValley]

Sounds like you're going to be busy

I used the method for Millie (though I more used the shaping concept she talks about, not exactly step by step of what she writes) and I did it in many short sessions. I didn't train it religously so it took Millie a while, but now she does a very enthusiastic dumbell retrieve

I was hoping that about the retrieve. The obidience stuff will be very gradual, it sounds like a lot but there is 45 days till the seminar.

[huski]

huski, try throwing her reward for dropping behind her and then sending her to get it (so you don't have to do the whole exercise of her then coming to you after the drop). She is getting closer to you before she drops because they gravitate towards the reinforcement (ie. treat coming from you), so if you throw it behind her she should start dropping quicker, in anticipation of the reward being thrown. Start closer to you and work your way out. Also if you haven't already done so, play the 2 food game in this. Call her to you, get her to drop on her way, click then throw a treat with a command to go get it, then as she runs back to you, drop again, click and throw treat. She will start dropping quicker to get the treat thrown quicker

Thanks RS, releasing her to the reward behind her makes sense

The two food game is not a great game to play with Daisy, I avoid anything that encourages her to put her nose to the ground

Edited May 19, 2010 by huski

[TerraNik]

I just started Crate Games with my two today... It's hilarious!! They both like their crates but now I think Jedi is obsessed with it! I tried to release him out of the crate and he didn't want to budge! Talk about high level of reinforcement for the crate! We got over that and I've never seen him so enthusiastic to get into his crate and this is only after one session! Soaks loves it too - she was wagging her tail the whole time.

[ness]

:D TerraNik. I played a round of that with Kenz at the last obedience trial while we were hanging around. She thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Ness seems to have a high level reinforcement for crates that aren't hers . Although people did think she was rather cute and the workshop because she was happy to chill in it with the door open and not go anywhere (well until she thought she could weasel food out of unsuspecting people).

[TerraNik]

:D That sounds like something Jedi would do! Jedi absolutely adores the game... He was blowing a top when I swapped to play it with Soaks! Normally he just sits quietly and watches while I train Soaks! I had to get OH to hold him back and reward him for being quiet! :D

[ness]

about having to get OH to hold Jedi while you played with Soaks. Kenz can be funny when I set crates up at trials half the time she tries to share with Ness. Ness isn't overly amused by that :D .

[Mas1981]

Our training is something like this at the moment....

1 night during the week we are going to meet up with a lady who trains near me ( she does obedience, tracking, and retrieving, I need her help with retrieving)

Saturdays - tracking

Sundays - club obedience

And then we have been invited to another group that will be meeting probably once a fortnight or so to train obedience ( bunch of people from our club). Thinking about dropping the tracking next season as my weekends are just far to busy and I dont get anything else done !!

I am unsure about the Rally O seminar, I think I would be more keen if it were not 2 days because I am not feeling for driving to Southern River 2 days in a row....

[NZVizsla]

Quick question.. :D

So my young Vizsla boy is in training. He's learning the dumbell and is now getting used to holding it in motion.

Due to my own crap health problems I can't always do too much movement stuff, so I thought I'd pick your brains a little.

He's just learnt to stand on a foot stool with his two front feet and walk around it with his back feet.

He really enjoys it, and it is easy for me to be hands on or off.

Do you think it would be okay if I let him hold the dumbell whilst he walks around the foot stool?

I could easily hold his collar under his chin if his head starts to droop..

So good idea? bad idea?

[Tiggy]

Just an update on Banjo's agility training . I took him to the park yesterday and worked on start line stays, leaving him in a 'stay' and making sure he was only releasing on my verbal 'break' cue. I give him 10/10 . I was releasing him to his Dman tug(plug ) and boy was he racing to get it.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Tiggy

[RubyStar]

I have a dog with an intense fear of dogwalks Still no better after tonight's training session. Sigh

ETA: And I have another dog who I swear if she could talk, she'd be squealing "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!" as she flies across the dog walk, fearless!!

Edited May 20, 2010 by RubyStar

[Staff'n'Toller]

I have a dog with an intense fear of dogwalks Still no better after tonight's training session. Sigh

ETA: And I have another dog who I swear if she could talk, she'd be squealing "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!" as she flies across the dog walk, fearless!!

Can you backchain it? Put her on the end in 2o2o position, then lift her on halfway down the end ramp (C/T), and work backwards from there?

Edited May 20, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller

[ness]

Sounds like what I suggested to her the other day SnT .

[Staff'n'Toller]

Sounds like what I suggested to her the other day SnT .

Oops - Sorry!

[RallyValley]

RS Toby is a scardey dog about some things and when he works himself into a state about something I just give it a break for a week or two then reward for being near the item, interact with it ect. I find if I push him he will pick up on my frustration and become more and more frightened.

[ness]

Its all right SnT I didn't suggest it in this thread .

[Ptolomy]

Quick question..

So my young Vizsla boy is in training. He's learning the dumbell and is now getting used to holding it in motion.

Due to my own crap health problems I can't always do too much movement stuff, so I thought I'd pick your brains a little.

He's just learnt to stand on a foot stool with his two front feet and walk around it with his back feet.

He really enjoys it, and it is easy for me to be hands on or off.

Do you think it would be okay if I let him hold the dumbell whilst he walks around the foot stool?

I could easily hold his collar under his chin if his head starts to droop..

So good idea? bad idea?

Hi there - do you intend on competing with your boy? In theory there is no reason why you can't teach him to hold a dumbbell while walking around a foot stool BUT you may find that bad habits develop like him dropping his head or the dumbbell which of course could cause problems further down the line. If it was me - I wouldn't be using a dumbbell, but I would consider using something else like a toy.

If you are after things to teach him to keep his mind active and trying to keep movement to a minimum - have you thought about scent, or sitting in a hula hoop, or climbing into a box, or speak on command (hmm maybe not), or finding something you hide in the house...... Others might be able to come up with more suggestions.

Good luck

[RubyStar]

Yes, have been backchaining it, have been rewarding for being near it, have been rewarding for touching it, have had her running over it flat no problems, but when there is an incline, she freaks out. Placing her on the end she does it but looks terrified.

[RubyStar]

RS Toby is a scardey dog about some things and when he works himself into a state about something I just give it a break for a week or two then reward for being near the item, interact with it ect. I find if I push him he will pick up on my frustration and become more and more frightened.

Ruby had about a years break from anything resembling a ramp. She freaked herself out over the ramp I bought for the new car, but then never used it cos she wouldn't get on it and Millie is able to jump in the car with ease. I just accepted the fact that this was a phobia she has and didn't push it again. But now I want to do agility with her, we need to get over this phobia. After the years break from the ramp, I showed her a full size dogwalk and even though she went over it cautiously, she did it. Once that was over with, she realised it was no big deal and proceeded to keep running across it. If she did that I didn't want to call her off or get her to turn around on it cos I knew if she fell off, that would be the end of the dogwalk for her. She hasn't fallen off, but has lost her footing slightly due to being cautious after the seesaw, and now she's back to packing herself! Maybe I will just give it a rest for a bit, which will also mean withdrawing her from classes. There is no point going to a class that needs to have a dogwalk and seesaw happening to progress. I'll just keep training it on my own at a pace that suits her. I'm lucky I have access to equipment on another training night that I don't have to wait in a queue to use Well unless amypie is hogging it (kidding )