Training Talk Thread

[bedazzledx2]

I would add to this to forget about the NRM"s. You have to trust your dog in scent and for all we know scent has blown on to another article and a NRM in this instance will just cause her to doubt herself.

Used the dogscouts methods and verbally marked the right article with a "yes". I still occasionally in training mark an article when she's picked it up and let her have the reward just to keep it random for her. I give her a NRM if she gets it wrong.

Seita - where exactly did you put the "yes" as she was picking it up perhaps????

when I was training it I would mark right article as soon as she indicated it, as she got better at it I'd wait til she'd picked it up.

and I think this is where your problem originated as she has become unsure she is waiting for you to indicate yes that is the correct article hence why even when she finds the correct one she will pick it up and put it down and move onto the rest of the pack.

You really need to go back to basics as if she doesn't know the exercise at all, but you should be able to build it up quite quickly, once she has learnt to find the article herself without your help and to trust her judgement. If you want to give her feedback make sure it is in different spots on her way back or when she has presented, or even after you have taken the article.

[caffy]

Used the dogscouts methods and verbally marked the right article with a "yes". I still occasionally in training mark an article when she's picked it up and let her have the reward just to keep it random for her. I give her a NRM if she gets it wrong.

Seita - where exactly did you put the "yes" as she was picking it up perhaps????

when I was training it I would mark right article as soon as she indicated it, as she got better at it I'd wait til she'd picked it up.

and I think this is where your problem originated as she has become unsure she is waiting for you to indicate yes that is the correct article hence why even when she finds the correct one she will pick it up and put it down and move onto the rest of the pack.

You really need to go back to basics as if she doesn't know the exercise at all, but you should be able to build it up quite quickly, once she has learnt to find the article herself without your help and to trust her judgement. If you want to give her feedback make sure it is in different spots on her way back or when she has presented, or even after you have taken the article.

I agree with Ptolomy which is why i asked if you verbally indicated the correct article in training.

Remember also that slight movements such as a hand towards a pocket or a slight turn to throw a toy will become physical markers for your dog and also something she will look for when working the pile.

[xena98]

Hi guys

We done a mock trial on the sunday and I put my little Gabby in UDX. Its the second time putting everything together and I havent been doing lots as I have been still concentrating on the ud. Only need one more leg for her OC. Anyway I was so proud of her she only did a couple of mistakes one in her heelwork in motion missed the drop I dont think she heard me as the second time I was louder and only stuffed up no 2 in the multi retrieve as she went straight to it that fast that it flicked out of her mouth and there was no way she was going to pick it up but she did 1 and 3 beautiful and in a straight line. I had this as a problem for at least 12 months or more so I was so rapped. The judge also said to put her in the ring as she knew all her exercises but I think I might still wait though lol. I'm so proud of her

[Seita]

9 more days and counting before my new little man Strauss arrives in Perth and news from Norway is that today he went for his first real swim where no feet were on the ground. He went on his first bus ride where he met an old man with wheels attached - which I can only imagine is a walking frame. I have to say that this little dog has been so well socialized having been to the gold club, on buses and trains, to schools and shopping centres, to the beach - they obviously don't have the restrictions we have here in oz. :D

Ohhhh how exciting! How long does he need to be in quarantine for?

[Seita]

I would add to this to forget about the NRM"s. You have to trust your dog in scent and for all we know scent has blown on to another article and a NRM in this instance will just cause her to doubt herself.

She very rarely picks up the wrong one (until this last week or two) and if she has worked really hard to find it and then picks up the wrong one I just send her again. But when she goes out and clearly doesn't sniff (which is what she was doing in our last session) and just grabs an article then I do give her a NRM.

Used the dogscouts methods and verbally marked the right article with a "yes". I still occasionally in training mark an article when she's picked it up and let her have the reward just to keep it random for her. I give her a NRM if she gets it wrong.

Seita - where exactly did you put the "yes" as she was picking it up perhaps????

when I was training it I would mark right article as soon as she indicated it, as she got better at it I'd wait til she'd picked it up.

and I think this is where your problem originated as she has become unsure she is waiting for you to indicate yes that is the correct article hence why even when she finds the correct one she will pick it up and put it down and move onto the rest of the pack.

You really need to go back to basics as if she doesn't know the exercise at all, but you should be able to build it up quite quickly, once she has learnt to find the article herself without your help and to trust her judgement. If you want to give her feedback make sure it is in different spots on her way back or when she has presented, or even after you have taken the article.

I agree with Ptolomy which is why i asked if you verbally indicated the correct article in training.

Remember also that slight movements such as a hand towards a pocket or a slight turn to throw a toy will become physical markers for your dog and also something she will look for when working the pile.

I will go back to basics in a session tonight and see how we go. I really tried hard to mark randomly as she got better at finding the right article so she wouldn't rely on my mark. Do you guys mark the correct article in the early training stages? Or just let them figure it out and reward when they bring it back?

[ness]

I was told with both gloves and articles to let the dog actually present the article and you take the article or glove off the dog even if it was the wrong one. Otherwise you start to find the dog second guessing or dropping the item on the way back on the retrieve and you lose your presents.

[kathq]

I give an enthusiastic verbal reward when she presents the right article then at the end of all three she might get a ball game reward.. If she brings me back the wrong one I dont say anything and get the article rescent it and do over. Probably wrong way to do it but it seemed to work for us.

Just home from an excellent training session where she worked correctly with high enthusiasm unlike last weekend's trial where she was so horrible it was hilarious. Been off colour the next two days but was her normal eager beaver self today so maybe she was feeling crook on Saturday? Will never know I guess. Shall see how she goes at Toowoomba next Sunday.

Seita are you going to Toowoomba?

[Seita]

I give an enthusiastic verbal reward when she presents the right article then at the end of all three she might get a ball game reward.. If she brings me back the wrong one I dont say anything and get the article rescent it and do over. Probably wrong way to do it but it seemed to work for us.

Just home from an excellent training session where she worked correctly with high enthusiasm unlike last weekend's trial where she was so horrible it was hilarious. Been off colour the next two days but was her normal eager beaver self today so maybe she was feeling crook on Saturday? Will never know I guess. Shall see how she goes at Toowoomba next Sunday.

Seita are you going to Toowoomba?

I'm entered but with the state of Ella's articles and our complete lack of training this last 2 weeks I don't think we'll bother going.

[kathq]

This is the links to some of the exercises from Saturdays trial. The internet is taking forever to upload tonight and some the OH couldnt do as there was someone in the way and he was trying to hide so Coco couldnt see him. We forgot the fact that she has a nose however

[ness]

Why is it that they can do absolutely perfect rounds at training and can't reproduce it at a trial . Ness did yet another picture perfect UD round at training tonight - didn't put a paw out of place and we get to a trial and it all still goes so badly pearshaped. She did not miss a trick tonight and it was all just lovely. Yet in a trial we can't even get our seekback working these days (well presenting the bloody article ).

[Tiggy]

kathq had to laugh at Coco presenting the seekback to the judge

[bedazzledx2]

In early training I only mark after the dog has selected the correct article and is returning to me. I don't ask for a present at this stage and if he gets it wrong I will make it easier for him to get the right one. The dog is always right! If he starts randomly grabbing I will abort the exercise and try again later with a new set of articles or only one if thats what it takes for him to be right.

I will go back to basics in a session tonight and see how we go. I really tried hard to mark randomly as she got better at finding the right article so she wouldn't rely on my mark. Do you guys mark the correct article in the early training stages? Or just let them figure it out and reward when they bring it back?

[bedazzledx2]

Well done Xena UDX is a tough class. Sounds like it won't be long for her to nail it!

Hi guys

We done a mock trial on the sunday and I put my little Gabby in UDX. Its the second time putting everything together and I havent been doing lots as I have been still concentrating on the ud. Only need one more leg for her OC. Anyway I was so proud of her she only did a couple of mistakes one in her heelwork in motion missed the drop I dont think she heard me as the second time I was louder and only stuffed up no 2 in the multi retrieve as she went straight to it that fast that it flicked out of her mouth and there was no way she was going to pick it up but she did 1 and 3 beautiful and in a straight line. I had this as a problem for at least 12 months or more so I was so rapped. The judge also said to put her in the ring as she knew all her exercises but I think I might still wait though lol. I'm so proud of her

[Ptolomy]

In early training I only mark after the dog has selected the correct article and is returning to me. I don't ask for a present at this stage and if he gets it wrong I will make it easier for him to get the right one. The dog is always right! If he starts randomly grabbing I will abort the exercise and try again later with a new set of articles or only one if thats what it takes for him to be right.

I posted some videos a while ago of Cider learning scent at 7 months of age - I was randomly clicking on her way back and throwing food behind me and playing the two food game. Only 1 in 5 would I ask for a present, and scent was just a big fun game for her.

[Kynan]

I have a question for those of you that are doing TID programs using food drive. What food do you use?

[Seita]

An update on our scent issues, I did a session with woods last night and we got back up to 3 articles. She has a few attempts at simply grabbing at articles without using her nose so i just ignored her until she went back out and started using her nose. She was starting to work nicely on the 3 articles last night but I didn't want to push it too far. This arvo we brought the metals out and very quickly got back up to 5 with no picking up and dropping happening at all. I then put 2 woods out again and she started to get a bit unsure and did the pick up and drop thing a few times but after maybe 3 goes she got it under control again and we got back up to 3 articles before I decided to call it a night. I think I'll work on woods again next session and when we've got woods sorted (no picking up and dropping etc at all even on first go) then I'll bring the leathers back into the game as those were causing some major probs the other day.

I'm not marking a correct article until she is on her way back to me with it and then I'm doing it randomly. She's only tried to bring me the wrong article twice today and once yesterday and I've just been ignoring her completely

[TerraNik]

I have a question for those of you that are doing TID programs using food drive. What food do you use?

I use those imitation crab pieces Ahsoka goes mental for them.

And then on other days I use cheese, uncooked skinless beef sausages or good ol' devon.

Edited July 14, 2010 by TerraNik

[huski]

I have a question for those of you that are doing TID programs using food drive. What food do you use?

I use a huge range of things. Anything soft and smelly and easy for the dog to swallow I.e. Sausage, chicken, cheese, luncheon roll etc. Really depends on what the dog likes too. I often pull out a doggy gingerbread man at trial as Daisy has a real sweet tooth and it is like beagle crack

Little brag from me tonight. We have just moved house and I've had no net (am posting from my phone!). I have recently been trying to train Mish to do the elephant trick and he has been very reluctant to get on the box. The best I've been able to get is one paw on it whilst he is sitting down, using food as a reward as he is quite food driven. Anyway tonight I tried shaping it with his ball as the reward. He was standing up with two front paws on the box within minutes This is a dog who is almost eight and hasn't really done much shaping. Small things, but I was so happy with him and he was having a great time!

Eta: I was also chuffed as it's the first time I've ever shaped anything with a toy.

Edited July 14, 2010 by huski

[huski]

I have a question for those of you that are doing TID programs using food drive. What food do you use?

I use those imitation crab pieces Ahsoka goes mental for them.

And then on other days I use cheese, uncooked skinless beef sausages or good ol' devon.

Where do you get those from Nik?? They look great, I've never seen them before.

[TerraNik]

I have a question for those of you that are doing TID programs using food drive. What food do you use?

I use those imitation crab pieces Ahsoka goes mental for them.

And then on other days I use cheese, uncooked skinless beef sausages or good ol' devon.

Where do you get those from Nik?? They look great, I've never seen them before.

Just from Coles or Woolies! You find them in the deli section or you can buy them in big frozen bags in the frozen seafood section. Ahsoka LOVES them.