Training Talk Thread

[TerraNik]

BTW where are your vids from the trial last night????

Abby didn't get hers videoed - my video helper was busy with her own dog. And Jedi's well... You may be one of the lucky few to get to see that one It's certainly entertaining.

[kathq]

Fitness is pretty easy to achieve with a GSP. They arent still long enough to get unfit - at least mine arent.. Daily training once at the higher levels includes fairly consistent jumping certainly helps with the associated retreiving games that are the reward, Long games of frisbee most mornings, walks for my fitness as well.

Off season lots of swimming and free running in the bush and parks.

Trips to the chiro happen whenever I get the feeling something is not quite right usually with the older of my two thanks to a shoulder injury when she was young. Both get to go along and get checked out working under the premise I'm there so might as well.

[Tassie]

AFAIK. the not touching the dog in the agility ring is only after you have told the judge you are ready. Before then you can if you want to - though most people, me included, prefer hands off once you're in the ring (but that may reflect our ob background.) And no reprimands or harsh handling of course.

GD uses that sort of little tug on his dogs' backs after he's set them up in the stand. That's OK here, as ong as you haven't told the judge you're ready.

In Strat Pairs, most judges allow the inactive dog to be held (to restrain), but not moved by hand. Again, a lot of people prefer to stay hands off.

On the warm up routine - I think it's this month's CR mag that has a good aarticle on this.

[OSoSwift]

I have 5 acres around the house and the dogs spend lots of time chasing each other and trying to take toys off each other.

Lewis is always bringing you something to throw so that helps as well. I throw Wubba's, I-squeaks and balls for them. Sometimes they get them and take off chasing each other. They do this for quite a few hours each day.

They also do lead walks of around 4 kms and obedience

They don't swim although I wish they would.

We don't have a chiro down here but mine get Bowen if needed - Lewis is pretty obvious when he needs it- and other than that 3 to 4 times a year.

[J...]

So we seem to agree that obedience dogs do need to be fit to compete.

How do you all keep your dogs fit??

and your thoughts on taking performance dogs for a chiro type checkup every few months even if they don't appear lame are......

Darcy and Zee are agility dogs so they have to be fit. What I do fitness wise depends on time of year. Winter is long off-lead walks on very hilly/uneven ground and the occasional bike run. Warmer weather makes it too snakey so we use the lake a lot with plenty of shallow water retrieves and a lot of swimming. Once the blue green algae starts in the lake then we're off to the beach a few times a week (2 hour round trip!) but mostly just off-lead runs in the fewed mowed areas around here and the occasional soccer game. They also do ball work as part of their balance and core work.

My two both see the performance/sports vet at the start of each new season (Spring Summer etc) regardless, as well as a visit if I suspect there is something not quite right.

Tassie is correct - I don't think any judge would have an issue of physically setting your dog up for agility provided you've not acknowledged that you're ready. I have seen one or two try to hold their dog on the start line (no start line stay) while acknowledging the judge - that doesn't go down well!

Edited October 31, 2010 by Jess.

[Seita]

This talk on fitness is really interesting. I've never put much thought into it and focussed mostly on mental fitness but after Ella had her tick last year and then we started trialling in UD this year I've realised that I need to do more work with her on her fitness. I've been doing bike work mostly with her but I only get out about once a week (I'm trying to increase that) and we probably do maybe 3kms at the moment with the view of increasing that up to maybe 6kms over time. My previous dogs did agilty as well as obedience so there was a bigger focus on fitness with them and they got daily walks every morning.

[pie]

I've set my dog up 'hands on' for most of our trials and have never had a judge or anyone else ever mention it was a problem - never touch him after telling the judge we are ready though so that may be why.

[RubyStar]

You can lead out if your dog is steady or run with them - the latter is also great for dogs that need to build speed and confidence.

I can do a fairly decent lead out with Ruby, but I've been told by my instructor that she runs faster if I am running with her, so not to do too much of a lead out with her. I think I'm the one who needs the fitness training to do this, though!

[The Spotted Devil]

You can lead out if your dog is steady or run with them - the latter is also great for dogs that need to build speed and confidence.

I can do a fairly decent lead out with Ruby, but I've been told by my instructor that she runs faster if I am running with her, so not to do too much of a lead out with her. I think I'm the one who needs the fitness training to do this, though!

;) Goes for a lot of us!

In my limited experience, running with them certainly does build speed and I did it for about 12 months even though Zig is rock solid on a lead out. Now I lead out and he is like a coiled spring and I need the lead out just to keep up with the bugger

ETA: Interesting to hear the different judge responses on setting the dog up. In the cases I mentioned previously the judges specifically said they didn't want the dog positioned physically by the handler even before they said they were "ready". Probably differs state to state and from judge to judge.

Edited November 1, 2010 by The Spotted Devil

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I watched Greg Derrett Foundation handling DVD this morning and tried a variation of the wait and ready steady go exercises this arvo at the park...

Cos I get the fastest response from my evil hound (EH) when I run away from her.

So I put her in a wait and say "go" or "come" and she ambles off... blah blah oh possum poo and I've lost her.

So I played some tug with the lead, and then I put her in a wait, and then I walked off and back and said "go" and played some more tug... and then I put her in a wait, and went off and when I said "go" I ran away from her holding the lead where she could grab it when she caught up (reduces the risk of her grabbing a glute instead). And she powered away from the stand.

And the second one, I did a bounce fake out and she started coming I said "oops" and she STOPPED - OMG she never what the f - wow. So I set her up again and got a good solid wait and did "go" and ran away and she's having SO MUCH FUN. Now if only we can get that to work at club training. I always knew her (second) favourite thing, is chasing me. And now I know how to use it. And all I got to do now, is figure out how to use her most favourite thing (me chasing her) to get her to do "go outs" or "go ons", ie run ahead of me and jump stuff.

[beagie]

Well said Mrs Rusty Bucket - I was an athlete in a past life and I would never have competed without warning up first.

Food for thought.......

Ptolomy I hope you will see this, if you havent sent away your order as yet I would like to add another item don't know your private email Beagie

[Ptolomy]

Beagie - Just send me a PM with whatever you want to add :-)

[bedazzledx2]

Did you get mine? I'm having problems with some of my PM's not being received.

Beagie - Just send me a PM with whatever you want to add :-)

[beagie]

Beagie - Just send me a PM with whatever you want to add :-)

sorry I have no idea how to do that, I do have an excuse, old age, LOL LOL it is a K9 Cmere it's a helpful recall tool when the dogs are running a long

way out and my voice goes on me Beagie

[Tiggy]

Beagie - Just send me a PM with whatever you want to add :-)

sorry I have no idea how to do that, I do have an excuse, old age, LOL LOL it is a K9 Cmere it's a helpful recall tool when the dogs are running a long

way out and my voice goes on me Beagie

Just click on Ptolomy's user name then you'll see the option to send a message

[The Spotted Devil]

Speaking of allowing others to handle your dogs.....last night I took Emily to puppy school - mainly as an opportunity to practice focus under distraction and see how she responded in an unfamiliar situation. Imagine my surprise when they not only wanted to have a puppy free-for-all "socialisation" but wanted to play "pass the puppy" I politely declined and did my own thing.

Edited November 3, 2010 by The Spotted Devil

[minxy]

I took Kyojin to his first puppy class last night. I was a bit surprised that we, well not quite got in trouble, but were told that we were doing the wrong thing as we have already taught Kyojin to sit and leave it on command, and are working on shake at the moment (He paws a lot, so we figured we'd make use of it) because we verbally say the commands to him. Apparently we should only be using hand signals until he's 120% amazing at it and can do it from miles away, or when we have our backs to him etc. I've never heard of this. Every dog I've had we've taught them to do something while saying the command when they do it right, and then praising. So far, so good. I also got told off because we very rarely give him treat rewards at home. Supposedly having a dog that is happy to work for praise isn't such a good thing Are we doing the wrong thing???

[Tiggy]

I took Kyojin to his first puppy class last night. I was a bit surprised that we, well not quite got in trouble, but were told that we were doing the wrong thing as we have already taught Kyojin to sit and leave it on command, and are working on shake at the moment (He paws a lot, so we figured we'd make use of it) because we verbally say the commands to him. Apparently we should only be using hand signals until he's 120% amazing at it and can do it from miles away, or when we have our backs to him etc. I've never heard of this. Every dog I've had we've taught them to do something while saying the command when they do it right, and then praising. So far, so good. I also got told off because we very rarely give him treat rewards at home. Supposedly having a dog that is happy to work for praise isn't such a good thing Are we doing the wrong thing???

I thought you were meant to teach the verbal before the hand signal - that's what the Sheila Booth book says .

Edited November 3, 2010 by Tiggy

[whiskedaway]

I've always been told to teach them together and that the dog will pick up the verbal before the signal, so then you start phasing the verbal out.

[wuffles]

Just depends how you want to do it, IMO there isn't a right and wrong way. My hand signal comes first if I am teaching using luring as the hand signal is usually a less obvious version of the lure. Verbal command is only added when they are performing the behaviour every time with the lure. Both my dogs work better using signals rather than commands, so although I give both most of the time, the signals are most important for us.

Keep in mind it can be difficult for instructors who often have to fit within the club or vet's training philosophy, if you think you have enough experience to effectively train your dog in a different manner then take their advice and try their method, but ultimately you can do whatever you like.

My dog will work for praise but she will work BETTER for treats

Edited November 3, 2010 by wuffles