Training Talk Thread

[ness]

Its ok bedazzledx2 I sent Mason's mum to the link on how to measure a DB that is on one of the US sites so that should help.

I am tossing up actually using a small for Kenz as the medium is just a little to big I find.

[RubyStar]

I have a medium and a large here Candice, if you don't get a dumbell before we see each other next, take a look at the sizes I have. I use medium for both girls.

[Tiggy]

Banjo - I was attempting the heel work with arm out like Ptolomy showed in her vid . It will go smoother when he learns to catch the food .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7tQxHla3V8

[Ptolomy]

Banjo - I was attempting the heel work with arm out like Ptolomy showed in her vid :D . It will go smoother when he learns to catch the food :D .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7tQxHla3V8

Hey good job Tiggy and where did all this motivation come from

Banjo did a great job heeling - what sort of food were you using - the cheese would have been good)? Strauss was better on the outside cirlces than the inside ones (and still is and it looks like Banjo is the same). Start Bear on catching food now away from heeling.

I have just had a look at your rear end awareness videos The one of Bear was how Strauss started too and it didn't take him long to catch on at all - its funny because at this stage they are oblivious to the phone book even being there - just more intent on getting the chunks of cheese.

The one of Banjo on his stiff side. Try standing opposite him and asking him to line up or get in or whatever your command is for him to find heel position and you stand still - he might find this easier. Hmm actually you will have to break this down a bit, you stand with him in heel and take a step to your right and ask him to line up. Once he can do this, then you take 2 steps etc until you are opposite him and he can scoot around.

[RallyValley]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet :D :D However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well.

[Tiggy]

Banjo - I was attempting the heel work with arm out like Ptolomy showed in her vid . It will go smoother when he learns to catch the food :D .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7tQxHla3V8

Hey good job Tiggy and where did all this motivation come from

Banjo did a great job heeling - what sort of food were you using - the cheese would have been good)? Strauss was better on the outside cirlces than the inside ones (and still is and it looks like Banjo is the same). Start Bear on catching food now away from heeling.

I have just had a look at your rear end awareness videos The one of Bear was how Strauss started too and it didn't take him long to catch on at all - its funny because at this stage they are oblivious to the phone book even being there - just more intent on getting the chunks of cheese.

The one of Banjo on his stiff side. Try standing opposite him and asking him to line up or get in or whatever your command is for him to find heel position and you stand still - he might find this easier. Hmm actually you will have to break this down a bit, you stand with him in heel and take a step to your right and ask him to line up. Once he can do this, then you take 2 steps etc until you are opposite him and he can scoot around.

I don't know where the motivation came from but I like it ;) . I'm really into obedience at the moment :D . I was using cheese. Thanks for the tips will definitely try what you suggested for Banjo and start teaching Bear to catch food .

[Tassie]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet ;) However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well. :D

RV you're doing wonders with the Toby man - the biking might actually be giving him confidence (the way agility can for some dogs) - or maybe it was just the pikelet :D Well done, anyway.

[RallyValley]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet :D However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well. ;)

RV you're doing wonders with the Toby man - the biking might actually be giving him confidence (the way agility can for some dogs) - or maybe it was just the pikelet Well done, anyway.

Probably the pikelet! :D My mum made them and they were pretty good! ;) No in all honesty I think he is starting to get his confidence back.. hopefully we can get the dog I saw at Nationals back... but even better! :D

[OSoSwift]

Great to hear he is going well with being next to the bike, such a big step. And even better to hear he is getting some confidence back

I am off training again today and will implement some of the tips you guys gave me and will see how we go!

[Ptolomy]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet :D :D However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well.

Well done mate - he has come a long way in such a short period of time. How did you overcome his fear of bikes and does he still have anxious moments around them?

[Staff'n'Toller]

Hey RV just wanted to mention that if you start going out on tracks and bikes are likely to come up behind and pass you, to C/T for that as well.

Just something I noticed that Geordie has become wary of because he can't hear them coming if they don't use a bell. I'm in suburbia though and it's hard to find tracks where there isn't other riders.

[RallyValley]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well.

Well done mate - he has come a long way in such a short period of time. How did you overcome his fear of bikes and does he still have anxious moments around them?

I started working on the fear in late November - but he made a large leap forward a few weeks ago!

(A bit detailed and possibly boring) I used a clicker and first of all clicked for being calm 2 m from the bike laying on the ground, then gradually moved closer, then clicked for him touching the bike, then cliked for him not trying to run away while I moved the bike while it was lying down (i.e spun the tyre, moved the handlebar or pedal), then I would lift the bike a little and click if he was calm and put it down to start over again, once it was fully up I would click touching again, then I would move the bike back and foward and click for calm near the bike, then he was touching the bike while moving then moving the handlebars side to side was a bit scarier then when he was calm around that I began sitting on the bike, back and forward ect. until I could ride with him next to me! The biggest breakthough was handlebars side to side while sitting on the bike.

He is a lot better with other bikes i.e this morning on our walk a whole peleton of cyclists went by on the road and he saw them but didn't react however a bit later on a narrow footpath two cyclists came past and he went on my other side and hesitates a little, but nothing like a few months back where his tail would be between his legs and he would curl in a shaking little ball or he would slip his collar and bolt. :D Also the other day at Riverside we saw a bike and he noticed it (and was offleash) but still stayed near me as the bike went past about 1m away as he thought I might throw his ball!

He is still a bit scared of cars but honestly I don't know if I want to change that... he is also scared of skateboards, trolleys, prams ect, all things we have to work on... hopefully after a few he will start to generalize all 'wheels'

[RallyValley]

Hey RV just wanted to mention that if you start going out on tracks and bikes are likely to come up behind and pass you, to C/T for that as well.

Just something I noticed that Geordie has become wary of because he can't hear them coming if they don't use a bell. I'm in suburbia though and it's hard to find tracks where there isn't other riders.

Awesome idea! My mum comes biking with me so thats something we can practice at home before we hit the trails.

[Ptolomy]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet :D However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well.

Well done mate - he has come a long way in such a short period of time. How did you overcome his fear of bikes and does he still have anxious moments around them?

I started working on the fear in late November - but he made a large leap forward a few weeks ago!

(A bit detailed and possibly boring) I used a clicker and first of all clicked for being calm 2 m from the bike laying on the ground, then gradually moved closer, then clicked for him touching the bike, then cliked for him not trying to run away while I moved the bike while it was lying down (i.e spun the tyre, moved the handlebar or pedal), then I would lift the bike a little and click if he was calm and put it down to start over again, once it was fully up I would click touching again, then I would move the bike back and foward and click for calm near the bike, then he was touching the bike while moving then moving the handlebars side to side was a bit scarier then when he was calm around that I began sitting on the bike, back and forward ect. until I could ride with him next to me! The biggest breakthough was handlebars side to side while sitting on the bike.

He is a lot better with other bikes i.e this morning on our walk a whole peleton of cyclists went by on the road and he saw them but didn't react however a bit later on a narrow footpath two cyclists came past and he went on my other side and hesitates a little, but nothing like a few months back where his tail would be between his legs and he would curl in a shaking little ball or he would slip his collar and bolt. :D Also the other day at Riverside we saw a bike and he noticed it (and was offleash) but still stayed near me as the bike went past about 1m away as he thought I might throw his ball!

He is still a bit scared of cars but honestly I don't know if I want to change that... he is also scared of skateboards, trolleys, prams ect, all things we have to work on... hopefully after a few he will start to generalize all 'wheels'

We should all take notice of how you had to break everything down into tiny pieces, lumping wasn't a choice, but how you have transformed a dog that was so frightened of a bike laying on the ground to one that will run beside one. A tremendous effort

[RallyValley]

I did some obedience work with Toby this morning! He was going pretty well! Enthusiatic recalls to front, he was a bit too egar to train if anything! Probably because I was using pikelet :D However he was biked last night, walked this morning and then went over to my brothers for a play with his housemate and no fear, all happy!

I will try and film a session showing his bike skills and some obedience, it might be a little messy... I am avoiding teaching heelwork because I have no idea how and I think I may be encouraging bad habits by not teaching it, or I am teaching it by accident, just not very well.

Well done mate - he has come a long way in such a short period of time. How did you overcome his fear of bikes and does he still have anxious moments around them?

I started working on the fear in late November - but he made a large leap forward a few weeks ago!

(A bit detailed and possibly boring) I used a clicker and first of all clicked for being calm 2 m from the bike laying on the ground, then gradually moved closer, then clicked for him touching the bike, then cliked for him not trying to run away while I moved the bike while it was lying down (i.e spun the tyre, moved the handlebar or pedal), then I would lift the bike a little and click if he was calm and put it down to start over again, once it was fully up I would click touching again, then I would move the bike back and foward and click for calm near the bike, then he was touching the bike while moving then moving the handlebars side to side was a bit scarier then when he was calm around that I began sitting on the bike, back and forward ect. until I could ride with him next to me! The biggest breakthough was handlebars side to side while sitting on the bike.

He is a lot better with other bikes i.e this morning on our walk a whole peleton of cyclists went by on the road and he saw them but didn't react however a bit later on a narrow footpath two cyclists came past and he went on my other side and hesitates a little, but nothing like a few months back where his tail would be between his legs and he would curl in a shaking little ball or he would slip his collar and bolt. Also the other day at Riverside we saw a bike and he noticed it (and was offleash) but still stayed near me as the bike went past about 1m away as he thought I might throw his ball!

He is still a bit scared of cars but honestly I don't know if I want to change that... he is also scared of skateboards, trolleys, prams ect, all things we have to work on... hopefully after a few he will start to generalize all 'wheels'

We should all take notice of how you had to break everything down into tiny pieces, lumping wasn't a choice, but how you have transformed a dog that was so frightened of a bike laying on the ground to one that will run beside one. A tremendous effort

:D Thanks Ptolomy!

[Staff'n'Toller]

Hey RV just wanted to mention that if you start going out on tracks and bikes are likely to come up behind and pass you, to C/T for that as well.

Just something I noticed that Geordie has become wary of because he can't hear them coming if they don't use a bell. I'm in suburbia though and it's hard to find tracks where there isn't other riders.

Awesome idea! My mum comes biking with me so thats something we can practice at home before we hit the trails.

I only realised as Geordie started lunging/barking at bikes when we were unpacking the car or whatever I was like where has this behaviour come from?? Then thinking on it I reckon there might have been more than one time where bikies have crept up on us whilst riding in the past and given him a fright but because he was harnessed in I didn't notice the body language.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Staff'n'Toller

[wuffles]

I am stuck teaching the retrieve... I need help!

I can't get her to hold the dumbell... she will pick the dumbell up off the ground no problems but the most I can get her to hold it is about 1 second. Is there anything else I can do besides trying to C&T longer holds, which is not being very successful??

Thanks almighty obedience ones :laugh:

[OSoSwift]

You are right Ptolomy - as per always RV's decription is a really good reminder to break everyhting right down.

On a brighter note Rommi's SFE was rock solid today, even did one on three legs without putting the other foot down!! I had no idea why until a little later she started chewing on a toe on that foot and when I looked the pad of that toe was bright red, so I assume she got bitten or stung by something, but she wasn't lame so goodness knows!!!

Both doggies worked very very well I am not panicing quite so much now

[OSoSwift]

I am stuck teaching the retrieve... I need help!

I can't get her to hold the dumbell... she will pick the dumbell up off the ground no problems but the most I can get her to hold it is about 1 second. Is there anything else I can do besides trying to C&T longer holds, which is not being very successful??

Thanks almighty obedience ones :laugh:

One thing I have done in the past is if they will happily sit in front of you and take the dumbell in their mouth is I put my little pinky a few mm;s below their chin. I don't hold the chin up, but if they go to drop the bottom jaw they will tap the finger and sometimes it will stop them dropping the bottom jaw and the dumbell rolling out. You are not making them hold it, just reminding them they have a bottom jaw and they can choose to keep it up. As with anything C/T straight away and increase by the tiniest of incriments.

I have found that it tends to help them not drop the bottom jaw so therefore we have the ability to withold the click for a millisecond more and all of a sudden the lightbulb will go on that you actually want them to keep it in their mouths.

I am sure those much more experienced will have some great ideas for you to try

[wuffles]

One thing I have done in the past is if they will happily sit in front of you and take the dumbell in their mouth is I put my little pinky a few mm;s below their chin. I don't hold the chin up, but if they go to drop the bottom jaw they will tap the finger and sometimes it will stop them dropping the bottom jaw and the dumbell rolling out. You are not making them hold it, just reminding them they have a bottom jaw and they can choose to keep it up. As with anything C/T straight away and increase by the tiniest of incriments.

I have found that it tends to help them not drop the bottom jaw so therefore we have the ability to withold the click for a millisecond more and all of a sudden the lightbulb will go on that you actually want them to keep it in their mouths.

I am sure those much more experienced will have some great ideas for you to try

Thanks, I will give that a go She actually wants to throw it at me rather than just drop it so I'll see how it goes. I have no doubt once the lightbulb goes off it will all go well!