Where Do You Train?

[corvus]

I have a small backyard and only about 12 or so square metres of it is flat. It is pretty cramped and I've already spilled over into the front yard with another agility obstacle to practise, and I tend to do circle work in the cul-de-sac we live on. To make matters worse, Erik barks while he's waiting for his turn at training, and during training if I'm going too slow for him. I don't mind terribly, but my neighbours do and after they interrupted a training session this afternoon by shouting at me to shut the dog up I have come to the conclusion that I can't do much training in the yard at all. It's the third time I've had them shout at us during a training session and I have just had enough. I can't enjoy my dogs while I'm waiting for the neighbours to get cranky. I don't have any patience left.

So I'm wondering where other people train. We have a vacant lot across the road under the power lines, but it's not flat and it's perpetually wet and the stormwater drain dumps all manner of wrongness that attracts the dogs. I do a lot of my training at the dog park, but sometimes it's a bit too distracting. It's big enough to find a little spot to set up some equipment, but dogs still sometimes come over and it is not as controlled an environment as I would like. We are not staying here forever, but we're also not moving to a place with a bigger yard (and fewer neighbours) at least until I finish my PhD in 2 years. What can I do? Where can I go for low distraction training?

[skip]

Better keep those neighbours calm.

I used to train at a local dog park. With a couple of other people so we all helped set up. Need to find a quiet park that is big althou you do get loose dogs joining in.

Used Figtree dog park too. Weaved at the beach. At Port Kembla on top of the hill - great view.

Now I brought a place backing onto empty land. And miles of playing fields. And the lake bike tracks.

It is a pain but they do say to take it on the road. My instructor always used to encourage us to get out.

[alpha bet]

Why don't you work on the problem of your dog barking then you could work your dogs anywhere.

You should be able to tie your dog up without your dog getting impatient.... sounds like you need to work on some of the life skills before you concentrate so much on your competition skills.

When a dog is barking his brain is not engaged.

Sorry, Nothing I hate worse than barking dogs, so I can relate to your neighbours....

[Guest Clover]

I too was going to suggest working on the barking problem, i would be an unimpressed neighbour as well. I usually train in the front yard, or at the park nearby.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Clover

[corvus]

I am working on the barking. That's why he's there in the yard rather than in the house. It's not incessant. His brain certainly is engaged. Tell him to down and he slams himself down and shuts up. He just has to learn to maintain it for longer than a minute. Doesn't help me in the meantime, though. And it doesn't give me more space to train in.

I can relate to my neighbours. That's why my dogs practically live inside. Still, I've had them shout at me after literally just 2 barks when we have had hours of silence beforehand. I don't think it's possible to have my dogs quiet enough to satisfy them.

[ness]

Corvus would it be easier to teach him to stay on a mat/chair/waiting station rather than just in a drop as such. I know when I train my two at home I put them each on a back chair in the yard or will put one on a couch inside and then swap them. I find they are more inclined to not be noisy if I do this then if I leave one inside the fence and work the other one outside the fence.

[Sayreovi]

I usually train in my backyard as there is heaps of room, with the other two tied up watching and waiting patiently.

If I want to do proofing I take them down to the local oval/park and go from there really.

[huski]

I often train at our local sport ovals, or our obedience club grounds.

Daisy used to have a pretty bad barking problem, especially if I wasn't training her. Crating her helped that A LOT, now she goes in her crate in between training sessions and I don't hear a peep out of her. Her barking during training has decreased (not 100% gone because I slacked off but I'm being a lot stricter now) because I simply would not allow it. She used to bark during stays, but she soon learnt that barking would end the training session and would remove any opportunity for her to earn the reward. I found that in some instances where she was barking during training it was because I hadn't corrected it and she thought that was part of how she got the reward.

Edited February 18, 2011 by huski

[Miss B]

We're on acreage, so I train in the front yard / back yard / dog runs etc.

There's also a dog park five minutes up the road that has big dog and small dog sections with agility equipment.

[MrsD]

We're on acreage, so I train in the front yard / back yard / dog runs etc.

There's also a dog park five minutes up the road that has big dog and small dog sections with agility equipment.

Hey MissB, completely off topic but what area do you live in? For some reason I thought you lived near me?

ETA - PM me if you don't want everyone to know .

Edited February 18, 2011 by MrsD

[Vickie]

Corvus, be careful trying to stop him barking while he is actually doing agility. It is almost impossible to isolate the barking vs performance from a reward/punishment pov.

The barking between training runs is a different story and one you should be able to get on top of. Mine are likely to whine/scream if they are tethered in full view, but happy to wait quietly on a down stay while I run the other one. Crates also work if you apply a simple rule, barking gets you covered, silence means you can watch. Only problem is you need another person to help here.

When a dog is barking his brain is not engaged.

sorry but this is just not true. Many great agility dogs bark the whole way around the course. It's not always frustration, although it can be. Some breeds just bark & Vallhunds are right up there with the best of them. Google Vallhund agility, you will see many brilliant world cup runs, none of them will be in silence.

[Vickie]

Ps, forgot to answer your question

I don't have dogs that bark anymore, but when I lived in suburbia & trained Zeus at home, I just had a word with my neighbours. I let them know that I would like to train my dogs for 2 10 min sessions every day & told them it would be noisy. We agreed on a rough time together. They were happy that I consulted them & knew that it Would never go on for more than 10 mins

Edited February 18, 2011 by Vickie

[Kavik]

I train obstacles in the backyard, and sending, circle work and other flatwork at the park.

Sometimes mine can be a bit noisy when waiting their turn, but my neighbours are really good and don't have a problem with it (I have asked them about it when I see them).

[wuffles]

I have a small yard too so I feel your pain. Our local school oval is dog off leash and isn't that popular so I go there quite often. There are a few ovals around our area so it's pretty easy to pick the quietest one. Our dog club grounds are also a good place, outside of class times. We are a bit spoilt for off leash areas around my area, though. Does your council provide a map of off leash areas?

[corvus]

Corvus, be careful trying to stop him barking while he is actually doing agility. It is almost impossible to isolate the barking vs performance from a reward/punishment pov.

Thanks, good point. He's not very noisy when he's actually doing something as a general rule. Just the odd "Hurry up!" "But I want the tug now!" kind of thing. I'll leave it alone. I don't think it's a problem anyway.

The barking between training runs is a different story and one you should be able to get on top of. Mine are likely to whine/scream if they are tethered in full view, but happy to wait quietly on a down stay while I run the other one. Crates also work if you apply a simple rule, barking gets you covered, silence means you can watch. Only problem is you need another person to help here.

I would like to get on top of it. I did start mat work with him. I think I will go back to it, thanks Ness. And it occurs to me that I have a Manners Minder that would probably largely solve the problem of reinforcement rate anyway. I had forgotten about it because last time I tried to use it in this context his brain really wasn't engaged and I realised I had to do more work first. I did, and I think it would work well, now. He's much better.

Google Vallhund agility, you will see many brilliant world cup runs, none of them will be in silence.

Valls have a lot to say. Some more so than others. Erik in particular! I've never used that as an excuse to let him bark himself out or anything, but if I get him barking all the way around an agility course I think I will be very happy. He only starts barking while he's running if he's really having an enormous amount of fun.

We do have several ovals around here, but they aren't officially off leash areas. I find playing fields a bit frustrating. Sometimes they are good, but sometimes I just get set up and a sports team arrives! And that was before I was doing agility. I think I will just have to organise my time a bit more carefully and try to visit during work hours. Hoepfully the weather will cool soon so it's not too hot to do so. There's also a fenced dog park in the next suburb with three separate areas. We usually avoid it, but perhaps I can work out what the quiet times are and manage to avoid other dogs. I swear, every dog I've met in that park has been downright weird. You see some amazingly odd behaviour at dog parks.

Thanks for the ideas, folks.

[Red Fox]

School oval.

Generally pretty quiet outside of school hours, heaps of room, not many other dogs around and I can control the level of distraction (to a degree) depending on what time/day we go there and which area we choose. (ie, kids, sport, food, birds, etc).

[Lablover]

We moved, have clothes suitable for our dogs, have a house suitable (relatively fire safe etc) for dogs, have furniture suitable for the dogs, your flooring suitable for the dogs, have vehicles suitable for the dogs.

Currently nagging long suffering husband to move to 150 acres, 100 miles or so from Melbourne, where he works. I think I nearly have him---convinced!!!!

[Miss B]

We're on acreage, so I train in the front yard / back yard / dog runs etc.

There's also a dog park five minutes up the road that has big dog and small dog sections with agility equipment.

Hey MissB, completely off topic but what area do you live in? For some reason I thought you lived near me?

Greenbank

[MrsD]

We're on acreage, so I train in the front yard / back yard / dog runs etc.

There's also a dog park five minutes up the road that has big dog and small dog sections with agility equipment.

Hey MissB, completely off topic but what area do you live in? For some reason I thought you lived near me?

Greenbank ;)

OK, definitely not near me (although at least it's the right side of town ), I don't know what made me think you lived near me!? I must be imagining things!

[W Sibs]

At the park. On the walk way in front of my house.