Suggestions For Training Good Habits In A Puppy For Flyball?

[Sparty]

we are working on the puppy board to do turns and he is dropping the ball on retrieve for the tug anything else we should work on?

[Sayreovi]

Not going to be much help as Jovi is the only one that I've actively started training flyball for before she is actually old enough to do the proper equipment. Darcy didn't start till he was I think 1.5yrs and Nova around the same.

However what I've been doing is focusing alot on her ignoring all other dogs and sitting close by the team dogs training with her and rewarding her for ignoring them and focusing on me. Nothing would be worse than having a dog at comps running slower than they could because they are too focused on what it's team mates are doing. Plus it's a safety issue.

At the club they also have puppy jumps where they are only about an inch high so she is already learning the "jumps". We've only had one go at them and she was doing full recalls at the end Next I would like to try a one over, get the ball and one back and progress from there.

Box work, I want her to have the best turn out of all three and she will be small and agile enough to do the turn I want which is that pop kinda turn, where all four feet are on and then they push off with the back legs. So I haven't started any box work except her getting to jump on it and activating it and getting used to the sound and a ball coming out.

Like you I've been doing tug as well and just working on driving back to me for the tug.

Ohh and teach him to have good crate manners!! (No barking and carrying on in crates!) It was the worst thing sitting next to some teams whose dogs just wouldn't shut up all day, yeah I know they are dogs and it's exciting and they will bark but the team I was on then, all the dogs were quiet.

Edited April 5, 2011 by tollersowned

[Sparty]

yup i have been working on crate he sleeps in one and is really good in it, I'm alternating tying him up or crating him at training and he is usually about 3 meters from the dogs running he is settling down pretty well no crazy barking (as yet)

im pushing his turns for now before i do recalls of any length or get a ball involved, I'm throwing the ball letting it stop and sending him then getting him ot go for the tug (bodie wont drop the freaking ball for the tug he just stops 2 meters from me drops the ball looks at it looks at me looks at it lol) im trying to avoid the ball fixation in Zee!

Gonna try Julies *araound* thing she posted years ago around the witches hat then include the puppy board in that as we go, once he is solid using the board to turn i will work on the ball. i have been getting him used to the box unloaded for now, will start getting it to trigger as he turns soon.

Just its better to avoid bad habits than trying to train him out of it, i cant get bodie to do a swimmers turn or go for the tug once he has a ball in his mouth

[Sparty]

Oh Nat poor Zee the main dogs he has been soicalizing with are all tollers >.< i almost took him to sharons when darcy was there but were were not sure how Bodie and darcy would be other wise Zee would have 5 toller mates hehe

[Sayreovi]

LOL He is going to think he is a Toller if he isn't careful

If I had a pup that might get a ball fixation I would definately do things differently than what I've posted, I would do like you and avoid adding the ball till the last minute, I've been lucky though and even with 3 retrievers none are ball obsessed.

We've been working on getting her to return motionless balls as well and getting her used to me holding her in place and saying "ready, set, go!" and releasing her to go get it (She thinks this is great fun )

I've personally avoided Jovi doing box work as she still needs to learn more hind leg coordination, she is getting very good about realising what her back feet are actually doing and the way I am going to train it requires normal height jumps and she won't be doing those till she is much older.

As I mentioned, Jovi is my first dog I am (sorta) training flyball for at a young age and I am lucky as she has her mum's brains and her dad's willingness to work with me and his speed, I am sure my next flyball dog I will do things differently again! :p

Edited April 6, 2011 by tollersowned

[Sparty]

SOooooo her mums not a toller then?? ahha just kidding!! Sharon expects me to razz tollers.

we have puppy jumps at club apparently but im not gonna bother for a few months but i will work on the box & ball from a distance before i worry about jumps and somewhere in there i have to make time to get him to herding training as well.

As to him thinking he is a toller .. well Bodie used to im sure! as well with Todd being his best bud and mums 2 even tho they are not his *best friends* bodie is even friendly (as much as he gets) with Joys findlay, maybe he is just used to the color haha

did you see the pic in photo's with my little girl? she has toller hair >.< when she lies on mums dogs she blends in LOL

[Jumabaar]

Perhaps look at crate games by Susan Garrett- I plan on training this for the next pup then transferring that drive and control into flyball.

How old is your pup? I would be focusing on really strong recalls in all environments for the reward.

Edited April 7, 2011 by ~Woofen~

[Sparty]

when we are setting up he is loose playing with some of the other dogs i call and reward with tug and food, with him retrieving the ball to the tug also, and of course at home calling him from the horses lol and the kids to big rewards

Actually i can see incoming embassment as his highest reward toy is... the cobweb broom he goes nuts for that

[Sparty]

Graduating to the real box now

and working on realease ball for the tug .. my little minion is doing the work here for me

[Sayreovi]

I am actually really surprised that the club/instructors allowed you to use a box, is it the usual practice for Ballarat to let puppies do proper turn work on boxes?

Don't mean to pick, just curious.

[Sparty]

it was 5 times and then nothing for a week mainly familiarity, i have more concerns about him clicking into a bad habit like Bodie did and not being able to train him out of it. If i was working on it for 30 mins or something i could see an issue but its, like 5 times with play in between even fetching a ball so i'm not hammering him on the box constantly or anything. it was at club yes.

[Sayreovi]

He is your dog, you train him how you wish.....I just don't agree with it is all and if you are going to post pictures of a 5/6 month old doing box work don't expect everyone to agree with it ;)

Plus he can't "click" into a bad habit if he is never allowed on the equipment in the first place.....kinda weird that the clubs website says:

"Dogs less than twelve months old are not permitted to take part in the strenuous activities of flyball training. This is to ensure the physical development of the puppy or young dog is not harmed by jumping flyball hurdles or by excessive physical activity on the flyball box"

[DeltaCharlie]

No way Id be letting my pup on a flyball box. Whip is 13months old and only just starting to see a flat turning board.

People then wonder why their flyball dog breaks down by the age of 5 Wait those extra 6-12 months and you could have them still running competitively at 10. I know what I would prefer.