BC Love Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 ....that you intend to in the future do agility, maybe flyball too, what would you be putting loads of effort and training into now? My pup is 15 weeks (border collie) and we do walks and lots of fun tricks, puppy obedience ect - but Im wondering if I should be practicing more on his focus ect or other important things. If you could go back in time, what would you concentrate on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Great questions My puppy is 20 weeks. I have been following the exercises from Shaping Success by Susan Garrett. I would love to hear what others recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 do as much as the pup can physically handle, but you should be channeling the pup into what you ultimately want it to do. Foundation work helps build drive and body condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Foundaion work exercises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Love Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thanks for the quick replies Does anyone have any recommendations of a book/dvd on foundation work? (Im a newbie to agiility and training). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn Edited July 18, 2011 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) Some actual exercises that I am currently doing at 18weeks- I have started pups going over pool noodles and teaching them targeting for body awareness. I have built up a high reward rate for focusing on me rather than distractions. A solid recall is being built. Holding objects. Generally I am trying to teach them to think and be aware of their surroundings and their body. They go to training with my older dogs and have learnt to snooze in their crate, and to do their 'tricks' with distraction. It isnt so much about them getting their exercises right at this point- I am aiming for them to have lots of fun with me so they get rewarded for anything that doesn't involve being an idiot at this point. I have started passing work at flyball- so just walking them past other dogs over mini jumps once again a distraction exercise where they get rewarded for anything that remotely relates to what I want. So basically shaping and letting them work out how to earn my treats, and that I have a constant supply while they are doing what I want. I let them chose but make sure that what I am doing is the better choice, if that means moving further away from distractions so that they get a 'win' then I do. I am aiming to do flyball with them, although agility and obedience are both in the picture as well. I broke my last dog who chases other dogs at flyball (was to do with my training methods) so I am making sure that it wont be a problem this time! I am really trying to set up a whole heap of situations where my pup learns that they get rewards and letting them work out how to get them. Edited July 18, 2011 by ~Woofen~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I wouldn't change a thing with either of mine as even the mistakes are part of the journey. I think you need to have a clear idea of the skills you are teaching and why. I am training Em in 3 sports (2 for Ziggy) so being very clear with context and body language is critical. Don't take every trainer's word as gospel but be prepared to justify yourself if you don't agree (I do this a lot in retrieving training). Be sensitive to the motivation, strengths and weaknesses of each individual dog (my pair of renegades are chalk and cheese). Above all, make working with you as rewarding as possible. As for books, I really enjoyed The Focussed Puppy. Little of it was new to me but the book is well explained and good to dip into when you're thinking 'now what shall I teach?' In agility most people follow a handling method - for me it's Greg Derret. Fortunately I have wonderful instructors (club and private) so I don't buy his books/DVDs but I imagine any of his stuff would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! x 2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! x 2! X3!!!!! Absolutely what Huski said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I would build toy drive a lot and do a lot of shaping. Looks like someone else already said that.. And if I was going to do shaping anyway, I might as well start with some basic agility/flyball skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! x 2! X3!!!!! Absolutely what Huski said. X4 Exactly. Learning how to learn is so important and so is fostering drive. It took months to teach Z that because he'd never learned it as a puppy (I got him at 2.5 years old). I'd be focusing on this before I did anything that even resembled agility or flyball. As someone once told me, there's no point in putting up the scaffolding of a house if it's foundations can't hold it there - it might look more like a house with the scaffolding up but it'll implode without the foundations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth. Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! x 2! X3!!!!! Absolutely what Huski said. X4!!! I wish I did alot more tugging with Lottie as a puppy (and actually knew how to train a dog ), but at least I know a bit more about how I want to train my next one :D I would also do more agility foundation work - as I've just started competing and really training, and I'm getting very very addicted!!! Oh no - me and Shell posted at the same time, haha!! so X5!!!! hahaha! Edited July 18, 2011 by LuvLottie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheena Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have a new puppy & since I got him at the age of 11 weeks, I have'nt wasted any time at all. He is now 4 months & the most attentive, focused, toy/food driven pup...his little brain is like a sponge & just loves his training. I have a number of puppy training DVD's but the one I like best is the 6 CD set of Foundation Fundamentals, & the book, The Focused Puppy, both from Clean Run. Vickie, if you read this, it will answer your other question you asked in another thread, about my puppy's training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Love Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Oh wow - thanks for all the great replies!!!!! Will look at those book/dvds Sheena Thats exactly the info I was after - though my boy can do many "fun" tricks, I was starting to think there may be more important things I should be working on. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue & Waldo Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 What do you mean by foundation work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Oh no - me and Shell posted at the same time, haha!! so X5!!!! hahaha! Oh snap :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I could go back in time (and for future puppies): - I wouldn't worry so much about teaching lots of different commands, but building good foundations and teaching my pup how to earn a reward - I would do a lot of drive building so I had a puppy who would respond well to a trigger and marker words and understood how the 'game' works - I would do a lot of shaping so my pup could learn how to learn THIS! x 2! X3!!!!! Absolutely what Huski said. X4 Exactly. Learning how to learn is so important and so is fostering drive. It took months to teach Z that because he'd never learned it as a puppy (I got him at 2.5 years old). I'd be focusing on this before I did anything that even resembled agility or flyball. As someone once told me, there's no point in putting up the scaffolding of a house if it's foundations can't hold it there - it might look more like a house with the scaffolding up but it'll implode without the foundations. luvlottie x5 me x6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Another thing I'd like to add... I've only my new pup 4 days, but have spent a lot of time lately looking objectively at what I have with my older dogs. I've been analysing what I did well & thinking about how I did it and also analysing what I am not quite happy with. I have spent some time polishing up some things with them that need improvement and I believe each experience will make me a little better for my pup. One of the best things we can give a new pup is consistency. Consistency comes from having a plan AND the experience & discipline to implement it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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