Zug Zug Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) I had been planning to get a gymboss to help me with my running. It is basically an interval timer. You set it to beep at you after say 1 minute, then again after say 20 seconds, and then you tell it how many of these sets you want to do (one after the other). It's great because you don't have to be looking at your watch. In running, I will run 4 mins, then it beeps and I walk 1 min, then it beeps again and I'm back to running 4 mins and so on. I am using the free gymboss app on my iPhone at present. My actual gymboss died and I haven't got a new one yet. But I have just realised it's perfect for training stays! Set it to 1 min (stay and leave your dog), then it beeps and I have allowed 20 seconds to return to my dog, then it beeps again so I stay and leave my dog... Undecided whether to do 3 sets or 5. Has anyone tried something similar? Here is a youtube clip to show you how it works: Edited May 30, 2013 by Zug Zug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) *gremlins* :D Edited May 30, 2013 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Nice concept for workouts but I think if would be a bit rigid for the way I train my dogs :) So much depends on their behaviour, distractions, training history etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 Yeah I guess I am thinking about working on duration and keeping myself honest. I have an unfortunate tendency to take pity on him and go back early. So our progress is very slow. I also think it will help me remember how many he got right, so I can then apply the 80/20 rule before asking for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) Ha! I'm the opposite - I have to set an alarm to tell me to stop drawing the training out :laugh: Yes, 80/20 does work really well! Edited May 30, 2013 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Zug Zug - what I normally do if I am training stays is pick 3 times which I think would be achievable for my dogs current level of training. They are not necessarily gradual increases. If you have seen Morgan Spector's Clicker Training for Obedience book he has a variable reinforcement schedule for heeling (and I think maybe for stays). I will assign these before I train the dog and so resists the temptation to return :laugh:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) It's tricky isn't it? Half my brain is thinking 'go back before he thinks about breaking' and the other half is thinking 'he's fine stretch him out a bit' And I just seem to err on the soft side more often than not. I find it easier if I distract myself by cleaning up the yard or doing something while he's in a stay. But that's not much like a trial situation, is it? With the iphone gymboss I'm currently using, I could set it up like this: Sit stay - 1m Return - 20 seconds Sit stay - 45 seconds Return - 20 seconds sit stay - 50 seconds Rreturn - 20 seconds Sit stay - 20 seconds Return - 20 seconds Sit stay - 1m Return You can do these more complex sets on the more complex actual gymboss as well, just not the more basic version in the video I posted. And it's easy to change the numbers each time so it's still variable - just the beep is there to keep me on track. ETA: I have Morgan Spector's book so will check it out. Edited May 30, 2013 by Zug Zug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 If he hears the beeps though you might be accidentally conditioning him to respond to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 My Slazenger combo watch ($30 from big W) has a interval beep system suitable for training reps at Gym... It also has a count down timer. However - my dog has learned what the beeps on the microwave mean - especially if her dinner is in it. And she will come and get me if I don't sort it for her. (dinner is ready). And the hockey teams I umpire know what the beeps from my watch mean too... it's a bit hard if the other umpire is keeping time or we're trying to play a short corner out - they have to keep going until another free is awarded or the ball goes out of the circle (the second time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Interesting. So yes if someone in the ring had a similar beep go off then he might respond to that, given we've been using this in training. Would the stewards in the ring have something on them that beeps? I wouldn't have thought so, but it's been a long time since I've been in the ring. If not - does it matter if he gets a bit excited when he hears a beep? The way I train him, he doesn't get rewarded on the beep. It just tells me it's time to return to him. Once I get there I tell him how good he is, then go and get something to reward him with. He has to stay in position until I get back to him the second time and I reward him in position. So the beep is not a release in itself. It's a signal for me rather than for him. But yes no doubt he will come to know what it means. ETA: one option I might consider down the track is setting it to vibrate only, no beep. Edited May 31, 2013 by Zug Zug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I don't know zug zug - you might have to find some stuff that beeps in a similar way and see what happens... I have read about one trainer - who group trained a bunch of people and dogs with clickers... they were all clicking and their dogs figured out whose click was for which dog. They've got better hearing that us - so hopefully would know the difference between the judge's watch/beeper and yours. I would be more worried about them anticipating a release after your training beep and then going early... But I have managed to teach mine the difference between "yes" (your treat is coming) and release for exercise finished. Tho she often does equate a treat with "exercise finished" which is a bit of a pain when you're trying to reward start line stays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Well, all I can say at the moment is so far so good - but it's very early days so who knows. If I see signs of him anticipating I will have to change what I'm doing. I am finding it's helping me to stay strong, and stay away for longer (and so far he's finding that pretty comfortable by the looks of things, so obviously I was the problem, not him) I know what you mean with the treat. When I try to give him a treat in the middle of some nice heeling, but I also want to keep going, he often drifts quite wide of me to eat the treat and then doesn't come back into position nicely again until the treat is completely eaten. It's as if he thinks 'oo, yum, munch, munch - where did you go?!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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