Training Tips For A 7 Month Old Boxer

[Tor]

His eyelashes are the envy of all ????.

Another good training yesterday. He was still very distractible but when we were actually doing the exercises he was great. I've noticed that the stationary ones are the easiest - he will hold a stay for quite a while and do all the crossing behind and in front really well, but as soon as it involves walking anywhere it gets trickier as he wants to head towards the other dogs. Still, we managed quite a bit of loose lead walking with sitting every two steps and his turning is also good - I get my feet mixed up though ????.

By the end he was doing a lot of ground sniffing - is that a sign he's really had enough? I should finish before then if it is I think.

There were two border collies in our class and I admit I was a little jealous of how handler focussed they were, even the little 11 week old. Sebastian's attention is much more "eyes to me, eyes away, eyes to me, eyes away". Although he did hold eye contact for much longer during the stays. Oh there was also a little KCC who was even more distracted, he hardly noticed his owner was there! But it's a bit more obvious with a 26kg baby ????.

In four weeks our club is having a fun day and I'm going to enter the puppy class. Bit nervous but I think he'll do well.

Oh and I taught him to catch a treat in his mouth to keep him busy while we were waiting to start. I just held it about ten cm above his nose and dropped it, we will try throwing and catching next

[Tor]

Just another little update/brag ????. I was looking through the dog tricks sticky and decided to try and teach Sebastian "shy" with some sticky tape on his face. We did about five minutes last night and three tonight, and he has already worked out I want him to cover his face with his paw without needing the sticky tape, just from cue-ing the word "shy"! Now we'll work on him holding it a bit longer, it's so cute, I need to get a video of him doing it.

I've noticed that the things I've taught him using shaping rather than luring he remembers much better. For example, he still won't drop just from the word command, I need to guide him down with my hand. But he will high five and now do shy from the word alone. Maybe he doesn't like dropping. At training I thought he'd done a great drop from a stand and clicked and treated him before I noticed he still had his bum up in the air. Oops!

He's still pretty over the top when he sees people or dogs, but I have been able to work on him sitting/dropping to say hello to people a few times. LAT still going well, I try and move into something interesting like catching thrown treats (another new thing!) straight away. Today he met a lovely family in our street and got lots of attention from the daughter who was about 7. He didn't jump at all and I managed to get him to relax and be patted after the initial excitement. He also did quite well meeting a few dogs on lead at training without jumping or pawing, things he never does when meeting dogs off lead, he's very polite then, but the excitement/frustration of being lead is too much for him atm.

I've entered us for our club's Fun Day competition in two weeks, wish us luck!

Edited July 17, 2016 by Tor

[The Spotted Devil]

Hey Tor! Sounds great!

Re the drop...dogs tend to respond better to physical rather than verbal cues but they are brilliant at predicting so here's a little trick. If you use your right hand for the physical cue I want the treat in your left hand. Stand up relaxed and tall and give your verbal cue eg "drop". Make sure there's a slight gap (1-2 seconds), then give your physical cue and reward. I guarantee your dog will start responding to the verbal cue...unless your timing is out.

[Tor]

Oh thank you! That sounds great. I will try tonight, it really is about training the trainer ????

[The Spotted Devil]

Oh thank you! That sounds great. I will try tonight, it really is about training the trainer ????

Ha! Nailed it Tor! Our dogs figured out the learning part thousands of years ago :laugh:

[Tassie]

Oh thank you! That sounds great. I will try tonight, it really is about training the trainer ????

Ha! Nailed it Tor! Our dogs figured out the learning part thousands of years ago :laugh:

They sure did. :laugh:

Tor it sounds like you're making great progress ... and that you're seeing that the more we work with the dogs on learning new things, the better we get at teaching and the better they get at picking up things .. and the more fun and joy there is in the relationship.

Just reading that post about the BCs and focus on handler .. don't forget, that although there are other characteristics that can make them harder to work with (like extreme noticing of anything different or moving in the environment :D ), their breeding for purpose over the years has even now kept in the breed in general a natural tendency to want to be with and work with the human. For boxers .... not so much! Although as you're seeing, they do realise that good things come to puppies who pay attention. I've just had a lovely young boxer in puppy class, who made huge stides over the weeks in terms of attention, and working. A gorgeous boy.

[Tor]

Oh that's lovely to hear Tassie. Yes, I don't think I'm equipped to handle a BC at all, it was just a grass is greener moment ????.

I got some good attention from him at the dog park today even though he was playing with a pretty Koolie girl. He came over a few times of his own choice and got tonnes of praise and treats. He has only recently started to pay me any attention at all when there are other dogs around, so that's encouraging for me.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Tor

[Tassie]

Tor said

I got some good attention from him at the dog park today even though he was playing with a pretty Koolie girl. He came over a few times of his own choice and got tonnes of praise and treats. He has only recently started to pay me any attention at all when there are other dogs around, so that's encouraging for me.

Now that is huge .. and great that you responded so generously ... more deposits in the attention bank account!! Sounds like you and he are really doing super well. Getting some really good stuff established before he becomes a teenager with cloth ears .. oh wait .. that's my adult BC on a bad day.