Well, I had a post all ready to go on the old laptop, but it crashed. CP will be harvesting my files off of it and putting them on the new netbook this weekend, I hope.
So, no new training tips today. How is everyone doing anyways? Anybody have any questions? An issue you’d like me to address?
Remember to keep practicing at leave it, give, take and watch me!
Doing good. Just getting ready for work and looking at the gray sky. No questions to ask about dog traning. I so enjoy my dog Abby. She will be 12 in a few days. Old dogs are great. We both know each other real well.
and just on that short time in writting this its snowing
Oh well
I’ve enjoyed your little training tips! I am going to try the focus and leave it tips with my sheltie boy.
I have a request of sorts for a training tip, when Stormy is heeling he won’t continue on a straight path. He takes a more “winding” approach- close in, slightly farther away, close in. He does this regardless of whether we are on or off lead.
How can I get him to stay tight to my leg like what is required in obedience trials?
And also, his “finish” after a recall is spotty. Sometimes it’s a flawless return to heel position other times he just stares at me. We were taught in obedience class to cue for the finish by stepping back but I don’t think I can do that in competition. Any tips?
I’d love for him to get his CD, but we have to clear these hurdle first!
Competition obedience and Rally obedience are a bit out of my league. I don’t compete. It’s not Freya’s cup of tea for a lot of reasons. I haven’t taught it either as I’ve concentrated on basic obedience for the family dog and insuring successful adoptions of rescue dogs with basic obedience. I don’t expect Freya to be an obedience star. I do expect her to have good doggy manners though.
I do have some ideas that might work. Instead of stepping back to cue for the finish, how about leaning back a bit? My thought here is that like with a halter horse, you’re going to communicate with your body. When I want Casey to take a step forward to square up, I lean back. It would mean re-teaching the finish, but it would keep you from stepping back. (Sorry, I don’t know what the rules are regarding competition and stepping back.)
A for staying tight to your leg… What about taking the heeling back a step or two and only rewarding when he is tight to your leg? Maybe pb on a spoon to get him to stay there? Clicker training would work here too. Just c/t when he’s in proper position and stopping forward movement when he’s not. There are a couple ways to accomplish it and it just depends on what you’d prefer. Habitualize and reward by the pb on the spoon. He would continuously get to lick the spoon as long as he stays in position. When he starts staying in the tight leg position, then you could up the ante by only letting his have a couple licks of the spoon for every 3′ he stays in position, then every 5′, and on and on and on. Or you can c/t with the same idea.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the great tips!!
I’ll try the peanut butter on the spoon. Storm LOVES peanut butter!
Hope you are having a great weekend!