Do you play training games? If not then you should! Games can be used to work on all sorts of obedience and agility skills. Not only that, games are fun and quick, keeping your dog focused on the work. Need some ideas?
Today I worked in directional cues with Roo. We have named turning right "spin" and turning left "turn". Like Greg Derrett in his Foundations DVD, I taught my dog these with verbal cue only, no body language necessary. I taught Roo a "box" cue (put your front paws on the box). Now I have him doing box, spin and box, turn. Next I might get all 4 feet on the box and have him spin and turn.
Soda Pop is not very good with things like box due to his neurological issues. But he could do spin and turn on the flat. Today I worked on putting them on words with no hand cue. Then I had Soda back up away from me and spin or turn.
This was a good break from formal obedience for both dogs, yet fun and useful training for agility. Don't feel like you have to do formal work every session. Sometimes just sit back, grab your clicker, and have a little fun!
