Tug for the Non-Tugger

Driving to a toy is an essential part of agility training. Playing tug with a toy builds arousal for the dog and increases the value the dog has for the handler. Here are some helpful hints for teaching the game of tug for a dog that is not interested in tugging.

1. Use food to build interest in toys. I am particularly fond of toys that have a pouch or container for your to put food in. Roo's favorite is a cheap, home-made tug rope attached to a zip-lock container. I add some duct tape to the container to make it sturdier and easier for Roo to grip. The dogs really seem to like the sound of some crunchy food bouncing around in the container. Soda's favorite is a little nylon pouch with bunny fur on one side.

2. Once you make the decision, stick with it. If your dog elects to ignore the food toy, put your dog up. They no longer get to play on their terms.

3. Introduce the food toy in a relaxing setting without distractions. Remember, you wouldn't expect your dog to do a down in a busy obedience class before you taught it at home. You cannot expect your dog to participate in tug in a class if you have not first taught it at home and then generalized it to several venues with increasing difficulty. A really good idea is to go to your training building/yard during another class and work with your dog on the sidelines.

4. Increase your criteria rapidly. This is where I went wrong with Soda and the food toys. I allowed Soda's criteria to be run to the toy for much too long. Laura Derrett called us out on that at a seminar. She said it was great to have drive to the toy, but I had missed the whole tug aspect. When I started Roo with the food toy, I very quickly increased his criteria to mouthing and then tugging on the food toy before I opened the food slot.

5. Clicker or not? I've heard arguments both ways on whether or not you should use the clicker to teach the tug. Honestly, I found it hard to hold on to the clicker and work with my dog. I tend to use a verbal marker instead. If you can handle using the clicker and dealing with the toy, I say go for it.

6. Do  not leave your tug toys down for free play. These toys should only be used when interacting with you.

Roo Bear with his Tug-a-Roo

Teaching Roo Tug Video

Training Aids, the pro's and con's

A training aid is an item used to help guide a dog through the desired behavior. Examples include:
Front and finish boxes
Guides for go-outs
Targets

Generally, the best approach to teaching a new behavior is to do it with the fewest aids possible. The biggest reason to avoid training aids is the fact that once you teach a behavior with them, you have to wean the aids away. Often during this weaning process, the behavior falls apart.

When should you use a training aid? A good rule of thumb is if you cannot get success in 3 tries, you need to back up in your training plan or change something you are doing. For example, you are teaching a straight front. You are unable to obtain a good response with a method such as luring or utilizing a clicker for quickly increasing the criteria for straight sits. Your dog clearly does NOT have an understanding that a straight front is the proper behavior (therefore you should not be using corrections). Now I would add in a training aid. I would try to use my body first (placing my feet out in front of me to force the dog to come in straight). If that was not successful, I might employ a PVC frame box for the dog to sit in. I place it in front of me and teach the dog to hop in and sit. The pro is you get the behavior you needed to create. The con is - now you have to get rid of the box and keep the straight fronts.

So, think before you automatically use an aid. Be creative. If you can teach something without aids, try that approach first.

Sometimes Simple Works

A friend of ours has been tossing a cheap tupperware-type container of food for her dog to chase and eat out of in class. Roo was really interested. So, I grabbed a little container out of my cupboard, put a little kibble in, and tada! One excited dog. But this just didn't work to encourage tugging. Thus came the container on a rope:

Go figure, Roo loves the darn thing! My agility instructor was running him on Saturday and Roo was tugging on the agility field! I've tossed a few more together for some friends in class. How silly this simple, home-made toy beat out all of the fancy tug toys I've bought over the years. Roo reminds me of a little kid playing with the box their new toy came in, ignoring the toy LOL  

New Year Plans

We took the dogs with us for holiday vacation. Everyone had a blast in California visiting our family, hiking, and visiting dog friends. 6 Maltese walking around Manhattan Beach was a sight to see!

So, what are your training plans for the new year? Here are mine:

Show Roo in Novice and complete his CD title. Complete his RN title. Maybe show him in agility. Continue training the Open exercises (minus the drop until he finishes his CD).

Continue working with Soda Pop's vet to decrease his coughing (I can't show him if he's coughing). Continue to train him in utility with a focus on practicing in a full-size ring. Maybe complete his RE title.

I have 2 students who are starting open with me this week. I'm very excited to teach some fun stuff!!! I'm cracking down on heeling in my novice class. It is time to take things up a notch!

Tone it UP!

This week Roo has been working on his retrieve over the high jump. He's quite fond of his dumbbell and is enjoying it! But, he gave me a really good reminder that the tone of your voice matters. I tend to give verbal cues in a high pitched voice. I dropped my voice down and Roo sat still looking up at me, waiting for his cue. Smart little devil!

Lessons on tone I give my students!

Sounds happy, and act happy. Your dog is more willing to work with you. This means use a higher pitch for verbal cues. Don't forget to SMILE at your dog. I always tell the story of Soda who wanted to run out to the judge after going over the broad jump in open. We had a moment one day as he went towards the judge where he looked back at me. I gave him my biggest smile. He turned and came to front!

When you want your dog to focus on you, keep your voice quiet. Your dog has to really focus on you when you talk softly. When you talk while heeling you should always use your quiet voice. I use the comparison of human kids. When mom or dad yells, magically the kid's ears close up. When you whisper to them, they quiet down and listen intently.

Silence speaks volumes. Turning away from my dog and saying absolutely nothing (no feedback) is often much more powerful than terse words. Recently for a dog who thought it was a fun game to break his stay (because mom would come back....gee Soda doesn't sound like you) I stepped on the leash and had the owner turn, say nothing, and leave the room. You could see the wheels turning in that dog's head when mom didn't play the game any more.

Why Agility Dogs Can Heel So Well

Most often I hear complaints about the difficulties of having a multi-sport dog. Rarely do I hear someone say "I'm so glad my dog also does agility because it helps us in obedience." So, this post is dedicated to all of those agility dogs who bathe off the dirt from the horse arena and show off in obedience!

Greg Derrett inadvertantly helped my dogs with pace changes. My dogs read slow and fast with natural body language. Returning to normal from fast is as easy change for my agility dogs.

My dogs do very well with proofing. Thank's Susan Garrett for It's Yer Choice! This game of impulse control has eliminated sniffing in the ring for my dogs.

Send Your Dog! No problem! My dog was already use to being sent ahead of me to take his line or send ahead with a toy thrown. Running across the obedience ring was no big deal. Going out to retrieve was natural.

Call Your Dog! My dog has been chasing blind cross body line for reward zone. We threadle! My dog already knows to come in to me when my feet face the dog.

Stays with distractions. My dogs already know how to stay on the start line at a show....doing novice and open stays are no big deal! If your dog can be solid when they are waiting to explode off the start line, they can handle the obedience ring.

Just a few reasons why I'm glad my dogs are multi-sport dogs! Agility for obedience!

Fun with Roo!

After mopping the little building I teach in on Wednesday, it was too rainy and cold to go outside and play agility. So, Roo got to have some fun inside. We did 180's, 270's, and some single jump work along with a little obedience. I notice on my video that I need to click for close heeling when off leash. Video is a fantastic way to work on precision in your training. Things you may not notice while you are working are often revealed in video. I find my little FLIP super helpful in our training. A cheap tripod is very useful for this.

Video 1  Roo Playing

Video 2 Roo Playing 2