tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38591297846846058392024-03-13T15:07:35.178-05:00JaMi Performance Maltese, Home of Super Soda!Our adventures in training! Maltese doing obedience, rally, and agility.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-41329391149035486072012-05-17T13:28:00.002-05:002012-05-17T13:28:49.729-05:00RetirementFollowing the OCOTC shows in April (Soda got his RE), Soda is officially retired (hopefully temporarily) due to his collapsing trachea. I have to say not working my So has been a bit of a downer. It made it tough to think about writing on his blog. Soda does not appreciate retirement...his OCD is rather obnoxious without working his brain. Right now we're focusing on training calm behaviors (sits, downs, look away).<br />
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Roo also did well at the OCOTC shows. He finished his CD in 3 shows with a 2nd place and two 1st places. I was quite pleased with him.<br />
Roo made his debut in open this week at the Yorkie specialty in OKC. He NQd but it was a good "match" for us (there aren't any matches in our area so sometimes you have to use a show as a match). We know what to focus on now. After AMA nationals we'll take the summer to polish up open and start some utility exercises.<br />
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Hopefully once we're back to regular training, I'll get posting again.<br />
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Roo heeling, courtesy of Sirius Photography</div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-63497082346397258852012-03-01T17:04:00.000-06:002012-03-01T17:04:17.032-06:00Just Playing GamesDo 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?<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-60313150417003992912012-02-19T13:54:00.000-06:002012-02-19T13:54:23.597-06:00Training Session RecommendationsHow long is the ideal training session for your dog? There is no one answer. The following considerations can help you decide how long you should spend on your training session.<br />
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1. How old is your dog?<br />
Just like young children, puppies have much shorter attention spans than mature dogs. I typically recommend keeping training sessions to 5 minutes or less for puppies under a year old. You are much better off doing 2-3 short sessions per day with a young dog.<br />
As your dog becomes physically and mentally mature, you can slowly increase the length of time of your session if needed.<br />
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2. Are you practicing by yourself at home, in a class, or in a private lesson?<br />
If you are practicing by yourself, keep the session short. This one-on-one makes for an intense training session.<br />
If you are in a group class, even young dogs can last 30-45 minutes. Most older puppies or adult dogs can handle a 1 hour group class. In a group your dog has down time to relax between turns. This makes it easier for the dog to work during its turns for the whole class time.<br />
Private lessons tend to be high in intensity. For this reason, younger dogs may do better limiting their lesson time to 30 minutes instead of the typical hour. Discuss with your trainer how much time is appropriate for your dog. My general rule is puppies under a year get 30 minute session. Dogs 1-2 years are decided on a case-by-case basis. Adult dogs get 1 hour sessions.<br />
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3. What is your training plan for this session?<br />
If you are working on something that requires intense concentration and precision from the dog, a shorter session may be a good choice. Teaching a brand new behavior is often a good indication for a short session.<br />
If you are mixing up the behaviors you are working on and have your dog moving around (say working on heeling, then a jump, then fronts), you may be able to extend your session longer.<br />
Will you be having your dog wait on a stay or in a crate while you adjust your agility equipment for the next sequence? This down time means your session can be longer.<br />
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4. Stop while you are ahead. Always end on a good note.<br />
If your dog did something absolutely incredible, feel free to reward them and end on that note.<br />
If you are having trouble during your session, back off the behavior you were working on. Ask your dog to do something you know they will be successful at. End on the successful behavior. Your training session should always end with you and your dog pleased.<br />
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5. What if I find myself always working for longer than I planned?<br />
Set a timer. No matter what you are doing, end when the timer goes off.<br />
Set aside a certain number of rewards. Once those are done, end your session.<br />
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6. Work up to increased time.<br />
Don't jump from 5 minutes to 15. Slowly increase the time. I would take approximately a week to add 5 minutes to my training session.<br />
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When in doubt, keep your sessions short, sweet, and successful!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-59933997899100855982012-02-14T11:02:00.001-06:002012-02-14T11:03:55.163-06:00Rules for FailureNo dog is perfect. No handler is perfect. There will always be failures in dog training. The key to making failure a valuable part of your training is to properly evaluate the cause for the failure and make a plan to help your dog succeed. The other essential part that many trainers forget is teaching a dog to fail and bounce back. This creates a dog that does not shut down when failure strikes. Today's blog post is all about turning failure into success.<br />
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1. Why did my dog fail?<br />
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<ul><li>Was my dog trying hard to succeed?</li>
<li>Did my dog check out from what we were doing? </li>
<li>Did my handling cause my dog to fail? </li>
</ul>If you have trouble evaluating these questions when training on your own, take video of your training session. STOP working at the place of failure. Take the video to your trainer for a proper evaluation. Never continue doing what you were doing if you are experiencing failure.<br />
If your dog was trying hard but does not understand, step back in your training plan. Clarify what you want to your dog. Help your dog to succeed.<br />
If your dog is checking out you must evaluate the reason. Is your dog in an environment they are not yet ready to work in? Is your dog overly stressed? Does your dog have an inability to fail (shuts down at failure)?<br />
Video taping and working in person with a trainer is the best way to evaluate your handling. If you are having trouble with something, practice the handling on your own without your dog. Once you have perfected the handling without your dog, add the dog back in.<br />
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2. Plans to help your dog succeed!<br />
Utilize a training notebook. Plan out the course of action for training a new behavior. If you have failure, systematically go back to the previous step where your dog was successful. If you still have trouble progressing, break down your training plan even further. Take baby steps to create success.<br />
Remember that you must have a distinct criteria at each step. Be clear to yourself. Be clear to your dog.<br />
Utilize video review. Don't reserve video for just matches and shows. Record your training sessions as well. Review what you are doing when you are not in the moment. Alter your training plans based on your performance.<br />
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3. Teaching your dog to fail and bounce back with games.<br />
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<ul><li>The Shaping Game: Use a marker (like a clicker) to guide your dog through the "hot and cold" game. While your dog tries to figure out what you want, they will have successes and failures. The goal is for your dog to keep trying through the failures. </li>
<li>It's Yer Choice: This is Susan Garrett's game of impulse control. It teaches the dog to control themselves around tempting food and other distractions. They make a choice not to take the food or go sniff the cow poop. During that process, the dog will fail while trying to problem solve through the game. Here's a brief explanation of the game: <a href="http://raisingk9.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-yer-choic.html">http://raisingk9.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-yer-choic.html</a></li>
</ul>4. The Rule of 3: Never let your dog fail 3 times. We do not want our dogs to practice the failure time after time. We want our dogs to practice success! Be conscious of your dog's failures. Step in and change something if they have failed twice. <div><br />
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Whether you are practicing straight sits in obedience or working on a tough skill on the agility course, recognizing failure and working through it is essential to successful dog training.</div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-2643805751119824762012-02-09T18:11:00.000-06:002012-02-09T18:11:12.445-06:00Games for fronts and finishesWe've been busy. My number of private students here in OK is growing! I also just sent off 2 articles for online publication. In addition, I'm working to collect DNA samples for the Maltese Encephalitis Study! I have plans for videos to go with this post...so hopefully I'll get those done at some point. Now, on to fronts and finishes! <div><br />
</div><div>I'm not much for drilling my dog on any behavior. I figure if it is boring for me, it is definitely boring to my dog. Here are a variety of games you can use to help pattern these exercises with precision! </div><div><br />
</div><div>1. Front on a block. I use a small ottoman, small stool, etc. - some object that is just big enough for the dog to hop up on and sit. I stand in perfect front position in front of the block and cue my dog to hop up. I reward the dog for sitting in front position. </div><div>2. Finish on a block - same as above but you stand next to the block.</div><div>3. Front in a chute. I take 2 pens and make a short chute, just wide enough for the dog to go down. I place the dog at one and and I stand at the other. I call the dog to front. The chute ensures the dog comes and sits straight. </div><div>4. Finish in the hall. I sit my dog and turn in front of them. I position myself next to a wall with just enough room for my dog to sit next to me. I finish my dog. Being next to the wall ensures my dog sits straight. </div><div>5. Block to block. I put one block in front of me and one beside. I front the dog, reward, then finish. If you are really snazzy you can teach the dog to jump from block to block. </div><div>6. Sitting still. I do this for a front and a finish. Sit your dog. Move to the appropriate position. Have a conversation and deliver rewards in that still position. Not only does this reward being in the right position, but it teaches the dog to hold that position for a length of time (great to counteract dogs that anticipate finishes). </div><div>7. Finding heel. Instead of the traditional front and finish sit the dog at a random angle. Then ask the dog to find heel position. I even put the dog in front of me facing away from me and ask them to find position. </div><div>8. Call to stationary heel. Sit your dog. Leave your dog and take a few steps forward. Stop. Call your dog to heel. Remember to keep your shoulders facing forward and to look back over your shoulder to call your dog. Work up to more and more distance and your body facing different directions. </div><div>9. Chair front. For this you sit forward in a chair (or on an ottoman for a smaller dog). Have your legs apart so the dog can come and sit between them. Leave your dog. Sit down. Call your dog. This helps encourage the dog to come up close to you and to come in straight. It is also a handy way to practice while sitting on your couch. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Just remember not to overly drill any of these activities. Sessions should be short and precise. </div><div><br />
</div><div>You can use a clicker for any of the games mentioned. The timing of your click must be when the dog's butt hits the ground in the correct position. </div><div><br />
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</div><div>1. The dog must be heeling in straight lines and in a large circle.</div><div>2. I use a chair or a couple of cones (depending on the size of the dog) to turn around. This makes for a wide about turn in the beginning. </div><div>3. I use a toy to throw as I come out of the turn to teach my dog to drive around me and accelerate through the turn. </div><div>4. As my dog progresses with the wide turns and toy, I slowly shrink down the turn until I am turning only the length of my foot. </div><div>5. You should never stand still in the turn, your feet should always be moving, even if it means taking tiny steps. </div><div>6. Your shoulder and the dog's shoulder should stay even throughout the turn. </div><div>7. Once your dog has this game, I do it at a fast speed with the toy for fun and to encourage the dog to keep moving quickly around the turn. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's a brief video. The first is Soda doing about turns. The second is Soda doing an about turn from a stationary position (so he really has to move to accelerate around the turn). The last part is Roo playing the game in warp speed. </div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://youtu.be/xZwoDZLNWh4" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">About Turns</span></a></div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-74849409317411251772012-01-28T19:46:00.000-06:002012-01-28T19:46:28.848-06:00You Can't Beat the BasicsIt is routine for us to focus on making it through the steps of teaching a new behavior. What we often forget to do is go back to the basics.<br />
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When teaching a new behavior, the highest intensity of reinforcement typically comes in the beginning. The goal for the completed behavior is to have it on a variable schedule of reinforcement. Often when we experience problems as we train, we back up to earlier steps of the behavior plan. For example, as we teach more advanced heeling such as pace changes, we may back up to rewarding heel position to help clarify to the dog what we want.<br />
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With complex behaviors, such as heeling or retrieve over the high jump, I routinely have my students run through early piece of the behavior that have high reinforcement rates. I feel this greatly helps with the precision of the behavior as we add more difficulty. <br />
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Helpful Hints:<br />
1. Write out your training plan for each new behavior<br />
2. Remember that your initial steps should be marked by high rates of reinforcement<br />
3. Regularly go back to the basics as part of your training. This will help keep your dog working hard for you as well as helping with precision "tweaking" of the behavior<br />
4. Never move on if you have not succeeded at a step in your plan<br />
5. If you have trouble, back up a step or break your criteria down furtherJMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-5926498729458163632012-01-24T17:35:00.000-06:002012-01-24T17:35:00.506-06:00Tug for the Non-TuggerDriving 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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6. Do not leave your tug toys down for free play. These toys should only be used when interacting with you.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Roo Bear with his Tug-a-Roo</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95w4sMuIaZU&list=UUA1QzYuMcUTXJoPoyTQf2HA&index=1&feature=plcp" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Teaching Roo Tug Video</span></i></b></a></div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-86761316904723227402012-01-19T13:13:00.000-06:002012-01-19T13:13:02.562-06:00Training Aids, the pro's and con'sA training aid is an item used to help guide a dog through the desired behavior. Examples include:<br />
Front and finish boxes<br />
Guides for go-outs<br />
Targets<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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So, think before you automatically use an aid. Be creative. If you can teach something without aids, try that approach first.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-88656797018027945772012-01-09T16:14:00.000-06:002012-01-09T16:14:37.649-06:00Sometimes Simple WorksA 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:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uqb0RRICrKg/TwtmORTna7I/AAAAAAAAACw/QlPz0xSC3eE/s1600/tugtoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uqb0RRICrKg/TwtmORTna7I/AAAAAAAAACw/QlPz0xSC3eE/s320/tugtoy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div>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 </div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-24531261266043542112012-01-05T15:40:00.000-06:002012-01-05T15:40:17.515-06:00New Year PlansWe 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!<br />
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So, what are your training plans for the new year? Here are mine:<br />
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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).<br />
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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.<br />
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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!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-55676520894603881092011-12-08T19:02:00.000-06:002011-12-08T19:02:39.909-06:00Tone 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!<br />
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Lessons on tone I give my students!<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-18557350749759518702011-11-12T20:06:00.000-06:002011-11-12T20:06:59.632-06:00Why Agility Dogs Can Heel So WellMost 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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Just a few reasons why I'm glad my dogs are multi-sport dogs! Agility for obedience!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-55319514389063275382011-11-05T21:49:00.001-05:002011-11-05T21:53:49.048-05:00Fun 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.<br />
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Video 1 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm9k3LSPbcA&feature=channel_video_title">Roo Playing</a><br />
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Video 2 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc0m1MgmXXI&feature=relmfu">Roo Playing 2</a>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-80402875280727048982011-10-31T20:01:00.000-05:002011-10-31T20:01:54.532-05:00My Sit Wall I teach straight sits in halts by muscle memory and the clicker. The dog gains muscle memory by me ensuring that they have to sit straight. The dog gains an automatic sit in proper position by using the clicker.<br />
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I typically hear people recommend training halts against a wall. This forces the dog to sit straight. I've taken this method and tweaked it a little. I make sure my wall is something my dog will not lean against. I notice a lot of dogs leaning into the wall when they sit. Leaning interferes with getting good muscle memory of straight sits. To prevent this, I make one wall of my healing something that will move slightly if my dog leans against it. I typically use a metal exercise pen. I have them handy, and they move and rattle if my dog leans on them. You can also use ring gates, but I find the stanchions get in the way.<br />
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I use the wall for about 1 week, back off and see what I get. I usually use it about 2 weeks consistently and then intermittently as a reminder for my green dogs.<br />
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Muscle memory is why I do not teach a halt by physically placing my dog in a sit. When you place the dog, they will automatically give some resistance against you and will not use their own muscles to get to the position you desire. Repetitive placement may work for some, but I don't recommend it.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-16731711940850565862011-10-29T20:31:00.000-05:002011-10-29T20:31:06.648-05:00Why I Disappeared...Sorry for disappearing off the blog. We've had a rough time lately. In September Soda Pop started with a cough. I took him into the vet. They thought he just had an irritation and sent him home with medications. It improved from the initial cough, but he was still coughing every day. Soda was still running around like a maniac and seemed to feel fine. At an agility trial, Soda turned blue. I pulled him from the trial and went over our local vet's head to take him to the veterinary teaching hospital at Oklahoma State University. Soda was diagnosed with a thoracic collapsing trachea and a hiatal hernia. Based on the internal medicine vet's recommendation, Soda is retired from agility. They encouraged us to continue obedience so long as Soda can remain calm (hahahaha anyone who knows Soda knows what a struggle that is). They want him kept extra skinny, so activities like heeling are essential to his weight-management (I always keep my dogs trim, but they wanted another 1/2 lb off his trim weight).<br />
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We tried an obedience show out a couple of weeks ago. I only had Soda entered in rally. The first day we had a bit of a rough start. The second day it seemed to come together. It was hard not doing our normal, excited warm-up. Saturday Soda got a 99/1st place, Sunday 98/1st place. He finished his RA title!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zd0wq8yVkg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zd0wq8yVkg</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQVH_2O9aoQ&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQVH_2O9aoQ&feature=related</a><br />
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Roo Bear made his debut in Beginner Novice obedience. I hadn't taught him halts or fronts yet, so I was REALLY pleased with his score of 196/1st place!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o60Ts9vj7P8&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o60Ts9vj7P8&feature=related</a><br />
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Onward to Novice for Roo!<br />
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Roo is also filling in for the last few agility lessons I had paid for (for Soda). We'll see how that goes.<br />
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Note on the dumbbell. Roo is doing great on reaching and holding. Today I started free shaping the hold with him picking it up from the floor. He is reaching and holding at the obedience building as well as retrieving it with restraint.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-10772939276721352092011-09-19T18:34:00.000-05:002011-09-19T18:34:40.460-05:00Positive DumbbellRoo's very own dumbbell arrived today. I've toyed with the basics of free shaping a retrieve with one of Soda's dumbbells. But now this one is all about Roo! Roo's dumbbell is bigger and sturdier than Sodie's little toothpick dumbbells. Roo is a bigger dog and harder on his toys. I wanted Roo to have something more substantial than the tiny wooden dumbbells, but lighter and smaller than the big plastic one I have.<br />
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So today was the introduction to the hold behavior. The important thing to remember is to allow the dog to take the dumbbell of their own volition. If you are going to commit to a positive retrieve, you will never physically force the dumbbell into the dog's mouth. Before starting the hold, my dog must willingly take the dumbbell off the ground and have that on the a cue. Roo will willingly (quite enthusiastically) take a dead dumbbell (one just laying on the floor) or one that is thrown.<br />
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For little dogs I sit on a short stool. For big dogs I sit on the couch or in a chair. You want to sit with your legs open so the dog can sit right in front of you. I ask the dog to sit close to me.<br />
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Now I offer the dumbbell. And relax, smile, and wait. Some encouraging words are always helpful. I won't say "take it" until my dog is consistently offering to take it from my hand in this position.<br />
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Typically the dog will take it and spit it back out. That's what they've been going with shaping the retrieve. Depending on the dog, you can either wait for the dog to hold onto the dumbbell for a touch longer, or you can gentle help things. My dogs are very use to me petting their head, messing in their mouths, and rubbing their chins. For Roo, I gave a gentle chin rub which encouraged him to hold on for a moment. I do not use the clicker for this because I am usually using both my hands to hold the dumbbell. I use a verbal marker, "yes" followed by "good hold it'. If gentle help such as this is not comfortable for your dog, then do not do it. You do not want to add any displeasure to the dumbbell.<br />
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Keep is short. Get 5 or 6 very brief repetitions in. Then leave it be for the day.<br />
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Roo spent his entire short session wagging his tail and getting in my face. He had a good time.<br />
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The stationary work should include the dog reaching upwards, to each side, and downwards for the take portion. Once I teach a stationary take it, hold, out with me sitting down, then I will combine this with dead and active retrieves.<br />
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I tossed the dumbbell a couple of times for Roo after. He had a grand time!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-5577991598724865662011-09-18T13:54:00.000-05:002011-09-18T13:54:50.163-05:00Storm's a Brewin'We had our first really good storm (hale, tornado watches) here in OK. When Roo was a pup, we desensitized with the sounds CDs. We had lots and lots of storms in TN. Roo was always calm and slept through them. He was fine with storms in VA. Last night, he got nervous. So here are some handy tips to help nervous dogs:<br />
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1. Breathe deep, breathe slow. Your dog will cue to your body language. That includes your breathing. Make a conscious effort to take deep, relaxing breaths.<br />
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2. Sit down in a comfortable place. Allow your body to relax. Let yourself sink into the couch or cuddle up under the covers in bed. Your body being relaxed will cue your dog to relax. If your dog likes to sit close to you, allow it.<br />
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3. Give a massage. Gently rub your dog down. If you are interested in good massage techniques, I recommend looking into T-Touch.<br />
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4. Light up the happy spots! When your dog eats, it lights up pleasure centers in his brain. Get some tasty treats and ask your dog for some simple behaviors. This is a good distraction. You can also feed every time there is thunder. In our house, that is called "good dog noise" and a tasty treat comes out when I mark it.<br />
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5. If your dog has a hiding place, allow them to go. Some dogs may go under the bed, in the bathtub, in a crate (covering the crate can make it more comfortable for some dogs), under a blanket. That's fine. If your dog can self-soothe, allow it.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-16379361249814352262011-09-14T13:25:00.000-05:002011-09-14T13:25:47.493-05:00Does this leash make me look fat?<a href="http://thenovicehandler.com/canine-healthconditioning/ask-dr-julie-is-my-dog-physically-ready-to-do-agility/">Dr. Julie Interview</a><div><br />
</div><div>Check out these video interviews with Dr. Julie. This is an excellent discussion of healthy weights in dogs (and performance dogs) and how to evaluate weight. For us Maltese people, this is best done when the dog is wet so you can see the tuck up and hour glass figure. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I'd also like to emphasize her mention of diet. The recommendations on bags are almost always too high. I strongly recommend feeding to maintain healthy weight. That usually means measuring your dog's food at every meal. It also means considering how many treats your dog receives. You may need to decrease meal amounts on days you have training sessions. Many people use the meals itself as a training treat (I tend to do this). </div><div><br />
</div><div>So what type of food is best for your Maltese? Notice I didn't say dog. Breed, dog size, and activity level have a huge influence on what diet is appropriate for your dog. For most Maltese a diet moderate in fat and protein works well. Super-high protein foods are really built for extra-active dogs who need the extra fat. I would stick to a food with less than 30% protein (for dry food) for a Maltese. A diet with some grain or carbohydrate content is usually a good choice (it decreases fat and protein content). </div><div><br />
</div><div>Something Maltese folks may also gain from this video is the mention of straight angles in the rear influencing genetic luxating patellas. Something you see with these straight dogs is that their rear legs are bowed. This bowing also contributes to the conformation of the knee joint which encourages luxating patellas. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I hope you enjoyed the videos as much as I did! </div>JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-28829584412236063522011-09-05T19:40:00.000-05:002011-09-05T19:40:22.321-05:00Click!Of course I used the clicker for choose to heel with Roo...and in the next week will pull it back out to refine his understanding of heel position (he's slightly forging with right turns). But what about those older dogs who know how to heel? Don't forget about your clicker for them. <br />
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Soda got to heel with the clicker outside today! We clicked for perfect stationary heel position. We clicked for lovely attention. I decided I should do this more often. I think as a trainer, I've grown somewhat complacent with things my dog "knows". All behaviors will get sloppy if they do not get occasional feedback. I know I've been a bit lazy with Soda, because he "knows". I think our heeling and finishes would be much more crisp if I focused on giving Soda clear feedback more often.<br />
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The brilliance of the clicker is the precision of the feedback. No matter how great your voice marker is (and I'm not bad), the click is more distinct for most dogs. Don't forget about that clicker! And more importantly, if you are having a struggle, don't forget to bring your clicker out to help your dog. This is all about providing your dog with information so they can succeed.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-22303993470987074672011-09-04T17:10:00.000-05:002011-09-04T17:10:24.296-05:00Marching Time!Today we took heeling outside with Roo. He is doing very well with his figure 8/serp/spiral work inside. I thought we'd give left and right turns a go. Roo was definitely ready. He read my left turn cue beautifully from the first time. With a little verbal help he got the right in no time. Some liver biscotti didn't hurt either.<br />
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We will work on this for a while.<br />
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The last piece of heeling for me is really working fasts and slow. And lastly knit-picking on halts. Roo has been offering pretty good halts, but clearly doesn't have the concept down yet. We will continue to do our stationary work and remember to set him up for success (halting against a wall) when practicing them on the move.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-67207409214692231282011-09-02T17:34:00.000-05:002011-09-02T17:34:57.948-05:00Foundation RemindersLast week Soda attended his first agility class here in OK. It was a pretty good class! I really appreciated our instructor noting Soda's speed changes. I firmly believe his slowing down with my front crosses is because I am late. If I do a lead out pivot he flies right through. If I do a rear cross, he blasts away.<br />
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The other thing I have been working on is Soda's difficulty going into the weave poles at speed. Someone wisely noted to me that he has to throw his back end to do that and thus misses his next set of poles. I want to set him up and get some video so I can study the difference of pushing him in at speed and letting him ease up and increase his speed in the weaves.<br />
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I'm not too focused on Soda's next trial. It is on dirt which is a tough surface for him sometimes. It is also AKC which means we have a lot more time. I am trying to focus on his USDAA trial the end of October. I've been choking a bit on Soda's P2 runs. I want to see us having some Q success and a relaxed mama!<br />
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Which brings us to the title of this piece - remembering our foundations work! Namely focus forward. I ran both dogs last week in practice. Both of my dogs take their line. I can do lead out pivots with both dogs. I noticed quite a few dogs in our class didn't have start line skills and definitely did not have focus forward. Anybody doing agility, I highly HIGHLY recommend going through Greg Derrett's Foundation work.JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-20195568060669681972011-08-25T16:21:00.000-05:002011-08-25T16:21:54.904-05:00When things come together - heeling conceptsI recently decided to work on some heeling with Roo. I teach heeling in two parts:<br />
1. Choose to heel in motion<br />
2. Stationary heel position<br />
The first part I do both on and off leash (so we set the dog up not to have issues going off leash later). I use the clicker at first. I make sure to only do straight lines or circles - no turns as the dog has not learned the footwork for that yet. As soon as the dog is offering the behavior readily, I get rid of the clicker and use a voice marker. Then I put it on a variable schedule of reinforcement so the dog gets a toy tossed, a treat, or praise. I also add the word heel at this point (right before the dog hits heel position). So, what it turns into is I start walking, the dog heads for heel, "heel", a couple steps, marker, reward. I increase my criteria (number of steps at heel) very quickly.<br />
Stationary heel I either teach with a lure or shape with the clicker. For Roo, I used a lure (Soda was shaped). For my little dogs I teach a flip finish (finish left) first. One of the criteria it is important to take notice of is how long the dog sits in heel until you reward. You have to increase this time quickly - if the dog knows "wait" or a similar command, you can use that at first. It is important the dog learn to sit and wait in that position until otherwise told. I do not teach the other finish until my dog is heeling in motion with auto-sits.<br />
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What I love about using these methods, it that the dog quickly combines both pieces of heeling to do automatic sits. I think of that sit like a stationary cue in agility - I stop, the dog should come in to me. Roo is now doing figure 8s and fasts. He has already learned about turns. Next up will be left and right turns. I find the speed up on the outside, slow on the inside of figure 8s and about turns set the dog up for fast, slow, and other turns.<br />
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I'm having fun teaching these basics with Roo!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-31612651472849575712011-08-23T19:12:00.000-05:002011-08-23T19:12:18.530-05:00Rusty...Well, I have to say we are a little out of practice! Soda has only been worked in our house since the move. It is waaaay tooooo hot for him outside here (over 100F pretty much every day). I think I had come to take for granted Soda's generalization of his obedience skills. In reality, he was constantly worked in different places in Virginia - from our home, nana's house, work, obedience class, off to the side at agility class, the pet stores, etc. When I went to work him at our new agility facility's little obedience building, my dog was gone! He was distracted and stressed. Stress is rather unusual to see in Soda. This certainly brought to my attention just how badly we had been slacking off. Unfortunately, there are not many places in town we can do to practice indoors in the air conditioning. Once it cools off, we have TONS of outdoor options. We went to the biggest pet store in town today to do some basic practice. We worked on heeling with lots of feedback. We did some recalls. We practiced his signals.<br />
Good signals at home are relatively new for Soda. He has only recently learned them. Needless to say, it didn't surprise me that this exercise fell apart in a new place. It was important to note Soda's body language. He was not sure. He offered numerous fast tail wags (which equated to "I'm trying, did I get it Mom?"). His body tended to be curled up instead of straight (for example, if he did a down, he was curved on himself instead of a straight sphynx figure). I responded to Soda's body language by helping him. I stood close to him and gave him a few verbals along with his signals. When he succeeded I gave instant verbal feedback to bridge me giving him a foot treat.<br />
Most importantly, Soda continued to try during our session. He worked hard and responded to my feedback.<br />
This is what is commonly called bounce back. It means when the dog fails, they come right back to try again. They do not shut down (melt, stop working, exhibit signs of stress). The fact that Soda can work through this process is huge in and of itself. There are a few games that can help encourage bounce back.<br />
1. It's Yer Choice! The game of impulse control. (check it out on youtube)<br />
2. Hot and Cold. Basically a clicker or verbal marker and a NRM to help the dog figure out what to do in a game.<br />
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JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859129784684605839.post-72692699337643911142011-08-21T16:55:00.000-05:002011-08-21T16:55:08.935-05:00New Starts!A few weeks ago I got a crazy thought in my head - Roo is getting a brain (at the ripe age of 3), why don't I enter him in obedience! So I immediately entered him in beginner novice at an upcoming show. Fast forward a few weeks....what in the world was I thinking entering my dog with no formal obedience training?!?! I've decided to insist I just want to know how he is in the ring, and go with that excuse LOL<br />
So we've been doing a little heeling, a little bit of stays, a little bit of recalls. He's a bright dog. Today I pulled out some cones to introduce the figure 8. The little snot was carefully moving his back end around the inside cone in a couple of tries! Maybe I should have a bit more faith in him.<br />
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In other news we found a great agility instructor! Soda starts the Advanced Agility class next Saturday morning. Hopefully he'll be back in shape for our October trials. I am going to work Roo, but I haven't decided if I want him in a class yet.<br />
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I am also going to start teaching some competition obedience classes. I've had interest in clicker training for competition. I think it will end up being a heeling class and rally novice class for starters. Hopefully we'll get some awesome clicker trained dogs in the ring this spring!JMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00724134982150953587noreply@blogger.com0