BC Crazy

Thanks ness...Was just having a blonde moment :laugh: TSD, Oh yes, I tend to correct Stella by just ignoring her error & ask her to do it again in an upbeat tone of voice. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who 'whoops' when they get it right :laugh: MrBCC is like :laugh: That's one thing about Stella she is exceptionally good at reading my body language. Much more so than my boy. She is very in tune with me. I never get upset at her but when I get cranky at myself on occassion while taking her through her paces she has looked at me then she starts performing some of the simple tricks I have taught her like spin & things like that as if to see if that is what mum wants or this will cheer mum up :laugh: So there is a lot to be said even about the way you hold yourself isn't there? I have found retrieve one of the main things that has helped Stella's confidence actually. It has helped her out of her shell a lot & she LOVES it & growls the whole time in excitment & enjoyment. I never really trained her to do it as she just taught herself. I threw the ball & she chased it & brought it back of her own accord. There are rare times she doesn't bring the ball all the way back to me though. like she will drop it half way. In your opinion should I just ignore that or is there a way to correct this?

TSD, as the risk of sounding like a complete dummy what do you mean by NRM? After reading some folks training ideas it is making my sessions sound far too predictable. And frankly dull.If I'm bored with them I can only imagine how my guys must feel about them. It must reflect on the dogs IMHO. I seem to get into a rut very easily & don't think 'outside the square' nearly as often as I could or should. All you folks have these amazing, different ideas so now it's time for me to get my thinking cap on & bring back some life & interest into it. I definitely think if I begin to vary where the food rewards come from eg. hide them or throw them as suggested I think it will take some of the emphasis off my hands & will make Stella use her mind more which is my main aim really.

Wow love the look of Best Friend :) Must be a beautiful place as it is for sale in one of my recent dog magazines for well over the 2 million $ mark from memory.

I like its your choice for that reason TSD. It teaches the dog to think & teaches them impulse control. Stella needs that as she is very spontaneous, without thought at times. Oh so it is OK to to keep using food rewards to fine tune your training. Thanks TSD. I thought I should be trying to wean off the treats but I will randomly treat when she is really sharp doing what I ask. eg. I've taught her to move into heel position from sitting in front of me. Which she nailed very quickly but her butt wasn't exactly square so got her to redo it a few times but only rewarded when her position was perfect. She still sits like a puppy at times, rear legs are a bit everywhere :laugh: Now I really want us to nail the heel off leash. Not a real formal one but a heel none the less. We are very much a work in progress as some days you just can't train with her cause of her anxiety etc. or she is just not well with her Epilepsy. So she is 4 this year & we are still on the basic's but that's OK. I just like to keep her mind active really as she loves to learn :)

Thanks Huski. Shall stick to her fav. then FOOD :) Once they have learn't the command, would you then wean off the treats for reward & just verbal praise??

Very informative link Aidan2. Am reading with great interest. Love the easy way it is written. Makes perfect sense to me. Thanks :)

Must watch the next link you kindly provided Kavik :)

Aunty Nek :laugh: , Interesting... I thought the it's your choice video was great but I may be looking at it all wrong because even though the BC was very fast & focused he was in control. Still listening to the owner. Reminded me of Stella that dog. I think Stella is even faster though. But she'd be following my bait and with her eye's which is what I want to train out of her if possible. Another part of training I seem to fall down with & that's weaning off treats & just having them say work for a game of tugs after. I never quite actually know when is the right time to do so?

I've fed half smallish chic carcass to my Border Collie pup's at 12 weeks no prob's at all. Love them

Your very welcome Hazy Wal :) Yaaa !!!!!! media involvement You go girl

Oh wow ! Kavik that's really impressive stuff. That's what I want

Hats off to you Hazy for your self control when trying to get you money out of these idiots. More power to you. I really admire you inner strength. Keep after them. Your so right this isn't about the money in as much as the bloody principle. You should be able to walk down the street with your dogs safely & in peace. Without fear of being attacked. Simple as that. I'm another who would have totally lost it BIG TIME with these idiot people. How rude !!!! & self absorbed can they be. Their dogs get out of their property & attack yours, what part of that don't they get....And as for that giggling, stupid daughter, that would of been what tipped me right over the edge but in hind sight you know, you'd expect nothing less cause an apple never falls far from the tree does it... No hoping mum has done a brilliant job of raising more no hoping, non caring, irresponsible citizens. Just like herself. On a much nicer note I'm so pleased to see Maddie is physically healing beautifully HW. I hope your sweet girl hasn't suffered mentally from this ordeal. Hope Stan is doing OK as well but understand he isn't sensitive like Maddie so can bounce back far quicker. His main worry is 'whats for dinner ???' :laugh: So sorry this is turning into a saga for you HW & I hope you are holding up OK. You know where I am if you ever want to chat about whatever

Aidan, thanks for the interesting link. Will read with interest. Totally agree with the criteria/timing. I have issues with both I think

With Its Yer Choice you don't want them to lie down and turn their head away, you are not teaching food refusal, you are teaching focus. You want the dog to be looking at the food and keen but not to take the food until you either hand it to them or release them. If you watch the dog in the video, it is on the edge of its seat to get the food, focused on the food, not turning its head away or trying to avoid looking at the food. Oh Stella is more like she is refusing the bait Kavik.She turns her head away. One thing I don't want to do is dampen any drive she has that's for sure. I don't want to bore her with training either. I'll rewatch that video today.

I have tried a clicker with her I will say she thrived but I seemed to be fumbling around with not enough hands or something as it was the first time I have tried them . Might do some practise with it without Stella around & see how I manage it. I would be fuming too if anyone was sneaking treats to my dog as well. I always say no nicely if they ask as I'm very strict with what I actually use for treats. All mine are home cooked . Stella weight has to be monitored now due to the meds she is on. I make her work for everything. She doesn't get rewarded for looking pretty. She has mastered that look by the way ;)

Ha ha ness LOL.... I think training will be a peice of cake ness when I can get handle on Stella's thinking & speed.

Oh that is another prob I have SG. Im was unsure how to actually fade out the bait. Sometimes Stella looks at me when I say my marker word but most times not though. Not with a bait around.

I use Yes as my marker SG.

T, I have a Borderhoover then LOL. Huski,I usually have a bait bag turned around on my back but I have a bait in my hand. I may need to make changes in my delievery as you say. In hindsight I do have a bait in my hand before asking for a behaviour. Too predictable aren't I ?. Im wafting it under Stella's poor nose.

OSS, I will read up premacking tomorrow. Sounds interesting, never heard of it, thanks :)

Aunty Nekhbet :laugh: you can make me a video if you like :laugh: I thought by slowing Stella down, just like every video I've ever watched of dog's doing obedience sitting there like miss 'perfect', waiting for direction, that Stella may learn to do the same....Well, maybe not... :p So I'd better get some skates on then you advise & make me much more interesting & FAST. I will change direction etc like you suggest. It is funny cause she does look at me a lot of her own accord. So much so it is almost unnerving at times. I often ask her what she needs or wants she does it so much. Until I produce FOOD & ask her to do something. Then it's , show me the FOOD !!!! I have always used UH,UH if she stuff's up. I never get cranky at her or let on I'm disheartened. I'm really soft with both my guys. Always have been with any dog I've owned. She wouldn't know what a raised voice was. Kavik, I tried the "It's Yer Choice" with her tonight. She caught on immediately. I had the treat clinched in my hand, she nudged it once, then laid straight down & turned her head away casually :) Thanks guys, keep those ideas coming. Very interested. Sometimes you can't seem to see a solution clearly when you are trying so darn hard to get things right.

Hi everyone, I have just restarted with Stella's training at home each day after she hasn't been well for a while. She seems to have settled on her new Epilepsy med's now,which is great. She is a very motivated girl who loves to learn & extremely bright BUT she is also very food oriented & extremely fast with everything she does. I have always had a bit of a battle training her to be truthful because she focuses almost totally on the bait & not me. This has gotten even worse now because the med's have increased her appetite. So I'm in need of some ideas to slow this whole process down but am unsure exactly how to go about this without losing her concerntration altogether. I try to give the command, then wait a second or 2, then 'Yes' & treat but she will break position to seek the treat. I put her back in position, then treat but I just feel like everything is going to fast & she isn't calm enough to be in a learning mindset. How do I get her focused more on me? I'm only doing very basic obedience exercises to restart her with & I only ever do 5 mins sessions a day. She gives me eye contact a lot but that all changes when the bait bag comes out. What am I missing/doing wrong??? I seem to have come to a screaming halt training wise with her & we aren't making any progress. I seem to have lost my confidence as well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Jesus !!!!! That story beggers belief WRONG WRONG WRONG on so many levels..... Poor dog's, they are always the one's who end up suffering the most

Thanks for your kind words megan :) I couldn't agree more with you regarding some tortured, poor souls I have always said to Mr BCC since owning Stella & realizing she is such a complex dog with more than her fair share of health & mental 'issues' if at any time I find that her 'bad' days were out numbering her 'good' ones or she just simply can't relax anymore, I will give her her wings. As difficult a decision as that would be. I would never allow her to lead a tortured life just to say 'I won'.... I couldn't tell you the amount of times I have balled my eye's out over her & wondered where the hell have I gone wrong with her I now understand that it is the way she is wired unfortunately. I also have come to terms with the fact that she will never be the sunshine & lollipops kind of girl as raineth so cutely put it :) but I do quietly believe she can improve in some areas. If she doesn't & remains the same, so be it too. I will continue to give her 110% as I have always done & see how we go. She will be loved & adored to pieces whatever the final outcome :p Raineth thank you for your kind support Your poor Digby must of had dreadful previous owners to have damaged him so Beyond belief how some people treat their beloved dogs. He is so lucky to have you now. Must think he is in paradise now :) Congratulations on your fabulous efforts with him. He has come full circle by the sound of things. Tremendous effort

Hankdog, I don't think Stella has either. Not by a long shot. She is just getting warmed up IMHO. I will NEVER give up on her. I can see huge potenial in her as she is just so very bright. What the Behaviourist has said has only made me all the more determind to prove him wrong. I don 't think she's ready for a class type environent YET though either. Groups of dogs bring her undone emotionally in seconds. Thats why I thought private would be the way to start. I was thinking of 1 hour lessons but involving Sonny as well. Say 15 mins turn about. I believe Stella would settle with him crated at first much quicker than on her own.