Erny

Seagate - email me - [email protected] I'll send you a copy before I head back out again. Please include your name (ie as opposed to your DOL name) on the email. Erny

Helen - can't tell you much about the lady herself, but two of the books I have of hers is : Canine Body Language - a Photographic Guide Aggression in Dogs I am very interested in attending her seminar, if it goes ahead .

Can't say I've had much chance to catch the news. Although I did hear there was a possibility of hail, so I expect it will be coooooooold - so make sure to bring extra clothing. You can always peel it off if we're lucky enough to strike some weather as we've had over the last few days (20, 21 degrees). Mornings and night times have been crispy cold. But one good thing is that we'll be in the pavilion - so we will at least be able to stay dry. Blankets to cover over your dog's crate (if you have a crate) to help stop drafts (and to help reduce anxiety) as per the "Information Sheet" would also be a good thing.

I emailed you another one about 1/2 hour ago.

It is the beginning of training. (My highlight)I disagree - it is actually giving the dog a clear choice. Pull, or don't pull. When a dog can clearly see where its best advantage lays, it usually makes the 'right' (read : the one we want) decision. Of course, like with any tool, there are things we do as the dog's trainer to help make those choices even clearer, and so the dog learns. Not sure what "this" way is (have I've missed a post?). But if it is in relation to the earlier comment by someone that their dog pulls when it is not wearing the collar it is possible the dog's become 'collar-wise', I agree that more work can be done so that the dog learns that it is about his 'behaviour' on lead, not about the collar. I like to work dogs (regardless of tool) so that they will walk on a loose lead - again, regardless of equipment. THEN I know the dog is trained to a loose lead and not to the equipment. No probs with using whichever equipment as a 'stop gap' for the event that a training experience might be required out of the blue (my girl used to wear a check chain, although I don't recall actually needing to administer a correction with it in the last 3 years before I lost her, although I could also take her out on a flat collar equally as well), but I agree that a dog isn't truly trained to walk on a loose lead if it is relying on the equipment itself for its choice to do so. Agree. IMO *this* is what professional trainers and non-professional trainers alike should be advocating of any training equipment.

Hi Skuzy. A lot of misconceptions have been spread in relation to the "Pressure Point Collar" (PPC) or "pinch" or "prong" or "German Training Collar" as they are commonly known. They look dreadful, which is IMO why it is so easy for those opposed to them to convince those who are otherwise aware.

What I'm sure ROM means is that oftentimes people will set about doing the right things/practicing training techniques to achieve the loose lead walk. But then, when they want to go to the milkbar, for example, and they've allotted only the prescribed time that it normally takes to walk there, their consistency to training goes out the window, because they don't want to/can't spend the time necessary to train the dog that loose lead walking is for every time, everywhere, in every circumstance. They need to get to the milkbar and back post haste, because Mum's waiting for the milk; butter; bread; or whatever else might be the reason. They then often don't realise that they've been assuming the dog will understand that sometimes they don't have time for the training. But the dog doesn't. The only thing the dog learns to understand is that sometimes it is ok to pull on the lead, and he'll keep trying that when it suits him. And loose lead walking counts for when you're standing still, too. The training lesson for the dog should always be "don't pull on the lead, no matter what's going on in the environment and no matter what I'm doing nor at what speed I'm doing it". So, when you're preparing to go out, don't go with a destination in mind that you need to reach within a determined time frame. And don't even be worried if you don't make the destination if the walk has been sufficiently long enough to serve as physical and mental stimulation for the dog. Quit on good notes. You can always go jump in the car and get to the milkbar if you need to. Or get mum to drive you . Does that help, Happie?

As are we, JulesP.

I agree with Helen. The 'click' is supposed to mark the end of the exercise .... treat is coming. The equivalent of the verbal marker for this would be something like "yes!". However, for encouragement (to indicate to the dog that it is on the right path towards doing what you want it to do) I use a low/soft level "good dog". When a dog is in the teaching phase of toilet training I will use verbal encouragement even more softly. Likewise if I am adding a toilet command and am in the 'pairing word with action phase', I use the words "quick quick" softly - so as not to distract.

ScrappyDoo .... is a "husher" what you are talking about? If it is, the dog can still bark, but the action of the husher is designed to fatigue the dog's jaw muscles and make incessant barking less pleasurable.

I've PM'd you Heidley.

Hi Well! The event is certainly getting closer and Steve and I are in the final countdown for finalising the "behind the scenes" detail that goes into a workshop . All those who have made their payment should by now have received their "information sheet". If you haven't received your information sheet and feel you should have, please email either Pro-K9 or K9 Force, depending on what 'list' you booked your ticket through. [email protected] k9force.net Steve and I look forward to seeing and meeting with you all on the day/s. Cheers! Judi

It could be. It could also be that you've always twisted your body in to more easily look at your dog. And perhaps your dog has not generalised beyond learning to sit at that angle. That is not an uncommon occurrence and it is just inadvertent error in training. Yes - that's exactly what I mean. Only as a means to an end, mind . IOW, you'd need to be conscious of weaning off from that being necessary, at the appropriate time. Try releasing and rewarding her before she gets a chance to swivel. This will set her up to understand it is the straight sits that earn the release/reward.

Glad you had fun TSD and well done for your placing. And LL .... to you too for a fantastic performance from you and your dogs. Congratulations for the 1st and 2nd and on gaining a Title . Well done to both all of you.

It might also do well to be mindful of your own body language and position, as not infrequently this can be the cause of the problem. Think also of things that you might be using that could influence this - eg. food treat pouch; motivator toy. If these are held or commonly come from the front, your dog might be focusing on them because she's learnt to anticipate that is where they will come from. Using the wall to show the dog what TO do is a way I've also worked to remedy this problem. I prefer a cyclone wire fence though as it minimises the dog's reliance on a solid structure needing to be there. Think also of your reward structure and remember that it is flexible. HIGH reward for success approximation (ie moving closer to your training goal), lower reward for ordinary work. Sometimes I have merely used my left hand (I work with lead in right hand; dog to left) to prevent some dogs from swiveling their butts out. Again - just a way of showing what TO do. If your dog is sensitive to it, you could use something like a dressage whip to discourage your dog's butt from swinging out. Used by 'tapping'. And sorry ..... another something to consider is whether your dog is standing square before she sits. If she's not, then perhaps it is the "stand" that needs to be worked on, rather than the sit? Numerous of these options can be used progressively and some, if you find them applicable, simultaneously.

Hi Denis. Thank you. That wasn't a bad series of vids. Your explanation was set out clearly in the easy to follow steps you provided. I have a question, if I may? With the "training to touch" .... are you only doing that to service the training of one passive 'skill' (in your instance, "sit") for the purpose of recovering an out of sight lost dog? The reason I ask is because, as I imagine it, you wouldn't be able to use the 'touch' technique and expect a "sit" in one instance and then a "drop" in another, without moving the collar to another part of the dog's body. So I'm presuming its use is for just that one purpose IE to keep a dog in a stationary position so you might go looking for him/her. I am also presuming that for general training (eg. "recall") you are using negative reinforcement + verbal/hand signal command. Oh .... and BTW, your camera skills are improving lots since you were first given your camera. Does it not have an LCD screen that you can flip out and turn around, so that you can see what's in the picture even if you're in front of it? Regardless, you did a good job of staying in picture. Ben : Ben, you nong .... that was a hat!

Hi Sam. Thanks - I have been receiving them and have responded :rolleyes:.

IMO the most ideal is 1:1 with trainer/behaviourist and then dog school. The first will be able to assess your relationship with your dogs and make any adjustment necessary for you to enhance your leadership. If the behaviourist has another suitable dog to work with, then desensitisation can commence at a low intensity (recommended). The thing is you will need to frequently expose your dogs to this low intensity stimulation - and going down to the local dog park where other dogs are off-leash and uncontrolled is not the way to do it. If you have dogs behind fences down your street, you might be able to use them to put into practice the steps advised by the trainer/behaviourist. I do this, but I am mindful NOT to hang around one place for any length of time because it can stir up the dogs behind the fence and cause them to bark ..... and I don't want the owners of those dogs then receiving complaints from neighbours for the barking. But this must only be practiced in accordance with your behaviourist's advice (observing threshold distances etc.) If you don't have dogs behind fences to work off, with explanation and demonstration from your trainer behaviourist so that you have the initial knowledge of how to go about control, desensitisation, and threshold distances (so you don't over-face your dogs), you might be able to use dog school classes to work off. IE Not (initially at least) actually joining right in with the class, but working at a distance outside of the class and only working in gradually (ie over numerous sessions). Much depends on what the dog school will allow you. I have availability to both options, but not all dog schools will allow a private lesson with an 'outside' behaviourist during their class times. This is something you'd need to check. IF you can't meet the ideal, then the next best would be to join up with a dog training school - but the instructors would need to have the proper knowledge in dog behaviour to be able to advise you well. This is something you'd need to check on when you are ringing around to whatever schools you might have access to. I don't know your area, so I'm unable to help you in this respect. One thing is for sure ..... going down to your local park where your dogs and other dogs are off leash is more than likely not only NOT going to help the situation, but make it worse. The only other thing you can do is to 'manage' the problem by attending ON-leash parks, in which case your dogs will need to remain on lead as well. Parallel walking (with distance between the other person's dog) is one of the best way to handle this. In any case, you need to handle ONE dog at a time - especially at first.

This is about training, desensitization and confidence building - and this will not occur unless you put yourself in a position where you can prevent their behaviours and be seen to take control. Their recognition of you as a capable leader is a must, if they are to respect and trust that you will and can deal with the situations they themselves are uncertain/afraid of. At the very least you are better to work on this issue at a training school, where the whole environment is a 'controlled' one. Do you belong to a training school who have instructors with the knowledge of dog behaviour necessary to help you work through the desensitisation process? Every time your dogs exhibit this behaviour, their belief that this is what they need to do to remain unharmed becomes more ingrained. The more ingrained it becomes, the longer and/or more difficult the behaviour modification process will be. Training for obedience skills will also help the process - as the skills are established you will be able to use them to control your own dogs more and more in these situations. ETA: Good for you for wanting to cure/improve their behaviours. There are many owners of little dogs out there who don't give this a second thought. Mind you, I could say the same of owners of bigger dogs too, although I do tend to find the problem (of not worrying about it) is more prevalent amongst owners of small dogs. I guess this is because they don't seem to be the target of BSL and Dangerous Dog Laws and such. However, kudos to those owners of little dogs who do recognise their dogs are dogs and suffer the affects of stress just like any other dog does.

I don't like chain leads .... unless they are used for the sole purpose of tethering. Teeth can get stuck in them, but more importantly they are not good for proper handling technique .... not to mention that I've seen them snap through the link. NoodleNut ..... try basting the lower half of your lead with something like Deep Heat or Dencorub each time before you head out on lead. Keep a tube of it with you, as you'll need to re-load frequently because it does wear off reasonably quickly. In this way you are 'training' your dog not to chew on the lead. It shouldn't take too long before your dog gives up on the idea of chewing it. I use the fibretek leads - comfortable to handle, strong and pretty much maintenance free.

Condolences, Greytmate. It is hard, no matter the age or time. Take comfort that Bronwyn had a great life with you - lovingly cared for and tended. Run free, Bronwyn ..... free as the wind.

Actually - whoever you chose to help you, someone who understand fear; stress; anxiety; and training. Doesn't have to be a competitor person. Could be, if that person also has an understanding and knowledge of behaviour. In your case, I think the latter is the most important at this stage.

If your dog didn't receive sufficient socialisation to different (ie unfamiliar) people during the critical period (8-16 weeks) then absence from strangers could have some impact. But your second sentence here has alarm bells ringing and it could be that this problem has been growing all the while and that what you witnessed (as per your post) is another step in the escalating process. Contact your trainer/behaviourist (I presume he/she offers email/telephone support beyond the first consultation?) and report this to her/him, making sure to also inform him/her of what you did so that your responses can be 'tweaked' or altered as the case may be. Give details such as threshold distance as well. Sometimes people miss early signs of a dog's 'unease' and respond too late for the dog to either cope with on an emotional level or even learn from. I am often in frequent contact with my clients following consultation - it is THEM I am teaching the new regime and it often takes a bit of time to get used to handling technique/timing and improving on it. Over time, as the owner learns to manage it (and as a result, the dog normally is improving), the email/telephone contact is required quite as frequently or even at all. I love to get updates from my clients though, even when the problem has disappeared. I presume 'leadership' regime has been discussed, checked and (where or if necessary) 'tweaked' by your trainer/behaviourist as well. Don't lose faith or hope, Busterlove . It had only been one day ..... don't push it with your dog. Distance, IMO is what you need. It will help both you and your dog (gives YOU more thinking time and gives your dog less chance of peaking anxiety/defense drive). Remember, your dog is 'learning' (and so are you) so "steady as she goes" .

Remember that if it is that your dog feels uncomfortable due to the presence of other dogs (when in the 'stay'), then there is an extra "load" that she does not feel in other less intense environments. When a load is increased, we need to adjust training so we can decrease another different load, so that we can achieve the outcome (for training purposes) we are seeking. We build up each 'load' separately and then add them back in bit by bit until the dog can cope with the "whole" maximum loads. Consequently, I would decrease the load of 'distance' and work to initially maintain the 'load' of time. (Remember - the 'load' of other dogs is present.) When you then work up to increasing the load of 'distance', reduce the load of 'time'. Initially, you could also reduce the load of 'intensity' (ie other dogs) by giving her some distance from them. I would not walk away initially .... ie not completely with my back to her. Watch for muscle movement. Go out to a distance but don't stay out - go straight back in (I often treat at this point, low level praise) and then return out, then back again (ie repeat). Make it easy and make it clear. Provide regular feedback to her throughout. It should come back to her fairly quickly. In amongst all of this, be conscious of your own body language and make sure that you are not tensing (perhaps in anticipation that she is going to break position). ETA: Basing the above on the premise that she IS breaking because she has lost confidence, not because you've made too many allowances as a result of the 'incident' and that this has now for the most or total part become a learnt behaviour.

Hi Delkerabo. Please email me - we will be able to arrange something for you . [email protected]