Training Talk Thread

[Mason_Gibbs]

Club trial yesterday and Mason did very well 27/30 for heeling , 9/10 for SfE ( not entirely sure why we lost a point there) and we lost a point for recall which was my fault as i spoke to him as he came in and sat. Perfect sit and down stay!!! YAY!

As for the progress on our retrieving / dumbell holds, there is none, he has no clue what i want and i am fast loosing patience, i am willing to pay someone else to teach him lol!!

[Nik]

Hi all,

I've got a slight problem with my girl- she sometimes gets about a 1/2 pace in front of me- only when we're asked to halt. I've tried using the clicker to re-inforce the heel position, but sometimes it all just flies out the window. Does anyone have any suggestion for ways for us to fix this?

There's plenty more to fix, but this one is my main focus at the moment .

[caffy]

Hi all,

I've got a slight problem with my girl- she sometimes gets about a 1/2 pace in front of me- only when we're asked to halt. I've tried using the clicker to re-inforce the heel position, but sometimes it all just flies out the window. Does anyone have any suggestion for ways for us to fix this?

There's plenty more to fix, but this one is my main focus at the moment :D .

Are you "cueing" her to halt or slamming on the brakes????

[OSoSwift]

Ahh makes sense, thought I read it somewhere!

Do you bother training it then? Or can I just say I don't want to confuse her when they try to make me do it at training?

I still would. You have to return to the dog behind them after stays, SFE, COP. But like with the finish, I'd start teaching the return as a separate exercise to anything.

I get what you mean, but what I meant was is it necessary for me to train her to stay while I walk around her when she has recalled like they do in obedience classes? She knows to stay while I walk around for stays, sfe and cop but if it's not a requirement for me to walk around her after she has recalled then I am not going to add something that is unnecessary. I did try it once but she was clearly confused and wondering where I was going so got up to follow me as I am apparantly not meant to move when she comes to me regardless of what I tell her :D Bloody Tollers and their ideas of what is wanted :p

I don't do it and I was VERY glad when they dropped it from CCD as I thought it was harder than a finish and a bit silly. Mine do the return after a stay fine as well, but the return after the recall just unsettled them.

[Nik]

Hi all,

I've got a slight problem with my girl- she sometimes gets about a 1/2 pace in front of me- only when we're asked to halt. I've tried using the clicker to re-inforce the heel position, but sometimes it all just flies out the window. Does anyone have any suggestion for ways for us to fix this?

There's plenty more to fix, but this one is my main focus at the moment :D .

Are you "cueing" her to halt or slamming on the brakes????

I don't slam on the brakes. When the instructor says halt I try to wait until she's in the right position before I stop. Not sure how I'm meant to cue her though??? I'm still such a newbie. :p

[Ptolomy]

It sounds like she is not reading that you are halting. Make sure you are stopping on the same foot every time. Some people cue a sit by taking a slightly slower last step before stopping or a shorter or longer step. The other things to remember is that when you reward a halt it should be straight down your left leg and not infront where she might be sitting. This will encourage her not to stop forward of your leg. :D

[Mason_Gibbs]

It sounds like she is not reading that you are halting. Make sure you are stopping on the same foot every time. Some people cue a sit by taking a slightly slower last step before stopping or a shorter or longer step. The other things to remember is that when you reward a halt it should be straight down your left leg and not infront where she might be sitting. This will encourage her not to stop forward of your leg.

I have also heard that some people lean back slightly before stopping.

[RallyValley]

Quick questions.

In CCD competiton is there a lead length you must have?

Also I assume flat collars only in the ring (meaning I must buy a new one as Toby can slip out of his buckle collars, he is that awful on the cusp of two sizes size)?

And also would it be wiser to build duration with heeling before I start working on turns or to learn turns and then begin building duration?

[Natsu chan]

Here you go RV:

Collars and Leads:

All dogs must have a slip or fixed collar which fits only the dog's neck and which must remain on the dog

at all times. No spiked collars or collars which give additional head control shall be permitted.

The minimum length of lead will be 750 mm and it will be fitted with a quick release fastener. All dogs

must enter and leave the Ring on a lead. In exercises that require a dog to be off-lead, the lead will be

taken off and handed to the Steward at the Start Peg.

All exercises with the exception of Heel on Lead and Stand for Examination in the Community

Companion Dog Class must be executed off-lead

Basically, any flat, martingale or check chain is fine provided it's not a prong or a halter style of collar.

ETA

I must admit I have always used a check chain, and most people I see still use a check or martingale of some sort. One point though is to make sure the lead is over the length and comfortable for you. I'm only short so mine are 90cms but most people use longer ones and if you aren't use to a longer lead it can create some entertainment for everyone else.....I speak from experience!

Edited April 19, 2011 by Natsu chan

[Ptolomy]

I teach turns and then build duration - but I don't do turns while doing duration ........hmm no wonder my dogs get confused

[JulesP]

I think the minimum lead length is 75cm. However I would suggest getting one at least a meter long as you are now required to stand at least 75cm away from the dog in the SFE and you don't want to be pulling the dog with a short lead.

[RallyValley]

Thanks for the replies! I will be able to get a pretty limited slip then

Ptolomy will work on turns before duration then but duration will just be straight lines and big circles to start

[Mason_Gibbs]

I teach turns and then build duration - but I don't do turns while doing duration ........hmm no wonder my dogs get confused

I taught it seperate too - thats the way we were taught in class

[Beth.]

Just thought i'd share a little dumbbell retrieve video from todays little session - she's getting alot better But of course any help/hints are greatly appreciated!! Already watching the video back i've picked up on a few things (like she nearly chased after it on the last throw ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygcQXQ84DHY

[Flick_Mac]

Very nice Beth! Was just doing some refresher work with Louie and he's doing mini retrieves inside now! Even better he's figured out how to sit with the dumbell still in his mouth!

[Beth.]

Very nice Beth! Was just doing some refresher work with Louie and he's doing mini retrieves inside now! Even better he's figured out how to sit with the dumbell still in his mouth!

Yay - go Louie!! Video next time

I've just ordered the scent discrimination set and seekback as well - something else to start teaching eventually!!

[RubyStar]

How would one encourage speed and enthusiasm to the box in the sendaway, as you start adding distance between the box and yourself? Obviously reward placement is something to think about, as the further away Ruby gets from me, the more away she thinks she is from a reward. Placing a reward in the box didn't really help.

Doing this on a hot day didn't help matters, either. Just don't think my dogs will ever work well in the heat so I should face facts and not push them! And know when to withdraw from a trial if I won't get optimum performance for what they are capable of when it's cooler. Really hoping for a coolish weekend next weekend, 3 obedience trials! Otherwise I will probably have to withdraw. Don't like them getting away with a half-assed attempt!

[caffy]

How would one encourage speed and enthusiasm to the box in the sendaway, as you start adding distance between the box and yourself? Obviously reward placement is something to think about, as the further away Ruby gets from me, the more away she thinks she is from a reward. Placing a reward in the box didn't really help.

Run to the box to reward her making lots of happy noises or you can also get good at throwing a toy for her to catch.

[RubyStar]

How would one encourage speed and enthusiasm to the box in the sendaway, as you start adding distance between the box and yourself? Obviously reward placement is something to think about, as the further away Ruby gets from me, the more away she thinks she is from a reward. Placing a reward in the box didn't really help.

Run to the box to reward her making lots of happy noises or you can also get good at throwing a toy for her to catch.

Thanks, will try be more exciting Time to break out the isqueak me thinks It's about the only thing she gets hyped for! Oh, that and the chicken feet Ptolomy brought down to training! She was like a dog on crack for one of them

[kathq]

Needing some inspiration here..Apologies for the long post :D

Walked out of the rings on Saturday night more than a little down, I know UD is not easy but I lost the plot in the first trial, Coco did a lovely SB, great first jump, pulled out of the bar jump and knew she'd done wrong, her body language said it all. Then went from bad to worse - brought back the wrong article, missed the sit in CoP and went to the box instead of the glove (it was very close in front of us). I thought we were training well - the SB has been an issue the last couple of weeks but she got that right. Had one of those "Why the **$$##%** do I try to do this moments".

Went into the second trial determined to not let my body language get the better of her so she didnt get the SB, great jumps, refused to pick up the metal (first) article but got the rest, missed the sit again and great gloves. I remained upbeat, praised when she got it right used her NRM when she didnt.

So decided I need to work on the SB in situations where she needs to use her nose not just sight so long grass is the go, and to stretch her concentration span. It was suggested to me that she is looking for her reward and rushing. And in the SB and articles she is looking for help from me when it is difficult. Took her out yesterday afternoon to somewhere I havent trained in months. long grass situation. The first SB she ran around a bit - stood and looked at me and I thought "No give her nothing make her think, I can last out a dog" she went back to work and used her nose at last and when found it Huge praise rewards, so did another one which she found using her nose without hesitation. YAY

Same issue in the first article (metal) she stood and looked at me I just looked back dead pan, she worked it then and found it huge praise we did 6 articles in all and she had no problems with the rest and did not test me again. Did double of all exercises and no hassles with anything else.

So am I on the right track or have I got this UD thing all wrong?