bedazzledx2 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Problem with figure eight is that usually (and nearly always in WA) it comes at the end of the heeling routine. If your dog has lost concentration, then coming down the ring towards the onlookers at the end of the ring complete with a couple of handlers hovering with their dogs just outside the ring plus stewards coming into the ring to set up can be quite intimidating and distracting. I reckon he has to learn to attack the figure eight and treat it like a separate exercise. Train it like the Americans where it is a separate part of the heeling and then work in your transitions. Use people especially at agility training where there is high distractions and work the first bit...choose which way you are going to go...(around the outside or the inside first)and train the first few steps...going around one person only...then the straight etc etc. Lots of proofing. JMOFWIW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) Failing everything else Ptolomy - we could just combine a bit of Kenz with a bit of Strauss and then we might get the perfect figure 8 between the pair of them . Out of curiosity is he better or worse if you go around the inside post rather than the outside post first or vice versa. I know ideally you want both options available just wondered if one option was better then the other at this point in time. Edited November 13, 2011 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) Just a thought RS if your dogs scratch at collars or they get covered in hair etc why don't you get a different collar? Something small and lightweight that won't irritate your dogs or make you want to touch it. :-) Thanks, Seita, this is something worth thinking about because in the trial on Friday night she stopped to scratch at it again mid heelwork, and at the start post :rolleyes: Oh and it was a different collar to her training collar. I just don't think she likes collars on!! Edited November 13, 2011 by RubyStar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I have similar issues with Rommi in the figure 8. Her issue is she just LOVES sniffing new people and saying hello to anyone. When we train at our club she knows the people and sees them often so is no where near as distracted. When we go to a trial she controls the urge for a bit, but inevitably she goes across to my right as I am coming out of the figure of 8 as she has slowed down to have a sniff of the new person......it annoys the complete crap out of me and it is also why we struggle in SFE as she finds it soo hard to control her feelings of wanting to run up to the new person for a sniff and a pat. Quite often a very stearn stay works but not always! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seita Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Just a thought RS if your dogs scratch at collars or they get covered in hair etc why don't you get a different collar? Something small and lightweight that won't irritate your dogs or make you want to touch it. :-) Thanks, Seita, this is something worth thinking about because in the trial on Friday night she stopped to scratch at it again mid heelwork, and at the start post :rolleyes: Oh and it was a different collar to her training collar. I just don't think she likes collars on!! no worries :-) if she's not used to wearing collars in everyday life then it's little wonder that she scratches at them. Thankfully I don't get this problem with Ella even though she also never wears a collar outside of training. You could always put a collar on her more regularly to get her used to it so it doesn't bother her. Just a thought, how tight is your collar on her? Maybe if you put a small lightweight one on really loosely it won't annoy her or she won't notice it? Who would have thought that you'd have to train your dog to put up with wearing a collar! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Problem with figure eight is that usually (and nearly always in WA) it comes at the end of the heeling routine. If your dog has lost concentration, then coming down the ring towards the onlookers at the end of the ring complete with a couple of handlers hovering with their dogs just outside the ring plus stewards coming into the ring to set up can be quite intimidating and distracting. I reckon he has to learn to attack the figure eight and treat it like a separate exercise. Train it like the Americans where it is a separate part of the heeling and then work in your transitions. Use people especially at agility training where there is high distractions and work the first bit...choose which way you are going to go...(around the outside or the inside first)and train the first few steps...going around one person only...then the straight etc etc. Lots of proofing. JMOFWIW Totally agree, make it highly rewarding. This is something one of your WA gals told me ages ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Well I've just bitten the bullet and entered my girl in Open for the first time. Guess I'd better do a bit more training! I'm just hoping we do the DC- so I guess that will be my main focus at training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Well I've just bitten the bullet and entered my girl in Open for the first time. Guess I'd better do a bit more training! I'm just hoping we do the DC- so I guess that will be my main focus at training. Cool Nik, when is it? No more trials here until January so that is most likely when we will have our first Open attempt I find with DC and DOR I still need to do a few quick exercises before I go in the ring, just at a short distance. I obviously have to work on her understanding of the exercise but if she's done at least a drop and sit from a few metres beforehand she tends to do it nicely in the run through. Otherwise I occasionally get the "I've never heard that command in my life" look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Best of luck, Nik!! When is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Has anyone used a target stick for training a small breed? I'm not yet convinced about how good they may be, for things such as heeling. Wouldn't the dog become reliant on that as a cue and then when you remove it they won't know the behaviour? Thinking of new ways to tackle training little Pippa the mini schnauzer. Clean Run have a target stick combined with a clicker that I was thinking about getting, it's only $14.95. Thoughts anyone?! http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=746&ParentCat=277&string=clip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I'm doing Croydon on 4th December. Hopefully we have a cold snap rather than a heatwave. Today is unbearably hot, fingers crossed it's not like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Has anyone used a target stick for training a small breed? I'm not yet convinced about how good they may be, for things such as heeling. Wouldn't the dog become reliant on that as a cue and then when you remove it they won't know the behaviour? Thinking of new ways to tackle training little Pippa the mini schnauzer. Clean Run have a target stick combined with a clicker that I was thinking about getting, it's only $14.95. Thoughts anyone?! http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=746&ParentCat=277&string=clip I hve mini schnauzers and use target sticks all the time, but not for heeling (eg I play a game where the stick-on-a stand is hidden and they have to boop it with their nose, click, treat). I've heard of people doing it but I'd stuff it up and it would become a cue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Yep - couple of people I train with have had good results with a target stick - one with a cav, and the other with a tiny Papillon. I've got a couple of different ones - one with the clicker in the handle - worth it I reckon - not that I'd be encouraging you ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleo's Corgwyn Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Although I haven't used one for conventional heeling, I have used one for my Cardi girl for some of the different heeling positions in Dances with Dogs, and for some moving trick work. I haven't had any problems fading the target stick, and retaining the behaviour; I just make sure that I fade the stick quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xena98 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Has anyone used a target stick for training a small breed? I'm not yet convinced about how good they may be, for things such as heeling. Wouldn't the dog become reliant on that as a cue and then when you remove it they won't know the behaviour? Thinking of new ways to tackle training little Pippa the mini schnauzer. Clean Run have a target stick combined with a clicker that I was thinking about getting, it's only $14.95. Thoughts anyone?! http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=746&ParentCat=277&string=clip Had a friend who used one with a papillon and he was brilliant. She got him into ud but than work sort of interferred and she sort of dropped out and doesnt trial anymore. He was good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptolomy Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 http://youtu.be/zfKjAzpQX_E We have the start of scent discrimination happening - there is a long way to go - but hes got the idea and seems to enjoy it So far he is doing metals and woods - I will add leathers in a couple of days...... and while I was away mum taught him to bring in the newspaper - she would go out in her PJ's and stand next to the cars in the driveway and then send him to get it. http://youtu.be/wuIY8-nTJaM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Nice work Strauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 What a happy boy :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Clever Strauss!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathq Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Clever boy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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