J... Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 To cut a long story short - for a heap of different reasons I hadn't tried drive training with Darcy after the K9 workshop.... mostly lack of confidence and knowledge to give it a go! Wasn't that sure of how she'd go, but I've been watching her a lot and started to think she might do okay at it.... Yesterday we started with a new dog club, enrolled in both beginners agility and obedience class. Darcy decided, as she does, that she would focus on the dog next to us rather than on me. With that, something clicked.... I gave her a fair razzing and stirred her right up.... big mistake to do it without a toy I found (I have the bruises to prove it!! ) Half time I retreated to the car to find a toy instead!!!! But honestly if she works for me like that again I'll be very happy Some great improvements already - This is a dog who belts through the tunnel in order to dodge past me and play with the other dogs. Yesterday she did the tunnel, came out looking for me and followed me round. Each time I was ready to go after her knowing she'd bugger off to play - each time she shocked me!! Over the hurdles (on the ground) with lead dragging, followed me straight round again. Focused on me for most of the hour class. Did a quick 10 minute assessment for obedience class, and then onto an hour obedience class. Just a different dog - no losing focus, she worked really well, no playing up and lunging on her lead. Did some work she's not done before, easy as. Wow! Plus I got over 2 hours of class out of a 6.5 month old dog, after being constantly told "she's only a pup you can't expect a full hour out of her in class". I didn't push her for a second - she loved it! She slept well though!!! I'm still shocked, I can't believe she did all that in one day. Its a good shocked though - I'm still smiling about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Phew, thats impressive! Wish I knew more about it when my girl was that young! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Great to hear about your success . I have been having a lot of success with Bella as well and Bruno impressed everyone at his first puppy class with his sit stays at 18 weeks. Will have to try razzing on Sunday and see how that goes. Good work Kavik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roguedog Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Thats fantastic news! I know myself how it feels to have a CRAZY dog who wont focus on you... after using Steves training in drive method on her for a while, I swear I have a different dog, now she is a dream to work with.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 K9: Hey FP, that sounds great, now imagine where the pup will be if you do the drive development section of the program? Put your two weeks in & reap the rewards... Well done, love hearing the results after the workshops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakti Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Question please - Ben is now very focused on me at training at the Club but when everyone else is shoving food *treats* into their dogs mouths should I a) let him have a quick game of tug with his prey item or b) release him and let him chase it once or what?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 K9: you should build some drive.... spin with the toy... Just seen GIGI reading this thread lol, well are you going to tell us about Zig? lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Howard Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Just seen GIGI reading this thread lol, well are you going to tell us about Zig? lol... I will but I'll need a moment to type it out nicely to give her the credit she deserves. Could take me a while and I'll probably be in tears for part of it. She sure is speacial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 K9: Gigi was the girl at my drive workshop in NSW that everyone thought worked her dog just like I would... We had a lesson the other day that I think only Gigi can explain... But lets just say I was impressed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 WAITING WAITING....COME ON SUSPENSE HERE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 K9: Im sure she is just building your drive!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 nah nah nah nah - I already know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 K9: Lets keep in mind I have seen not just heard.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Howard Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 (edited) K9: Gigi was the girl at my drive workshop in NSW that everyone thought worked her dog just like I would... We had a lesson the other day that I think only Gigi can explain... Thanks for the extra pressure. I hope I can make this sound as good as it actually was. I'll give some background info on Zig to put things in perspective this could get a little bit epic so bare with me. Ziggy has been with me for almost 2 years. She is 4 now, She came from rescue, skin and bone. We bring her home and she is a nutbag, spending hours at a time racing around the back garden. I figure she's probably stressed just needs time to settle in she'll calm down over the next few weeks. So over the next few weeks she learns her name is behaving beautifully indoors but as soon as we go outside the circle work begins and she pays absolutely no attention to us and has no self control. This might not sound like a big deal but it was pretty severe. So I make an appointment with K9 Force. We spend most of the lesson talking about drive, peaks, thresholds, distractions, bags of tricks, and so many other things. Everything was so new and although it all made perfect sense at the time I think my head emptied alot of it out. The verdict at the end of the lesson was "Ziggy has great Prey Drive and very good nerves, she's a really great dog". So to try and keep this short, looking back, I should have asked more questions and badgered Steve with emails afterwards, but being not the most confident person I didn't want to bother him (stupid I know!!) and I pretty much wasted a year and a bit of not really doing the training correctly. Although I did get her walking nicely on the lead but the other problems were still there. Fast forwarding to the end of April this year, by now I've attended a K9 Force info Night and a Handlers Workshop and was getting a much better understanding of all sorts of drives, training methods etc, I still had a dog at home that wouldn't listen to me when outdoors and was slowly driving me mad but now I knew why. And really understood what was going on. So at the end of April we have the training in drive workshop coming up Ziggy is one of the demo dogs, We had to do 2 weeks pre training for the workshop and god I had some fun and games trying to get her into drive she made me work for it. I became so frustrated that I have this dog that will go into ridiculous drive peak over nothing but won't do it for me. I almost gave up altogether and was just going to bring her to the workshop to see if Steve either A) wanted her *jokes* or, B) put one of his spells on her. So after trying a few different ways to get her Drive up I probably had about 4-5 good training sessions with her before the workshop. The Day of the workshop was one of the most magical days ever, it was the turning point. I don't know what happened but Zig just did everything I asked, she made people laugh at the speed of her drop the way she threw herself down. She made me so proud, I was quite stunned because I thought is was going to be a disaster. After the workshop I spoke with Steve about the same old problems he told me what to do and I followed it to the letter. Low and behold her behavior improved dramaticlly, my neighbor even commenting that she is a different dog, but best of all is the amazing bond we have that I can't explain. So now we're up to last weekend a follow up appointment with Steve. One of the other most magical days ever. We took a dog, that until just over a month earlier, wouldn't listen to me in her own backyard, and..........let her go off leash. Steve kept laughing at me because I was so worried but when I called her......she came back!!!!! This was something that as far as I was concerned would never happen .... ever. I took her out the next day on my own and she came back every time. Seeing the change in her so quickly is one of the most rewarding things for me. Thats all from me for now Bye Edited February 7, 2007 by Emily Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Reading that Gigi, i got goosebumps and tears. Well done! Does anyone else other than k9 offer teh drive training? In melbourne? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooper Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 That's unreal, Gigi! Well done to you and Ziggy :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alibear Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Thats great Gigi! :D You should be very proud of yourself and Ziggy! I know how you feel about the off leash work, its so wondeful when you call your dog and they come bounding back to you. I was WAY to paranoid to let Bear off leash until Steve basically made me do it ...............If only I had of listened earlier Keep up the good work And course K9 comes through with the goods once again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Gigi - if you ever want a confidence booster just ask me, Ill give you one any day. Im so looking forward to our meet in couple of weeks, I love Ziggy! You can do show off demos for me all day long and Ill only be happily "jelous" for you And yes I had tears in my eyes as well, especially that we have been talking occasionally from time to time and I knew about your frustrations. Before you know it, Ill be in your ear that you should be trialing Ziggy WELL DONE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddog21 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 GiGi, what breed is Ziggy I may have taken a pic of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 She was the small dobie, you did take a pic I have a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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