Obedience Training With A Stumpy-butt Dog.

[wheres my rock]

we go to a vca club you can use food in trianing a club that prohbits food sounds a bit archaic .

Yes teach the focus as kk said i have a handout on teaching if you pm me your email i can send it to you

yup id go a half meal before trianing as they are getting a fai bit of food in trianing try and use healthy treats

[wheres my rock]

kismet what club do you go to

[KismetKat]

kismet what club do you go to

Moorabbin - they are very traditional. My dog copes fine with no treats 'on the ground' as she knows she gets treated after. I must admit I get miffed at handlers who cheat and use treat on the grounds. By example we were doing an exercise where handlers walked towards each other and then got their dogs to sit/drop/whatever by the side of another handler's dog. and dogs were meant to ignore each other. Bit hard when the other handler is cheating and sneaking a treat to get their dog to drop (or whatever). "Where's mine?" said my dog. And it could have turned nasty, although not a greedy dog for food, she can be a bit hyper over treats.

I also train with another school (more companion dog orientated) that allows treats, but I note the training seems to involve (so far as I have seen so far) less close to other dogs training.

[MrsD]

And also, my school doesn't allow training with treats.

What the ....???? :D

Well the club is a vca obedience club and vca rules prohibit taking a treat bag into the trial ring - so the rule makes sense. We are perfectly allowed to use treats when training at home.

Kismet, all my dogs have been trained at the same sort of clubs (ie affiliated with the state body) & my dogs I've trained there have gone on to trial. I totally understand about training with food when you are trialling etc & can understand weaning dogs off food asap & encouraging handlers to find other ways to motivate their dogs (which is what I have always done, but almost all dogs benefit from some form of food motivation in the early classes - but to actually have a rule against using food is just weird . And to be able to train at home using treats but not at the club is just doubly weird!

[KismetKat]

Mrs D, they get us to use voice etc. as a reward when 'at school'.

See my earlier post about people who do sneak in treats. I think it has the potential to cause problems.

[dogdude]

Hi Bikle

One small dog method that I have used to good effect in the past was to use a "solid lead".

Get a piece of dowel a bit shorter than a metre (custom make it to suite your height) and drill a hole in one end to attach a ring, or fitting that connects onto your check chain (or short leader) depending what method of training you are using.

It is great for keeping the dog in the correct heeling position without getting tangled up with the small dog. It also stops you having to bend over while organising him to correct heeling position. If you are coordinated enough, you can also use a back-scratcher in conjunction to guide straight sits etc.

[wheres my rock]

hi kk

we have people who choose to use and not use food and dont have trouble howevere i will say they shouldnt be woking that closely together at the early stages anyway to much risk with beginner handlers and if its advanced then the dog shouldnt be distracted by someone with food.

I think the fact that people sneak food onto the ground is a bit silly they should either get on committee and change things or move to aclub that is more open minded about training methods

[wheres my rock]

dogdude you a dianne bauman fan hehe i read her book years ago

[dogdude]

Hi where's my rock

Yes! I have trained many dogs with her methods as an instructor and use the book like a bible. I dont agree with everything in it, but most of it make sense. I have tried several other methods of training and found many bits and pieces that work from each. The small and large dog techniques in the Bauman book work particulary well. I am now looking into prey drive techniques with my new staffy.

[wheres my rock]

i like her diagrams for foot work very clear and her way of teahcing figure eight totally makes sense

[dogdude]

Hi Wheres my rock

Yes, I find that using her method with the figue 8 seems to improve the dogs general heel work, sometimes by 30-40%. Her understanding of what the dog is thinking while learning is interesting too. Sorry to highjack the thread!

I found an intersting website of a victorian trainer with Cavaliers who are Obedience Champion Titled. His positive reinforcment methods for training very young puppies from 8 weeks old are really interesting. I'm not a fan of full positive reinforcment but I think for young puppies they are great. Google "Eddie and Anne's Cavaliers" and read through the training storys for each of his dogs. This also gives some small dog training methods.

[wheres my rock]

yup i know eddie lovely guy great little dogs

where do you train

Edited September 21, 2006 by wheres my rock

[dogdude]

I was an instructor at the Portland Club for a few years some time ago, but I have recently got back into it and have joined the Craigieburn Club. I trained at Broadmeadows for a short time last year with another dog, but Craigieburn is closer to where I am in Epping.

Edited September 21, 2006 by dogdude

[jesomil]

Hi,

I trialled my pembroke successfully in obedience trials. I taught her alot of the basics inside with no distractions sitting on the floor. I also taught her to watch me, to look up at my face.

I initially trained her with treats as a puppy then moved onto a tug toy.

I was able to reach down and treat her and would also throw a treat when she learnt to catch. I gave all hand signals at waist height. Because she had been so reinforced to looking up and watching me, it was no problem.

The looking up at you is great but with everything else, it takes time and especially when just starting out at classes you may only get him to look at you for a split second.

Also i would start reinforcing the right behaviour at home where there are less distractions so you dont have to constantly lean over to get the attention. It is much easier for a pup to learn at home. You should do most of the teaching at home in a non distracting environment but still go to the classes for guidance.

Edited September 21, 2006 by jesomil

[tizey]

I've just started focus (attention) exercise with my JRT - prior to attending any obedience classes (start in a few weeks). - thanks for the alternate for shorter dogs KK, it has been working much better for Parker than the other exercise I was given.

what kind of attention should I be trying to attain? is getting him to look at me for a few seconds ideal, or should it be more than that?