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Aussienot
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Joined: Jan 2004
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Karma: 14 |  | 2 training ideas
« Thread Started on Oct 24, 2009, 4:51pm » | |
I am trying two new training ideas with Cody that I thought I would share. The first is that I taught him a really solid hand touch. He knows that anytime I present him with a flat hand palm out, he is to touch the hand with his nose. He learned this on the first night that I had him.
I've made the hand touch game one of his favorite things to do. This is useful for moving him around. If I want him to go through a door or gate, I just put my hand in the gap and ask for the touch.
It's also useful for keeping him from entering a space by using the hand touch as a barrier.
I'm using it in heaps of situations all day. Anytime I want to move him, the hand touch comes out. When he's getting a little too excited around the cats, I move away and ask for the touch. Too close to the open paint can or found one of my slippers, come to me for the hand touch. If I can get his attention, he'll come running from across the room to do the hand touch. Good for distracting and removing him from a potentially bad situation without needing to correct.
The hand touch is useful in Agility, where the dog has to follow the leading hand. It is also a useful form of target training in obedience for the future. We're starting to use it for very short heeling patterns. Also doggy zen. I put his food down on one side, and he has to give me a hand touch on the opposite side before eating.
I've used the hand touch before for tricks, but this is the first time I've tried using it a the foundation for basic manners and management.
The other thing I've been doing is using an 'on lead' command. This is just a command to mean expect to be leashed up. Every time I snap on the lead I say 'On Lead' the second before. Now I are working to get him to move a step or two into me when I say 'On Lead'.
Eventually I want to be able to get a reliable return for leashing from a distance under distraction. I want him to think getting leashed is a great game that he chooses to play over other things.
I picked up this idea from a retriever trainer friend, who always does this with his dogs from the time they are puppies, and he has really good recalls from all of his gun dogs.
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We give dogs the time we can spare, the space we can spare, and the love we can spare.
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amber
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Karma: 4 | | Re: 2 training ideas
« Reply #1 on Oct 25, 2009, 9:29pm » | |
Ha, that's a coincidence - a hand touch was one of the first things I taught my new little mally girl. She picked it up quite readily, and is so far quite happy to come and touch my palm for praise and cheering alone. I haven't practiced it around distraction though, that's a good training idea.
I'm not sure how the "on leash" command will give you a good recall though, can you explain that a little further? Surely the pup will soon learn that "on leash" still ends play time? Or are you training it with super duper rewards? If so, how is it different to just a plain recall?
One recall game I've just started playing with my pup in the garden is calling her back in the middle of a play session for a collar touch (we often play with me chasing her round and round the garden with the broom, the neighbours must think I'm bananas!) Then when she comes back, I immediately release her for more chasing fun. I'm doing this to try to get her used to coming on command even when she's really worked up, and to get her used to the idea that coming to me doesn't end playtime (in fact, not coming ends playtime cos I don't chase her again until she comes back). She's slowly picking it up.
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Aussienot
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Karma: 14 | | Re: 2 training ideas
« Reply #2 on Oct 29, 2009, 2:50am » | |
For now, I am pairing the 'On Lead' command with life rewards. I use it before taking him out to toilet during the day, which is always followed by a short walk.
In the house I sometimes leash him up, walk him into another room, throw a toy and then release him for us to play together. Other times I put him on lead, take both dogs outside, then release him to go play with Tarot. Sometimes I get him to come to me to put the lead on, then I drop the lead and run away so that he chases. I end by sitting on the floor, which is his cue to climb into my lap for "Cody Cuddles".
I want to implant firmly in his mind that coming to me to go on lead is the gateway to things that he enjoys. Once he is of this mindset, then I will start adding distractions. It will be a long term project to be able to recall him from involvement in something enjoyable to be leashed up for something less fun, like the end of playtime or going to the vets.
I plan to teach him the formal obedience, sit in front recall. I also plan to teach him the informal "to me" which just means return to my general space to more instructions, which I use heaps in agility.
I think the key difference with this is that he won't be a dog that returns but dances away when you try to leash up. He'll know to return and expect to be leashed up.
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We give dogs the time we can spare, the space we can spare, and the love we can spare.
In return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal mankind has ever made.
M Facklam |
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