Post by Aussienot on Apr 29, 2006 3:26:17 GMT -5
This game was introduced in Gottfried Dildei and Sheila Booth in the Training in Drive book on Schutzhund Obedience.
To do this you need two 8- 10 " lengths of hose. Car heater hoses give the best mouth feel, and usually come in bright colors. But you can use old garden hoses, or even two identical toys.
Take the dog to a quiet spot - a hallway works well when you first start playing. Tease the dog with the toys, keeping them just out of his reach. When he really wants one, throw it a few feet to your left. As soon as he picks it up, call his name, make the second hose come alive. Wave it and wiggle it, and crouch slightly in the classic 'throwing position'.
When he wants it, throw the second hose to your right. Make the dog cross in front of you to go get it. Then run and get the first hose, and repeat the "The toy I have is better than the toy you have" pantomime.
There are two goals here for the trainer. 1) get him to bring the first hose back close to you before throwing the second, and 2) have him run in more or less a straight line away from you and in front of you.
The most important part is that you are the center of the game and you only bring out the hoses to play the two hoses game. Playing this way eliminates the Keep Away game that dogs adore. Remember the toy you are currently holding is the best one, and you couldn't care less about the one that he has.
Once your dog is good at two hoses in the hallway, move the game outdoors, and generalize it to other locations such as a park or a sidewalk. Gradually raise the criteria for throwing the second hose. At first, picking up the first hose is the criteria. Then ask the dog to bring it a bit closer to you before the second throw. Then ask that it is dropped right next to you, then ask for the first hose to be dropped into your hand before throwing the second one. Whatever behavior you are expecting, make the second throw the instant he does it. He needs to learn that his behavior is when triggers the throw.
At the end of play, tease the dog with the hoses before putting them away. Frustration at not being able to have the hoses will increase the play drive the next time he sees the hoses.
To do this you need two 8- 10 " lengths of hose. Car heater hoses give the best mouth feel, and usually come in bright colors. But you can use old garden hoses, or even two identical toys.
Take the dog to a quiet spot - a hallway works well when you first start playing. Tease the dog with the toys, keeping them just out of his reach. When he really wants one, throw it a few feet to your left. As soon as he picks it up, call his name, make the second hose come alive. Wave it and wiggle it, and crouch slightly in the classic 'throwing position'.
When he wants it, throw the second hose to your right. Make the dog cross in front of you to go get it. Then run and get the first hose, and repeat the "The toy I have is better than the toy you have" pantomime.
There are two goals here for the trainer. 1) get him to bring the first hose back close to you before throwing the second, and 2) have him run in more or less a straight line away from you and in front of you.
The most important part is that you are the center of the game and you only bring out the hoses to play the two hoses game. Playing this way eliminates the Keep Away game that dogs adore. Remember the toy you are currently holding is the best one, and you couldn't care less about the one that he has.
Once your dog is good at two hoses in the hallway, move the game outdoors, and generalize it to other locations such as a park or a sidewalk. Gradually raise the criteria for throwing the second hose. At first, picking up the first hose is the criteria. Then ask the dog to bring it a bit closer to you before the second throw. Then ask that it is dropped right next to you, then ask for the first hose to be dropped into your hand before throwing the second one. Whatever behavior you are expecting, make the second throw the instant he does it. He needs to learn that his behavior is when triggers the throw.
At the end of play, tease the dog with the hoses before putting them away. Frustration at not being able to have the hoses will increase the play drive the next time he sees the hoses.