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Post by beardiegirl on Jul 16, 2006 11:44:09 GMT -5
I've just enrolled my 5 year old bearded collie into a agility and obedience class... I'm quite excited, but I have some problems I want to clear up before I actually begin the class. When he was much, much younger did agility. He was very good at the jumps (he loved jumping... could do jumps larger than him, etc), but the catwalk and tunnels he used to hate. My mom was the one who trained him in the class... she never wanted to push him into doing the *hard* things. Now, he spooks near EVERY agility object... jumps, catwalk... EVERYTHING! I can't tell if he's lazy or scared. So, my question... can somebody explain a way to stop his spooking? I don't have an agility shop near me, so I likely can't purchase anything to help me condition him, but I can build small courses for him to learn... Is there a method to train him to go through tunnels and stuff like that before the class begins? I just don't want to have to start from complete scratch... thanks in advance, and sorry for the lazy, unchecked language... I wrote this is a frenzy. Gonna be out the door in a minute... --HAILS
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Post by Aussienot on Jul 16, 2006 18:05:00 GMT -5
I would suspect that he's frightened, or to put it more accurately, he lacks confidence. Beardies hate to do something badly, and if he has had one uncomfortable experience he may avoid the equipment in order not to make a mistake. I think your mom was right not to push him, with a beardie you need to make him want to do it.
I'd break the contact equipment down into little tiny steps. Don't expect him to do a perfect contact, run up the ramp, negotiate the dogwalk then do a perfect contact on the downside. Do it bit by bit. Break it down into little manageable parts. Build the foundation before you ask for the performance.
First, put a plank down flat on the ground. Praise and treat him for just being near the plank. If he looks at it, praise and treat. See if you can get him to eat treats off the plank.
Next session, start by praising him for just being near the plank. Then try to lure him to put his front feet on the plank. Put a command on it, such as Walk On.
Next session, try to lure him to put all four feet on the plank.
Next session, try to lure him to walk across it.
When he is happily walking across it on command, try to get him to run across it. All of this time the plank is lying on the ground.
When he's happily running across the plank on command, you can raise the plank up using four cement planks (if you use just two the plank will tend to tip - equally space out four blocks for more stability.) If you've built a good foundation, he should have no problem negotiating the raised block. The scary part of the dogwalk is that the dog is off the ground - the distance doesn't matter. Hay bales are another good support for the plank if you can find those.
If he can easily run across a plank that is 12" off the ground, he's ready to move to the full size equipment.
The key is to be fun and upbeat all the time. Wait for him to offer the behavior, never push, and remember the golden rule: In agility, the dog never makes a mistake. If he doesn't do what you want, don't show any emotion at all. If you think he's failed, HE WILL KNOW! and the problem will continue.
And as for the tunnel, each him to run through a hula hoop first. Then tape cardboard around the rim to make the hula hoop have more width. Then try to lure him through a large cardboard carton. Every dog I have ever encountered has learned to love the tunnels
There are lots of internet sites that sell good agility agility equipment. You can make a lot of it yourself, and you can mock up some of the equipment using stuff you might have around the house or can easily find.
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Post by beardiegirl on Jul 22, 2006 12:42:53 GMT -5
I'M SO PLEASED!!! I had my first agility lesson with Finn today, and he - very curious - walked across the catwalk by himself!! I'm about to begin building a course in the garden (I hate to say it but I was so busy going about my very *eventful teenage life* i.e lazing about the house and exploring... calling my friends, etc... to build a course before) so he never got a chance to try it out, this was his first encounter with a catwalk! I'M SO PROUD!! the teacher said it was rare for a dog to be so enthusiastic about the catwalk on the first try, after two chances to go over, he ran over it on command (I have commands for everything... that one is *FASTER, FASTER* ) We later tried the seesaw obstical, and he excitedly attemted a second time, then tired of it and walked off to socialize with my friend's dachshund . How embarrassing... The trainer has instructed me to practice on my obedience commands with my friend and her dog during the week until next saturday. What obsticals should I include in my parcour (is that the word for it in English?) ? FINALLY... TO SUM IT UP: my trainer moved Finn and his friend (the dachshund) into the intermediate group!!
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Post by ademsafary on Mar 18, 2013 2:16:05 GMT -5
I have three puppies and two dogs at my home I have given training all of them. After training they behave became good. Main thing is that you have to select nice training place for dogs, if you have select bad place then the dogs didn't trained well.
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