Post by Aussienot on Oct 24, 2009 16:51:02 GMT -5
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.
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.