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Different Training Exercises

8K views 32 replies 12 participants last post by  Howard Gaines III 
#1 ·
I'd like to hear how everyone teaches different exercises, from ob to bitework, i know everyone is different, so, throw some ideas out here and try to be detailed because i'm not to smart :) ,
AL
 
#2 ·
ob/heel.. start about 8 mo. playing with a biteroll, what is going to be the reward. After playing hold the roll against my chest with a verbal pay attention. If she follows for a few steps, she gets the bite roll. I build it up from there. Left/right following and beside a bicycle.

You mean something like this?
 
#3 ·
Everything starts with the attention exercise at heel position. It takes a little patience at first, but the split second the dog makes eye contact, a food reward is given, with a marker for the behavior. \"Good\". The treat is ALWAY given in the sight line between my eyes and the dog's eyes. I use food because I think many dogs have a hard time focusing with toy in sight. Once the dog is solid, and really understands the exercise, then, and only then do I use the toy as a reward. Of course this varies with every dog. One thing I consider EXTREAMLY important is the site picture you give the dog. Always stand straight, shoulders forward. If you turn your shoulders to give the reward, THAT'S the site picture the dog associates the reward with. This, IMHO, is what causes a lot of dogs to do the wrap around heeling. That and giving the reward with the right hand. Only after you have good solid focus form the dog, can ou take the first step. Only one step, then guide the dog back into the sit with the food treat brought back over his head, and slightly to his left. Going slightly to the left will keep the dog from comming around to your front. One step at a time, sit, one step at a time, sit, etc. Trying to take to many steps, at first, will just set the dog up for failure. When that one step, sit, one step sit, etc is solid, start adding a few more steps.
 
#4 ·
I might add, the difference between this and the (also very effective) Flinks method, is the dog is rewarded for his eye contact with me. Not his staring at the food/toy reward. It doesn't take long at all before I can hold the food/toy out at arms length. The dog is rewarde ONLY for his eye contact with me. I don't want him focusing on the food/toy.
 
#5 ·
Bob Scott said:
Everything starts with the attention exercise at heel position. It takes a little patience at first, but the split second the dog makes eye contact, a food reward is given, with a marker for the behavior. \"Good\". The treat is ALWAY given in the sight line between my eyes and the dog's eyes. I use food because I think many dogs have a hard time focusing with toy in sight. Once the dog is solid, and really understands the exercise, then, and only then do I use the toy as a reward. Of course this varies with every dog. One thing I consider EXTREAMLY important is the site picture you give the dog. Always stand straight, shoulders forward. If you turn your shoulders to give the reward, THAT'S the site picture the dog associates the reward with. This, IMHO, is what causes a lot of dogs to do the wrap around heeling. That and giving the reward with the right hand. Only after you have good solid focus form the dog, can ou take the first step. Only one step, then guide the dog back into the sit with the food treat brought back over his head, and slightly to his left. Going slightly to the left will keep the dog from comming around to your front. One step at a time, sit, one step at a time, sit, etc. Trying to take to many steps, at first, will just set the dog up for failure. When that one step, sit, one step sit, etc is solid, start adding a few more steps.
Bob just told me something I was not attending to: Shoulders (body) forward when I reward.

Also one step, and sit, one step, sit, is something I learned only recently, and it almost guarantees success. Why did I not learn that for mpph-ty years??

I love this thread.
 
#9 ·
That´s the only command I teach till they´re 8 mo. Calling there name and give some meat/cheese (in closed area). They will learn come very quick. Later on with a long leash in open area, if command is clear and is done always, they´re totally free. Usually they need a reminder if they´r about 9 mo. :roll:

At that time the KNOW what the commands mean, but just won´t obey it, I work with an e-collor. They quickly will remember what come ment again :wink:
 
#11 ·
Selena van Leeuwen said:
That´s the only command I teach till they´re 8 mo. Calling there name and give some meat/cheese (in closed area). They will learn come very quick. Later on with a long leash in open area, if command is clear and is done always, they´re totally free. Usually they need a reminder if they´r about 9 mo. :roll:

At that time the KNOW what the commands mean, but just won´t obey it, I work with an e-collor. They quickly will remember what come ment again :wink:
If you were helping with a dog who didn't have an e-collar, what would you do at that rebellious stage? What I have done is start all over with the treats in the enclosed place. Any better ideas?
 
#12 ·
Tim Martens said:
what i've used to \"cheat\" is to keep the food treat in my mouth. when we come to a halt in the proper position and dog is looking up at me, i'll drop the treat. key is to get treats that don't taste too bad to humans!
So when you say \"drop the treat\" -- this opens a new area in Ob training for me. I have always hand-fed the reward, requiring \"sit\" almost always for the treat, but with a verbal marker instantly. (Command, obedience, \"good boy,\" sit, treat.)

I am totally open to different scenarios. My own other-dog work is 99% with people who need to learn pack leadership, and very little with formal sit-stay-heel-come. My own dogs get much more of the \"formal\" training. This means that I am interested in better and more competition-level Ob training with my own dogs (just for the fun; I don't know if I will ever compete).

So is this what others do? Drop the treat from their mouth? I can certainly see that this could help with training attention on the handler's face!
 
#14 ·
Tim Martens said:
oh yeah, this only works well with a dog who can catch the treat. if the dog can't catch the treat, then he may break the sit to pick up the treat.
OK, I get it now! You're not letting the dog scramble around for the dropped treat!

I guess it also has to be a handler who can drop a treat with some kind of aim.......

I am going to try it. I think the GSD will do this great and the Pug might not be able to catch it. This will be an exciting new thing in the routine, though.
 
#15 ·
Tim Martens said:
what i've used to \"cheat\" is to keep the food treat in my mouth. when we come to a halt in the proper position and dog is looking up at me, i'll drop the treat. key is to get treats that don't taste too bad to humans!
I have also done what Tim describes. First taught the dog to catch treats........took a week , evry day a few times, then did the food in the mouth trick.........grilled sausage meat works great.
 
#16 ·
Hil Harrison said:
Tim Martens said:
what i've used to \"cheat\" is to keep the food treat in my mouth. when we come to a halt in the proper position and dog is looking up at me, i'll drop the treat. key is to get treats that don't taste too bad to humans!
...
I have also done what Tim describes. First taught the dog to catch treats........took a week , evry day a few times, then did the food in the mouth trick.........grilled sausage meat works great.
OMG what a hilarious thing this was with the Pug! We settled on a treat we would both eat, which was easy (since there is nothing he will not eat).

But try as he might, he could NOT catch it! He kept looking in my eyes and opening his mouth but not following the path of the treat with his eyes......not even to move his head, like, 1/2 inch! The treat would hit his nose and bounce off and it was all over, or even hit the side of his gaping mouth and bounce off! And remember, he's way far away down there, half as close as the GSD for me to aim.

It was highly entertaining for everyone involved. In fact, I almost got cramps from laughing.

I was too weak to try it on Pomfret (GSD). Tomorrow...........
 
#19 ·
Connie Sutherland said:
Tim Martens said:
oh yeah, this only works well with a dog who can catch the treat. if the dog can't catch the treat, then he may break the sit to pick up the treat.
\"Connie Sutherland\" said:
OK, I get it now! You're not letting the dog scramble around for the dropped treat!
My Sable does this when I drop treats between her front legs on a platz. Funny
thing is, they bounce, and she'll scramble to get it :x

\"Connie Sutherland\" said:
I guess it also has to be a handler who can drop a treat with some kind of aim.......
I have to train myself :!:
 
#20 ·
The trainer at a Schutzhund club here in Orlando showed me how skilled she was with dropping treats from her mouth.... she could put a whole bunch of small chopped up pieces of hotdog in her mouth, n literally spit them into the dogs mouth at a short distance with perfect aim. I've often thought about doing something like this with Cujo, but I just have issues with putting cold hotdog in my mouth LOL.
 
#21 ·
I have used this method with hot dogs since my female was 9 weeks old. All she had to do at that time we give me eye contact, I'd mark it & drop a piece of hot dog from my mouth. Still use it with my dogs for certain behaviors. And Mike you are right....I hate the tast of the hot dogs. In fact I the thought of eating a hot dog cold or hot makes me want to puke. I hate the tast of them....used to like them. But they work for the dog, so I just deal...... :roll:
 
#22 ·
Mike Schoonbrood said:
The trainer at a Schutzhund club here in Orlando showed me how skilled she was with dropping treats from her mouth.... she could put a whole bunch of small chopped up pieces of hotdog in her mouth, n literally spit them into the dogs mouth at a short distance with perfect aim. I've often thought about doing something like this with Cujo, but I just have issues with putting cold hotdog in my mouth LOL.
yes Mike thats the trick to put a few in your mouth at once. I forgot to add that on my post. Maybe you could just warm the hotdogs up beforehand :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
#23 ·
I may get called a BSer here, but I've never had a dog of my own that didn't come when I called it. The, hands down, best time to train this is when the pup is less then 12-14wks old. It still has a very strong desire to stay with the pack (you). I always take the new pup for very short walks in the woods. When the pup is distracted by something, I simply step behind a tree. The pup turns around, realizes his pack is gone, THEN I step out from behind the tree with a, \"Come!\" They come flying back where I give them treats and TONS of praise. Once the pup hits the 12-14wk old stage, they become much more adventurous, and the ease of this method goes down a bit.
Additionally, when it's feeding time, have someone hold the pup a few feet away. When the pup hears/sees the food dish, and starts wiggling to get loose, put the food down with a \"Come\" command. The pup will come flying. Gradually got to the other side of the room. Into another room, etc.
Also! One person holds the pup, another teases with food. No name or come command at this point. When the pup is going crazy to get loose and come to the one holding the food, THEN, the person holding the food gives a \"Come\" command, the holder releases, and the pup comes flying. This command is all about motiviting the pup to WANT to come in.
As a kid, I was the classic \"boy and his dog\". My dogs were always with me. I grew up in the inner city. Never used a leash. Never recall being worried about them not comming. When I walked away, they followed. I didn't even know I was actually training them.
 
#25 ·
Martin Espericueta said:
Bob Scott said:
The, hands down, best time to train this is when the pup is less then 12-14wks old....
Hello Bob,

What would you suggest to someone who rescues/adopts a juvenile/adult dog? It would seem that the food work, would work - right?
This is for Bob, and I too always want to hear his answers, but I want to jump in and say YES! I've never had a puppy (since I was a kid), and treats and praise have sure worked for me.

And back to Bob..........
 
#26 ·
Yes! If the dog has good food drive, this method will work. The difference with a rescue, or any older dog, is they don't feel the same need to stay in close with their pack. In that situation, I wouldn't take the dog off lead till it was REALLY solid. Even in your own yard, the dog MUST NOT BE DISTRACTED. Calling an untrained dog, who may be distracted, is a setup for failure. Example: The dog is barking at the fence. Neighbors dog, stranger, birds, whatever. You CANNOT expect an un trained dog to respond. All you teach the dog in that situation is he doesn't have to come when he hears that word. NEVER call a distracted, untrained dog, even in your own yard. Either go to the dog, or wait out the distraction. Don't give it a reason to refuse. In teaching a dog of any age, you also have to learn the difference between bribing with food/toy and rewarding. That's why you hear people talking about food/toy training is a no, no. They just never understand the difference between a bribe and a reward.
Also, unless a rescue dog is one of those totally dependant on people types, you need to create a bond with it before it has a reason to come to you. Many rescue dogs easily become \"velcro\" dogs when they get the attention the crave for the first time.
 
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