Working Dog Novice
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My very beginning human trainer was learning what the dog was showing . Was he scared to death ready to run and hide ori just don’t want be here I YHINK I’ll just take a nap. Each piece of these observation you needed to consider analyze then make them work for you . I went to countless seminars and watch trainers especially with new dogs I can’t say they were all right but I got to see results and made endless nots sometimes I could corner the trainers and ask why they did something then I could compare my thoughts , did I agree or not . Most classes were worthless except basic obedience and socialization . I watched a lot of agility. I really did want to try it but a big German Shepherd dog that barely fit in some of the openings would not be easy .
agility is all about obedience just like our K 9 training , just a different goal .
I looked at every thing as an event . A recal was a staged event. Teach the dog to come to you he gets reward and praise expanding distance seemed like a boring event was much more fun if he had to run and maybe do something on the way . Sometimes stop and stand sometimes stop and lay down some times stop and run the other way. The point is how did I teach these . That’s what note books were for . I made a plan for each part. We might do 15-20 recalls. Commands were one time one word or signal . I could use hand arm finger whistle flashlight a little shake of head lift foot . And others one trainer said you have to to get the dog to look at you for direction . I YHINK that was true unrated special note in my note books .
agility is all about obedience just like our K 9 training , just a different goal .
I looked at every thing as an event . A recal was a staged event. Teach the dog to come to you he gets reward and praise expanding distance seemed like a boring event was much more fun if he had to run and maybe do something on the way . Sometimes stop and stand sometimes stop and lay down some times stop and run the other way. The point is how did I teach these . That’s what note books were for . I made a plan for each part. We might do 15-20 recalls. Commands were one time one word or signal . I could use hand arm finger whistle flashlight a little shake of head lift foot . And others one trainer said you have to to get the dog to look at you for direction . I YHINK that was true unrated special note in my note books .
Obedience training I feel is the key to having a great dog it’s nice to have some low jumps even a board to walk on or across try and give the dog a job that’s active and fun for him . Our favorite es “do laundry” I would put a basket of dirty cloths in a bd room then go by the washr with tears lt th oh know you have treats then I’d say “ do laundry “ I showed her that I wanted her to grab a sock or anything any bring it to me then reward I could get everything I the basket sometime even the basket we often did exercises righ in the living room I would put obsticsl to jump over o go unde an throw ball of old socks she would have to jump waste basket sit on chair navigate through chair and table legs some times we just did heel exercises others wer send out with down just be active and always have reward ready. Reward was even dinner meal or just come sit on couch with me
I recently had a discussion about leash training “ my dog pulls on the leash. This jogged my mind back quite a while ago typically it’s a start stop training . The training center was very good as I noted it’s about all how good your obedience is. Talking with the trainer I suggested something we did a long time ago in Schutzhund obedience we heeled in a ring or squared fashion as a group then the trainer would say “ stop” dogs that did stop got rewards then we started again same thing . Dogs learned or taught themselves that when you stopped they got a reward if they too stopped. It wasn’t an over night thing but heeling around for an hour while “ boring “ the dogs learned you stopped occasionally and to repeat they got a reward or treat. Until it all dogs just stopped we did not test results But moving to other exercises if our dog was pulling the trainer would say “ stop” it’s hard to say who is giving the command but the dog learned that they were not going anywhere if you stopped command or not. In basic Schutzhund we learned no commas the dog had to stop automatically When out for walks the old stop no command began working as the dog learned the reward thing . Some dogs were realy slow learners but the working breeds seemed to pick up on this quicker Eventually we had a stand stop and a down stop but these were blended in over time a running stop was about the same handlers got the real work out here but the ideas did work as the dog began to watch you more closely once that was getting better trainingbprogressed . The dog really needs to understand that you are controlling things . Many early obedience things were done in group settings . I think this also helped in socialization too . I YHINK the trainer called this “ mass training . The dog is kinda overwhelmed by action around him As I recall we started at about 10 weeks or so . Dogs had prong collars but you really did not use it as correction more just reminder my Aussie took only one night to get the heeling idea . She constantly kept checking to see me . The heel exercise was not all just going in a circle we did figure 8 , reverse switch sides lead follow all different variants . My GSD also picked up on this very quickly .My very beginning human trainer was learning what the dog was showing . Was he scared to death ready to run and hide ori just don’t want be here I YHINK I’ll just take a nap. Each piece of these observation you needed to consider analyze then make them work for you . I went to countless seminars and watch trainers especially with new dogs I can’t say they were all right but I got to see results and made endless nots sometimes I could corner the trainers and ask why they did something then I could compare my thoughts , did I agree or not . Most classes were worthless except basic obedience and socialization . I watched a lot of agility. I really did want to try it but a big German Shepherd dog that barely fit in some of the openings would not be easy .
agility is all about obedience just like our K 9 training , just a different goal .
I looked at every thing as an event . A recal was a staged event. Teach the dog to come to you he gets reward and praise expanding distance seemed like a boring event was much more fun if he had to run and maybe do something on the way . Sometimes stop and stand sometimes stop and lay down some times stop and run the other way. The point is how did I teach these . That’s what note books were for . I made a plan for each part. We might do 15-20 recalls. Commands were one time one word or signal . I could use hand arm finger whistle flashlight a little shake of head lift foot . And others one trainer said you have to to get the dog to look at you for direction . I YHINK that was true unrated special note in my note books .
Spell check did me in again please just read between the errors I checked before posting but that doesn’t always seem to stay
It was called “ reading the dog “ I dont like the term . I’m an engineer, as such I analyze everything so I analyze the dog I look at everything he shows , what is his tail doing , what is it’s position under different situation crack the whip does the dog lose it or stand his ground Same with rattle stick how does he look at the helper is he ready for battle or ready to run off . Much of this we worked out on the controversial tables they are much in disfavor now but much of it comes from not understanding what’s going on and poor helper work . I absolutely rip helpers that can’t leave ego at home The purpose is to train the dog not show how strong you are. I often asked “ what did you do?” What was the result ? Why?
Back to obedience if you watch good agility teams you can see the dog watches everything the handler does . So how do younger this . I suppose you can say everything the dog sees as good comes from you. Realy good dogs I YHINK this comes naturally class after class I could see dogs looking around not realy paying attention . Sonic we have an average joe dog that thinks you are more convince than necessary we need some motivation .
My Aussies was from a farm some where and used to running around trying to gather other animals . IE herding instinct . I was just something holding her back she did like treats. Anything editable Soni made it a point to always have treats and rewarded anything correctly done lavishly . Going a step further borrowing from early GSD training I got a couple wrist sweat bands one or more for each arm then a wooden long handle hitched spoon . Peanut butter happened to be a favorite. Soni put peanut butter on the hollow spoon end then slipped the handle under the wrist bands very awarkward at first . But heeling I held the spoon over her head she had to look up and at me to get a lick I also found that like GSD liveried liver chunks were extreme high value once h knew I had liver or any kind of meat things got easier again any correct commanded thing got high value treats and lavish praise . . Man situations occurred in “ away commands “ so running up and offering up high value treat is good . Some took issue with this what happens when you don’t have a treat . Well this is whatvyoubarectrainingvfor “ off leash open field High instinct drive the dog knows he did well as you praise him and that becomes reward for the dog . I like to cite when you call the dog to down instead of contacting the bad guy in an apprehension . This type of training was key in K 9 training It’s why I stress obedience training so hard even though we all had prong collars it was not unusual to train, practice for extended times and never give a reminder “ correction “. I more or less got this from watching good agility trainers many use exaggerated arm waving but I saw really good trainers just pointing or using finger commands or just positioning themselves . To me this indicates very good bond with the dog I also noted this in ring sport training many use E collars but I didn’t see frantic button pushing nor any “ electrocution” uses
My Aussies was from a farm some where and used to running around trying to gather other animals . IE herding instinct . I was just something holding her back she did like treats. Anything editable Soni made it a point to always have treats and rewarded anything correctly done lavishly . Going a step further borrowing from early GSD training I got a couple wrist sweat bands one or more for each arm then a wooden long handle hitched spoon . Peanut butter happened to be a favorite. Soni put peanut butter on the hollow spoon end then slipped the handle under the wrist bands very awarkward at first . But heeling I held the spoon over her head she had to look up and at me to get a lick I also found that like GSD liveried liver chunks were extreme high value once h knew I had liver or any kind of meat things got easier again any correct commanded thing got high value treats and lavish praise . . Man situations occurred in “ away commands “ so running up and offering up high value treat is good . Some took issue with this what happens when you don’t have a treat . Well this is whatvyoubarectrainingvfor “ off leash open field High instinct drive the dog knows he did well as you praise him and that becomes reward for the dog . I like to cite when you call the dog to down instead of contacting the bad guy in an apprehension . This type of training was key in K 9 training It’s why I stress obedience training so hard even though we all had prong collars it was not unusual to train, practice for extended times and never give a reminder “ correction “. I more or less got this from watching good agility trainers many use exaggerated arm waving but I saw really good trainers just pointing or using finger commands or just positioning themselves . To me this indicates very good bond with the dog I also noted this in ring sport training many use E collars but I didn’t see frantic button pushing nor any “ electrocution” uses
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