# We're training again!



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I pretty much took off the whole month of August from training. After having a sort of meltdown at trials at the end of July I got Flip neutered. So between him recovering from surgery and me wanting to give some time for those hormones to leave for my own frustration levels, plus me starting out a new school year and temperatures being regularly over 100 degrees, we just had a month of hanging out with no training.

But Tropical Storm Irene not only brought some much needed rain, she also left behind a cool front (with morning temps in the 50's!!!), surgery is long over, and I'm starting to adjust back to my school schedule, so this week was back to training for us. 

We worked two nights in the back yard and I was very very pleased. Most of the mistakes I got from him were anticipation problems. I can deal with that. His focus was great, and he stayed on task even between exercises. There was just one point where he got distracted by a pile of trash that had blown up against the fence from the neighbor's yard. So I pulled a toy out and we played tug while walking over to the pile of trash. He let go of the toy when we got right up to the pile so he could check it out, but I smacked him on the butt with the toy and he immediately latched on and forgot all about the trash pile. 

I had been having problems with Flip arcing out on his go-outs, so I slightly tweaked how I am doing them, and I am so far getting nothing but dead on straight go outs. Hopefully that will be maintained.

I really really need to get him around some other dogs, especially to do some stay work. I am currently pestering some local friends about getting together to train, but if that doesn't work out I guess we'll need to hit the road and drive a few hours to find some training people.

I am planning on entering Conner in utility at my local trial next month just for the heck of it, so I've been doing a little training with him too. The other night I was setting him up for go outs, was just starting to give him his mark, when a flying leap of gold drops from the air and lands in a sit right next to me, completely pushing Conner out of heel position. There was a little jockeying for who was going to get to sit on my left side until I kicked Flip out of the training area so poor Conner could do a go out.

Glad to be back to training!


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Good to see you posting again!


----------



## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

So, details, lady. Details! What did you do to get the straight go out? I rigged up a stanchion like the one you shared in a previous post. I also got several clear plastic dowels (I can get several of them at work). Dooley is doing great retrieving them.

Would you like me to print off some life size pictures of Dooley and Breeze for you to train stays with?

Glad to have you back. I've thought of you several times when watching the weather channel. You guys got hammered.


----------



## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

ABOUT TIME! We have been lonesome for Flip stories!


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

DNL2448 said:


> So, details, lady. Details! What did you do to get the straight go out? I rigged up a stanchion like the one you shared in a previous post. I also got several clear plastic dowels (I can get several of them at work). Dooley is doing great retrieving them.


Flip doesn't do his pick ups head-on, he turns as he picks up so he is either picking objects up from the side or from behind. It works fine on regular retrieves, but because the gates prevent him from being able to pivot at the site he arcs out early and then comes in from the side. So instead of putting the dowels (I'm actually using clear plastic tubing) on the ground, I am putting them at the top where the gate hooks to the stanchion. This way the only option he has is to retrieve it straight, it is blocked on both sides by either the stanchion or the gate. So the dowel is still facing the same direction and resting right against the stanchion, it is just up higher.



> Would you like me to print off some life size pictures of Dooley and Breeze for you to train stays with?


Yes please, and make sure you let them roll on their pictures too so they are nice and doggy smelling


----------



## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Good to hear from you and nice to hear things are getting back to normal!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

glad to see you back again!


----------



## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

Great to have you back! Can't wait for more Flip stories!


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

just heard from someone that agreed to meet with me tomorrow for some training  He's trying to get some others to join us, so hopefully I'll have several different dogs, including Flip's very bestest border collie friend. If I can get him to hold a stay for him then I can do anything!


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Got to do some stays with other dogs today finally! We had a BC and a Belgian Sheepdog doing stays in the lineup with us, plus two young untrained BC's leaping around while I did some stays. I am happy to report that Flip did not even try to glance at the other dogs. He didn't even do an air sniff of them. A few time as I walked away I walked diagnally in order to try to draw his attention to the other dogs, but he kept his focus away from them. I kept him on a long line, most of the time with me holding it, but a few times I had someone stand behind him and hold it so he wouldn't always have the picture of me holding the line. I don't trust him enough yet to do away with the line, but I am very happy that I didn't have to use it.

Everyone said neutering suits Flip. I said it also helps that momma has been a total b*tch this past month and has taken all the fun out of life (yeah right, Flip will always find life a blast, but it's no longer so much fun to sniff other doggys and lunge for them to play with him.)


----------



## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

Glad to hear the good report! I think the neutered boys are awesome!


----------

