# What are you working on?



## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

I'm working on cleaning up front. Jackson used to do a beautiful front but the last few weeks they've become sloppy :no:. Not sure what I've done to cause this change but back to basics. I've also resorted to his favorite toy - the pink ball. I keep it in my pocket and call him to front. He comes at a really good pace and sits so pretty square in front. Then I release him for a game of fetch. Like you said - to get the same enthusiasm without the toy.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

EVERYTHING. Well, that's what it seems like. Right now our training seems to be mix of everything. I feel like I should divide days or something and just train "topics" of that day but then Ranger seems to lose interest. I like to break all tricks and exercises down into three categories, depending on how much Ranger knows them: new, working, confirmed. Once they're "confirmed", I only do them about once a week and we work on everything else that's in the range of new to working.

Right now most of our training sessions are dealing with field training. I throw the bumper a handful of times a day and we're progressing to coming back in front position and waiting for me to touch it before he drops it. Other training sessions include us working on the hold it command seperate from the retrieve, working on swing which has gotten crooked for some reason, returning to heel position from anywhere, fronts, taking bumpers in the middle, stand, and bomp-proofing our stays. 

In the house, I'm trying to get him to go to his bed when I cue him from the couch and sending him across the room to touch his "target". I've given up on tricks for the time being since he's starting rolling over whenever he wants something and has to wait longer than 2 seconds in his sit. I do want to teach him "bow" eventually since he does it on his own about 15 times a day but I never seem to have the clicker ready when he does it!

Geez, reading this over I seem like a real task-master!


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## Guzman (Jul 25, 2010)

Well hell.. I'm just working on the basics  If Cooper can do well, he'll go from being an outside dog to being an inside dog now that our little girl is a little bigger (and less fragile). We went for a walk today and he heeled the whole time which was amazing to me as we unfortunately haven't been able to go for walks in a long while (he's been getting his exercise in the yard playing frisbee and catch).


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

A myriad of things--

Seriously Working on: scent articles, heeling, drop on recall, not shaking after water retrieves until the dummy is in hand (field), steadying (field)

Kinda Working On:
Attention, finishes (occasionally sloppy, usually isolated in field with the auto finish), limp, fetch me a beer, signal exercises, broad jump, bubbles, straight fronts, field directions (baby stuff, no piles), opening trash can with paw and throwing away trash (I have each separate part but haven't gotten them put together)

Should be Working on: Figure 8, out of sight stays or just stays, stand for exam


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Gosh, this makes me think I SHOULD be working on something. Penny has achieved perfect pet status a few years ago so I've gotten lazy and not taught her anything new.

Could work on heel position but it's so unpopular with her that I hate to spoil her fun.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*Time to Revive Thread*

*PANIC!!!*​ 
Or something to that effect. :uhoh:

I have exactly 17 more days before Jacks' first obedience trial. He should be OK, and as I told our instructor last Wednesday a good experience is a good experience even if we do NQ. 

Then again, it is going to be a 2.5 hour drive to the show, so I'm hoping that it will be a qualifying good experience. And I want to place, dangit! 

So daily goals until show time = 

1. GET THE TREATS OUT OF MY POCKETS!!!!! (yes, I am screaming at myself for slipping back into that crutch).

2. Drive a distance and train somewhere away from home every day. I found a store front and parking lot that is like my own private training spot - which will be great. If only it weren't hideously hot this week.

3. Fix my body language, as I realize I'm unconsciously giving him cues that would deduct points (nodding my head right when I say "By me", moving the leash to fix the sit when entering the ring, BACKING AWAY while doing the stand for exam)

4. Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay <- etc.

5. Calm down and remember that training should be a ton of fun, especially with a glamorous golden like Jacks. :

6. Did I mention I have to count my steps when leaving for the stand stay? Apparently points are deducted if you go more than 6 feet away. I've been training 10 feet away!

7. Figure 8's! 

8. Is it bad if I'm more worried about the on leash heel then the off leash? :uhoh:

9. Verbal command finishes only - with 100% accuracy. I think I'm going to focus on the "by me" right now because he doesn't hit me in the face when he does it.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*Three days in -* 
1. Only one treat per session so far. 

2. I'm cutting timing down to ten minutes tops in the heat. Parking lot #1 was great the last couple days, but today it looked too busy. Had to move to a different parking lot today and there were a bit more distractions, like drive by gawkers.

3. Yes and no. He was lagging on the offleash today - probably because it's 95 degrees out and I wasn't moving fast enough from exercise to exercise so we could get back into the air conditioned car. :uhoh:

4. Stays at parking lots need work. Am also doing stays at home every night - I *heart* online stopwatches. He stays perfectly at home, so at least I know his groundwork is OK. 

5. I'm trying to avoid overtraining. Like right now I'm going to do a quickie play-heel - even though I know I should let it be until class tomorrow. But because he was lagging, I want to remind him where heel position is. :

6. I'm counting my steps!!!!!! Really.

7. I forgot to bring the arm and hammer detergent bottles with me today. Had to use my purse and training bag instead for posts. I still need to remember my footwork when coming out of the outside circle. I think there is something I can do to keep him in heel position. 

8. Main thing I'm worried about the on leash heel is getting him settled into training mode when we enter the ring. Getting him settled without tugging at the leash. Ugh. 

9. SCREAMS. He's decided he only wants to do swings (even though I'm focusing on "by me's"). I say "By me" and he jumps up and punches me in the chin with his nose. Fangled dog!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

- If anyone else is working on something with their dogs, go ahead and post. I'm using this thread as accountability/blowing off nervous steam. I'd love to see I'm not the only one working on training this fall. Nudge. Nudge. 


*Five days in...* 

1. Need to practice 2 minute sit stays instead of 1 minute stays. J's broke two sits at 56 seconds and 58 seconds last night. P_P
- Just did a 2 minute sit stay and a 4 minute down stay. Perfect. We partied. 

2. Continue to only practice "by me" finishes. He did them perfectly last night.

3. One success - I only used one treat in class, and only treated after the exercises!!!! 

Scary and Fun/Exciting thing - I'm starting to get entry confirmations in the email. Four shows lined up for fall, including the one in 2 weeks. I have one more envelope to mail to MB-F today, and I should be set until the winter shows. There's at least one in January that I'd like to show at, er if we aren't three-legged by then. 

The thing that I'm nervous about today? Whether I'll get my entry stuff in the mail from the one place I'm showing at this month. I've completely forgotten how this part works. And of course, our crazy mail lady still sometimes delivers our mail down the road because she can't read mailbox numbers (or something). ~.~

I plan on having a boatload of fun at each and every show!


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## BokiCak (Sep 2, 2010)

Trying to train her with fetch thing but it's hopeless


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## firedancer722 (Apr 12, 2010)

We're working on 2 things pretty heavily right now... 1 - recall and 2 - not nipping at my hands and feet when playing.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Crap! Every time I see this thread I am reminded that I am not working Figure 8 like I should be :


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## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

Right now, I want a drop from a stand beside me (from Paige). She has a nice random drop (I'm not going to ask her to drop on recall until we're through novice to risk her anticipating the drop), but doing it in heel position for some reason has proven to be a challenge. We're sitting on one RE leg, and hope to finish it this weekend and then hopefully once I feel confident with her open round, I will start trialling in novice (hoping next summer). We really just need a broad jump for open and articles for utility, but I'd like to be able to do novice and open next year. We'll see. Proofing is always at the top of my list too, but that will never end.

Can I offer maybe some advice for the figure 8 without using a toy (for OP)? Have you ever tried breaking into a run completely out of the figure 8 when the dog starts to lag? That can catch his attention and it becomes a bit of a "chase". When he catches up, I'd as him, in a bit of a goofy voice, "where were you?". It can perk them up and they never know when/if you might run off without them. I like the toy idea and have used it to teach about turns, but making yourself the interesting component might help to achieve a nice fig 8 without the toy. Good luck! 

BJ


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Gibbs is just 11 weeks old, we're working on sit-stays, he knows down and stand pretty well. He's just picked up on shake, and bang (he lays on his side from a down). 

I really would like to teach him to heel, but we're working on the basics such as accepting the leash and collar, since we don't wear a collar on him. 

I can't wait to move forward with him and start training for obedience... I'm envious of all of you with grown up dogs. I love my puppy, but I can't wait for him to grow so we can really be a team.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

I need someone to work on me! Everyday I do some solo turns when I am out and about and feel pretty good when I do them. I seem to do O.K. when Selli and I work together, but have someone calling out the turns to me and I completely lose it. Say right turn and I am just as likely to turn left as right. I almost lunge with my first step into the right turn and I wind up stepping back in the about turn. I think I need to find a random person to call turns for me when I am not in our lesson!

Selli and I are learning to have her mark the spot to go out to for the directed jump, our first exposure to utility exercises!


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

We are currently working on the following:

Austin: Finished fronts; left and right turns (which he's going quite well with). And our favorite....loose leash walking. Wish this was as easy as learning the others with him. He's great off leash but put the leash on him and it's "let's see if we can make mom's arms even longer"!!

Lincoln: Finished fronts. We haven't got into any turns yet as he is not as focused as Austin is. He's all about playing ball. With that, we're working on making him understand that not every ball is "his" and that he's not to touch it after he's told to "drop it". I see him becoming a little possessive of balls and don't want it escalating into something serious. We've been doing this for a couple of days now and he's progressing very well. 

Also working on better recalls with Lincoln. He's great if he's not playing ball!! So that's pretty much our focus with him. As with Austin...need to work on the loose leash walking.

We have both Austin and Lincoln doing some informal agility and rally-o classes and hope to start more formal ones later this month.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Carolyn - I'm working on my turns too! :doh:

It's one of those unconscious things I do when I'm nervous (like at fun matches) and it doesn't help that I have two left feet... but I step out away from Jacks on the about turns and I've anticipated right and left turns and started slowing down for them before the "judge" calls them. 

Then too, I was baffled (and so was the judge apparently) at the last fun match, when she told me that my left turns were fine but there was something wrong with the right turn. She said it wasn't anticipation or a break in heeling. She didn't know what it was so she could tell me. 

CarolinaCasey - You can work heeling off leash. Just go up and down a hall in your house. Don't call it "heel" yet. But you can guide puppims into the heel position with the treat, then take a few steps and treat. <- I miss having a puppy, because training them is so much fun at that point.

Polishing is work. :yuck:

BJ, I need to work on that "gotcha" move more too. I hate using the stuffed animal, because unlike the treat in the pocket the dog knows when you don't have it.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

AACK!

I was sitting back outside watching my niece play with the dogs. I was smiling in a nerdy-aunt/dog-mom way over how much both dogs worship my niece. 

Then she put Jacks in a sit and told him to stay. Then went running off giggling to encourage him to come chase after her.

!

!

!!!!!!

I love my niece to death, but I have a feeling I know why Jacks is the first golden I've trained who has a slight stay problem. P_P


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

It's a completely different context than when you work with him. I wouldn't be too worried. My 4-H kids run my dogs at training practice days and don't hold contacts or have other errors and it hasn't hurt our training. It does help me pick apart which pieces of cues are relevant, which are extra, and where the weak areas are.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I guess I do need to get back into training. We've been in school for three weeks now, I need to stop using that as an excuse. 

3 things I have worked on this past week with Flip:

1. Go-outs: This is one area I haven't done much training on. Right now I'm just getting him to mark straight ahead, hold the mark, and run out in a straight line. So I go outside and put squeeze cheese on every other pole on my fence and then bring him out to work. I don't normally put food out on go-outs but I am right now while I really work on him holding his mark.

2. Drop on Recall: I am switching around among three options: doing a straight recall, giving him the drop, or giving him a "scoot" command

3. Uh...I know there was a number three when I started this post but now I can't remember. Time for a nap I think.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

We are working on "fixing" virtually everything with Oriana in Utility

The first thing is her stressing up. We are trying to get her to harness that energy. We are working on getting her to keep all 4 on the floor during heeling for signals. This has been VERY difficult for me. I am double leashing her, and trying to walk straight, not trip, react timely, with the CORRECT leash AND treat at the right moment in the proper position is almost painful. :doh: She seems to being much better but I feel like I have three left feet although after 3 months I am told I have it down pat. Sure does not FEEL like I do. And we are working on not looking away during the signal portion.

Articles have developed a little "confidence" issue, especially the leather. I am about to try a different way to teach it from the start.

Gloves we are working on the back pivot. To improve this the past week we have worked on her backing up, thus teaching her how to use her rear. We have made great strides here.

Moving stand is now an issue with the stop. Prior she stopped nicely but would wiggle so much on the exam that she moved. Now she is fine on the exam.

Directed jumping has gotten much better. If you remember our video her first step was a verticle leap with a loud bar. We have almost got that to totally disappear. Her line is nice and straight. And she has returned to being solid on the directed jumping part of the exercise. 

My original goal when we stopped showing was to be able to start up again by January 1, I do not think we will be ready by then. 

And now with adding Brooke to the pack I need to dedicate time to her.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I've completely slacked off on training. I need to get back at next week. Ranger is still doing his weird thing where he goes in front of me, turns left, and then sits in front when he does "fronts" instead of just doing a little semi-circle to get in position. Not sure what the heck is going on or why he decided to do that. Oh well, I'll work on things next week. Along with a brush up of basic commands.


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## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

This thread has given me some neat ideas for proofing  

Hank, I feel like I've been MIA (well I have... busy summer). I didn't realize you had a new baby. Brooke is adorable!! Congrats! I'm struggling with the go outs apparently all of a sudden, but I find that they're really not that easy to teach. Maybe we dont have as many of the pieces as I thought.

We'll see what we have after the weekend. I'm really hoping for 2 new titles this weekend (one on each girl). We've also been dedicating a lot of time this summer to birds and have finally got to a stage where Paige will at least relax her jaw to let me shove the thing in there. She hasn't gotten to the point of picking it up on her own yet though. Oh well. Next summer, I'm thinking I need to finish that pesky Ch and get it out of the way too, but for now there is just so much on the go at once. 

BJ


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I just realized I skipped right over our field work.

We have made good progress on Oriana "sharing" her bird with me. We did qualify in the one Junior test we ran this summer but I really want to get iit a little stronger so we will wait till next year to come back out. We are entered in a NAHRA Started test this month and hope to finish that title. Delivery to hand is not a requirement in started as well as the WC. We are working on doubles. We are fine with bumpers but take us to a test and throw in a live flyer and something gets short circuited. We will try again at my club's test next month.
Brooke is starting to do some real short play retrieves and is having a blast. I am taking her with us starting this week to training to let her see what it is all about.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*Day 8 update....* 

1. Have worked on sits/down stays every single day this past week. Because at class we realized he was breaking at 56 or 58 seconds, I decided to go a little longer in our training. He is now doing 2 minute sits and 4 minute downs. I really like this, because at some point we will be doing the 3 and 5 minute stays. 

2. Training out every day - we had a couple days where I just trained at home, but for the most part we did do both the store front or downtown pavillion for training.

- I did the pavillion today and was thrilled when I maintained his attention throughout. Keep in mind this is a spot where there are a cazillion ducks and geese waddling or flapping around and jumping into the pond right there. Also, it is busy on Sunday afternoons with all the families out walking with their kids and dogs (which reminds me of the 26" female weimeraner we met on our celebratory walk post training - she was HUGE) . There is also a little construction work nearby and he ignored the banging sounds. Huzzah.

- We also did dumbell training at the pavillion. I got bold and start throwing the dumbell a distance so he had to run past geese and ducks and people on the retrieve. He did GREAT!!!!!!! 

- I did a second round of training tonight with the figure 8's. Four laundry baskets + raggedy duck. I kept it light and fun with a lot of retrieves. 

*What am I worried about regarding the show coming up in 2 weeks?*

1. Stays. He still does break his stays if he gets too nervous. And he's one of those dogs who feeds off of my emotions. IF I'm nervous. Then he gets nervous. 

2. Focus. I'm nervous about the on leash heel when we first enter the ring. There is a chance he will stand there going 'duh' on the halts. If we survive that, then everything else should be OK until we go back into the ring for sits and downs. :[

3. Me. I get shaky and extremely nervous when showing. Also, I fell down six stairs yesterday (collie and golden rushing past me knocked me off kilter). Then today I was doing "go gos" while training at the pavillion, and turned my ankle a little (I got up and went right into pace training, including 'fast', but it looks puffy right now). Right now I'm thinking how horrible it would be if I'm too stiff and achy to train this week. Ack!

*(plan of attack this week)*

1. I'm going to work on surprise halts while we go for walks. 

2. Timed stays every single day. I've been doing them inside the house because I want him to be absolutely successful while we are reinforcing. Will move outside this week.

3. F8's (toy + laundry baskets) every single night in addition to the formal training earlier in the day. 

Rah.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Got our judging program and we are definitely not the first dog in the ring. Yay. 

I'm trying to figure out how long the drive is going to take me, so I know what time to leave home. I'm leaning towards 8AM - which was the same time we left last time we showed at this location (and arrived just in time for the class before ours). 

It really is too bad that I'm too cheap (and afraid of bedbugs) to stay at a hotel near the show.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

(strolls into empty room and sits down for confession)

*Good News: *

I've been training stays and f8 heeling every single darn dang doublecanker day. And I'm happy to say the stays are 100% better than they were. And his figure 8 is awesomesauce. 

At home we are doing 3 minute sits and 5 minute downs twice a day. Once in a secure quiet place and once in a more high traffic or distractive place. He's sticking the stays. And on weekends we've been doing 3 or 4 stay sessions a day. 

If there is one thing I truly regret is the fact that I just started working hard on proofing stays NOW. I should have been doing this all year long. Darn it. 

*Bad news...* 

Jacks had a horrible fun match this past Friday. I was really upset about my sloppy handling and the fact that we had two seperate runs + stays, and he broke all both sits and both down stays repeatedly and looked like he didn't know what he was doing out there. 

I think when he's stressed and nervous, his brain shuts off completely and he goes into spastic "I'm afraid of the world" mode, this despite him being brilliant just the week before at a different fun match. 

And this despite the fact he was cool and relaxed before we went into the ring. We sat next to a woman with a four year old golden who was showing signs of stress (fidgetty, panting hard, climbing on his owner) and Jacks was lounging on a hip with his paw tucked and looking like he was born in the bustling "show" atmosphere. Pretty much the way he is when I've taken him to actual shows for proofing. 

When I put him into the sit stay and left him, his eyes just popped and he went into neurotic mode for the rest of the stays. 

And the jumpy-on-sidelines golden was perfect. Sigh.

T_T

*Confession:*

So anyway, we are showing tomorrow morning. I signed up for this show a month ago when his stays were solid in both class and fun matches. Before we hit this new bump. 

I am not confident that he will stay tomorrow (in fact, I'll be AMAZED if he stays). And I'm seriously thinking about showing with a paper bag over my head. 

Actually, the paper bag might help his attention if he's spastic tomorrow. 

The judge is the same one I did a run-through with my then five year old Danny. At a show where Danny broke his stays and ran around the ring and then out of the ring to find my mom. . . . That would be Danny who attended classes and fun-matches all his life and never broke any of his stays evah. *laughs hysterically and waves violently chewed down fingernails around* 

*So...* 

Rather than waste the money I spent for the entry fee, I'll just go in and show. And we are going to have fun and learn from the experience.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*The BAD*

As expected... Jacks broke both the sit and down stay. 

*The Funny and Hopeful and the Confusing*

He knew breaking was bad - which is one improvement, at least. He stood up on the sit stepped forward a couple steps and lay down and did a down stay for the rest of the minute. Then the down stay he stood up and did a creeping forward stand stay. It got to a point where I motioned for him to come to me. I had no idea what else I should do. The judge said nothing and the steward said nothing. It was just me standing there and Jacks creeping forward an inch for ever half minute. >..< 

I can fix the stays in a month though. If I keep practicing every day, and my oldest sister will help me. She will stand next to him and correct him on the spot if he breaks.

*The YAY!!!! *

This doesn't matter because the stays disqualified him, but I just glanced at the results for the show and know that if he HAD stuck the stays, he would have gotten first place. 

We lost three points for the stand stay (this was because I put him in a crappy stand and he fixed his feet so he wouldn't fall over). According to the judge who I talked with afterwards, that's all the points we lost. 

He strutted and pranced and gave me perfect attention throughout!!!!! It was our first show and he was acting like he was having fun and showing off. 

*The UGH*

We arrived early and got to watch A and B for Utility and Open. In Utility there was somebody either using treats or just had treats flying out of pockets. I'm pretty sure I know who it was, but it was so unfair for the dogs who followed, because the spilled treats were right in line with where the dogs were sent out for the jumps and retrieves. 

In our class there _was_ somebody who was cheating a little, doing the "tongue in the cheek" to fake food in the mouth and angling her head for the turns and finish. I didn't notice this (and I'm not sure if she qualified) but my sister was pretty ticked off. 

FWIW - I didn't do any of that and I'm pretty sure I'd get caught if I did. If anything, I stomped my feet a little harder on the offleash heel to make sure Jacks stayed with me for the upcoming about turn. Totally allowed. 


*OH!!!!*

And the one dog we saw at this show and a different one and thought looked a lot like our Danny... I looked him up when I got home and had to grin when I saw he came from Danny's breeder. 

*FWIW -*

Poor little guy has been sleeping since we got home. He revived himself long enough to be fed, receive his joint pill and eyedrops and treats, and now he's sound asleep again. Long busy day for him. 

What I plan to work on + the stays = Helping him figure out that he isn't going to die if I'm a distance away from him. I stepped away briefly to visit the ladies room and my mom and sister (who were there with me) told me he was trembling the entire time. This is the first time I've had a dog this tightly bonded to me. It's both a gift and a curse. If only I can get him more confidence away from my side for the stays...


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Aww, sorry to hear about the show Meg but at least you got a positive and forward-looking attitude! How old is your guy? Also--I wondered about your match and the handling being 'cheating' Maybe some well-versed obedience people can clue me in but I don't think that is cheating, but I do think it is considered an extra command and will be docked as such. It's also a match too so the person may have been doing it for training purposes. I may do the same in a week when I take Scout to a match and take the NQ or docked points because for me it is training


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

AND--for training now I need to dig out my Rally book. I'm going to hold off a little longer with obedience for Scout, but we are going to go ahead and hit the Rally ring next month! Hoping for some positive and fun ring experience and a title. Wish us luck!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Megora said:


> In our class there _was_ somebody who was cheating a little, doing the "tongue in the cheek" to fake food in the mouth and angling her head for the turns and finish. I didn't notice this (and I'm not sure if she qualified) but my sister was pretty ticked off.


Anyone who feels the need to pretend that they have food in their mouth to get through their run will pay the price when they find all their training starting to fall apart in the ring. I wouldn't worry about the head angling on finishes, she'll get hit for it by good judges. BTW, some judges will hit for for stomping on the fast as an extra cue.

Have you read Linda Koutsky's article on fixing stays? If not I can see about posting a copy. I (and many others) think it's the most brilliant article on stay training ever written.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> Anyone who feels the need to pretend that they have food in their mouth to get through their run will pay the price when they find all their training starting to fall apart in the ring. I wouldn't worry about the head angling on finishes, she'll get hit for it by good judges. *BTW, some judges will hit for for stomping on the fast as an extra cue.*
> 
> Have you read Linda Koutsky's article on fixing stays? If not I can see about posting a copy. I (and many others) think it's the most brilliant article on stay training ever written.


Good thing to keep in mind - I will definitely try to avoid slapping my toes down in the next show. :uhoh: I know that changing your walking pattern noticably - like shuffling or scuffing your feet would most definitely get marked. 

Yes, please post that article! <- I'm trying to remember if she's the same one who suggested making the dogs do watches during the stays? And this keeps them focused on you and gives them less time to look around and get nervous? 

My instructor told me to avoid telling Jacks to come if he breaks in the next show and does the creeping crawling thing and the judge and steward don't tell me to get him. She said it would be best to signal for him to go down. By allowing him to come to me, that teaches him to come running in the next show. Oops.  I'm definitely putting him in stay-bootcamp.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I'll go look for the article and post it in the obedience and agility section.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Before I go look for that article, I just remember something that isn't in the article that is used for dogs that want to break and run to mom. Put your dog in a stay, and put a dog that is solid on stays across from your dog, so they are across the room looking at each other. Then you go and stand behind the other dog. Your dog is a lot less likely to want to get to you if they have to pass a strange dog first.

Then, when you want to start working up towards out of sight stays, you have another person stand behind the other dog, and you stand behind the person. You slowly start adding more and more people in front of you so you have a line of people between you and your dog and you're getting farther away and harder to see every time another person is added to the line.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> Before I go look for that article, I just remember something that isn't in the article that is used for dogs that want to break and run to mom. Put your dog in a stay, and put a dog that is solid on stays across from your dog, so they are across the room looking at each other. Then you go and stand behind the other dog. *Your dog is a lot less likely to want to get to you if they have to pass a strange dog first.*
> 
> Then, when you want to start working up towards out of sight stays, you have another person stand behind the other dog, and you stand behind the person. You slowly start adding more and more people in front of you so you have a line of people between you and your dog and you're getting farther away and harder to see every time another person is added to the line.


*looks embarrassed* The problem with Jacks is he is kinda bonded with me to the point that I can't pet or look at another dog without him barging in to get between me and the strange dog. In his weird little neurotic mind, I'm a one-dog person. :doh:

Putting people between me and him - that might actually work. I know his stress level goes up when he doesn't see me, so it might actually cause a stay-break while we are training. <- Something I can hammer down and correct. 

Something that worked with my Danny was always training him with our other golden who had rock solid stays. That basically the other dog helped teach the less experienced dog. Unfortunately it's just Jacks doing the show thing this time.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> Putting people between me and him - that might actually work. I know his stress level goes up when he doesn't see me, so it might actually cause a stay-break while we are training. <- Something I can hammer down and correct.


Did this. Heehee. And as I expected, it did cause a rapid rise in his anxiety levels when he didn't have a clear view of me. 

I'm starting off with these in our kitchen and I asked my older sister to help me out. 

She stood where I normally do while proofing sits/downs in the kitchen doorway - 10 feet away from him where he lay by the kitchen sink. The kitchen area is U shaped, so he was right in the U area. 

Meanwhile, I walked around and stood on the other side of the cabinets by the kitchen table and towards our family room where he couldn't see me. I stayed there for all 3 minutes of the sit stay. 

Then for the 5 minute downs, I waited until three minutes were left and walked out of the kitchen to the front door. This would be about 10 feet beyond the kitchen doorway where my sister was still standing. 

So my sister was between me and Jacks, and she was the one giving him the "Stay" reminder as he got wild-eyed about me not being in sight. 

He stayed though. 

This week I plan on taking him on the road to visit her at her house. We can work on her deck or at the park nearby. 

I do want improved stays when he gets in the next show in 2 weeks.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Good luck to you! Stay problems suck. I think I'd rather have any other type of problem to work on than stay problems.


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## xSLZx (Jul 25, 2010)

We are working on "Sit" and "Drop it". lol


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Loisiana said:


> Good luck to you! Stay problems suck. I think I'd rather have any other type of problem to work on than stay problems.


Ain't that the truth!!!!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

xSLZx said:


> We are working on "Sit" and "Drop it". lol



Yeah, drop it/leave it is a BIG one right now with Brooke!!! And "stay" is another toughie at this stage.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

The worst I think is when you have a dog that lays down on the out of sight sit stays. O.O


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

So, in addition to my new regular place, I've signed up at my old training grounds (where we trained the last couple years) for a novice practice class. So we are doing two novice practice classes a week. This new one is with somebody I've never met, much less trained under. So I had no idea what to expect when I went to class yesterday.

It was nice because I had some friends there (three people I've trained with before, a few others I know by sight, another person who boarded her horse at the same place I do)... but the instructor was quite _different_ than what I'm used to. :

She came out and said she's 99% for positive training, but absolutely wants correction in certain cases when the dog needs correction. Or something to that effect.

So, for example - when we started class with the "watch" exercise, she did not want to hear anyone telling their dogs "watch" when she came up. She wanted us to stay quiet and wait for the dogs to look up of their own volution before doing the "YES" cue and treating. 

On the other hand, I did get a chuckle towards the end of class when I asked her to help me with dumbells. My Jacks is a natural retriever and knows "hold" to a certain extent. But he crunches on the dumbell while he holds it. 

I asked her how to make him stop that and do the nice holds I see other dogs do. She told me to try the positive training route and let him sit there and chew on the dumbell and wait for him to hold it still so I can do the "YES" cue. 

And so we stood for two minutes with him chomping away at the dumbell. Until finally she gave in and showed me how to do the correction. 

Anyway - yes, definitely, it can be confusing for the trainer to be at a different place and have something different thrown at you. But it was a positive experience, no pun intended. <- This instructor reminded me a LOT of my first instructor years back. 

Or my words when I got home and chatted with my one sister - she was like the unholy spawn of my first instructor and my barn lady. 99% positive training like my first instructor, and she even had the same proofing ideas for heeling, fronts, and stays! But she reminded me so much of my barn lady - the caustic mannerisms and everything. 

And the stays worked! <- She had everyone making noise, which ordinarily would have sent Jacks into a panic, but he lounged there looking pale and fluffy. 

Anyhoo - just updating. 

*Still working on stays this week.*


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Have you tried calling 'kitty kitty kitty' as proofing? I am very fortunate that Scout has awesome stays (even out of sight, full length now) but that is one thing that will make her break. Go figure.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

GoldenSail said:


> Have you tried calling 'kitty kitty kitty' as proofing? I am very fortunate that Scout has awesome stays (even out of sight, full length now) but that is one thing that will make her break. Go figure.


I'll have to try that when we practice stays later today. Either 'kitty kitty kitty' or 'There's a raccoon!'.  

We did get some unexpected stay proofing last night during the figure 8's. We do groups of three - taking turns doing the figure 8 and serving as posts. And while doing post duties, our dogs are put into down stays on the side out of the way. 

So Jacks and his doberman girlfriend (they went to ob1 and 2 classes together) were on the side doing stays when two kids marched past, practically stepping on their toes!!!!! 

Heheh. I have no idea who the kids belonged too, but for a moment both me and the dobie's owner stood there transfixed in horror and waiting for our dogs to break. Amazingly, they didn't. :uhoh:


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Wow. *eyes are very achy and tired* 

Worked on stays with Jacks all through class today. Was given terrific advice by teacher from spring and summer who was there for agility and then everyone at class was so helpful and nice trying to help me proof stays as we are showing next Saturday. 

At this point, I think Jacksie and I are in agreement... we both hate stays and would rather be doing all of the other stuff which we are good at. 

Random - I was practicing the "crab heeling" move and had a big grin on my face when he actually stepped sideways with me. I used to envy people who could do this with their dogs and I now actually have a dog who can do it. ****o.o****


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

As much as I hate it, we did ten million stays today. 

I'm re-teaching it the way I taught the other exercises... 

I grabbed a piece of bread from the kitchen (high value treat). I put it on our bookcase where Jacks could see it, and I then I started telling him it was time for stays (in my happy voice). 

And I just started doing a bunch of sit stays. It got to the point that Jacks did his stay and ran with me to the bookcase (jackpot spot) for a tiny piece of bread. And he got the idea he had to sit and stay for a minute before he got the next tiny piece of bread. He'd eat his bread and then run right back to the spot where he was doing all the stays and he sat down for the next round. 

Yawn. I still hate stays.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Bread is a high value reinforcer in our house too.

I think you'll find the shorter stays will help your behavior... We were at a sticking point a few months ago and just stopped working on duration. We did a ton of distraction work. A few weeks ago when we went back to distance/duration my dog was completely relaxed and NOT thinking moving thoughts. 

I hate stays (and any duration activity) to... it's the most boring thing to work on for sure!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

When I was building duration I would put Scout in a stay while I ate dinner or breakfast and time it. Over several months I slowly added time so it never felt like a long time to her. She is now doing out-of-sight stays for the full length of time plus a little extra with me only telling her 'good girl' half-way through. It's something I practice infrequently and I find less is more at times


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I feel kinda bad, but I've reached the decision to skip the show this weekend. 

Jacks' stays are doing a LOT better. <- There is an open class before ours and we joined the sits and downs. He stayed. And then we did three minute sit stays (instructor was preoccupied) and 3 minute downs in our regular class. 

Something I did at class (as suggested by friends in both classes) is to stare at the walls or the ceiling and not look at him during the stays. I have no idea HOW or WHY this is working, but it is. 

At home/road - 

I'm doing reinforcement stays (at my side, leash in hand, swift verbal+pop corrections if he tries shifting). 

I'm also doing the "jackpot" stays as described above somewhere. 

The sit stay, I'm allowing him to shift his hips. He always does perfectly straight sits on everything, but I noticed that he sit-stays a little better if he's comfortable. And for him, comfortable might be shifting all of his weight on his right hip (puppy sit). I just wish there was a way to get him to sit like that from the start so we wouldn't lose points because of shifting. 

So why am I skipping the show this weekend? Because I don't feel confident that he won't get deductions on the stays, even if he sticks them. He's actually starting to put his head down on the stay, but the last minute he starts twitching. 

And I know a LOT of the people we will be showing with. Worst case scenario is if he breaks his stay and encourages other dogs to break. And the owners (who I know from dog class, horse riding, etc) will hate me AND my dog. 

We have two weeks before the next show, so I like the idea of having that much time to get ready vs only two days.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

You can definitely teach a shift to hip. My dogs have learned that for the downs, same process for the sits. I captured the behavior and then put it on cue.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> You can definitely teach a shift to hip. My dogs have learned that for the downs, same process for the sits. I captured the behavior and then put it on cue.


How do you do this for sits? Do you nudge or reward+name when the behavior happens? <- I don't want him to get the idea that puppy/lazy sits are OK the rest of the time. 

I'm still pretty set on skipping the show tomorrow, but er, I'm still taking him to the show to watch and maybe sneak in a little training. I was going to sleep in altogether, but geesh. I paid for our entry, might as well make the most of it.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Sasha (9 weeks) is working on sits, come and not peeing in the house!

Gunner is working on his patience with Sasha. Both boys are doing excellently!


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Stay's for spirit, not doing well at all, on that, and to stop jumping on the counters!!!


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## Abby (Aug 17, 2010)

we're working on down and loose leash walking. he could also use some polishing for stay.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Megora said:


> How do you do this for sits? Do you nudge or reward+name when the behavior happens? <- I don't want him to get the idea that puppy/lazy sits are OK the rest of the time.
> 
> I'm still pretty set on skipping the show tomorrow, but er, I'm still taking him to the show to watch and maybe sneak in a little training. I was going to sleep in altogether, but geesh. I paid for our entry, might as well make the most of it.


My training plan is... just wait...do some house work or read. And when I see the dog shift... click and toss a treat. (toss, so the dog gets up and I have a chance to get the behavior again) Repeat. When the dog is readily doing a shifted position, put it on cue. Give the word right before the dog is in position. And then toss and reinforce. And when we readily get the behavior, set up some discrimination sessions. 

My dogs never sit on a hip, so we've only done this for downs, but we've never had trouble with stimulus control except when my dog had lyme. I don't push the dog into position because it would be a lot of work on my part. We've done too many sessions of my dogs remaining in position while I gently push them. Hands on dog=dog still. 

It's a fairly simple discrimination task, but the stimulus control aspect can be hard if you aren't comfortable with the concept.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Another way you can teach them to get on the hip for downs is lure them into a down with a treat, but hold the treat so their head is turned to the side (doesn't matter which side - you choose). With the hand that isn't holding the treat, guide the hips so that the opposite hip is on the ground from the direction the head is turned. So if you turn the dog's head to the left, place your hand on his left hip area so his right hip gets on the ground. If you do it as one motion as the dog is going down it should go smoothly. If you wait until the dog is already down then it becomes more difficult to get them to shift.

I don't know of anyone that teaches their dog to sit on a hip. Most dogs are much more likely to go down that way so trainers will prevent them from sitting that way.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Edit -

Scratch what I said earlier. Just to prove me wrong, when I put Jacks into the down for stays, I gave his hip a nudge with my left hand with the "roll" command. And he rolled over to his left hip like he's been doing it all along. Piffle.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*bounces up and down* OK. This probably isn't going to sound exciting to other people in obedience, but um!

Jacks had his first experience with a full sized broad jump tonight - AND HE DID IT!!!!!!!!!! 

Keep in mind I haven't done broad jumps at all because of his questionable hips. And also he's afraid of boards. <- And he jumped over after his treats like it wasn't a huge deal.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Thought I'd update this.... 

I've been working on the stays every day and have (I think) turned it into a positive thing for him. I also seperated the treats from me, so he knows that there is no reward in getting me to come in to him. We just use the jackpot system, as in the treats are always on the opposite side of the room or in my training bag and gets rewarded only after I release him. And the "release" is always me touching him on the withers + "OK!". 

We entered a show yesterday, and nq'd again because of stays, but I think the little boy deserves some kind of "most improved player" reward. He did go down on the sit stay with 20 seconds left, but did not get up and move from the stay spot. And he STUCK the down stay perfectly. 

The best thing was he looked relaxed (a little too relaxed on the sit stay, hence the nq). No agitation. He even had his paw tucked for the down instead of doing his rigid sphinx pose. 

We have one more show next week and then I think I'll wait until January for the next one. But I do see improvement. Yay. Thank goodness.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I mentioned in another thread that Conner just made 6 trials in a row without breaking a sit. I'm sure they are not perfectly cured, but compared to where we were it is SUCH a huge improvment. 

What I did was got rid of the food completely for stays. I'd been jackpotting him for stays ever since our problem first popped up over two years ago, but that would only get us through one trial and once he found out we were at a trial and wasn't getting any food he would go down the next time. Now it's no longer a matter of holding his stay in hopes of getting food, it's just hold your stay because that's what you're supposed to do. This way it doesn't bother him if he does the stay and he doesn't get the food reward, because he's not expecting it anymore. Of course I do still give him lots and lots of praise and petting for holding the stay. I'm always the last one out of the ring because I'm taking advantage of every second I can have to give him that praise while we're still in there.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Good point, Jodie. That's actually how we trained stays with our previous goldens. My instructor back then did not want any treats associated with stays at all, even the stands. This to keep the dogs from anticipating returns. 

I was wondering a little bit if that was how I should have trained the stays with Jacks and if he would be sitting pretty with a title (and in the 190's club) right now if I had. I guess it's that 20/20 hindsight thing. >.<


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*slowly removes paper bag* So today was the last show I prematurely entered back when my dog had great stays. My schedule is now free until February or March when I might be looking to get back into shows. At least that's my goal right now. 

I'm not going to make excuses, but er... we got to class way too early and then I couldn't warm him up (five hours after we got there) because there were people and dogs everywhere. There wasn't enough room to move. 

So we went into the ring without warming up, and yep. The figure eight was so bad with his clowning around (grabbing my pantleg and "herding" as somebody else called it)... I was so frazzled I gave his leash a yank and loudly told him to knock it off. Ack. Of course I'm going to look up the rule book to see if that was an NQ right from the start (he went down on the sit stay again). It had to be major points off.  

We have three months until the next show. Thank God. Pressure's off.  

I'm going to be working on stays the entire time, of course.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Megora;1275661 said:


> I was so frazzled I gave his leash a yank and loudly told him to knock it off. Ack. Of course I'm going to look up the rule book to see if that was an NQ right from the start


Of course it will always depend on the judge but yeah it could very likely NQ you and with some judges you would have been excused for training in the ring.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> Of course it will always depend on the judge but yeah it could very likely NQ you and with some judges you would have been excused for training in the ring.


That's what I noticed when I looked at the rulebook. I'm so embarrassed I did that. And that would have heaped the badness on my bad day if I were kicked out of the ring. :uhoh:


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Megora said:


> That's what I noticed when I looked at the rulebook. I'm so embarrassed I did that. And that would have heaped the badness on my bad day if I were kicked out of the ring. :uhoh:


 
Sometimes it's better to get your point across and have your ring time cut short, IMO. And heck, a judge talked about excusing me a few weeks ago because I told my dog "no" during an exercise. Shoot, throw me out if you have to but my dog needs to know that standing there staring at me is not an appropriate response when I tell him to sit!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I skipped dog class tonight, and the little boy wonder knew it.  

We went for a long walk instead and even then he actually wanted to train. He went in my room where I have my training bag over my bedpost and started nudging the bag and STARING at me. And it wasn't like I said anything about training or dog class to him. 

So I gave in and put his choke chain on him (his cue that we are working). And he was racking and floating while I practiced our heeling work. He normally does, but it was way over the top tonight. We did an L pattern. Then afterwards, we did a lot of left turns, quarter turn lefts, and sidesteps to get him to use his back end more. 

Then I was practicing dumbbell holding - retrieves, heeling, fronts with the dumbbell. I realized that getting him to concentrate on doing other things helps him learn to hold the dumbbell without chewing on it. At this point the hardest thing is teaching him to wait for me to send him, without me physically holding his collar.  

Through it all he was super sharp and enthused, and you'd think that I never train him or give him any attention. <- Heheh. And we do train every day! I guess he REALLY knows when it's class day, even when I skip.


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## maggiesmommy (Feb 23, 2010)

My lazy butt can finally post here....due to some, ahem..less than ladylike behavior at the dog park a month ago, Maggie and I are working on her resource guarding...right now, we are working on a solid "off". She was actually getting bored with the "toy for chicken" trade, so, we bumped it up a notch to a "pig's ear for chicken" trade...so far, so good, though, she was sad when I took the pig ear away.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Assuming he's going before being sent because he loves to retrieve, here is one thing you might try, but it requires a training partner or helper...
Work him with a flexi or long line on, a long line will probably work better because it hangs loose if you're not using it and he's not as aware of it being on.
Have your helper stand opposite you, about where the dumbbell is going to land. Throw the dumbell as close to your helper as you can (without hitting them, LOL, don't ask....)
IF he goes for it without being sent, have the helper pick up the dumbbell right away. The penalty for going without being sent is not getting to do the retrieve. At the same time, grab his line, tell him "no, here" or something similar and get him back to your side.
He will learn pretty fast that if he goes without being sent, there isn't going to be anything there to pick up. 




Megora said:


> Then I was practicing dumbbell holding - retrieves, heeling, fronts with the dumbbell. I realized that getting him to concentrate on doing other things helps him learn to hold the dumbbell without chewing on it. At this point the hardest thing is teaching him to wait for me to send him, without me physically holding his collar.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Good luck! I've been working on steadying Scout too and she has gotten better--we've also cleaned up the mouthiness pretty well. But--I have a big time pouncer and paw-batter :doh: We are trying wires but they don't always seem to slow her down.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I thought I'd throw a couple things in here that put a big grin on my face tonight...  

*1.* I've been doing 16" high jumps with Jacks for a while. A lot of them. Daily. I raised the bar (and I'm using an old wrapping paper cardboard roll as a bar) to 24" just to see what he'd do. 

He jumped it easily. 

I won't be practicing too many of those until I can get outside on the lawn, but it was nice seeing him take it and clear it.

I'll keep working on the 16" jumps in the meantime. There is no rush on bumping him up to the higher jumps and I want to bump his heights up slowly. 

*2.* I asked my sister to put us through a quick heeling pattern. She thought she was being funny when she told me to go backwards after a series of halts. Not exactly a call we'd get in the ring, but I told Jacks to heel and began backing it up. And he began to go straight backwards next to me, keeping in perfect heel position. 

I knew he could do that, but my sister didn't.


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

I'm still working on the Stand command with Shelley.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Maybe this thread will help me stay motivated and organized.

Since it's the middle of the second ice age, Gladys is focusing on obedience.

We do exercises at home with Boomer on watch, heeling, sit/stay, down/stay, learning stand (I just read the thread about that).

We're supposed to be working on meeting people in public for CGC (homework was go 3 different places in public each week) but I spent so much time shoveling, chiseling ice, and raking snow off my roof the last couple weeks, we haven't been doing it. I think class and drop in was cancelled more than held in the past few weeks for snow and ice storms. 

For field class she can still work on MANNERS so we have a homework drill to do indoors - 2 holds, 2 heels, then 2 holds and heels - twice a day. We can't do any outdoor training or drills right now.

Boomer - works on watch, moving stand, and back up 3 steps inside. 

So much to do, so little time ......


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Nothing!! But I will start shortly with Faelan since his stitches are out. I live close to Boomers Dawn and yes, this morning scraping my truck I was not even sinking through the crust of the snow it is so icy. But we can do stuff inside again 

Casey needs polishing work to get him ready for CDX work (hopefully)

Towhee is enjoying La Barb's health and beauty spa for the next little while, so she will be working on not much  Sleeping and eating will be her thing.

I trimmed all nails on Sunday and it is very sad to watch your dog sliding backwards on the ice, so outside is limited to elimination breaks until they grow their nails, or the ice mealts, or something. Maybe one of these weeks the weather will co-operate and we'll be able to get out to a class or rental


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

If you've been following my other posts then you know that the main thing I've been working on right now is buying a bunch of stuff for Flip's show career that I can't afford.

I realized that the goal that I set of showing Flip in rally novice/beginner novice/pre-novice is only 3 months away! So when the weather actually cooperates enough for us to go outside we're working on fasts. In the house we're working on lots and lots of down stays, because he thinks staying down is stupid. We need to work on some figure 8's, he's only done them once before.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

We're working utility exercises, with an emphasis on:

*Addressing forging when heeling.

*Gloves

*Articles 
I've discovered it's harder for him when someone else places my article. I train alone a lot so I often leave him in a stay and place it myself, making sure to move several of the other ones around after-the-fact so he's not just marking where he saw me set the hot one down. Now, when someone is there, if they're standing too close to the pile while he's working, it's stressing him a little. Now we have the helper place, take a few steps back and I'm slowing having them stand close while he's working.

*Moving Stand - Ugh. Hold completely still for this? Have you MET Quiz? Yeah. We need lots of practice on this one.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Penny's Mom said:


> Gosh, this makes me think I SHOULD be working on something. Penny has achieved perfect pet status a few years ago so I've gotten lazy and not taught her anything new.


I know what you mean... We haven't really taught Mia anything new in a bit...


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Working on....

dumbbell pouncing
distractions and self control (ahem)
single t
go-outs
conditioned jumping


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

GoldenSail said:


> Working on....
> 
> dumbbell pouncing
> distractions and self control (ahem)
> ...


How's your "sit in busy places" training going?


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

FlyingQuizini said:


> How's your "sit in busy places" training going?


Well I've been sick with the flu the past few days so it really hasn't been going. Ugh--and Scout is so wound up without being walked and I feel like crap.

I went out once though and it was good. She got to check everything out, and when she settled down I did some light training. Mostly just playing with her for very short heeling sequences of looking at me. I did use some food, but I try to place emphasis after giving food on being petted/praised/teased, and did a lot of playing at the end to keep her focus on me. Work in progress.


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## LincolnsMom (Sep 28, 2010)

Lincoln is forever learning new things. 

Bf is teaching him shake: grabbing his paw and saying shake while shaking it. if you try showing Lincoln the treat and trying to paw it he will just goober your hand then lay down. I think the leave it command it wayy to ingrained in him @[email protected]

Shoot: we call this when he goes through your legs he does it naturally so were putting a name to it and its going really well. I think i'll be making a figure 8 out of it once through is mastered.

He is also learning to balance a treat on his nose. He can balance and 'hold it' but when we say 'get it' he doesn't really understand he can have the treat and so he just looks at us like 'but u told me to leave it...?' again that stupid leave it because of it he won't chase treats bahhh

Those are what were working on right now, he isn't going for his cgc until 18 months old. so until then its more tricks to keep him stimulated. Next wil be: roll over, and sending him to his 'box'- crate and beds. He has many beds so we will see...


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## Luna (Feb 19, 2011)

Right now, I'm reinforcing the "*leave i*t" command. Also, I'm working on getting her *barking under control* when there's no one near her while in the play pen, unless she's extremely tired. If near a door, I either get behind it and close it on her for a few seconds, or spray water on her face, they seem to be working for now.

And, of course, *the nipping*, which will take a while. I get in the pen with her, and encourage her to play with her toys, and, when she nips at me, I whine and get out for several seconds and come back in. This requires a lot of patience for me, since it can be very aggravating when she's excited.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I thought I'd throw this in here and it sort of applies...

Um, I have zero voice right now (laryngitis+bronchitis). In fact, I've been on my deathbed for the past couple days recuperating from the worst of this DISEASE. This evening I sorta broke my nonstop fever finally and felt awake enough to shower and then train my attention starved guy. :yay:

Attention starved, meaning he has been doing a lot of sleeping with me and probably has been bored to death but wild cats couldn't drag him away from my side. 

I did both hand signals or hand motions to indicate what I wanted. Upward sweep for heel or send, wide sweeping hand for front, side jabs with the hands for finishes, and of course clapping hands and crazy maniacal over the top grins when he got it all right. And of course there is the usual stay/wait "make like a stop sign" commands. And also my "find heel" body language (I kinda scoot and look at the spot where I want him to tuck in). 

I'm going to assume I'm going to have to finesse all of that to get through to the little boy wonder when we are in group classes this week and my voice likely will still be broken, but it's pretty cool seeing him respond so well.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

*Before I get into the following VERY LONG LIST, I'm curious what other people are working on. Why not throw it in here and update?  *

Thought I would update this... I haven't coughed lately (fingers crossed that the germs have finally fled) so it's time to get back to working towards my goals this year... 

^.^

*First my revised goals:*

1. I want to show Jacks in rally in mid or late summer. I was originally planning on only taking one session and get into trials. And the initial reason I was doing this was I want him to have positive experiences in the ring that do not involve stays, and this to get him more comfortable and relaxed in the ring. 

But surprisingly, I really enjoy the rally classes a lot more than I thought I would. ! So we are going to sign up again after this session. 

2. I want to enter Jacks again in Novice B at the Golden specialties this fall (Fort Detroit, Marshbanks, Mid-Michigan, etc). Before we get there, he needs to have solid stays. Basically, at class I want to go at least a month or two of classes where I'm doing full distance away from him and he isn't even tensing up. 

^ I switched out the second novice class for the rally class, but I'm semi thinking about doing both novice and rally at the one place the same night in addition to novice at the other place. The only problem is I need somebody to hold my dog while I do the rally walkthroughs, and I feel bad about asking my sister to sit through 2 hours of class. 

*What I'm working on at home: *

*Novice*: 

Shorter and sharper novice heeling patterns. Particularly focusing on turns. I don't want "drifting" when we do about turns and left turns. 

Straighter fronts - every time. This includes doing scoots and angle fronts to encourage him to find the position. 

Finishes. Mainly making sure he gets up to heel position on right finishes. He sometimes sits just a smidgeon lagging. Should be a quick fix. 

Stands - They are normally solid, but he's been picking up bad habits since I fell away from practicing them at home. He does qualifying stand stays, but shifting feet is an automatic three points off.

Stays. Nothing more needs saying. The boy is solid at home. When we take our show on the road though, he gets twitchy. I need to work on getting him relaxed. Currently have two instructors helping me out, and other former instructors who give me tips time and again.  

*Rally: *

U turn, 360 left, 270 left -> anything that involved me turning or circling left and expecting him scoot his butt in to stay in heel position. 

1, 2, 3 step fronts and heels -> I need to work on by myself to make sure I count my steps right. 

schutzhund about turn -> Using "AROUND" + hand signal to cue him to go around while I turn the opposite direction. 

Run by jump -> Mainly getting to the point where I stay up alongside him. Right now I'm getting caught a step behind. 

Side steps - making sure he stays in heel position. 

Front from heel position - Right now he does these fairly well, but I'm still using a knee cue 6 times out of 10 to get him to straighten up. I want him jumping out far enough so the fronts are always straight. 

Remembering to count - Sometimes I get so caught up in completing an exercise that when I move on to the next sign, I forget which number I was on! ! 

*Tricks For Fun:*

Brush up on verbal commands. Sit, down, stand, back while he's standing in front of me. <- I saw somebody at class yesterday doing this with her golden, using verbal commands alone. It was fabulous. 

Jacks can do sit on command, but he relies on the hand signal for downs and stands and physical cues for "back" (me stepping into him or going backwards while heeling).


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for adding to this--giving me something to think about.

We've been working on heeling--always  Directed jumping, although I need to make changes with what we are doing in order to progress. Right now I am sending her to a pvc box and have not made the effort to phase that out yet and need to. Also our setup could be a little larger, just don't have a big enough yard. I need to throw my jumps in the car and go to the park and practice with a slightly larger set-up.

Directed retrieve--babying on getting her to look correctly before sending her. 

A few out of sight stays. I was so worried that I would have a dog that lies down on the out of sight sit that I have been practicing long sits and more often than downs. And guess what--on a few occasions I am now getting the reverse problem! *sigh*

Working on water entries and water marks for field. Also doing some drills and hopefully will be running pattern blinds soon.

Dreaming of agility training--but obedience and field take so much time I don't want to short change one so I can do another....


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Megora said:


> *What am I working on with my dog?*
> 
> I'm working on our figure 8's.
> 
> ...


Are you single stepping around your posts? It not it will really help with your wides ect.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Stretchdrive said:


> Are you single stepping around your posts? It not it will really help with your wides ect.


Sidestepping right or left?  How do you mean?

We actually have cleaned up the figure 8's (he did beautiful weaves and 8's last night), but it's one of those things that I'm always working on.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Megora said:


> Sidestepping right or left?  How do you mean?


Normal walking is double tracking, meaning that each foot follows its own path. It is what you do on the two straight sections between your two half circles(posts). Single tracking is both feet following the same path, or basicly one in front of the other. Single tracking is what you do on the half circles that go around the posts, it also helps bring your left shoulder forward around the outside post, and your left shoulder back on the inside post. It really helps the dog know where you are going when you are doing your figure 8.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Stretchdrive said:


> Normal walking is double tracking, meaning that each foot follows its own path. It is what you do on the two straight sections between your two half circles(posts). Single tracking is both feet following the same path, or basicly one in front of the other. Single tracking is what you do on the half circles that go around the posts, it also helps bring your left shoulder forward around the outside post, and your left shoulder back on the inside post. It really helps the dog know where you are going when you are doing your figure 8.


Oh - we do that - and it works<: 

Our instructor last winter/spring picked it up in a seminar and was really excited to introduce it to all of us in class. 

It was the darndest thing to learn too. I'm very left footed so I literally had to concentrate on leading with my right foot for the outer circle.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

So I went to rally class today and am in just a blue mood right now... 

Not because Jacks did bad! Not at the rally stuff anyway. 

It was more to do with me practicing the stays on the side in between turns and having him pop up a couple times. It made me feel like we probably will be working on stays until he's an OLD slow moving man and only then getting our title. *weeps morbid tears* 

In rally, we did a novice course on leash and then an advanced course off leash. The novice course could have been smoother (he was fine, but I messed up a couple signs), but the advanced was so much fun. I love working him off leash.

The jump was only set at 10 inches (?), and Jacks wound up jumping a foot over that and a foot beyond. And he went through the whole course without making any mistakes or breaking eye contact. Even going around the figure eight with the toy and water bowl right there. Everything else - even the left pivots were perfect. 

It just made me think about how awesome an obedience dog he would be, if it weren't for those fingleginking stays!


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Oh I HATE stays!! One of my dogs has to be constantly remined that stay means stay! He already has his CDX too. I guess I got too lax because my other 2 do good on them. I am back to working on them again. He was struggleing to stay when I was only 10 feet away He is my spoiled stinker!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

AmbikaGR said:


> We are working on "fixing" virtually everything with Oriana in Utility
> 
> The first thing is her stressing up. We are trying to get her to harness that energy. We are working on getting her to keep all 4 on the floor during heeling for signals. This has been VERY difficult for me. I am double leashing her, and trying to walk straight, not trip, react timely, with the CORRECT leash AND treat at the right moment in the proper position is almost painful. :doh: She seems to being much better but I feel like I have three left feet although after 3 months I am told I have it down pat. Sure does not FEEL like I do. And we are working on not looking away during the signal portion.
> 
> ...



Well as I stated back in September, we have been working on retaeaching most of Utility, dealing with her stress/enthusiasm level. We have made a lot of progress but those old habits still pop up here and there, ESPECIALLY at trials. Training is pretty good. 
The heeling had improved immensely (quiet and 4 on the floor) but we still see some relapses, especially with the heeling on three legs - never on two anymore). And the barking was all but gone until this past Saturday but am hoping that was due to the cold and rain - outdoor trial.
Articles are our weakest exercise at the trials. She finds te right article and then plays with it, especially the leather. Usually returns with the right one but we are getting killed on points. Rarely an issue in training and NEVER when on a flexi/long line. 
Gloves have been pretty solid, pivots are good and returns right back with it.
Moving stand is consistently better at the trials then training, go figure. :doh: She stops nicely and does not move a paw on the exam - although she does contort her body to watch the judge.
Directed jumping is also been good at the trials. Her lines are straight, this weekend the stanchions were off center and she ignored it and went straight both time. Her second go-out had one "woof" but no more flying leaping barking first steps. 
Still hoping for her to put it all together at one trial but it has improved.

As for Oriana in the field. We just started back up two weeks ago and am not sure if it is because she is a year older, I have gotten through to her OR it is just a temporary thing but her manners are really very good and she is TRYING to behave. If this continues over the next couple sessions we will likely enter a few junior tests. We have started laying the groundwork for bilnd retrieves and if she can continue to mind her manners and continues trying, as opposed to going crazy, we might move onward with it.

Brooke is coming along very nicely and I am taking my time with her in both field and obedience. Not rushing. Might be more than me being smart though, I am finding it hard to make all the time to train two dogs in obedience and field at the same time. Hoping she will be far enough along to enter her at the National in the fall.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

^ Moving Stands and Moving Downs are _hard_.... .... especially the downs. I get him to drop into a down but he springs up to keep heeling with me unless I _stop_ and tell him to stay.

The good news is after I had my sulkfest after class on Monday, I got perfect stays today. And I was almost full distance away. 

The only stay he broke was earlier on when I put him in a down stay while playing judge for stands. He sat up and was getting stressed about me going and touching other dogs. The good thing though is our instructor was right there and she was reinforcing the stay for me while my back was turned. She put him into a down. And he did it by gum! Normally he will go spastic about being handled by someone else.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Just sharing a little joy.... 

We went hiking today - I think it was about 6 miles. Jacks spent a good portion of the time off leash as we were going up and down a few steep hills. Going up hills he doesn't need to be dragging me up behind him. With me he's struggling to go up at my slower pace. By himself, he was dashing up like some kind of mountain goat. Going down hills, I wanted my hands free just in case I fell. And he so overall did absolutely fine. He and my niece were running around at the end of the walk in the big field near the parking lot and had plenty of energy to spare. 

Lots of energy to spare. He demanded training this evening. So I pulled out my makeshift jump kit and he was running to jump 20" even before I gave him the GOJUMP command. I only did 3 or 4 reps before switching to stays, but know he could have done more. 

But all in all, I'm so thankful that I have a dog who is in such great shape and who thrives on being trained. I hope I can keep him that way for the rest of his life.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I had a huge stay success this weekend with Flip - we were at a match and the Toller next to him on stays got up, walked up to him, and started sniffing Flip's face. I could see the look in Flip's eyes...he really really really wanted to pounce into a play bow, but all he did was lean slightly so he could sniff back.

There's three biggies we are currently working on: out of sight down stays (he is solid but whines occasionally), articles, and go-outs. One other thing we need some more work on before I'm really comfortable showing him in open is more proofing on the retrieve over high jump. If the dumbbell bounces far off the path, it's kind of iffy still if he's going to take the jump on the way back or not.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am working on several things.

Casey is being worked in busy environments to try to alleviate his stress so he can go back into the obedience ring. CDX and UD but since he is now 10, he may need to just enjoy training and being a love bug. He will also be shown limited in Agility since he truly enjoys it, so he needs regular jumping to keep him in shape.

Faelan is starting to learn field handling, is just about ready to start testing for his JH, is being polished for his CDX and being trained for his UD. He is also being prepped for Agility trials.

Towhee is being trained to start agility trialling and her attention work for obedience and rally is making great strides. She has a great work ethic but also strongly feels the need to hug most people between exercises so that is a challenge. She wll start trailing in agility soon and may debut in Beginners Novice by summer's end.

As a sample of my training schedule this past weekend: Friday night Agility rental with all 3 dogs and a friend with his 2 dogs. First time outside so jumping their full heights. Saturday afternoon: field practice with Faelan. Today I had classes for obedience followed by agility (4 hours in total) with all 3 dogs at their different levels. 

My trainer today asked if I wasn't ready for a pup - I swear I must have looked at her like she had grown a 2nd head LOL I need to start my training blinds at least every other day now with Faelan in addition to exercising and the existing training .. a pup for me ? I think not! unless I win the lottery and can quit my day job


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> Towhee is being trained to start agility trialling and her attention work for obedience and rally is making great strides. She has a great work ethic but also strongly feels the need to hug most people between exercises so that is a challenge.


Runs in the family! Flip ran out of the ring at a match last night when our good good friend we haven't seen in about a month suddenly popped up at the match while we were doing open. And then later he just had to go say hi to the kid hanging over the ring gate watching him.

Last night I thought Flip's novice run went really really well. When we were all done and leashing up all these people starting cheering and clapping. I thought it was kind of funny to be clapping for us at a match, but then I was a little embarrassed when I realized they weren't cheering for us, it was for the breed specialty in the ring right next to us. :bowl:


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> Runs in the family! Flip ran out of the ring at a match last night when our good good friend we haven't seen in about a month suddenly popped up at the match while we were doing open. And then later he just had to go say hi to the kid hanging over the ring gate watching him.
> 
> Last night I thought Flip's novice run went really really well. When we were all done and leashing up all these people starting cheering and clapping. I thought it was kind of funny to be clapping for us at a match, but then I was a little embarrassed when I realized they weren't cheering for us, it was for the breed specialty in the ring right next to us. :bowl:


LOL - I am so glad Faelan appears to have the work ethic but left the must hug genes behind  It is wicked cute though; once she gets her hugs in, she gets down to business. 

Bet Flip loved all those people applauding his work !! :no::no:


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Snuck in to do stays with our old novice/open group. I miss doing that class.  Jacks stayed. Almost got all the way across the room without him getting anxious. And that's even with him being fresh and having just arrived (we were attending the rally class after the novice/open class and were invited to join the stays). 

Rally - we did off leash for both runs (both were advanced). Jacks did pretty good throughout with one hiccough with the heel-back-three-steps on the second run. His jumps were perfect, especially the last one where we approached from the side and I told him to "go jump" and sent him two steps to the left to take the jump while I kept running past. And he did it with a huge grin on his face and an extra high leap up and over. 

I made a few mistakes (I keep forgetting to check whether the finishes have sits or not, the backup wasn't perfect, I totally got lost on the spiral), but I was very happy with him. He got a lot of compliments and now we have people asking when we are going to enter him (I'm so not entering until I'm not making any mistakes).

The backup - I'm training by holding my hand with a treat in it down in front of his nose and letting him lick the treat while we make the three steps back. I need to practice in our hallway to get his butt straight every time and keep him from automatically sitting. When he has the idea I'll transition to just cueing the back by lowering my hand to his face level and wiggling my fingers. A friend at class showed me... 

So rah. I love training new things.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

One question I have (if there is anyone out there reading my rambles about what we are doing now) - what do you guys use to videotape your training? What kind of camera? And are you using a tripod or do you prop the camera on something? And what kind of software or program do you do to remove your voice and edit your vids? 

^ Yes, I really am that clueless about cameras.  

The reason why I ask is I really had a great training session with my guy this evening. I mean really great. I did have my crazy trainer voice going on and really mixed the training up to keep it fun for him. So -

(1) 3 minute sit stay 
(2) 5 minute down stay
(3) 3 sets (over and back) of directed jumps over makeshift 20" jump

*we paused the training long enough for me to chase him around the house with the bar from the jump and then for him to chase me and the bar around the house*

(4) Quick heel workout (me walking very fast around the house with him heeling very fast next to me, lots of halts/sits and about turns)

(5) 2 Straight fronts (me in sight and a straight line from him) with right and then left finishes.

(6) 2 Find me fronts (put him in a wait at one end of the house and then I went to the opposite end of the house, paused a few seconds, then called him to front). No finishes.

(7) Downs away from me - I put him in a sit/wait and went six feet away. I did the straight up hand signal and told him to down. AND GOSH DARNIT HE DID IT EACH TIME. 

Now if I can get him to do the downs while he's moving whether I'm next to him or not....  

(8) Heeling backwards - we did a few of those. 

(9) We stopped all the training stuff and finished with "limping" practice. 

And here is the part where I wished I had a video camera running. I sent him outside, fed him, and settled into my chair. As he was hovering around my computer trying to get me to train him some more, I told him to go find his bone. 

So for the next two minutes I hear him padding all around the house. And I knew when he had found the bone, because I could hear the thud-thud-thud-thud of him chasing the bone down and then prancing back to the living room where I was. And then he proceeded to dance around with his rawhide bone, circling, twirling, so proud of himself for finding his bone -

And then he flopped down on his back with his back legs waving in the air while he chewed his bone upside down. 

I love this dog.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I use a Flip cam most of the time. It's small enough I can just keep it in my purse and it's so easy to use. I do have another (higher quality) camera but _someone_ ate the charger. I ordered a new charger and he ate that one too (yeah, someday I'll learn).

Lately I've been using a tripod that I took from my parents, but before that I would just set it on top of something (a crate, table, whatever).

I use the Flip software to convert the video and then I do my editing in movie maker. Personally I don't want my own voice cut out, sometimes I need to hear tone, timing, etc. Plus one of my personal pet peeves is adding music to training videos - for some reason it just annoys me!


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I use a cannon powershot, $150ish, decent photo and video's, VERY durable camera. I use it on a little tripod or just set up. I use the 'windows movie maker' to cut out parts or piece things together (I do a lot of videos for teaching.... if it's just for my records/viewing, I don't do any editing). I do not edit out voice because I'm using the video to look at latency, timing of cues, etc...and if I removed the cues, it would decrease the value/use of the video. If there's someone else talking in the video and I don't have permission frm them....windows movie maker lets you mute out all the sound. I try hard to set up videos where that's a non-issue.

I video tape a lot of my sessions, esp if it's something important to measure. Some things I dn't re-watch, some I rewatch hundreds of times.

It's one of THE most effective training tools, and for all my students who are seriously interested in progress in sports classes....I recommend they bring and use a camera and we talk about how to effectively review the video and utilize the info they get frm it.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> Plus one of my personal pet peeves is adding music to training videos - for some reason it just annoys me!


I second this!


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I also use a Flip, but I always edit out my voice, because I sound dorky. Here is a video I made from a run thru I did last week. It was from one constant video, and I edited out all my inbetween playing ect, and made a bunch of short videos, then put them all together. I did it all with the Flip software that comes with the camera. I did use You tube music though.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Oh I wouldn't add music... 

I just hate the sound of my training voice even when it works. I sound like Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies....


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

While I have never put music to any of the vids of Oriana's runs I always seem to hear AC/DC's Hell's Bells in my head when I watch them. I hear the bell tolling as we prepare and enter the ring, the guitar riff as we set up and then I hear "I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain, a HURRICANE" as we start our heeling pattern. Can't imagine why this occurs. :scratchch


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I mostly use my Canon Vixia HF100 since it is fairly small; I also have a full sized Canon but that is really reserved for private training sessions where my instructor is taping. I use several software packages (I am a software junkie) but tend to prefer Corel VideoStudio for training videos. I mostly don't edit since I am also looking at between the exercises and for areas that need improvement. For areas I love I might edit to post to the individual blogs but generally I want all the weak areas to show.

Jodie, I frequently add music so I can see if we are in rhythm or so I don't have to listen to the wind, Towhee barking , kids screaming etc  

I will use a tripod since I usually train alone. As mentioned I will also ask my mentors or friends to record if I am with someone else.

I recently asked several people I admire to review a short clip of one of my dogs actually sitting on the About Turn - I noticed a slight hesitation but did not realize what was causing it until 1) I videotaped and 2) I slowed the frame rate waaaay down. Interestingly all of them had different ideas and I am working with them all and her about turns are soo much better - this is one of my favorite uses of videos.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I put most of my videos on Youtube, and set them to private. I use it as a video training journal, and really enjoy looking at the progress. Videos are great to have!! My 9 year old son started taping me when he was 7, he does better than many adults


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

I have an old Flip and do not care for it (I mean really old), so I often use my regular point-and-shoot camera for videos. I do not have a tripod, but I have thought about getting one. I usually try to tape myself though it doesn't work well because if half of my focus is on handling the camera and not my dog she doesn't perform as well. Or, I find someone to tape me when I can--this is more flexible than a tripod since they can track your movement. Flips are on sale right now because they are being discontinued, so if you are in the market now is the time.

I use Windows Movie Maker and I almost always add music when I post online. Sorry guys, but I like to listen to something when watching the vid. I also don't like to hear the sound of my voice recorded--sounds weird to me!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Okay, a bit off topic but ..

Training videos of the dogs you have loved and have died are also great to .have. Watching their high and low points but also the love and joy radiating from you and your dog is even more precious than stills IMHO. Plus, since many dogs make the same mistakes it can kind of jog your memory on what worked and what didn't.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

With my pitbull Vendetta we are working on getting a looser leash during rally training. We are going to compete in a fun show on the 9th of July. I also am working on wp. I am going to hunt training classes with my sister and her dog on monday nights and learning as much as I can for when BaaWaaChige comes home we can start right away.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Squeee!:woot2:

Ok..... this would be a Squee in caps if it happened at class, but this wasn't happening last year so me muy grande happy. 

I've been training the stays so that my release is always accompanied with me tapping golden boy on the shoulders or head. 

Yesterday after coming home from work and noticing that that the skies looked BAD, I figured we weren't going to class so I brought Jacks outside to do sit/down/stand stays all over the property. I had my camera which made it fun for me, but this was training.

At one point after a sit stay, I got sloppy and clapped my hands and patted my knee when I was still well in front of him. I even used the release word (OK) to break him out of the stay and call him out of the bushes.

His whole body twitched, but he stayed sitting and refused to budge an inch until I climbed into the bushes next to him and released him with the hand touch. 

If I could somehow get that same steadiness at class, then I believe it would be time to start filling out entry forms.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

This is a little rough... mainly because I was afraid of my camera falling off its perch on my car (which did happen and busted the camera) so I was keeping the heeling patterns short... and it was hot and Jacks was not as prancy as he normally is. 

Still thought I'd share for fun and to show we are still working on our training over here... you get to see what I mean when I tell people to "party" when their dogs do something good. 









 
The camera DIED in a suicidal leaping of my car trunk way during the sit stay. *weeps* Fortunately, I was planning on bringing home a newer camera....


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Darby is in Rally and has come a long way since March (off the wall idiot) to a gorgeous heeler. So we are working on that and he is working on his stays (still not good) he gets so antsy.  But we are starting to work towards his TD test so basics right now.

Kirby is doing agility, we are still beginners but doing so well. She loves contacts, jumps are "ok"... the weave poles are about 3/4 closed now and the teeter is no longer scary and she is now learning that she can control the pivot. It's the darn obedience training that is getting in the way - so we are working on the "right" side..... darn ole right side!!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Random, but I'm pretty sure that general ownership of my guy (just spent $60+ for 2 months of his glucosamine stuff + 3 toys, $30 for 2 months of his soloxine, $29 for entry fees .... and that's just today) is going to put me into the poor house. And I'm having a hard time feeling too upset about it. The boy child is spoiled rotten. 

My mother thinks I'm insane. I of course remind her that insane would be if I put money down for a boy child #2 to join the being-spoiled-rotten parade.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I do not EVER try to calculate how much money I spend on the dogs. It would not be good for my health.

This week I am focusing on directed jumping. He sometimes wll cut off before taking the jump. I am attempting to fix it by making it harder - spacing the jumps up to 100 feet apart instead of the standard 20 feet. Conner went through a similar phase and that was how I fixed it.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> I do not EVER try to calculate how much money I spend on the dogs. It would not be good for my health.
> 
> This week I am focusing on directed jumping. He sometimes wll cut off before taking the jump. I am attempting to fix it by making it harder - spacing the jumps up to 100 feet apart instead of the standard 20 feet. Conner went through a similar phase and that was how I fixed it.


^ I'm just relieved that I'm not so deeply involved with competition obedience as to be traveling all over the country the way other people I know do. Forget the poorhouse, I think we would be living in the streets and sharing kibbles n' bits. 

I did get queasy when I realized that I spend at least $800 a year for practice classes at one place. In addition to the $300 at the other place. :doh:


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Here is a very important tip: if you ever start earning OTCH points, unless you are like Michelle and can grab fistfuls of points at every trial, then NEVER NEVER EVER attempt to calculate how much money was spent per point earned.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Megora said:


> ^ I'm just relieved that I'm not so deeply involved with competition obedience as to be traveling all over the country the way other people I know do. Forget the poorhouse, I think we would be living in the streets and sharing kibbles n' bits.
> 
> I did get queasy when I realized that I spend at least $800 a year for practice classes at one place. In addition to the $300 at the other place. :doh:


I have a private lesson next week. With the cost per hour plus gas to get there, I am looking at over $180 for one day of training! 

I have a second job where the money is direct deposited into an account that I use just for dog related expenses. Despite that, I keep maxing out credit cards. :doh:

But that's not as bad as one of my friends, who took out a second mortgage on her house to finish her OTCH.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I have found that my obedience lessons to be quite theraputic, and I no longer feel bad about spending the money on the lesson, and gas to drive up there. It is the one thing that can keep my attention, and focus, otherwise my brain is bouncing around all over the place.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Stretchdrive said:


> I have found that my obedience lessons to be quite theraputic, and I no longer feel bad about spending the money on the lesson, and gas to drive up there. It is the one thing that can keep my attention, and focus, otherwise my brain is bouncing around all over the place.


Danny got his CD when he when he was 4 and we retired from dog classes when he was 5 - and then I cut off all ties with dog training people and things for the next 7 years or so before Jacks came along. 

I told my mom that I was going to do all of the training on my own because I didn't want to get caught up with the dog classes and obedience people politics thing again. My plan was to get Jacks trained through novice, show him, and retire. 

I had no idea of going any further than novice or doing anything else besides novice. Simply because where I trained before she didn't really teach it or make it appear "reachable" for the average newbie trainer.

But now I have a dog who is a cazillion times easier to train than my first guy - mainly because I had such great instructors for the past three years.... 

And darnit but I can't see myself quitting any time soon. Even if we get our novice title. Or whatnot. So if my guy's legs hold up and he figures out that stay means stay no matter where we are... : 

I don't know about therapeutic, but it's _addictive_. 

Something I did to put the cost of classes into perspective is I pulled up my old budget from when I was taking riding lessons @ $50/week, every week...


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

So.....I'm pulling my handy dandy prong collar out the rest of this week (at least) to sharpen up on getting immediate responses when I say "in" (as in I want my dog to scoot his butt in) for left turns, left abouts, left circles, side step rights, etc....

^ This, because with the warmer weather, the boy is feeling the heat and slightly drifty and slow when it comes to tucking his butt in and staying in place.

On the other hand, I couldn't be more happier with progress with the stays. We aren't ready for trials yet, because I can still see how fragile the progress has been, but they are definitely improving. Last two weeks we've been doing full ring length stays. I even got a fellow trainer from the class we are in inspired to put his dog into a stay right next to Jack. So our dogs were staying solidly while other people worked their dogs on heeling and other things around them, and with us a full ring length away.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Random... but when it comes to high jumps, I try not to set the bar too high while doing a bunch of jumps in a row. Our usual practice jump is 20" and sometimes I throw a 22" or a 24" jump in before releasing. 

I know it's not ideal with open and utility in mind, but I'm scared to death of forcing my dog to do too much repetition with the higher jumps and risking him getting an injury. He's my baby boy. When obedience training goes away, he's still going to be my baybee<:

But yesterday I was a little sloppy when setting up the bar jump. Didn't stop to measure. 

It wasn't until I had done 5 or 6 over/back repetitions when I realized that the jump looked higher than normal as he was jumping up and tucking his little legs up under him. 

When I measured, it came out to be 25". !>.<!

And my sweet guy was taking that horribly high jump without hesitation. When in reality he could have just gone running underneath it and I would have been feeling too guilty to blame him. :doh:


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## badfisherman (Mar 11, 2012)

Wow.....I'm working on her WANTING to go outdoors to use the bathroom. Went three days without an issue, the last two it's like she prefers to use the rug. Just had her outside for 30 minutes, she waited till she came in and squatted right beside me.....ugh.


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