# New training class!



## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Hey guys! Riley and I just started a new training class last night. So now in addition to Agility once a week he also has Impulse Control class once a week. It is just what it sounds like - a class entirely about teaching and growing impulse control. It is eight weeks, two hours each time. Should be a good learning experience!

Does anyone else have impulse control problems? Anyone have methods they use to grow impulse control to share?


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

That's an interesting class! Never heard of something like that.. Sound's awesome though!


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Had anyone else taken a class like this?


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I've never heard of that class either but it sounds great, going to ask Bentleys trainer Wed. How are Winston & Riley doing?


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Neither Buddy nor I could do 2 hours we would both be bored. We are both ADD though 

I hope you and Riley have a blast


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

vcm5 said:


> Does anyone else have impulse control problems? Anyone have methods they use to grow impulse control to share?


Ha, Flip is the KING of lack of impulse control. When he wants to do somethig, he does it! We do a LOT of work on impulse control, and it is still a work in progress. The tool we use a lot is getting him really riled up with a tug toy, then telling him "out" and he is not allowed to take the toy back until I give him permission. So he is all worked and watching me wave this toy around in his face and has to control himself not to take it. I'll also put him in a sit stay and make him watch me sloooooooowly bring a treat towards him. If he even stretches his neck towards the treat, it goes away and we start all over.

But it's really about maintaining control in everyday life situations. Making them wait for permission before they do what they want to do. Not busting out of the crate as soon as it's open, not running over to greet people just because he sees them, never pulling on the leash, etc. It's the real life things that make the biggest difference, and that's where I'm just now starting to work hard at. Somethings I've always been consistent with, like not coming out of the crate or not going into my bedroom just because the doors are open. Other areas I was really letting slide though.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

If Flip is the King of Impulse Control Issues Tayla is the Queen. I'm actually going to suggest that our trainer add a class for that. What a wonderful idea.


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## Steadfast (Aug 22, 2012)

We do what I think is the same thing or it sounds like the same thing but it is called distraction training. Where Bindi has to perform her long distance sit no matter what is going on and trust me the instructor will try every trick to see if she will break her sit maintain. Is that what you guys are doing in Impulse class?


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Well I've only had one week of it but from what I gather it is things like...
Crate games
"Go to your mat" (and stay there) exercises
Sit stays and down stays
"Slow cookie" games like Jodie was describing where the treat comes down really slow and they have to not go for it
And so on...

One thing that we worked on that surprised me was what she called the "Look at that" game in which the trainer had us actually clicking and rewarding every time our dog looked over at "triggers" such as the other dogs working around him. She told us:
"Focusing on the owner also puts a lot of stress on the dog to worry about what may be happening around him that he is not allowed to check out. Dogs that are rewarded for looking at their triggers are also learning that when they see another dog or a stranger something nice happens (counterconditioning) and the corresponding association changes."

I was surprised by this because I have always rewarded Riley for ignoring triggers and staring at me. But I have to say so far it is working great!


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Impulse control training sounds like a good idea. However, a 2 hour class sounds very long. Max and I have taken several obedience classes, and by one hour, we are both about done.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Its only been one week but I think the Impulse Control class is really helping. Riley and I went to Agility tonight and he was MUCH more focused and MUCH less reactive to the other dogs. Agility seems to get him much more worked up than anything else we do because it can be very high energy, and there are a lot of dogs running and jumping and etc. He was awesome tonight!! Of course, he was having NONE of the curved tunnel, but that's another story!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

vcm5 said:


> Hey guys! Riley and I just started a new training class last night. So now in addition to Agility once a week he also has Impulse Control class once a week. It is just what it sounds like - a class entirely about teaching and growing impulse control. It is eight weeks, two hours each time. Should be a good learning experience!
> 
> Does anyone else have impulse control problems? Anyone have methods they use to grow impulse control to share?


Valerie, I told my trainer about your class. She said it sounds like a great class or at least a seminar. What is the name of the facility where it's taught and the instructor.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Barb Levenson Training Center, the trainer is Barb Levenson. Here is her website, although this particular class isn't actually on it:
Dog Training, Obedience Classes | Oakmont, PA
She posts a lot of classes and seminars on her Facebook page too:
Barb Levenson Dog Training Center - Pittsburgh, PA - Dog Training | Facebook


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## goldentemperment (May 16, 2012)

My Ella and I had a class that covered some of those topics, including "go to your mat" (we won the class competition - tip: use a clicker when practicing it), and the "wait" command and "leave it". The trainer was a big fan of the book "Don't Shoot The Dog" by Karen Pryor, and particularly liked teaching "incompatible behaviors," so a dog that is going to its mat cannot bark at passers-by on the street, or jump on house guests, or behave in other naughty ways.

It's really helped us. I'm to the point where I can put some pretty tasty-looking raw meat in front of Ella in the morning, and she won't eat it until I give her the "OK." We're getting better at the "wait" command, as well. If I say wait, she'll (for the most part) actually wait a while. I guess I need to work on increasing the amount of time the wait command means.


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## Mosby's Mom (Oct 19, 2011)

vcm5 said:


> Barb Levenson Training Center, the trainer is Barb Levenson. Here is her website, although this particular class isn't actually on it:
> Dog Training, Obedience Classes | Oakmont, PA
> She posts a lot of classes and seminars on her Facebook page too:
> Barb Levenson Dog Training Center - Pittsburgh, PA - Dog Training | Facebook


Completely off topic, but seeing that your classes are in Oakmont got me thinking about Oakmont Bakery and my mouth is watering  I miss being in the area, lol! 

Sounds like a fun class, though! We're taking a class called "Focus for Performance" which has really been helping Mosby a lot, even in day-to-day situations.


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