# A Wee Bit Irritated



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I mentioned that I am having a problem with Flip being totally distracted when working. Yesterday was no exception. We were working on the retrieve over high jump, and he kept doing stuff like take the jump then run off to look out the fence. Or really bratty stuff like take the jump, grab the dumbbell, and run around the backyard playing keep away because he wants to see what's going on in the neighborhood.

I figured I'd fix that problem with a flexi. I put the flexi on, sent him over the jump, and moved up close to the jump so he'd have enough line to get the dumbbell without getting popped. Well the little sucker took the jump and kept on running to hop into the wading pool. He pulled me over the jump, with both me and the jump crashing to the ground. I said a bad word. :uhoh: Of course the neighbors where outside with company cooking on the grill.

I very _calmly_ and very _slowly _told him "Flip, come here - sweetheart. You are going to do this." My oh-so-calm manner must have freaked him out a little because he then did a perfect ROH.

I went inside to regroup for a little while, and then brought all the dogs in the backyard. I put Flip on a long line so we could work on some motivational-but-not-optional recalls. After he was turning on a dime with any type of distractions I did a few more ROH on a flexi, and then I did one final one off leash and he did it, with a perfect front and everything.

So I guess my approach will be to continue working seperately on recalls and distractions, and keep him on a flexi for his actual exercises until I can trust that he's not going to do something stupid.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Sounds like, he keeps you on your toes, that one.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

If you find a solution for that (distraction) let me know. We could sell it and make a lot of $$$


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> Of course the neighbors where outside with company cooking on the grill.


uh, let me rephrase that. The neighbors had company over, and they were all outside cooking dinner on the grill. There were no company-kabobs on that grill.


----------



## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> uh, let me rephrase that. The neighbors had company over, and they were all outside cooking dinner on the grill. There were no company-kabobs on that grill.


 
LOL!!!! I was worried there for a minute!!!

Life with Flip certainly must be entertaining............


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

What sometimes works for my guys is to take the one goofing off and tie him/her to a tree or something in the yard. Then I work with one of the other dogs. It always makes the goofball want to work with me. I also find backchaining helpful... set Flip up on the other side of the high jump with the dumbbell in front of his paws. Tell him to pick up the dumbbell and then call him over the high jump to you. I have found that mixing it up a little in training helps to keep them focused. Similarly with an exercise like the drop on recall, I generally call my dog to front, give the hand signal to drop, then release the dog(backwards). Separately, I practice coming to front from the drop. Rarely do I put the 2 together. Consequently with my 3 that have made it thru Open, I have outstanding drop on recalls. The dogs never anticipate the drop, they never crawl forward, and they always come to front like gangbusters.

I have also seen mine learn things by observational learning. I barely had to teach Golden #3 the broad jump. I swear that she learned it by watching golden #2 all of the time. 

I also think my boys gave me more grey hairs in training and showing than the girls.
Have fun!!!


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Jodie - I have to ask as someone who has been there, done that - did you consider letting go of that flexi when that jump was getting bigger?

I now will let go


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Well I did let go once I hit the ground :

But before then? Heck no, I was bound and determined that my dog was going to do the excercise right! You can see who won that time...

He won that battle, but I will win the war!!!


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Well sometimes not letting go works too  When they hear you go 'whump' as you're landing and start mumbling 'bad words', their curiousity does get the better of them and they have to come see.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> Well sometimes not letting go works too  When they hear you go 'whump' as you're landing and start mumbling 'bad words', their curiousity does get the better of them and they have to come see.


Hey it was only one bad word!


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

With me its multiple! And sometimes not mumbled either. :doh: But by then they are generally licking me all concerned wondering exactly what I am doing at ground level .. so innocent of their part in my lowered height. 



Loisiana said:


> Hey it was only one bad word!


----------



## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> Hey it was only one bad word!


 
Sure glad I don't have one of those naughty Sunfire puppies..................oh wait.:doh:...ROFL!


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Sounds all too familiar. Storee will do the most retarded things sometimes, like go to the left, over the couch and then around again to get a dumbell that is four feet away, right in front of her. It's like she needs to make it more complicated.

With balls at agility last summer, she would not only run the fence where the ball was on the other side, she would go check all four gates, both sides of each gate, by jumping up and pushing with her paws to see if she could possibly escape to get the ball. Had to teach her she is only allowed to get a ball from my hand when we're training - if it's on the ground it's off limits.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I checked out Storee's K9data page because I thought surely these two must be related LOL. I didn't realize Storee was a Push daughter.

BTW, why is her name spelled wrong on there? Go fix that silly!


----------



## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> I checked out Storee's K9data page because I thought surely these two must be related LOL. I didn't realize Storee was a Push daughter.
> 
> BTW, why is her name spelled wrong on there? Go fix that silly!


I have been researching Push daughters.. I think I like those lines..


----------



## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Oh I love Flip stories. My husband keeps asking what I am laughing about. I really got a laugh out of the company kabobs! Hehe!

Sounds like you have a good plan with using the flexi! I need to get one of those!


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Loisiana said:


> I checked out Storee's K9data page because I thought surely these two must be related LOL. I didn't realize Storee was a Push daughter.
> 
> BTW, why is her name spelled wrong on there? Go fix that silly!


The breeder does the k9data thing. She's pretty busy right now so not a big deal. Depending on how the day goes sometimes her name has more EEEE's on the end of it.

Her dad is Push, and her mom is pretty talented too. Not sure where she came from exactly some days :doh: Mind you Bender as a puppy wasn't very calm and collected either. She was also the bad puppy in the bunch. I'm so lucky to have such a great friend who breeds goldens and gives me the bad ones!:


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

GoldenSail said:


> If you find a solution for that (distraction) let me know. We could sell it and make a lot of $$$





> He won that battle, but I will win the war!!!


Ha! I was searching for something else when I ran across this old thread. Yep, I won that war! Sorry Lisa, my solution won't work with a bitch :lol:


----------

