# Training articles



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I used Around the Clock for Annabel, Conner, and Colby. I really like it, except I found that I did need to still tie down the articles a few times when we made the transition to no cheese (actually I didn't tie them down, I just tied them in pairs to each other. If the dog picked up a wrong article he would feel the weight of the wrong article and I would say "oops" to let him know that wasn't right.

ATC didn't work for Flip. And I don't think a little extra weight hanging down from a wrong article would bother him in the least. So his are tied down. I did still use squirt cheese on his, but I only use cheese for the first week or two.


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## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

I know a lot of folks that really like Janice Demello's (sp?) Around the Clock method. You basically put squeeze cheeze on the correct article, as well as hot scent. At first the dog is rewarded simply by licking the cheese on the article, then gradually less cheese is on the article, and they get the cheese when they bring it to you. It also teaches the dog to methodically work the pile in a certain order each time. I know there is a video available, which would certainly be more detailed than what I just gave you.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Tie down worked for Scout--and quickly too. After a couple of weeks of training she has never again made a mistake when I pull them out to practice...


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

Linda Koutsky loves Janice DeMello's Around the Clock method. I bought Janice's DVD on how to teach the method. If you plug in Hob Nob Border Collies you will pull up her website. It is easy to teach and very effective.


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## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

*Speaking of Dirty Secrets*

I have always used a little food as well as hot scent on the right article, as well as a little icky something (bitter apple) on the wrong one. I start with just those two, then increase the number of "wrong" ones once the dog has learned to sniff. Initially I spray the incorrect one an hour or so before training, then just keep the same wrong ones after about a week and don't spray them again. I use this "teaching" set until the dog has had other people touch the wrong ones, and worked articles in several new places. Then I go to a fresh set of articles, and they have all transitioned well. I went to this method because my first utility dog was such an avid retriever that when I tried the tie down method, she brought me back the entire mat. So I put the articles on a heavy board. She ripped them off the board. Using wire instead of string got her trying to bring the whole board to me. A friend suggested using the bitter apple to teach her to sniff. I was skeptical, but also ready to try another route. I knew that she was smart and that it shouldn't be this hard. Within one week of introducing the new method, she was happily working an entire set of metal and leather articles with accuracy. I have used this method ever since (twenty years, six dogs, total) with good results. I am not claiming that everyone should start doing this, just that it has worked well for us. My kids have all had formal retrieving work (ear pinch) prior to learning articles (but not forced to a pile), and they get BIG rewards (high value food, tug games, whatever turns their respective crank) when they get it right. I don't think I would try this with a dog that did not know a correction for retrieve, but I have had friends use this method with dogs that didn't, and a also dogs that were pretty soft. Anyway, just my two cents worth..


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

GoldenSail said:


> Tie down worked for Scout--and quickly too. After a couple of weeks of training she has never again made a mistake when I pull them out to practice...


Have you made the switch from indoors to grass and/or added "other" scent yet? I clicker trained mine and very quickly got 100 percent accuracy inside. He struggled a little but when we started working outdoors in grass and again when I added "other" scent. Curious as to what others see with their dogs.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Well lesson one went well. I started with a loose tied down ring, and put that against the wall. Then with her sitting, placed the scented one about 2 feet closer. No problem. Worked it till both rings were on the board and she self corrected herself a few times grabbing the wrong one, worked through the 'it's tied down, can't get it and don't see anything else' thing and finished on her starting to sniff first then decide. She still grabbed the wrong one a few times but mostly had worked it out that sniffing and choosing the right one meant that scary board wasn't going to move at her.

Used a tiny bit of food, mainly whatever hot dog guts were on my hand, to scent, but very happy that she's working it out (and retrieving the rings, picking up things she wasn't into was a huge issue for us).


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Have you made the switch from indoors to grass and/or added "other" scent yet? I clicker trained mine and very quickly got 100 percent accuracy inside. He struggled a little but when we started working outdoors in grass and again when I added "other" scent. Curious as to what others see with their dogs.


Yes. I think I lucked out with Scout on this one. She picked it up rapidly, and since has not made a mistake and I only bring them out every few weeks. I have done them at training buildings after weeks of no exposure, switched articles, had people scent them, and done them outside. I didn't even have them tied down for very long. She's always been a nose oriented dog--since she was a puppy she was putting her nose to the ground and following tracks.

Storee and Scout are related, via River. So maybe....


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

GoldenSail said:


> Storee and Scout are related, via River. So maybe....


Maybe we should start a support group?:bowl:

I am struggling right now with what I want puppy wise out of Storee. Do I go for the breeding where it's a show dog with more body and a calmer temperment to get something that has three paws on the ground normally, or do I go with the breeding to an obedience dog for a dog on the ceiling possibly? :doh:


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