training protocol ideas

[RemsMom]

You have inspired me! I printed off all the levels and put them in a binder.

[ourwully]

Sue Ailsbury revised the levels some time ago and she sells the new ones. I wanted to buy them but her website is not working so I printed the old levels as well and they do fill a binder! I also made up 7 test sheets so I can see everything at a glance.

 

I think we all approach things in different ways, but for me following a plan of some sort keeps me focused. I remember when we went to puppy school I really liked the homework. It kept me structured and we all tried to do our best with it, if for no other reason than, not to be embarrassed at the next class. I find if I don't have it written down I can go days without doing what I should be doing. I imagine if I had been doing this for years it would all come naturally but as a beginner I feel overwhelmed at times.

[Root Beer]

I haven't seen the new ones, but I have heard many people say the original ones were better. I'm not sure from what perspective, but when I do them with Bandit, I will do the old ones.

[Aandi]

I love hearing the progress. Nice work. Looking forward to digging in.

[ourwully]

Well May has arrived and we are still on Level 4 but the good news is that we have learned a lot of things and had a lot of fun. We are struggling a bit with the stand command from a distance and the sit stay for 2 minutes but we are close on both those commands. With the standing Juno is good with the command but then walks over to me and with the sit stay she makes it for about 90 seconds and then goes into a down stay. I am really happy with her progress and mine!

[ourwully]

Only two tests to go. One is to get Juno to hold two different objects in her mouth with one of them being metal. I haven't put a lot of work into this one but I am trying to do them all so I will focus a bit on it. The other test is to walk loose leashed for 80 ft through milling dogs etc with only appropriate cues. This is a real tough one as Juno is so social she wants to meet all dogs and all people. I may have to keep working on this one and level 5 simultaneously. Loose leash walking has definitely been the hardest thing for Juno and I . I have tried a lot of different things like walking the other way when the leash tightens, or changing direction. I have also stopped her and tried to refocus her with Look at That games, or targeting my hand but when she is focused on something it is like i am invisible. It all brings me back to a question I have asked on this forum many times in many different ways, Is this just a maturity thing that I have to wait out? I have resolved to not use negative measures but I don't know what else to do in a positive way to get her walking really well so I am just working away and waiting. Now don't get me wrong, we have made a great deal of progress in this area, but it can all fall apart if the distraction is big enough. Anyway, we're off to level 5.

[ourwully]

I have been on vacation for 3 weeks so the training has been on hold. Juno was spoiled and received minimal training when I was away but now she seems better than ever. Even 3 weeks seems to make a difference at this age. I am going to take a couple of days with basic training and then start on level 5 with a couple of carryovers from level 4 as mentioned in my last post.

[teresaserrano]

I noticed this with my previous dog and notice it with Tess: during august, there's no training classes, and we are on vacation and focus on having fun. There's always training going on but nothing really stuctured. When we get back to classes in september, the dog is always fresh and eager to learn. I think they need holidays as much as we do.

[ourwully]

I hadn't thought about it that way but I think you are right about the vacation!

[ourwully]

It has been over a month since we have done formal training. We got bogged down a bit at the end of level 4, especially with the loose leash walking and then my motivation dropped after I got back from vacation. Recently, Juno has developed some issues with noises so that has also made the training difficult. Overall, however, it has been really useful and we have been doing many of the tasks informally on a regular basis. For me, Juno has already surpassed my expectations so that is part of my lack of motivation. Nevertheless, I want to keep her learning and me too. To help me out and to give myself some structure I have been using a daily training sheet. I have copied it below. A lot of the items are from Controlled Unleashed and the Training Levels. The 'here' command is from the Reliable Recall video and some are from suggestions made on this forum. Basically, I try to address each of the items at least once a day. Many of them are done informally. The last 3, from Controlled Unleashed, I haven't done yet but I have included them because I hope to try them out in the future. The 'whistle' command and 'here' command need special mention as they are emergency recall commands. With these I use them infrequently for recall but only in situations that are highly likely to be successful. When Juno returns for these recalls I give her a special treat and I make it last by breaking it up and feeding it to her in little pieces. The idea here is to make the 'here' command and the 'whistle' command very appealing.

I realize that this list will be limiting for many but for me, and maybe others who are only hoping to have a well adjusted and behaved companion, it should be of some help.

 

 

Juno’s Training Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

 

Loose leash __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Heeling (eye contact) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Whiplash turns __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Look at that __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Release (ok) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Good Meetings __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Whistle __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Here __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Come (in woods) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Come (in yard) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Stay/Wait __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Leave it __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Look at me __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Heel (off leash) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Down __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Down/stay (sec) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Sit/stay (sec) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Fetch __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Give __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Drop it __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

To house/matt __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Look at that __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Target __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Around __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Board walk __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Jump __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Left/Right __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Back up __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Command sequence __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Find/identify __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Up, Up, Off __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Cross paws/speak __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Sleep/ Roll over __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Bow/stretch/noses __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Sit pretty/hands up __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Relaxation __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Off Switch __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Give me a break __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __