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Here's a few games for Duncan to try!

 

Find heel - have someone hold him and you go in a big circle to your left, call him, they release, he find the position and you breakout and reward right away. Help as needed. When he is proficient on the left, change your direction to clockwise :rolleyes:

 

Toy under your left armpit - vary the steps you make while he is "right" reward before he is wrong, lift arm and allow the toy to be grabbed. I hate games where I disconnect from my dog, so I rarely toss them out, if I am not touching it there is a disconnect between us.

 

Sliding sits - makes for fast tucked sits.

 

Teach him to back on command, first in front of you then in heel position. Then you can zig-zag and all too1

 

Signals with you back to him, use a mirror.

 

Touch - touch meaning touch this (whatever it may be) with your nose. Great for heeling games, sometimes there is a cookie there sometimes not.

 

Take off games - 1 step lift left hand (with cookie) straight up (still in heel position) so that he takes off with impulsion, then make it 2 strides, then 3 and vary it as well.

 

Get in's - this will teach him to use his rear and it's taught on a prong (ok, all the PP's come kill me for this one...) Lower ring is attached to the lead in left hand and upper ring has lead to right hand - the right lead is behind you. Both leads are taught, not loose not pulling. You stay stationary and simply twist at the waist, you will feel him "begin" to move his hiney in and wrap your left leg.

 

Fig 8 with a twist - don't just do them the same, mix it up. As you go through the center, do an about turn, as you wrap a post toss in a drive between your legs cookie toss and break out. Do get-in's on the inside post, and do a complete 180 when they understand them. Keep it fun!

 

Oh, for anyone that wants to go back to stationary attention, I and my dogs find it the most boring things possible. I toss all the distractions at them from the get go, it's part of life. If it's too much then I back off on what I am asking of them, not the distraction.

 

RB - what I was saying about critical was that a dog has to learn how to deal with negatives in life, maybe not yours but most do lest they become weirded out.

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RB - what I was saying about critical was that a dog has to learn how to deal with negatives in life, maybe not yours but most do lest they become weirded out.

 

I am not saying that dog's don't need to learn that. Of course they do. I simply find that everyday life teaches that lesson quite nicely.

 

Dog knocks something over and it falls on his head - natural lesson in consequences.

 

Dog doesn't move inside fast enough, storm door slaps him in the butt - natural lesson in consequences.

 

Dog cuts his paw on a rock - natural lesson in dealing with pain.

 

Dog goes to the vet - natural lesson in dealing with discomfort.

 

Dog wants to go play with other dogs, but cannot due to leash or fence - natural lesson in not always getting what he wants.

 

Etc., etc., etc. - 1000 times etc.!

 

The choice not to incorporate leash pops into training does not negate any of those life lessons that teach a dog that bad things happen in life, you don't always get what you want, there is pain, there are all sorts of negatives in life. This is not something unique to my own dogs. It is just part of life.

 

Maybe the impression has been given that training through reinforcement (sans corrections) somehow insulates a dog by default from all bad things that happen in life. If it has, then that is a false impression. Life teaches that lesson all too well.

 

If it's your preference to use leash pops, then that's your preference. Why not just say so instead of framing it as if it were necessary in order for the dog to learn that there are negatives in life? That is simply not the case. Dogs who are not trained with leash pops still learn that simply by living life.

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Yes. However, I know that the type of heeling you and I are talking about is not the same. I am talking about 40 point heeling, every time in the ring, no excuses, excuses are simply a lack of training and proofing.

 

Maybe. The type of heeling that I'm talking about is precise, energetic, enthusiastic, highly skillful, yet natural and enjoyed by both dog and handler. The dog's natural movement is highlighted and the bond between the dog and handler team is evident as they move as a team in unison. It is, at the same time, both athletic and artistic.

 

And to get that - no leash pops necessary. So we must be talking about different types of heeling. I'm not really sure what your concern is about excuses, but if that's something that helps you with your training, then it's good that you find it useful.

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Kristine, so well said, totaly agree!

Positive training dosent have fluffy dogs with no idea how to deal with real life

Real life has consiquences and my dogs have to learn impulse control and all sorts of things - but I dont need to use physical corrections

I get things wrong with my dogs but I dont expect them to correct me either - its a kinda deal we have :rolleyes:

 

Kristine, you should so right a book! Whenver I come over here your advice is always fab. If you are ever in Scotland :D

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Another game for Duncan and heeling - dual leads, dual handlers and opposition teaching while heeling. This takes a second handler that you trust completely. You control the dog on prong, other handler on a flexi and buckle, if he's far enough along the game is to have him push/pull/drive/fight to hold position all the while you are praising, coaching and encouraging him! Second handler follows behind at first, then the the side then in front, you can mix it up when your comfortable with the game (just don't kill yourself on the flexi!). Second handler tries to pull dog out of position from wherever they are. You have to let he dog win, then you can start building on the game. Many dogs can do this it just takes time to build the confidence to have them mentally fight through the second lead, it solidifies heel position in their mind and makes them stronger. It's also a blast for them when the second lead is taken off, the drive and energy they emit is fantastic!

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Here's a few games for Duncan to try!

 

 

 

Get in's - this will teach him to use his rear and it's taught on a prong (ok, all the PP's come kill me for this one...) Lower ring is attached to the lead in left hand and upper ring has lead to right hand - the right lead is behind you. Both leads are taught, not loose not pulling. You stay stationary and simply twist at the waist, you will feel him "begin" to move his hiney in and wrap your left leg.

 

Sorry to single this out as honestly I am not against a collar pop or a prong collar if needed. Although I prefer reinforcement based training in most things

 

BUT you can teach an AMAZING get in by doing brick work, no prong collar need, I did this with my dog and she learned it super quick.

 

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BUT you can teach an AMAZING get in by doing brick work, no prong collar need, I did this with my dog and she learned it super quick.

 

I've seen that before and it looks interesting. I might try that with a future dog.

 

I teach this using a big box on the floor. I line up with the dog between the box and me. I take a step around the corner of the box and click as my dog "gets in". Once the dog is getting in quickly, I switch the box for a pylon and repeat. Once the dog has it with the pylon, I remove the pylon and we have lovely round and round and round pivots.

 

I also teach a pivot from front into heel. Very flashy to have the dog pivot from front into heel and then pivot around quickly with the dog pivoting in perfect heel. This is one of Dean's all time favorite things to do. It also translates nicely into inward laterals.

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Wow, so many fantastic, and very detailed, suggestions! Thank you SO MUCH!!! LOTS of you should write books. Or better yet, teach classes near me!!! Certainly I learn best in a more structured environment. I'd love to see you working with your dogs (and I love watching the video clips some of you have posted).

 

As soon as DH is up and walking about more (he's recovered enough from surgery that he's threatening to go back to work this week, though walking in our neigborhood with all the snow at the moment is out of the question for him), I'll press him into service as my "co-handler". We can remind each other of all the wonderful strategies you've been kind enough to detail that we can use to gradually introduce distractions - while keeping it all FUN!

 

What's clear is that (1) the current class is all wrong for us. "Fun" isn't a part of the equation. Treats are discouraged, and I've yet to see a toy. The trainer really isn't spending much (any?) one-on-one time with us to help figure out what's not working. Certainly there's no suggestions for improving our bonds with our dogs. The dogs are there simply to do what we tell them to. (2) I'm expecting too much of Duncan to translate from the 5-10 minutes or so he does of lovely heeling on our walks around the neighborhood to the craziness of half a dozen different obedience classes being run simultaneously. (3) I should trust my instincts (which made me want to walk out of this class after the first lesson) more.

 

I'm now signed up for the Control Unleashed class. I think we'll both benefit from it. And it will give me a chance to check out a new venue for obedience/agility training. I'll let everyone know how it goes!

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Alchemist, cant wait to read how you get on.

It is a shame your class dont have fun, whats the point of training if it isnt fun??

 

As for using a prong collar, YUK

I would say with that method have the dog on a flat collar, you on a prong and clip yourself onto the dogs collar, every time you get it wrong and your dog looses focus then you get the punishment

I think that would make you be a little more careful

 

I am not the biggest fan of heeling but I teach it offlead anyway

and I have just started Slyvia Trckmans version of the brick work - it is amazing and far more fun, you end up with a happy dog trying its hardest to glue itself to your leg, totaly understanding of where its back end is going as you twist and turn, sprint and spin trying to shake your dog off your leg :rolleyes:

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I also have to thank everyone too for their fabulous and thoughtful suggestions on this thread. Especially Karen for her great list of heeling games and Carlasl for the video link to the "brickwork"! I got so inspired by the brickwork video we will be trying that tonight. I don't have a prong and don't personally know how to use one really well, and since a get-in would be a fun trick for us anyway, it's the type of thing I'd enjoy pulling out the clicker for.

 

Odin's heel has deteriorated and could really use some of Karen's games to shine it back up before the baby gets here - I really want a nice "no excuses" heel for the stroller/baby carrier walks. Right now I have gotten kind of lazy and we rely too much on a walk behind because I trained that better and have practiced it more in very distracting situations (e.g., stockwork). But I can't see him back there and I don't think he particularly enjoys walk behind compared to a heel position (when we had a better one!)

 

I did notice that the dog in the video was so exuberant for the training, he had a stay that was less than I would desire. :D I am not half the trainer many here are, or as good as the woman in the video, but I guess the result I am shooting for with my mishmash of training methods is to have a dog that excited for training but who would keep that stay when told! :rolleyes:

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As for using a prong collar, YUK

 

It's hard to grasp how easily they are accepted in the US isn't it? But then there are still people yanking on choke chains here so we can't really be self righteous about it.

 

Personally I don't think I have the right to use punishment devices on my dog just because I want it to do some of the stupid and pointless things people do - and that certainly includes competition heelwork. My dog isn't my puppet, it's a sentient creature. My personal ambitions are not that important.

 

Pam

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Have another game - place a bunch of their favorite toys on the ground, spread them out in no pattern at all. As you heel past them and he stays with you, praise him huge. Then start "stepping" on them, if they squeak, jackpot reward him for being with you and paying attention to you! Also, as you walk w/i grasp of one - release him to grab it and play tug with it. Keep using the cookies throughout all of this as a lure when needed but on offer when he's right regardless.

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It's hard to grasp how easily they are accepted in the US isn't it? But then there are still people yanking on choke chains here so we can't really be self righteous about it.

 

Personally I don't think I have the right to use punishment devices on my dog just because I want it to do some of the stupid and pointless things people do - and that certainly includes competition heelwork. My dog isn't my puppet, it's a sentient creature. My personal ambitions are not that important.

 

Pam

Unfort in some circles they are becoming popular in the UK too, there is a dog training club here and they have club walks and hillwalks and stuff, and 1/2 the dogs do the whole walk on a prong collar, like climbing Ben Nevis on a prong!!

I speak out about choke collars too, hate the things, do as I demand else I will collapse your airway! Thats not the kind of relationship I want

I also saw an agility clu training with the dogs on chokes ewwwww!!

It is sad heelwork, agility, showing, whatever are supposed to be fun tricks to do with your dog to build up your bond and have fun

But people take it so seriously they end up punishing the dog because they are so desperat for places

 

there is a guy who uses punishment for heelwork, also look at the dog when he shows the prong, lip licking and calming signals increased - the dog does not like it

 

here is Slyvias dogs heeling

 

I know which dogs I would rather be

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup#p/c/F0.../12/xsvNvK8T1z8

Thats the method I am using for teaching my dogs to heel

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here is Slyvias dogs heeling

 

I simply must teach Speedy and Dean to heel together on opposite sides of me like the dogs in the beginning of that video! That looks very cool and I think they would both enjoy it.

 

Anyone here think I really can't do it without leash pops or corrective collars? :rolleyes::D :D

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I simply must teach Speedy and Dean to heel together on opposite sides of me like the dogs in the beginning of that video! That looks very cool and I think they would both enjoy it.

 

Anyone here think I really can't do it without leash pops or corrective collars? :rolleyes::D :D

 

I look forward to the video.

 

Pam

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I look forward to the video.

 

Pam

 

Soon as they are ready, I'll make one.

 

I just stared working on it in the kitchen and I think it's going to work out well. They were extremely entertained by it.

 

I also played around a little with a front foot target from the last video pammyd posted. Definitely very interesting.

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I make videos of each of our training sessions from the start to the final product for my pups Breeder. I will post one if I can about my pups heeling training.

She was way more difficult than my older dog as she was so reinforced in the front she had to always be in front. After 2 lessons I have her heeling on the side, regarded it isn't perfect (she bunny hops in between steps) that's nothing was can't fix. All using her dinner (plain biscuits) you can use all the corrections and games in the world but you need something he wants to work for.

 

You'll find it just needs value before he will do it at training. You'll probably find that the behaviours you are doing at training and that he is doing successfully are the ones you work on more and reward more. Maybe you just didn't reward high enough for the heeling. So simple but usually is the root of all evil. :rolleyes:

 

My pup when training has a default position which is a "stop" (drop and stay). So no matter what i teach if I give it too long she reverts to a lie down because it is so highly reinforced. If we are out and i ask her to "stop" she instantly drops no matter where she is and waits, simply because it is so highly reinforced. I don't teach my dogs sit because twits will keep asking my dogs to sit and not reward them and soon enough they don't have a sit in their vocabulary. Also it takes longer to get out of a down than a sit if we are by a road or something so it gives me more time to realise they are breaking a stay.

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Excellent sudjestions Journey!!! I use some of those very exercises with my dogs!!!

 

Everybody has there own style and methods that they are comfortable with, everybody starts somewhere!!! And a great amount can be learned from everybody's own experiences and what works for them with there dogs.

 

However, if someone is even remotely intersted in competing and is intersted in "competition style" heel work then they would be keen to listen or seek out info from people who have acutally obtained this level of work and actually set foot inside an obedience ring, rally doesn't count. I actually wish there was an "ask an expert" area for the different competitive dog sports in this forum.

 

I would strongly sudgest anyone looking to build a possible competition team with your dog seek out a knowledgable instructor who not only has been competing succesfully themselves but who has a knack for passing on there success to there students. ALSO, PICK AN INSTRUCTOR who uses methods you are comfortable with and that suits you and your dog!!! Different methods suit different dogs/people! I am FAR from the "jerk and heel" method and my dog does NOT respond to that kind of training! I have had many negative experiences witnessing people training that way but many people do not!

 

I also would STRONGLY sudjest you find an instructor who is used to working with border collies! Different breeds tend to have different needs in training! BC's are no different and in genderal respond well to motivational methods!

 

 

I feel your pain in terms of different instructors not allowing certaint things and when starting out I went through ALOT of facilities finding the right match! I eventually settled on private lessons with an amazingly succesful trainer with border collies, plus attended seminars and paid to just use ring time to work on my dog the way the trainer and I wanted.

 

Again, this is not directed in a negative way towards other people of this board and we can ALL learn something from eachother!!! I just worry about certain methods being sudjested here that have not been tested in a ring, and agility is much different than agility. I have no doubt that in practice and with cookies these dogs heel very well. Not sudjesting that the people on this board don't know how to train a dog to heel. But putting these methods to the test in a "high-stress" competitive environment where you cannot talk or give your dogs cookies might put a different spin on things. If it did work, GREAT! But if not I feel that the anyone who is acutally intersted in competition heeling is not getting advice that might help them.

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I don't teach my dogs sit because twits will keep asking my dogs to sit and not reward them and soon enough they don't have a sit in their vocabulary.

 

I find this statement confusing. I've only clicker trained the one dog, so admittedly I'm no expert. But after the initial clicker training period for such elementary commands as "sit" and "down", my dog never required any reward whatsoever for these commands, or a click either. When he was a young puppy, I trained at home and in class with the clicker, and rewarded often. But even early on, if someone else asked him to sit, and didn't have a treat or a clicker, he would anyway and I would provide the reward (or they would) by praising him. But after all this time, being asked to sit a thousand times with no reward (as I rarely, if ever praise for a sit anymore), he has not lost the skill. I thought that was the objective with clicker/reward based training? Eventually they don't need the reward every time or even at all?

 

Odin and I have worked on the brickwork for two nights now, 5 minutes each. I'm definitely not as fast or as skilled as the woman in that video, but he's putting his feet on the brick now and last night we got half a turn in too! He loves the game. The MOST hilarious part though, is that I keep putting my cat off or even out of the room for bothering us. After last night's training session, I found Dr. Benway standing in perfect position with HIS two front paws on the brick and *glaring* at me! I guess now I need to teach the cat to "get in" too! :rolleyes:

 

ETF grammar

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I find this statement confusing.

 

Certain people were constantly telling Myla to sit for no reason and if she didn't, they didn't bother to make sure she did. They would ask her to sit and if she went "yeah right" and walked off because she knew she wouldn't get anything, they wouldn't follow through. She's too clever and soon generalized it to everyone and even me, if i asked her to sit she'd stuff around or not do it at all. My dogs will always do something if I ask them too with the emphasis on the "I". So when she wasn't being expected to follow through when somebody other than me asked her to sit, she generalized that too me and somewhat forgot how to sit. So i had to redo a sit, stand and drop. Now no-one that comes over is allowed to ask them to do anything as it ruins my training.

 

Yes with clicker you eventually don't need a reward but that doesn't mean they shouldn't still get one. I see this alot with new puppy class participants, they assume that since they did the class that their puppy is trained and they never have to do it again. You will find you reward him somehow, whether it be a "good dog" when you release him after a sit he gets to go back to what he was doing, or even a pat. Training is ongoing and I don't think it is ever finished. Sure a skill is taught and learnt, and once it is proofed your pretty much set, but a dog can lose that skill just as easily. Saying this it all depends on the dog, as my dogs don't work as well with other people. They show all the interest but don't understand the commands, they musn't be able to generalize to another person as the way that person says that command is different to the way I say it.

 

Anyway I no longer use a sit, I teach one but hardly use it. I saw in my puppy people constantly telling her to sit and I'd laugh because she doesn't know how, that way in her training stage they couldn't do the same that happened to my Myla. It's the same as start line stays. The handler puts a dog in a stay and walks out to the course to take their position. They turn and release the dog not realising that the dog moved a foot. Next time the dog shuffles forward slightly and soon the dog won't stay but move forward 5 metres. Because it's in a comp most people won't remove their dog from the comp and the dog is free to break a stay and move forward. They learn very quickly when they can get away with not listening. They are reinforcing themselves for not waiting and its the same for the sit. She is asked to sit but doesn't have to and buggers off to whatever she was doing, same when you don't release a dog. You tell it to lie down (which means don't move until I release you), you don't release the dog and forget, the dog gets up and walks off. Hence it has just learnt it doesn't have to wait for a release. Off course this happens over time but it is extremely common. I hope that makes sense. :rolleyes:

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I thought that was the objective with clicker/reward based training? Eventually they don't need the reward every time or even at all?

 

Correct. Ultimately, you want to build the value of the click/treat into the behavior itself. This is easier with some behaviors than others - depending on the dog.

 

In the situation that Mariji describes, I would probably have used that opportunity to teach the dog that sitting for me is WAY more reinforcing than sitting for other people! So, after the dog sat for someone else, but didn't get the reward, I would cue a sit and reward the heck out of it. (I'm not saying that Mariji's choice was wrong - just that I would have used it a it differently). I would repeat that a lot - every time someone else asked for a sit and did not reinforce. I expect that with repetition this would make the dog's sit much stronger when I cue it, while giving the dog the option of responding or not to the other person asking. After all, I want my dog to respond to my cues, not anyone else's.

 

Like Mariji, I see a lot of people abandon reinforcement way too soon. Reinforcement is like deposits in a bank. A dog with a long, strong reinforcement history has a much higher capacity to respond to cues correctly without reinforcement (in the long run) than a dog with a very short reinforcement history. I know that kind of seems backwards, but it actually does work out that way if the reinforcement history is solid.

 

Odin and I have worked on the brickwork for two nights now, 5 minutes each. I'm definitely not as fast or as skilled as the woman in that video, but he's putting his feet on the brick now and last night we got half a turn in too! He loves the game.

 

I started it with Dean, too. I want to use it to train a perfectly straight pivot in front of me in both directions.

 

He is also enjoying it. And it keeps him ramrod straight in front of me as we pivot. Very nice!!

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In the situation that Mariji describes, I would probably have used that opportunity to teach the dog that sitting for me is WAY more reinforcing than sitting for other people!

 

I would retrain the sit to a different cue that noone else would be likely to use by accident.

 

Pam

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Correct. Ultimately, you want to build the value of the click/treat into the behavior itself. This is easier with some behaviors than others - depending on the dog.

 

In the situation that Mariji describes, I would probably have used that opportunity to teach the dog that sitting for me is WAY more reinforcing than sitting for other people! So, after the dog sat for someone else, but didn't get the reward, I would cue a sit and reward the heck out of it.

 

Like Mariji, I see a lot of people abandon reinforcement way too soon. Reinforcement is like deposits in a bank. A dog with a long, strong reinforcement history has a much higher capacity to respond to cues correctly without reinforcement (in the long run) than a dog with a very short reinforcement history. I know that kind of seems backwards, but it actually does work out that way if the reinforcement history is solid.

I started it with Dean, too. I want to use it to train a perfectly straight pivot in front of me in both directions.

 

He is also enjoying it. And it keeps him ramrod straight in front of me as we pivot. Very nice!!

 

Unfortunately I was not always around to correct the said person or reinforce her if she did do it correctly. (Was a roommate) We did reteach her sit and now it is better than it was before and since then she has not lost any of her cues. For a bit she was losing some of her tricks as people thought it was cute and would cue her over and over and over again. But we put a stop to that before we lost anything else.

 

You explained it perfectly. (I'm terrible at explaining things) Your dog will shwo you what you reinforce the most and what you don't. My default behaviour (what my dogs always resort too) is a down because it is soooo highly reinforced, they see it as a way to get heaps of treats so is always what they try first in shaping and always the one they listen to 100%, treat or no treat. But that doesn't mean they get a reward 2 out of 3 times I may ask them.

 

It is only fair if your dog does such a good job that you reward them. :rolleyes::D I'm pretty sure my dogs would go on strike if I never rewarded them again. :D

 

And Pam, yes we changed the sit cue to "down". Took me ages to come up with a different cue. That way I can cue it but no one else can unless I tell them.

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It is only fair if your dog does such a good job that you reward them. :rolleyes::D I'm pretty sure my dogs would go on strike if I never rewarded them again. :D

 

Oh, my dogs will never have that problem! They get more than sufficient rewards.

 

I actually use a pattern in my training sessions that is recommended by Kay Laurence in one of her books.

 

All training sessions start out with a high rate of reinforcement. I usually start out with fluent behaviors and they are highly reinforced for them. Then we move into working on things that they are learning. There we still use a high rate of reinforcement. Then I work for a while on fluent things with less reinforcement. I will put the treats in a bowl off my person and work on backchaining to a jackpot, or segments of Freestyle routines that include behaviors that are solid, but need to be reliable in competition. Here we build duration of focus and behaviors. Then I end with the most fun behaviors for the dog, again using a high rate of reinforcement.

 

This sets up a template that I can use in competition. I always warm my dog up away from the ring, using a high rate of reinforcement. In the ring, no food, of course. By the time we compete, duration of focus is plenty long enough to complete the tasks that are required in the ring - unless I am using competition as a test of where our training is with a particular dog. After we leave the ring - jackpot and some fun behaviors with a high rate of reinforcement.

 

I don't do every single training session like that. And, obviously, with a dog who is new to training there are no fluent behaviors to play with yet. But more often than not, that is the structure that we use.

 

It serves two excellent purposes. The fluent behaviors are kept fresh and reinforced. And it builds the dog's duration of focus without rewards. Another win/win. I love it! :D

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All training sessions start out with a high rate of reinforcement. I usually start out with fluent behaviors and they are highly reinforced for them. Then we move into working on things that they are learning. There we still use a high rate of reinforcement. Then I work for a while on fluent things with less reinforcement. I will put the treats in a bowl off my person and work on backchaining to a jackpot, or segments of Freestyle routines that include behaviors that are solid, but need to be reliable in competition. Here we build duration of focus and behaviors. Then I end with the most fun behaviors for the dog, again using a high rate of reinforcement.

 

Fantastic! That's what I do. I am doing contacts at the moment with my pup. (Just on the ground) And we start out with some recalls, stops and fun stuff. Then we will work a few rounds on contacts and take a break by doing some circle work so she gets too run and so on. Echo loves to run so I break it up with exercises that involved running, as thinking about where your back feet are is a lot of work.! :rolleyes: She figures it out when I jackpot her and it only takes a second to have her repeating what i just jackpotted.

 

As with our new rescue anything other than trying to claw her way up onto my shoulders is jackpotted. I will walk around with her and try get her to engage with me (she is EXTREMELY soft) and then go back to practice not jumping on me. In which I will just stand there and wait for her to finish trying to climb up me, the second her bum hits the ground she gets a huge handful of treats. She figured that out pretty quickly. She finished with tonnes of cuddles as she doesn't know how to play and is very, very clingy so cuddles are her favourite. If my dogs get something right that is hard I give them the rest of the bowl and we finish with a game.

 

That was one thing somebody never taught me how to do when I first started. They tell you to train at home but they never explain how. Sure each dog is different but there is a general outline, start with a game, finish with one etc. Its something I make sure to tell my students.

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