Maja Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 It is not really a problem as in "I'm stuck" sort of problem. My 2.6 yo bitch Darine, has a bit of a problem taking the command on with off-balance and off-pressure flanks. She is a dog that wants to keep all her bases covered and used to be very hard to persuade to take flanks that leave e.g. the sheep opened towards a draw. This is what I have been doing so far: 1. I started teaching her flanks first by naming nice flanks when they happened with the appropriate commands. 2. Then, I added actually giving commands for on-balance and on-pressure flanks (basically when I knew she wanted to do them). 3. Then (very soon after point 2, so that she would not get the idea that a flank command is always where she wants to go anyway), I would set her between 8-11 o'clock and encourage her to come to me with a gesture, and when she moved, I would add away. And the same for 1-4 o'clock and comebye. 4. At some point, the idea is to fade out the gesture and do off-balance, off-pressure flanks on command alone (I have no idea if other people do the same r not). Off-balance flanks are not too bad, but off-pressure flanks are more of a problem (which I understand as releasing the control of the sheep - I hope this is correct?). So this is what we have been doing and we are not stuck or anything, Darine is progressing, but I thought I'd ask if we can make things better somehow, since the flank commands that are difficult for her to take are often crucial (well, ok, all flanks are important, I hope you know what I mean). At the very end of this recent video is an example of the problem (soon after 3'19'' ) - excuse the music, the original purpose of the video was not to ask ask a question about flanks. But she takes one come-bye flank, and then she takes 'away; flank, instead of another come bye, I correct her and she goes on come bye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Here is a better video: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I think Amanda's at National Finals so it might be a bit before she is able to answer your questions, and then we can all enjoy learning from her replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Thank you for looking out for me, Sue! I noticed Amanda's name on the National Finals list, so I am waiting patiently. I put the video up now though so that I don't forget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 WEll, I think she looks pretty good, absent a sense of urgency about the direction of the flanks. Quite casual. Maybe you could convey a sense of urgency. What exactly is the question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 WEll, I think she looks pretty good, absent a sense of urgency about the direction of the flanks. Quite casual. Maybe you could convey a sense of urgency. What exactly is the question? Well, the problem originally was that if I asked her to release the control over the sheep she didn't want to do it. So, e.g. if the sheep wanted to go west, and I wanted them to go west, and I gave Darine the flank to let them move west she would not do it. But, between the one post and the other she improved a great deal, so the problem to a large extent solved itself. In this video the exercise is boring, but I wanted her to get focused on the command, so that she understood it. Earlier, I felt she didn't understand it (or more like she thought there was much more to it than there was). Now she still makes mistakes, but I think we are moving forward. Anyhow, she is not very intent on the work because (1) the sheep are not going anywhere and the exercise is boring, hence her casualness. I don't do such exercises much, but here I felt it that here she needed to focus on the simplicity of the flank commands (combye this way around, away that way around). Darinka had been very tense and a difficult to train for a very long time, and then one day she woke up and decided: "I am going to be a wonderfully biddable dog from now on." So now I don't always keep up with her changes like with those flanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 Cool. Everything comes to she who waits. Try not to bore her, or she could become resentful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 Absolutely, I will do my best! Thank you for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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