Devi

I have a shy rescue dog whose interest in toys is very fragile. She is so sensitive that early on, I couldn't have ignored her and waited until she brought the toy back, because after a second of no activity her interest would be gone and she probably wouldn't play with me for a week! I taught her to retrieve with two balls, tugs or frisbees. (Actually, often we used 8 or 9 frisbees!) I'd throw or roll one, then immediately run in the opposite direction calling her and waving the other around like crazy. When that was solid, I'd sit on the grass and tease her with one, then throw it, then tease with the other, pulling it over the ground as she came back with the first one, then we'd play tug with the new one. Now she retrieves every time, is playing flyball, and is a great frisbee dog!

Another less-recommended way to teach a dog that the click has meaning requires less of the pressure present in a typical training session. Capture something. Even if Senneca already knows sit and down, if you just sit on the couch reading something or at your computer with a bowl of dog treats and a clicker, wait until you see one particular behavior. Barely be watching her out of the corner of your eye and when you see her lie down, for example, click and toss the treat and then ignore her again. She may not get it the first three or four clicks, just be surprised about the treat raining from the sky... but since she'll have to get up to get the treat, she has another chance to lay down. She'll lay down again, probably coincidentally, after a while, and you can repeat until she's laying down purposefully to get you to click. This was the major lightbulb moment for my dog-- she really understood that she was making the click happen. Oh, and it's really important that the click and treat be separate. Click, short pause, then start moving your hand to get the treat. It's much clearer when the click and the treat are separate actions-- the click predicts the reinforcement before there's any other indication that the reinforcement is coming.

Capture it! Definitely works, and once you get it, you've got it. Use a clicker, or a verbal marker I suppose but a clicker would probably work more quickly, sit down with something to read, disguised treats in a bowl that she can't get to, clicker in your hand idle, moderately tired puppy on a leash. Ignore puppy. Wait as long as it takes. When she lays down, click out of nowhere and treat a bunch of times while she's still laying down. Then toss one, or if she gets up, then go back to your reading and puppy ignoring. Continue for about ten minutes and stop, even if she doesn't seem to be understanding, just be patient and try another session later. Keep doing sessions like that until she's offering the downs immediately after you click and treat the ones before. I did this with my puppy-- actually, I haven't used a single lure with her, and she was a very quick study.

I pre-ordered mine and it isn't here yet. I can't wait to read it! If you check out the videos on the website for Chapter Two, though, you'll see a familiar face...

I think Leila's pregnancy might have been accidental. After all, she seems to want to breed "ABCA registered working dogs" and there seems to be no information whatsoever on Leila's origins, let alone registration of any sort. Also, she never announced that she was planning this breeding, like she has about the two litters you mention.

Don't forget that she also said that Jake was actually neutered several times. Now he has a litter (I'm assuming this one was accidental, because the female is not registered and her website claims she wants to breed "ABCA registered Border Collies") and last I heard, she is planning for him to sire two more this year.

New website and first litter. Also: she doesn't compete all the time all around the U.S. with her dogs. It says that on her website, and has for more than a year now, but it's a blatant lie. She's only competed a few times in novice competitions close to where she lives.

What about feeding treats while doing agility? I do this every day with my non-toy-motivated dog. Am I putting him in danger? I never thought anything of it since everyone I train with does the same. I don't mean to hijack, I hope Rush is doing better!

I have just this one without the text. I got it because I liked how stylized it was, but I really wish he was crouching. Standing in that position, he looks a touch too Barbie! He's also kind of fat! I have him reversed and I never noticed before.

Thank you for sharing this! Do you mind if I pass it on to some agility friends? It really makes a point.

I haven't posted anything of my sweet rescue boy Chaos here in a while, so I thought I'd share a couple of recent agility videos. His rewards are food treats, water hose chasing and bubbles-- he's never been into toys. His second session on twelve weave poles, video taken today. And a video of how I trained his automatic down on the pause table. Thanks for watching! He'd love to go to class or compete someday, but he's dog and motion reactive. We're working on it, though! Oh and, sorry again for obnoxious music....

Chaos naturally smells like cookies. Seriously. I try to share this finding with others, but "smell my dog" must not be a very attractive invitation. Few take me up on the offer. Sigh.

Team Museik

Lookout Valley Farms

I bought mine for $34.95-- pricey, but most specialty dog training DVDs are much more so.