I started Boris a bit earlier, but when I realized we were not going to make a United Kennel Club Event in the time frame for the only UKC trial in Maine, some personal things of importance got pushed in front of Boris's training. That's okay, I want to take time with Boris and this new training method. I am also switching from the American Kennel Club to the United Kennel Club, since UKC takes tripods.
A couple other things got sidelined as well, an AKC dog that I was working towards Open got an unfortunate injury that has held up his training (not injured in training by the way). So I may switch client dogs to compete when I bring Boris in. My goal was not only Open though, but to point as high as my skill level would allow in Novice. That is going to be easier with my own dog, so I will concentrate mostly on Boris (and perhaps I should concentrate solely on Boris now). I do have a contender living in house for the next year plus though, and am asking his owner's permission if he could compete as well. Unfortunately, a type of dog that I have worked before (while Magoo was a Great Dane and my first experience bringing to competition this breed).
That's life though, always tripping you up, so one needs to remain pliable and flexible to navigate through the obstacles. These are the challenges that I am used to thriving on.
So my very next priority challenge, Boris and training him as completely as possible with a new method. I have written about my experiences at the Mike Ellis seminar. I've worked with toys and food as a reward before, but not at all like Mike Ellis. As I understand it, people in the protection dog training sports might be more familiar with this method and the people that have been fine tuning it. As with anything, getting actual results is a bit more complicated then just whipping out a toy and food:)
What I like about this method, is it is much fun for the both of us while getting results AND quite a good workout for the both of us. While I am no competitor in freestyle dance with dog or expert, it very much the same reasons that I am interested in that sport, but with more of an advantage towards obedience training (or protection sport training) your dogs, I think. Seems that way from observing the folks that do this sort of work anyway, which I got to see in abundance in the seminar. Strongest training that I have seen from a group to date of any method. Now, mind you, many people were into dog sports. That means that a certain amount of careful planning of their dog of choice was made more so than the general public (regarding physical fitness, temperament, screening out potential health problems in the lines, and picking out certain breeds). For instance, there were no small breeds that actually went to work in the seminar. All attendees there were very much into training their dogs.
So I am testing this out with my dog, Boris, who is of a typical Doberman pet dog temperament. He seems to be the type of dog (also Leon and my deceased dog Jazz) that would benefit from and thrive with this method. He is not physically perfect (only having three legs) but he is otherwise healthy with plenty of drive, and quite easy to motivate with a toy or food or attention or fun or adventure...
Here are the things that I have been struggling with or to get over in switching to a new method for training my dog (not yet clients dogs and I will list the many reasons for that shortly):
- Often times my other method goes faster towards distractions, and because of this, I will work my dog when daycare group or other dogs in training are around. However, with this training method not only are those distractions a bit much at first for keeping the dog's attention (or not as quickly overcome), but I can inhibit the dog I am training by commanding another dog trying to get into the game by doing something or correcting that dog even if it is just a harsher tone of voice. Since you are working with drive, you want to keep up the enthusiasm and drive of the dog and build upon it.
- Way more management of things, since I am avoiding even the gentlest of corrections when starting out with Boris. It may be that I am unbalanced, and I will balance out the need later on as I get more familiar. I have to think a lot more now, because this is unfamiliar, as to how I am going to handle a situation. Luckily, Boris isn't going to do much very bad. He did start out with the training that my other four dogs had received.
- With the other method, it is easier to sort of fake being enthusiastic and into it on an off day. With this new method, I need to get into the mood, there is no faking. This is a plus as well.
- Since Boris is a tripod, these sessions are done optimally in the earlier part of the day before he has wrestled with all of daycare, and run through the woods. Having to use one front leg does tire him out more than the same drive dog with four legs. Though he has more energy and drive than most four legged pet dogs that I know. If I miss the earlier spot, I can get him going with food but I gotta work twice as hard
. - Get dinged up a lot starting this, and especially as I don't have the skill that someone else does in handling the toys in a straight line while moving. Got a hole in one pants leg, and another in a sweat shirt to demonstrate.
- I have to be a lot more physically fit to endure the training sessions. Again, this is also a plus.
- Not to mention that the handler has to really work at being engaging, which is a real plus. However, it does take a real amount of work and concentration when you are not used to working with a dog at their peak drive and needing to bring them their WITH you.
However, I am very excited about this for the right dog/human teams in the future, and to bring it to AKC and UKC obedience for my personal teams (being me and my dog right now).
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