Sunday, February 19, 2012

Woodsy Weekend


The Crew Tommy, Bristol, Boris, and Gus (Leon is around there somewhere).

Boris looking to chase a stick embedded in the ice, as Tommy hangs out behind me.

Bristol about to go under, as Tommy completes his over.

Tommy starting his over (he is an awesome jumper).

Boris hopping alont.

Boris starting his over.






Friday, February 17, 2012

Spencer Pyrenes X Old Training Footage of Day 2 and 3 Electronic Collar

This was taken in the beginning of December 2011.   Where is Spencer now?   Enjoying a full life with his family, not attacking dogs that come near his family, and being able to enjoy expanded and freedom due to this:)


It is important to train dogs in different areas.  This is why Day 2 is on the beach, and day 3 is in the woods off lead with other dogs.  The beach was a particularly calm day with no one else around, so it was a bit easier for Spencer.   The woods was full of new smells and friends, so it's not that it was really harder for Spencer so much as his adrenaline levels were elevated so he did not feel what was the working stim the day before.   When the dogs do feel it, they are usually trying to figure out what kind of bug is on them at first that is pestering them LOL.   Sometimes being in a different environment makes generalizing harder for a dog as well.  

Someday I am going to go on a walk with Spencer and family and show you all the finished product.   However, I do like to keep the beginning steps visible for clients and the interested parties.   So many times if you are showing the finished product, or training with an already trained dog as an example, a future dog trainer/owner (who will train) will think that they are experiencing something unusual when it does not go the same as the demo with the already trained dog .

I like to show where the learning begins, happens, and ends.   The full story if you will.  Spencer's owner reports that he is doing well, and it is much easier to walk him in public with their growing (human babies) family.

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Misc Old Training Clips Spencer the Yorkie



These are some older training clips of Spencer the Yorkie. This is not the very beginning of anything, as Spencer was taught the stationary and stay commands by tabling. I will need to do a video and explanation of that for later. Very helpful when training small dogs with older human knees in the way.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Kong Tugger Knot Review

Puppy playgroup going in at Petco, which I was heeling Leon
around.  
I have been doing a lot of training via tug toys and other toys with my dogs, Boris and Leon.   Leon is fairly easy on toys, and Boris is very hard on toys.   Most of the tug toys have only been used for training in order to keep them in a useable condition for as long as possible.

I also train at least once a week at a Portsmouth Petco.   Sundays are particularly busy for instance last weekend they had a vaccination clinic.   Lots and lots of cute puppies and dogs were waiting in line.   I believe everyday at about 2 pm on Sundays there is a puppy play group too.   This can be challenging to dogs to train around.   The staff at Petco is very friendly as well.   So I keep some cash on hand to pick something up.   Since I can buy my training or daycare toys in bulk, I will try out a new toy first at Petco.   I consider buying something there each time as a kind of rent.   We buy most of our petfood items and such at Ann-imals to support our local pet supply store.

So I saw Kong's Tugger Knot toy, and it looked like a good idea.   The rope goes all the way through.   Leon and Boris both like to play tug together.   Even though I like to keep the tugging mostly to training right now, I don't like to eliminate games entirely that my dogs like to do together.   I figured the first part of this toy that would go would probably be the rope, but if I managed the play (by being interactive with them and making sure Boris didn't stop and chew it) that it would last at least a week.   This cost me about 13.00 of my pin money.  Plus Kong makes great rubber toys, and I hoped the same care would be shown in this toy.  


Kong's Tugger Knot Toy



The first thing to go however (in the first day BTW) was a seam in the animal portion of the toy.   I think the knots are so big inside that it was easy to burst out.  While my dogs can still use this toy, this was a dissapointment. It would have been one thing if my dogs had intentionally ripped open the toy, but I was sure that we were all constantly in motion playing with it as it should be played with.

While this toy looked sturdy, it was a fail for my dogs.


Friday, February 10, 2012

A Break Presents A Training Opportunity

In the middle of our 3 mile loop from our house to Long Sands to Short Sands, we take a break while Robert checks the mail box.   I took this opportunity to practice a down.   All dogs here got to play and explore on both beaches!  Fun day.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Some Informal Spencer Training

Spencer is a Yorkie male who comes here to day care and train. He can't always come here on a consistent schedule. So there are some things that I do with him that are a bit less formal than I usually do them. I like to devote a half hour with him to exercises and play that help him learn to self calm. He is a bit of a yappy sort, but very very smart. Spencer likes to be quite active as well, and he loves training even when it is a bit more formal than this. This tape shows his progression on learning how to self calm while toys are about, and other dogs are playing too. This used to be even way more exciting to him than what you will see on tape. Through our more formal reps of obedience commands, he has learned to harness a little of the "crazy". BTW, if you do not want to have your dogs bark, you might want to at least turn down the volume. I wanted to keep the barking on here so you can hear the change (as well as see) come about with consistent training. The only correction being the withholding of the toy until the command is performed and quiet is accomplished. The dogs can bark once the toy is thrown, but before then becoming quiet as quick as possible makes the fun continue as fast as possible too. As the days go on, you can see that I add other elements such as staying quiet longer, and having myself move around the dogs. Hope that didn't drive YOUR dogs too crazy. Happy training:) If you do something consistently and with patience, you will make headway and improvements in you and your dog's relationship.

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Saturday, February 4, 2012

Flump

I accidentally came up with a new word today. This is something most of my Dobermanns do or have done. They flump. Flump is the combination of fluffing and plumping a blanket or cushion.

Paws, teeth, and movement can all be combined to school the inanimate object to the correct consistency for bony Dobermann elbows. Do your dogs flump?

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