Magoo's Competing Is On Hold-Life Gets In The Way

See that boo boo toe?   It's been keeping us from going out to compete or doing any real training work for about a month.  His owners are treating it, but I have put Magoo's future competitions on hold until his toe looks all better.

This started with a split nail:( He may have struck it on a rock under the snow or something.   Anyway, it's as bad as it looks right now.   Poor guy.

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2011 Goals

In 2010 I completed my goals of 1) completing Companion Dog Titles on Bri and Magoo and 2) keeping my business income in line with last year. The description of goal one was that I complete titles on dogs that are not mine and not living with me.  I also wanted to bring in breeds that I seldom see in the trials around here in the obedience ring.  I have to finish up the third goal during Jan to March this year, as I petered out in 2010. This goal was to complete my certification papers for IACP and NADOI.

In 2011, in addition to completing my outstanding 2010 third goal, I want to 1) Score in the 190s in AKC Novice with Magoo and related to this get an indoor score that is acceptable, as I have a phobia of indoor trials (we already earned Companion Dog) before 2) complete a CDX, also known as Open, on Magoo (I have never trained a working retrieve before and have started with Magoo OR jump and return on command for that matter) 3) complete Novice for my dog, Boris, in UKC (he is an amputee and another first for me as far as training) and 4) continue on with Leon's training so he will be engaged and working as my demo dog (we've been working on retrieves, tricks, stationary, and anything that comes to mind, but well so they can be done in front of the public on command Or that is what we have been working on).

Jackie Companion Dog 2003-2009

Jackie Companion Dog 2003-2009 Owned, handled and trained by Mannerly Mutts

Bri, Companion Dog owned handled and trained by Mannerly Mutts

Magoo Companion Dog handled and trained by Mannerly Mutts

My business goal remains the same for 2011, but is going to be particularly challenging.   We will have a few clients no longer needing in depth training services or daycare services.   Additionally, with the economy right now, if a dog can stay home, dog owners are keeping dogs home.  This is not so much a problem for us as we are going to continue to only take on training clients as daycare clients, AND it's one part of the business where I earn the least but spend the most time.   It's about time to keep our daycare program on the same level or potentially phase out all together.   However, the need for quality training grows as people are spending more time at home and with their dogs.

So in 2011, we will be rolling out our Group Classes this year.   It seems timely for all of the reasons above.   I am still not sure whether I will limit this to only clients that have trained individually with me OR open it up to the public at large.   People who have trained with me know the safety concerns I have, and why I will be quite harsh with people who threaten the safety of the class (and I mean humans and canines).    Our group class will be different as it will not be confined to indoors or on my property, just as the private classes are not.   I will most likely need an assistant for these classes.   We will see.

Looking forward to a full year in 2011 and much success with our clients:)

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The Working Retrieve-The Beginning

This is a command a started with Jackie CD before he passed away last year.   Jackie and I were planning on competing at AKC Open trials this year.   Life and death are unpredictable fellows though, and they stepped in and ruined our plans.

I just finished Magoo's Companion Dog title.   Although we do not NEED to do any more Novice trials, I will probably keep him in the game until we are pointing in the low 190s.   In the meantime, I will start training the exercises for the Open trials.

Many dog trainers prefer to train their dog to Utility and then start the trials.   I am very new in the competition game, and Magoo is not my dog.   So I don't really know how long I will have complete access to Magoo.   Also, judging by the MANY mistakes I made in preparing for Novice my first times out, I would rather not carry forward such beginner mistakes into the more advanced levels of competing.  Once I finish a dog in Utility, I will most likely move towards training a dog all the way through before even competing at the Novice levels.   Time will tell, and experience sometimes changes the way you do things.  

Leon, a dog that I do not compete with due to his knees, is also going to learn the working retrieve.   He has an auto stand, however, and we will be working from that position instead of the auto sit stay.   Leon has  a play retrieve and loves it, and I would just like to firm up our work.   He will stop when he is "not in the mood" or treats aren't flowing freely.   A working dog, like a working human, needs to understand that it is a job.   Luckily, most dogs enjoy having a job, and just need to learn the rules of that job.   There is a lot of pride and partnership that goes into getting a working level out of a dog.   I am really not close to there yet, compared to other trainers who have been in the business 30-40 years, and were even perhaps reared in a family familiar with the dog profession.   Even us "old dogs" can learn new tricks though.  

The first thing that I will train for (beyond firming up my Novice performance) is the working retrieve.   Sadly, I did not find my own notes on this exercise.  So the first thing I will do is plan out exactly how the first week will go.

I recommend for clients and myself to go through the crating procedures, and then do a fifteen minute warm up on the old stuff before beginning the new exercises for the dog.  Once those are done, you are ready to begin. 

FIRST WEEK:


STEP 1: Warm up on Novice exercises until the dog is focused and attentive.


STEP 2: Leash should be on the dog to prevent fumbling for a stay correction,

if needed, and failing to begin the exercise properly.


STEP 3: Come to a halt in the heel position.


STEP 4: Give the dog the stay command


STEP 5: The left hand is positioned on top of the dog's muzzle at the mid

point. Done correctly the thumb will be pointed towards the trainer, and the

fingers will be on the far side opposite.


STEP 6: Center the dumbell in the palm of your right hand, and bring it against

the dog's mouth.


STEP 7: Say the command "[Dogs' Name] fetch", tighten your fingers and thumb

along the dog's mouth so that it opens, and allow the dumbell to roll into the

mouth so that it is right behind the canine's teeth. Don't allow the dumbbell

to roll to the back of the mouth, as that is something you will need to retrain

later, if you do.


STEP 8: The thumb and fingers of your right hand now gently hold the muzzle

closed around the dumbell, while your left hand moves from the top of the muzzle

to scratch places on the dog's head that they enjoy (ie right behind the ears).

Praise your dog as you do this "[Dogs' Name] Good [Boy or Girl]" for instance.


STEP 9: Move your right hand from the muzzle as you say "[Dog's Name] give",

and take the dumbell gently from them.


STEP 10: Release your dog with an okay.


STEP 11: Repeat ten times each session by going back to the beginning. Change

the location each time you come to a halt. Do this for at least two sessions

during the day. Seperate the sessions by the hours that you find convenient.



Should have video of a practice to follow.   NOTE:   IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU HAVE NOVICE SKILLS DOWN ADEQUATELY FIRST BEFORE GOING TO A WORKING RETRIEVE.


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Jackie CD Open Jumps Practice

Want to have this much fun with your dog? Call Mannerly Mutts, Maine's Dog Training Resource, at 207-361-4395. Or you can e-mail Maine's Dog trainer, Robin Rubin, at mannerly_mutt@yahoo.com. Also New Hampshire Dog Training, Massachusetts Dog Training, and other geographical area services. Don't forget that we have a residency and board and train program.

Planning My Day

I am training three dogs simultaneously for competition next year. Two are being trained for Open, and One is being trained for Novice (but he is a Thai Ridgeback, so he's a bit difficult in the trust/stranger department). So it's a lot of time and energy right now.

The days tend to fly by with either only one dog being trained, or a crucial thing being forgotten (like Jack's last five fetch reps yesterday). I don't want to be scrambling in February to be ready, and as it is, it looks like it might be wise to delay it to March. However, if I press my nose to the grindstone right now, I may be able to pull it off. There is no room for delay. So to remind myself, what I actually need to do is have a timeline and daily plan not just for training but for my whole day.

So today is Friday, and that means no daycare, but I have two client's dogs to take care of around the 12-2 Pm area. I figure that I will require at least a half hour per dog of training time (followed by 20 minutes of quiet time with me. Additionally, I want to practice stays with all three of them today, and this should be, at least, an every other day kind of a thing. Both Jack and Bri need 10 reps (split into two sessions of 5) of fetch work. Bri is on week 1, and Jack is on week 3. Devon needs to be reminded of all the basics again, so I am basically going on the 8 week Koehler plan for this. Stand for EXAM will be the hardest thing to achieve with him. Next will be stays with possibly moving judges. So a lot of public work needs to be done with Devon, but not right away and only until he is performing the basics reliably in non-distracting less stranger filled environments.

This is why poor Bri always gets the short end of the training stick, as she is more reliable than either Jack or Devon in the personality and stable tempermented department!! The worst that she will do is lag during the heel or sink into a down from a sit or walk directly to me out of a stay. The more reason why would should do well as a team and score high though. So I am going to try and not short end Bri for this next Spring of 2009.

So it's about 12 PM now. That means I am leaving soon to walk my little charge, Manny. I can bring my dogs, Leon and Jack, with me so they get their exercise as well. If I really wanted to push it, I could walk all of them over to Roxy and Harley's house, and have them all out on the beach with me. It's pretty exhausting to have five off leash dogs at the beach with you. So if it's low tide, that's probably what I will do, and I will get my and my dog's exercise out of the way at the same time (I have been jogging sporadically on my walks while it's not icy). So that, and going to the post office will probably bring me to 2 pm.

I could put Jack up then for his two hour pre training nap. Bri and Devon are already situated as such in their house already. At 4 pm, I could start the training sessions. I could even take Bri and Devon out for their own play sessions, work Jack first, and by the time I went and got them, then their two hours would be up.

So Jack and Bri, I need two separate sessions for retrieves. It is also reliant upon getting a Novice heeling exercise going perfectly before I can start the retrieve work. That might mean Bri doesn't start her retrieve work today, but instead gets a little heeling 101 refresher. We will see how it goes. Jack for sure needs a 4 pm work up with retrieve first five following. The first session should end around five thirty or a little thereafter for all three dogs to be worked separately. Then later in the evening, like at around 7 pm, perhaps another retrieve refresher.

So Fridays should be somewhat easy, especially if I make it a point to get going earlier in the morning .

The tricky thing is going to be the other days, and picking my two indoor and four outdoor locations to do this, and then changing the locations for increasing the distractions. The better you can do this, the better trained your dog will be.

Part of Yesterdays Homework

This is Jack's repetitions of Week 1 Day 1 using The Koehler Method of Open Obedience Book as my method of choice for a working retrieve. Check out the bruise on my chin, this is what happens when you don't get dinner on the table top on time (kidding, my husband does all the cooking). Actually this is what happens when you trip carrying your elderly dog down the stairs, and fall on the concrete mudroom floor with no other thought than avoiding your dog hitting it instead. Let's just say that my chin took the brunt of the force, and I am lucky that I have all my teeth and not shattered chin.

It is not only Jack's homework here, but I am trying to create my presentation skills, which in the future will take out the "ums" and my fashion sense will improve once I am ready to commit anything to a permanent sort of tape for my clients. You will notice also that Jack is also a little freaked out by the tripod LOL, and that I can not count when forced to concentrate on the fact that I am being videod.

Regarding Jack's mild freaked out state. I am not going to highlight this for him, as something he should be concerned about. He is not in an overloaded state, as he is used to the fact that sometimes we need to work where there is something that he is not familiar with. He also knows that I am not going to make a big deal that he is scared, and therefore reinforce that state of being. I will go into my treat methology at another time, and my protocol for when I use treats and when I do not. Hopefully, I will remember to talk about fear, stress, and the use of treats involved. For now though, this is a state of being that will disappear as he gets used to the scary three legged thing now on the porch. If I highlight it, I will freeze him there.