Taking the opportunity tonight for a bit more training with Bolt. Lit the bonfire just before dusk when all the roos come past. He was alert, but didn't move as they all hopped by. Lots of praise, a few treats. At dusk, we are usually inside, so doesn't get to experience/practice not chasing all those things that move around at this time.
In my class, I will talk about keeping the stay & recall separate while the dog is learning the excerizes. If you always call your dog to you dog from a stay, they then anticipate that you are going to call them to you and will come even when they aren't asked. The below video is a good example of how quickly dogs will anticipate what you are going to do. This is a drop on recall, but the principle is the same.
This was the first time I asked Bolt to drop after I had called him to me. As you can see, the second time I call him, he starts to come and then drops almost immediately - anticipating that I am going to tell him to do so, even though that it not what I have asked for.
Your dog has a brain that THINKS & figures things out. A follows by B follows by C etc. ... perfect example is putting on the walking shoes, picking up car keys or the lead.... this tells the dog it is time to go somewhere exciting, a walk etc & they get exited in the anticipation of this happening!
For stays & recalls, this is why it is important to keep them separate - just in case it is in a situation where it is unsafe for your dog to move or you need to call your dog to keep them safe.
Bolt & Buddy busy reacquainting themselves after months apart. I'm in for a fun filled Easter! This is a good video showing some nice play body language. Reciprocal play (Bolt laying down & later Buddy), natural breaks in play that ask for consent to continue. Some really nice balanced play is happening between the two of them.
Got an energetic puppy or dog? Stinking hot days like today where a walk or run in the park is out of the question, get them using their brains! Here's a couple I've just done with Bolt and he's still checking the room to make sure he found all the food!
When training your dog, you don't need lots of time. Bolt's session tonight in this video he was earning his dinner. We did a few things he knows, then as I'm teaching him to crawl forward at the moment I lured him with the food and had no word for it, but marked what I liked with yes. The word will come later once he is crawling right. Then we did a few more things he knows well. Short sessions can be more effective than a longer session. Mental work through training can be just as exhausting as a big walk or run - very useful for hot summer days or those really wet ones.
Now Summer is on it's way and mum is pumping from the dam, it's time to start playing with the fire hose when mum waters the garden 😀 Bolt much prefers the hose to sprinklers. Sprinklers "fight" back by hitting you with water!!
I took this video about 10 years ago. The little kelpie pup is about 6-7 weeks old that I had found dumped out bush a couple of weeks prior. The pup is trying to interact with the elderly cat in the only way it knows how - bouncing and asking to play. If you listen carefully, Kelie gives multiple verbal warnings to the pup that what it is doing is not acceptable. It is a good video showing how young puppies start to learn their manners and how to behave/interact with other dogs (well, in this case the cat). No puppy was harmed in this video. Mog was very good at keeping dogs in line without requiring the use of claws.
A very poor video quality, but shows how a change in what the exersise looks like can make a difference in how the dog understands the cue given. I asked Bolt to go "out" which is going out and around what I'm pointing at. Previously we have practiced this using witches hats and it was the first time I'd used a tree. First one - easy, second one didn't look right and so he jumped through the middle. Changing what the "picture" looks like to the dog effects their understanding. The more pictures we create with the same exersise, the better understanding our dogs have. Eg. Sit means the same action at home, at the beach, in the park, on lead, off lead etc
Training isn't always about telling our dogs what to do. I had some of Bolt's dinner and let him decide what to offer me. He moved back away from where the food was - acceptable to me so I rewarded. I waited to see what else he would offer. Given some thinking time, he moved back again as it worked previously. Reward and guess what, Bolt is teaching himself that crawling backwards away from the food works!
Socialisation of your puppy/dog is something that never really ends. Even a new toy with a different squeak can be a new experience. It took Bolt about 2 days to be totally comfortable with the rubber chicken. Now it's his favourite and he can't get enough!
I was out late and missed the last of the daylight to give Bolt his evening run in the paddock. How do you keep an eye of a dog in the dark? Give him his own headlamp to hang round his neck of course!!
At various points during Covid lockdowns, I did a few short training videos for the local obedience club to give the members some training tips and activities. This is one of them - the Collar Grab game teaching our dogs that reaching out for their collar is a great thing and nothing to be avoided (because going on lead after a play date can be very disappointing for the dog!).
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How to have a quiet night in....make the dogs work for their dinner!
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The joys of having a new puppy in the house.....not only is it about training a new pup, but also having a 10 year old trained dog behaving like a puppy again!!
