🌟🌟 Luring - Dead Toy 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Luring - Dead Toy 🌟🌟
When training our dogs, sometimes they might not understand what we want them to achieve. The use of luring is a really helpful way to guide them.
The term luring refers to the use of a desired reward to coax the dog into achieving the desired behavior.
Luring or the use of a dead toy (toy on the floor) can be great in agility. The benefits include…
🐶 High success rate
🐶 Force free
🐶 High reward rate
🐶 Building trust
🐶 Can break unwanted patterning
🐶 Good fun
Luring is great, but we don’t want to rely on it completely. We need to change the criteria after we have had success in a training session. To do that, we would start to ask for the behaviour first and then reward. This will show if your dog is understanding what you are asking. If they don’t, then you will need to break it down even more.
If your dog won’t go to a dead toy, is toy obsessed or won’t work with a toy on the floor then you can use treats in a manners minder or food bowl.
🌟🌟 The Double Wing Wrap 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 The Double Wing Wrap 🌟🌟
The wing wrap is probably one of the first things we teach our dogs when starting our agility journey.
To progress from a simple wing wrap is to ask for a double one. This is where they go round the wing twice, three or even four times, but we need to build to that slowly.
The benefits of this are…
🐶 Creates excitement for the wing
🐶 Builds tightness on the wing
🐶 Great for warming up
🐶 Good for body conditioning
🐶 Good brain training
This is perfect to teach indoors, out of the miserable weather. You don’t even need a fancy wing to do it. You could use anything in your house that your dog can go around.
Have a go and let me know how you get on 🙌🏻
🌟🌟 Beginner Jump Skills 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Beginner Jump Skills 🌟🌟
Whether you are just starting out or want to go back to the basics this is a really handy jump skill you can do with your dog.
This is a great exercise as it…
🐶 Creates confidence
🐶 Builds gradual criteria
🐶 Easy to do in the house or garden
🐶 Fun for the dogs
🐶 Builds commitment to jumps
Have a go and let me know how you get on 🙌🏻
🌟🌟 Rewards - Getting in right 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Rewards - Getting in right 🌟🌟
Rewards are usually seen as treats or praise but there is so much more out there that we can use as a reward for our dogs. This is especially important in agility because we really want our dogs to know they have been amazing. So using their favourite rewards is essential!
Here are some common types of rewards used in agility…
🎾 High value food
🎾 Food toys like clams
🎾 Tug toys
🎾 Balls
🎾 Frisbees
🎾 Chaser toys
Here are some reasons why it’s so important to use the best rewards in our training…
🐶 Helps build a positive bond between you and your dog.
🐶 Can help with behavioural problems.
🐶 Helps to build your dog’s confidence and encourage them to think for themselves.
🐶 Releases dopamine
🐶 Helps to increase concentration and motivation.
Having the correct rewards and motivation are essential for successful training and it is really important that we learn what our dog loves. If we use rewards that WE prefer them to have but THEY don’t necessary like, we can add in a negative association with whatever you are doing.
For example, Sparrow loves to tug in training but at a show she won’t tug when she comes out the ring. She is just not interested. If I tried to make her tug she wouldn’t be getting what she wanted the most. She would be getting a very low level reward and in effect not reward appropriately. So, I quickly realised she wanted food for when she came out the ring. This made her extremely happy and gave her that dopamine rush I want to give her.
Tugging would be easier and cheaper but would definitely not be the right reward. We have to go with what the dog loves in order to be successful!
What’s your dog’s favourite reward??
🌟🌟 Enrichment 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Enrichment 🌟🌟
Canine enrichment enables dogs to explore and use their natural instincts. It has many benefits and provides safe opportunities for your dog. These include chewing, digging, hunting, herding, and sniffing. It can also prevent behaviour problems, reduce anxiety and build confidence. All in all very beneficial!
Different types of enrichment include…
🐶 Brain games – ‘Cognitive or mental enrichment’
🐶 Exercise – ‘Physical enrichment’
🐶 Socialising – ‘Social enrichment’
🐶 Sights, smells and sounds – ‘Sensory enrichment’
🐶 Tasty treats – ‘Food enrichment’
Here is a video about some food enrichment…
🌟🌟 Importance of Sleep 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Importance of Sleep 🌟🌟
Sleep is incredibly important in our dogs, with adult dogs needing anything between 12-14 hours and puppies 18-20 hours per day.
Dogs are polyphasic sleepers, which means that they need to sleep in more than two segments per day. Humans tend to sleep for a long period of time, in one go, in a 24 hour sleep period.
A lack of sleep affects dogs just as much as it does us humans. I know when I have a bad nights sleep or lots of broken nights. I become irritable, snappy and frustrated with certain aspects of my day to day. Dogs are exactly the same! Here are a few signs of lack of sleep in dogs…
🐶 Mouthing
🐶 Restlessness
🐶 Attention Seeking
🐶 Barking
🐶 Constantly alert and aware
🐶 Heightened anxiety
🐶 Over excitable
🐶 Lack of focus
🐶 Reactivity behaviours
Within dog training our sessions can become hard work or pointless if your dog is in a state of tiredness. Or if we are away competing in dog sports, our dog’s performance can decrease and we don’t get the best out of them.
Here is how we can help our dogs and ensure that they are getting the sleep that they need…
🐶 Ensure their bed is in quiet area
🐶 Changing your dog’s feed times
🐶 Making sure the temperature is comfortable for them
🐶 Do not disturb them in their bed, let sleeping dogs lie
🐶 Maybe a separate room for sleeping in away from foot traffic or children
🐶 Making sure they have the correct size bed and that they are comfortable
🐶 You could add in a bedtime routine
🐶 Use a crate if they can’t settle in larger rooms
Is your dog getting enough sleep??
Agility Workshops in Scotland
Had an absolute blast last week teaching in Scotland at Glenheart in Kinross… So lovely to meet everyone and wow what great partnerships! 😍
🎥 @springyolive_ess
🌟🌟 Release Cues 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Release Cues 🌟🌟
It is important to have a release word, whether it is ‘okay’ or another word of your choice. A release cue is the ‘off switch’ for any behavior that the dog is required to hold.
A well implemented release cue can be highly reinforcing for your dog. This is due to a dog’s conditioned emotional response (CER) to its release word being strong and well established. A dog will then start to associate the release cue with a feeling of joy and excitement. My dog’s release word’s have been paired, again and again, with the things they love the most; such as eating meals and running agility. Now, even when the release word isn’t used for those things, they will work just to experience the CER it evokes. It is the most powerful, easy, and simple cue that I use countless times in our day.
Not only a useful training tool, a solid release cue can save your dog’s life. This includes going over a thresholds, like through a doorway, out of a crate, or out of a vehicle. A release cue is also extremely useful for dog sports, as it builds a solid start line as well as clarity and confidence for duration behaviors.
It is so easy to teach..
🐶 Start off by asking for something simple, like a sit or down
🐶 After a couple seconds say your release word and use a hand gesture for them to move out of the behaviour
🐶 Reward this with a treat or praise
🐶 Start to use this in every day life
🐶 TOP TIP: If they break out of the behaviour before you say your release word then simply ask for the behaviour again and say your release word quicker. The time you took to say it may have been too long. Build up the duration slowly.
Why don’t you start to give release cues a go in your training!
My Crufts 2024 Round Up 💚💚
My Crufts 2024 Round Up 💚💚
Wow what a rollercoaster of emotions Crufts has been. Over the moon with the girls with only a few blips from me which cost us placings in the awards.
Spider 🕷️
Small Championship
5th Jumping
14th Agility (10 faults)
11th overall (one dog out from the final 🥺)
Small Crufts Singles
🥉 Jumping (5 faults)
4th Agility
Elimination in the final 🥺
Sparrow 🐦⬛
Novice Cup Final
🥈 Jumping
Elimination in the Agility 🥺
Looking back at my videos I should had handled differently. Especially in Sparrow’s agility round. I find it hard going from running Spider to Sparrow as they are so different. I trusted her too much like I would Spider. But hindsight is a beautiful thing! Running two dogs at this year’s event was testing for my brain! 😳
A month ago I thought I wouldn’t be able to run Spider and wow she came back better than ever! She was fast, accurate and amazing! At nearly 9 years old she is still holding her own 🔥Sparrow was a superstar in the environment and didn’t shut down at all. In fact I think she thrived off it! At only 2 years of age I am so excited for what’s to come with her 🤎 It felt amazing to be apart of such an incredible event and LOVED running them on that green carpet again!
Congratulations to Martin Reid, Dylan Osborne, Dalton Meredith and Stephanie Best for small and medium champ wins and reserves. Well done to Louise Godwin and Katrina Hands for singles win and reserve. And to everyone else who worked hard to be there as well. We all take the best dogs home!
Thank you to my mum for being the best groom. Thank you to Ashleigh Butler for being the BEST trainer and helping me with the courses. And for all the lovely messages and support from family, friends and my clients! ❤️
Thank you to my amazing Sponsors!
Loyalwill Canine Hydrotherapy Centre you have been a major part in their fitness and support.
Emma Overend at Canine Conditioning Academy you have been amazin
🌟🌟 Sometimes it just goes wrong 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Sometimes it just goes wrong 🌟🌟
With any sport, things go wrong. We simply cannot be 100% consistent in everything we do all the time. We can try but we are not robots and our dogs are not robots.
For me it really varies on how I am feeling. Not sleeping well and tired (I have thyroid issues), eaten the wrong food (I am intolerant to dairy), not competed for a while, body feeling sore from exercise. All these things can have an impact on how I perform. Our dogs can also be the same as us! Frustration, over tired, distracted, feeling sore, not warmed up properly etc.
After analysing my runs from Ogilvie show on Sunday, it was very clear my handling was awful at the weekend. My brain wasn’t in it and I let Sparrow down. Spider would have got me out of trouble but with Sparrow I need to do everything right in order for her to do it right.
I did beat myself up for a few days but I think what is important is to learn from it, be kind to ourselves and move on. It was our first show back since November, therefore I was a bit rusty and sometimes we just need to give ourselves a break. It is ok to go wrong but the main thing is not to give up and keep on going. Learn from our mistakes and train train train 💪🏻💪🏻
It’s very easy to always post the good stuff. But I do think it’s important to also show the bad stuff! So enjoy my blooper video 😂
🌟🌟 Online Client Testimonial 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Online Client Testimonial 🌟🌟
Beans and Kathryn joined my online client training and wow they have been brilliant to work with!
Kathyrn wanted to work on rear crosses, backside cues and weaves. I created a tailored plan for her and beans, and together we worked through it week by week.
They have both been amazing to work with and have progressed so much. I’m excited to watch this pair grow and develop over their agility journey!
If you are interested in my online coaching, please get in touch 😎
🌟🌟 Looselead walking 🌟🌟
🌟🌟 Looselead walking 🌟🌟
The benefits of training your dog to walk with a loose lead include…
🐶 Nicer for the dog
🐶 Saves your arm from being pulled
🐶 Prevents any injuries on the dog
🐶 Creates a more enjoyable walk
🐶 If they already have an injury it will help
Loose lead walking is really hard for dogs. We are actually asking a big ask! This is because we are asking them to do something totally out of what they normally know and do. I don’t know about you but my dogs do not walk slowly in a straight line!
They want to follow that nose of theirs and go at whatever pace they like. Normally a fast pace or a trot. So, we have to realise this before starting any type of loose lead walking.
My top tips for loose lead walking…
🐕🦺 Be consistent in your training. Make sure you are doing the same thing and do it all the time
🐕🦺 If multiple people walking, make sure you are all doing the same thing
🐕🦺 Teach a marker word and use in your training
🐕🦺 Two pieces of equipment can be useful for consistency. Work time, play time theory
🐕🦺 Teaching them the heel position can be a really useful tool. This position gives them an idea of where they need to be. It can be done off lead or on lead.
🐕🦺 Don’t be stingy and reward when they are doing the right thing. And use lots of tasty treats like chicken or sausage.
🐕🦺 Make sure you train EVERYDAY! If you put the effort in you will see results! Fact!
I will be doing a ‘how to video’ on how to teach the heel position very shortly, so stay tuned.
For more dog training and agility tips, please follow along 😎
Specialised in positive, reward based training in agility, workshops, puppy and obedience.
