Board & Train puppy "Daisy" strutting her stuff for her pre-breakfast routine (and making me laugh).
LATER: Monica setting up Heel with Lu near Leo for the first time.
Taking your time to get your dog "with you" and working.
AFTER: Another Lu heeling vid (dogs offleash in the distance)
Monica is building her confidence and Lu's in doing "harder things". Ie, not moving AWAY from the distraction/training.
Impulse control with K-9 Cafe!
Nancy and Willow are learning how to work with puppy energy in distracted areas (T&C, Blackbird, Market area, etc).
At this stage of learning, it is important to challenge our pups enough so that they learn (messing up or 'breaking' the sit is good, because they LEARN!!), yet are not overwhelmed.
Nancy is giving Willow lots of love for holding her sit. If she breaks she is gently corrected on leash and gets love again once she's holding the sit again.
Good job Nancy and Willow! Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat...
Offleash group recall practice
Whenever we are during the offleash portion of class, we work on moments of obedience and leadership with the dogs. Despite my poor tandem working and filming skills, I thought this one was rather charming with the dogs at the end, as well as Pia's parcour through the trees.
Group Class: Tandem Spaniels! working the downstay
Pia and Coco are working on impulse control in holding the downstay.
RECALL/COME rep #2
Note: we began recording a bit late. The first part should be "Datara come!" then I say no.... (with no correction).
My note to dad (what I'm telling him about in this video) was that his longing look and distracting for Datara was at this point almost too much for her. I point out that we need to always find the level at which our dog will be challenged, but not overwhelmed.
I didn't want his vibing to Datara 'stay with me!!!' to make it so difficult for her to come away from him to me. Not for a first lesson with a stranger. I felt it was a touch too much for her, and to plan for the next time with a tiny bit less distraction.
RECALL/COME with new dog "Datara" series #1
RECALL/COME 1ST TIME
I wanted to leave Barbara and family with something to practice, an activity that is flexible in many areas (beach, park, backyard, etc). We wanted a simple activity to work Datara's mind and have fun with.
The next 4 videos include some handling of the longline safety tips as well as a structure for recall.
I also found it quite funny that Barbara said all of her previous 10 Setters never would come, but Datara did quite well. I find as a general rule, these gun dog breeds are rather willing to come when called and follow.
NOTE ABOUT RELATIONSHIP WITH HANDLER:
It is not always possible to work immediately (and sometimes for awhile) with a dog that does not have a relationship with the handler (Datara just met me), as some dogs are more defensive than others, or shy, or for various other reasons.
Ie, we always respect the dog if they are unable to work with us right away and show any signs of distress or stress. However, Datara is completely non-defensive and enjoys contact.
Note as we move from video to video that she is learning the 'command structure'. What I mean by that is that she decides to 'avoid' the correction (by coming the first time I call her) and simply comes by the 4th time. She already has a sense of what happens if she doesn't (little corrections until she does) and the reward is ultimately more satisfying. Reward meaning for now she gets a treat and always praise, and, she gets to return to daddy afterwards.
For the first video, there is an important moment to note: If she didn't come after a few little 'corrections' away from dad (I needed to use him and a treat as distraction, otherwise she would have just come to me), I WOULD NOT have continued the exercise for a first visit.
It is unnatural to call a dog away from the owner, so this one should be done with respect for the dog.
By video #4 (we simply did 4 recalls in a row, as I wanted them to see what they needed to do later and have some repetitions of p
RECALL/COME rep #2
Note: we began recording a bit late. The first part should be "Datara come!" then I say no.... (with no correction).
My note to dad (what I'm telling him about in this video) was that his longing look and distracting for Datara was at this point almost too much for her. I point out that we need to always find the level at which our dog will be challenged, but not overwhelmed.
I didn't want his vibing to Datara 'stay with me!!!' to make it so difficult for her to come away from him to me. Not for a first lesson with a stranger. I felt it was a touch too much for her, and to plan for the next time with a tiny bit less distraction.
RECALL/COME with new dog "Datara" series #1
RECALL/COME 1ST TIME
I wanted to leave Barbara and family with something to practice, an activity that is flexible in many areas and that will also give them something to work Datara's mind and have fun with. The next 4 videos include some handling of the longline safety tips as well as a structure for recall.
I also found it quite funny that Barbara said all of her previous 10 Setters never would come, Datara did quite well. I find as a general rule, these breeds are rather willing to come when called and follow.
NOTE ABOUT RELATIONSHIP WITH HANDLER:
It is not always possible to work immediately (and sometimes for awhile) with a dog that does not have a relationship with the handler (Datara just met me), as some dogs are more defensive than others, or shy, or various reasons.
Ie, we always respect the dog if they are unable to work with us right away and show any signs of distress or stress. However, Datara is completely non-defensive and enjoys contact.
Note as we move from video to video that she is learning the 'command structure'. What I mean by that is that she decides to 'avoid' the correction and simply come by the 4th time. She already has a sense of what happens if she doesn't (little corrections until she does) and that the reward is ultimately more satisfying. Reward meaning for now she gets a treat and always praise, and, she gets to return to daddy afterwards.
For the first video, there is an important moment to note: If she didn't come after a few little 'corrections' away from dad (I needed to use him and a treat as distraction, otherwise she would have just come to me), I WOULD NOT have continued the exercise for a first visit. It is unnatural to call a dog away from the owner, so this one should be done with respect for the dog.
By video #4 (we simply did 4 recalls in a row, as I wanted them to see what they needed to do later, have some repetitions of possibilities), she comes without the little 'correction'. She's quite a fast lear
HEEL. Where does this go. When it becomes fun and flexible
Super special moment. My client Kirsten took her time with patience for herself and her awesome French Spaniel "Coco", teaching her with clear rewards, love, and gentle and predictable discipline. And always a sense of humor.
This is her first real day in Phase 3 heel. The majority of the moments where Coco might 'mess up', Kirsten shows Coco with her left leg how to avoid corrections (in the case of surging or passing Kirsten, for example). She is 'helping' Coco know when she can walk, using her left leg, and slows Coco down BEFORE she passes or 'surges'. Any collar corrections are in extremely low levels.
The reason this works is because Coco was taught when she was allowed to walk and exactly when she is not, all before we reached this Phase 3 stage. Notice Coco either attuned to mom's left leg, or checking out what she wants and looking up at her. She's really enjoying herself.
BACKGROUND: Kirsten has the limitations moving her arm backwards. Great timing in Phase 2 Heel has been next to impossible (meaning, she couldn't correct soon enough backwards with the leash before Coco passed her).
The result of difficulty in timing for Phase 2 was that though I could heel Coco with minimal corrections and good timing (and Coco knows and learned heel), Kirsten was really unable to correct soon enough. This meant Coco would ‘drift’ forward and circle around the front of Kirsten and everything just got messy.
Oh, the joys and pitfalls of timing..
Since Coco is a hunter and prefers to trot, it was not very enjoyable for Kirsten to get caught in this loop.
Now that she's moved into Phase 3, she can use super tiny corrections with good timing and lead the walk. Coco is already a genetic winner, willing and eager to follow. Now they are both able to start enjoying their walks together.
Look at Coco happy to work for mom!
Can't tire out your dog with exercise?
Try a nice session of obedience training for the mind. Otis and Phoebe would like to say it gives them fantastic dreams of swimming upside down (well, that's what Otis says).
Group Class: MIster Tummy Rub
Well we can't always be serious.
People and dogs need breaks y'all, so... Debby wanted to show off how she taught Mister "tummy rub".
He seems to have partially forgotten, but it was pretty funny. Especially when he licks up/kisses her instead of rolling over...
Group Class offleash break: Audrey the Treat Whisperer
Lots of socializing today in our obedience breaks, also with Audrey hanging out with the dogs. Zoey (white Doodle) is getting better and better with dogs coming up to her, with only an occasional 'get outta my face'.
Macy (King Cav) is on her way to becoming a therapy dog. Cocoloco (Malaute) is starting to get on-board with listening for commands and not bowling over Mister too much while playing.
Riley played some chase (chocalate Doodle) with Cocoloco, it sort of looked like a rustling rug under Cocoloco :)))
Pup Pack: the mossy "big" boys
"Freddie" is not large; however, he's a TERRIER!!!
Freddie likes the big kids area. Everyone came to the fence to say hi after Mister and Ollie had their romp with Freddie in the lower pasture, gathering lots and lots of moss.
Special appearance by the King Cav "Macy"...
