Fun outing with my pal Louie this week! The hunters there training a springer spaniel definitely laughed at us and the poodle with candy corn feet, but I was proud of him!
Louie has been working on retrieves for a while now and has learned to love his duck dummy. He’d only fetched on mowed grass before and typically was retrieving things thrown directly by his owner. We changed the picture quite a bit by venturing to a new place with lots of cover and plenty of space. Logan and I hid behind a tree to make the throw and we introduced duck calls, something Louie will hear as we continue this training.
I was thrilled with Louie’s commitment and enthusiasm! He’s only 40lbs, so the duck dummy gets a little awkward for him but we’re going to keep working on his hold and delivery.
Zeke is a young Lab who just a matter of weeks ago would have been hauling his owner along this trail. It would have been impossible for him to focus around another dog. If she had taken him off leash to avoid being pulled, he would have come back-until he decided something else was more interesting. Zeke had already completed multiple training classes in a classroom setting and had learned quite a lot but his skills weren’t transferring outside of the classroom unless distractions were minimal and lots of treats were involved.
Zeke has become a far more cooperative camping buddy, coffee date, and trail dog in a matter of weeks thanks to the diligent efforts of his owner. A trained dog gets to live a full life-it’s so worth it to do that hard work early.
Louie was kind enough to help Nyx and I with some training today. It was good impulse control work for him, too! An additional level of challenge was that Nyx is in heat and Louie is an intact male. But training and expectations still exist!
Chibi loved having the opportunity to explore the trail and ponds with the Labs!
Chibi has learned so many new skills during her stay with me! She’s had a history of struggling to focus around distractions and other dogs could prompt big reactions. She now checks in frequently, settles down quickly, thinks before just reacting, and is capable of taking direction in the face of distractions. Learning to be still and quiet, especially when things are happening, has been a big accomplishment for Chibi.
I love training small dogs and showing that they are just as capable as their larger counterparts!
A lot of the important work that happens while training a dog isn’t flashy or exciting. It’s about taking the time to teach the expectations and putting in the reps in enough situations to help the dog generalize the expectations. Dogs don’t generalize especially well and so you need to plan to break things down and keep the training wheels on for quite some time.
It’s a pretty new expectation for Chibi to follow commands in general, especially out in a park she’s never been to. She’s learning that she can think before just reacting and is getting better about looking to me for instruction. Stays are not the most exciting thing to train by any means, but you’ll never regret putting the time in.
Little Chibi arrived with some serious impulse control issues. She felt the need to bark, growl, lunge, chase, etc. at a whim. I always advise folks with small dogs (Chibi weighs in at under 14lbs) to consider what life would be like if their dog was maybe 75lbs. Would you be willing to tolerate, accommodate, or even laugh at their behavior?
Chibi will be with me for several more weeks. I’m excited about what we’ve been able to accomplish so far and look forward to continuing to expand her world as she gains skills.
Chibi isn’t a fan of other dogs but she’s getting the hang of being around mine. She didn’t let them stop her from doing a nice recall.
A great way to start checking a dog’s understanding of “heel” is to throw the leash across your chest and over your shoulder. This helps you get your hands off the leash in case you’ve been fiddling with it excessively and shows the dog a hands free picture while still allowing you to regrip the leash easily if necessary.
Charlie has come so far in the 2.5 weeks he’s been with me for training! He’s so much more focused at home and on field trips.
Despite being a Labrador retriever, Charlie isn’t quite clear on the whole retrieve game. He has good instincts-he wants to chase the bumper and pick it up. But more often than not, his habit was to run off with it and then not release it once someone got their hands on it.
I’ve been working with Charlie to help him understand that fetch is more fun as a cooperative game. By using the long line, I can help guide him towards me. We started with two bumpers to help entice him in and encourage releasing the bumper. I’ve also used treats to help him learn to release the bumper on command.
Lots of people get frustrated when their puppy or dog doesn’t just understand how to play fetch. Like anything else, you have to teach the dog the game. He needs to understand and see it as fun. You want to capitalize on what comes naturally to the dog and then shape it. I always start on a long line, typically with two toys, and generally with a pocket full of treats. I like bumpers because they are easy for the dog and human to hold at the same time to both encourage delivery to hand and to train a release. I do a limited number of repetitions to keep the dog interested and wanting more and I always put these toys away after a session.
There are times when I let Charlie run off with the bumper or play tug with me rather than expecting him to give it up right away. Again, you’re trying to keep the dog interested in playing with you and sometimes that means letting him get his way a little bit as long as it isn’t detrimental.
