Longline
Long-Line
I am always going on about how much I love using the long-line in training & I really do believe they can be a game changer.
However, a few points that are fundamental:It is NOT the same as a lead/leash (but just longer).
They are not for dragging/jerking your dog back to you.
They are definitely not the same thing as a flexi lead.
I use a long-line to give the dog time & space to think,in other words I give the dog options.
I believe this goes a long way in avoiding frustration.
Obviously this is something we build up to, systematically & over time.
What I find most amazing is the improved levels of communication.
You could believe that creating a physical distance might decrease communication but actually it’s quite the contrary.
To be fair this was a tough one with a lot of running sheep in the field but he managed to keep it together.
I’m in no doubt it was a bit sticky for him but he was cool….note also this didn’t happen overnight either.
I don’t do so called ‘quick fixes’
‘Slow & Steady Wins The Race
’#drainboy #teamwork #dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer #recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining
And this is a few minutes after the rabbit situation…
Notice to the right that 3 or 4 grouse fly up from the ground.
He just stops.
Sometimes of his own accord, when grouse take off, he turns and comes back to me.
This is something I have noticed recently and I wonder if he has simply learned that they always fly off and so no point chasing them?
However, he’s never caught a squirrel but still wants to chase them and even pheasant will gain more interest and they fly just like grouse, so who knows…?
I’m glad I caught this on film because it’s weird.
#eastlondondogtrainingcollective #separation anxiety #reactivity #agression #fear #anxiety #frustration #recall #acmewhistles #drainboy#longlinetraining
Rabbits
Another clip of real life’s imperfection.
Notice how he suddenly gets a whiff of something (that I assume to be rabbit) and after sniffing the air he’s off.
He’s already committed to the ‘rabbit’ and I am too late so I hold onto the long line but I do not pull him back.
The longline is there to prevent him chasing rather than pulling him around.
I know with this dog if I start to pull him he will dig in.
I also don’t want to repeatedly call him so I wait for the twitch, the slight head turn, the quick check in and then call him back.
And back he trots with a smile on his face.
#eastlondondogtrainingcollective #separationanxiety #reactivity #agression #fear #anxiety #frustration #recall #acmewhistles #drainboy#longlinetraining
Kane
Pulling the lumber out of the beck and Kane came down to check out progress
Dead trees
What we do for our bloody dogs…..
Drainboy doesn’t really have much of a garden so we’ve decided to build him one instead.
First step is chopping down the 5 dead trees.
#newproject
Myth
Here’s a clip of Drainboy doing a very IMPERFECT recall.
Myth buster
I think some folk might think that dog trainers have the most well behaved, best trained, practically perfect dogs in the world.
It’s not true.
What is true is that many trainers are prepared to take on the sort of dogs that might otherwise be overlooked.
Hence, we have a lot of empathy with people as they navigate through the emotions of anxiety, fear, frustration & so on in their dog (even in themselves perhaps)
#eastlondondogtrainingcollective #separationanxiety #reactivity #agression #fear #anxiety #frustration #recall #acmewhistles #drainboy
Flow
THE ULTIMATE REWARD
Flow:
‘A state of complete absorption or engagement in an activity that one finds rewarding intrinsically, irrespective of any end product or extrinsic benefit’
AKA - ‘In The Zone’
I speculate that the ultimate reinforcement for dogs is ‘environmental reinforcement’.
This is also us doing a bit of predation substitute training. Using the long line allows him to get stuck in with all the steps prior to actually chasing & killing.
These include looking, following, finding, sniffing etc
Also, I let him do the work without me in the background bleating repeatedly “find it find it find it…” like a demented robot.
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #predationsubstitutetraining #hunting #huntingtogether #agency
Doorway etiquette
MORE ‘DOORWAY’ MANNERS
We always teach so called ‘doorway manners’ at our group classes and still to this day I find myself explaining that it’s not about the human going first so as to ‘show them who’s boss’ (whatever that means)
It’s about taking responsibility for what might be on the other side,checking that it’s safe to proceed but mainly it’s simply developing a good habit of just holding back for a moment.
Who wants a dog with the rambunctious habit of barging into the unknown? It’s a bad habit and one day there might be something quite untoward on the other side.
Regarding these stiles.
It’s a good idea that he might not leap off the other side, particularly when you are on your own, it’s dark, muddy & pissing down. Particularly when you have to shove him up first while you clamber behind.
He knows there is a 10 second wait and despite being manhandled in an undignified manner he’s alright with it.
Doorway manners taken to the next level….
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #doorwaymanners
He loves this game…
Treats with at least some buoyancy work best
THE GOLD STANDARD OF SOCIALISATION - INDIFFERENCE
More sheep action and what a bleeding racket they are making. They obviously thought I was bringing feed.
Drainboy demonstrates nothing but indifference, so much so that he just walks off.
#drainboy #teamwork
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining
More long line
MORE LONG-LINE
One pip on the whistle means stop.
(Multiple pips mean ‘come here’)
This is about 7.30am which is relevant because he is normally extra aroused early in the morning and there is a lot more stuff going on EG those pesky hares…
The long line drags on the floor (it’s imperative that the long line doesn’t become a ‘long lead’).
I love the way he checked in with me, as if dare I say it, we are together.
#drainboy #teamwork
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining
RECALL
AKA ‘come here’
#positivereinforcement #consequences #abcofbehaviour
#acmedogwhistle
Doorway manners
We always teach so called ‘doorway manners’ at our group classes and still to this day I find myself explaining that it’s not about the human going first so as to assert their position in the hierarchy.
It’s about taking responsibility for what might be on the other side,checking that it’s safe to proceed but mainly it’s simply developing a good habit of just holding back for a moment.
Who wants a dog with the rambunctious habit of barging into the unknown? It’s a bad habit and one day there might be something quite untoward on the other side.
Regarding these stiles.
It’s a good idea that he might not leap off the other side, particularly when you are on your own, it’s dark, muddy & pissing down. Particularly when you have to shove him up first while you clamber behind.
He knows now there is a 10 second wait and despite being manhandled in an undignified manner he’s alright with it.
Doorway manners taken to the next level….
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #doorwaymanners
No real reason for this post except that it makes me smile ….
Easy wins
EASY WINS
Always practicing
Always adding in (very) easy wins
We talk a lot about how to progress behaviour or move it on and in doing so it generally means making it more challenging.
I believe it pays to dividends to ensure the training sessions are generously sprinkled with ‘easy wins’.
Always end the session way before your dog wants it to end,
So here’s an easy win for Drainboy in a low distraction environment & not very far away, an easy U-turn, puppy recall type vibe.
On this occasion I used food to reinforce the behaviour. The food used was soft, stinky & sticky.
On other occasions I might not use food but instead send him off immediately back into the environment (for example).
#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #empowerment #empowermenttraining #confidence #empowermenttraining
Just looking and enjoying the environment in the company of each other.
There ain’t much better…..
Longline
LONG LINE WORK
This is the closest we can get to being off-lead around sheep.
We are at a point now where (on a good day) we don’t need to micromanage him.
We avoid telling him what to do but instead try to give him the space to make those decisions for himself.
By us not pulling on a lead and holding him back means he can also find those moments to pause and observe and take in the environment at his own pace and hopefully learn to regulate his emotions better.
I’m dead proud of him.
We focus on where we are going, staying calm, breathing.
You can very nearly hear the cogs in his noggin clunking away…
#sheep #sheepanddogs #lambs #lambingseason #dogtraining #swaledalesheep #yorkshiredales #habituation #dogbehavior #preydrive #adolesense #dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #vitaldogtraining #eastlondondogcollective #longline #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #acmewhistles #dogmentalheath
Lambs again
More lamb work…
It doesn’t look like much, just a dog looking at some sheep in a field.
They say some of the best training looks really boring.
In situations like this boring is what we want.
I really feel the work is paying off.
The consistency, the habits & patterns, the guidance and the predictability.
#sheep #sheepanddogs #lambs #lambingseason #dogtraining #swaledalesheep #yorkshiredales #habituation #dogbehavior #preydrive #adolesense #dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #vitaldogtraining #eastlondondogcollective #longline #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #dogmentalheath
LAMBS
This is his third lambing season and they are everywhere at the moment.
We take nothing for granted and instead treat him as if it’s his first time around lambs.
To be fair the process this year (aged 3) is noticeably smoother than last year ( #adolesense )
If they look, smell, sound & behave differently then they are different aka new/novel.
Another reminder and a note for people that ask ‘how long does training take?’
Answer: it never stops
We should not sugar-coat the responsibility
#sheep #sheepanddogs #lambs #lambingseason #dogtraining #swaledalesheep #yorkshiredales #habituation #dogbehavior #preydrive #adolesense #dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer
#recalltraining #vitaldogtraining #eastlondondogcollective #longline #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining #dogmentalheath
You often hear people say “there was a sheep on the track” but I reckon this must be some sort of record surely Even he looks a bit bemused…#dogtraining #behaviourchange #dogbehaviour #vitaldogtraining #donoharm #shoreditchdogtrainer #recalltraining #eastlondondogcollective #yorkshiredales #acmewhistles #drainboy #huskymix #husky #romanianrescuedog #carpathianmountaindog #longline #romanianrescuedog #safeorunsafe #hackneydogtrainer #dogsthatbiteandfight #resourceguarding #reactivedogtraining #hackneydogtrainer #separationanxiety #reactivedog #citydogs #bricklanedogs #urbandogtraining