Back to Basics

Over the weekend, I recieved my Susan Garrett dvd in the mail. I was really eager to watch it, so when Red took off to go fishing, I popped it in and took a look-see.

Within the first five minutes I realized that I had a lot more work to do before we could even begin many of Susan's techniques.  I was really impressed with what I saw, though.  But what I can't wrap my head around is how you train a dog to understand the cues.

One thing that really grabbed me is something called 'Shadow Handling'. It helps to teach the dog where to be in regards to your arm and position.  Essencially, once your dog fully understands the shadow handling, you can run around sporatically and move your dog from one side to the other with just your hand position. It was cool to watch.  But I haven't the foggiest idea how to get my dogs that far.

I had a tug rope and grabbed Kirby to work first. The exercise we did (which was from the dvd) was having him sit, walking away, dropped the tug, and when he looks at the tug, I release him to get it.  When he had that, I'd move out further and toss the toy out parallel to me and again when he looked at the tug I released him.  Then I pulled out a jump and set it out in the living room and introduced Kirby to it. Then I put him in a sit and tried to guide him over the jump using the tug toy.  He didnt want to jump it.  So he went around instead.  I said 'oops' and took him back around and put him back into sit.  We did that about 5x.  Eventually he decided the easiest way to the tug was over the jump (which was about 5 inches off the ground).  Big 'YES!' and some tugging to reward.  He loved that and went over the jump every time after.  Then we went back to the first exercise but included the jump. I put him in sit, threw the toy on the other side of the jump and released Kirby when he looked at it.  He did well.

Frankie was a different story.  We took a beginner agility class last spring and we struggled through it.  Frankie's brain seems to only be registering the end result, and she will plow through anything in order to get there the easiest way. We've struggled through the same problem with disc as well. Eventually she will do what I ask her, but she bawls me out for it. I've learned that when she's squabbling at me during training, it's her way of telling me to hurry it up so she can have her toy. When I ask for a sequence, she barks at me, knowing that she has to do a few tricks to get her frisbee. Frustration maybe?

She was familiar with agility jumps, so I started her on it right away.  I used a tug rope for her as well.  Put her in a sit.  She sat there vibrating with energy.  Her goal: Get the rope.  My goal: Get dog to jump over the jump.  I faced away from her next to the jump, held out her tug and released her when she looked at it. She broke and made a dive through the air for the tug... plowing right through the jump in the process. I yanked the tug away before she grabbed it, said oops and put her back into a sit.  Fixed the jump.  Tried again.  Same result.

I am not sure if I should try using something of less value to her?  Maybe that will slow her down enough to use her brain?  She doesnt seem to acknowledge that the jump is there.  And as long as it falls apart when she plows through it, she doesn't feel the need to launch her body up and over it.

The Aussies and I are going back to basics.  The basics of obedience that is.  Heeling is something we have to master in order to get to the shadow handling. Sitting and staying in a sit until released.  The tug seems to be the perfect reward and motive for Kirby.  For Frankie, it may be too much.