You make me feel like a slacker. LOL.
You have a good foundation on the attention heel for sure.
How did you start her with the barking? I've been using a back tie, it works better for some than it does for others. I've also been using the "reveire" command for the barking. What advantages/disadvantages to you see to the reveire vs. gib laut?

I can't wait to see more from Glitch. I like her.

 

Lisa makes me feel like a slacker too lol.

We taught horse to bark on the out, its nice because you can put him into drive just by telling him out....and then work on OB in drive (which has been a challenge for him). He also will bark on gib laut but its a less in drive bark.

But he is also an easy/eager barker and will bark at almost anything.

why the ball Lisa?

in retrospect I wish I had done all of my OB with toys, b/c its almost like re-teaching it when they are in drive....

 

in retrospect I wish I had done all of my OB with toys, b/c its almost like re-teaching it when they are in drive....

It is different for different dogs. Some dogs go too crazy or get in too high of a drive state when toys are being used to actually do much learning at all. By using food first, you slow down the dog's brain and allow him/her to be reached at this stage in training. As the behavior becomes clear, you can start to use toys because the dog already understands the command so you are no longer teaching the basic behavior, but asking for it in a higher drive state.

It's not much different than teaching an out on a ball or tug with their handler instead of trying to teach it while the dog is gripping the decoy/helper.

 

its amazing what a dog can do when you know what you're doing. nice video, thanks!

 

She is only a five month old dog and she is doing fantastic.
Great job and session, Lisa.

 

Lisa i cherish your advice! Keep it up!

 

Thanks everyone!

I like to start with food regardless of the pups drive for toys actually. I guess I just find it easier to lure and shape the behaviors I want with food. I also think its helps with bonding and teaches them early on that I call the shots as far as eating goes..I think it sets a good precedent! By using food during training, I am interacting with them while they eat and also while playing with them. I may not use a toy for obedience in the very beginning but I still do have regular play sessions with them so that's 2 ways to spend time with them and to drive home the message that I am actually worth paying attention to. In other words it pays to pay attention to me!

Sarah, you asked why I use the ball. Do you mean as opposed to a tug or something else?

 

Yes Lisa, I think one of my dogs would respond really well to the ball on a string but I have heard mixed ideas about it....

 

I like to use the ball because I just don't like doing "bitework" type of activities with my dogs. I will let them chase a rag as young puppies, especially when they are teething and I want to redirect them off my body and other inappropriate items but I don't like to do much more than that. I am NOT a training helper. I simply do not have the knowledge or skills to keep myself from making mistakes. Bad habits and lessons can transfer very easily, even from one phase to another so I just don't bother. I travel over 100 miles each way to train and pay a substantial amount to have a very talented person work my dogs, I don't see the point in jeopardizing that by doing tug work myself. This is not to say that mistakes I make using a ball can't transfer to bitework because there is a chance it still could, just not as much of a chance imo. I also like to keep a "serious" element when it comes to my dogs and protection work so I feel that by sticking with a ball and food during ob training that I remove any chance of gray area when it comes to that.

 

Thanks Lisa

 

My pleasure Sarah. I enjoy talking about my dogs and training.

 

Glitch is looking good!

I just had to say that our group is following the method that Lance Collins came up with and that includes doing our own tug work from 8 weeks until 12-14 months (or how ever long it takes the dog to learn all the fundamentals). It is hard to learn and a lot of work in the beginning, but once you do get to the man, it is so much easier and the man /sleeve is never introduced or thought of as a playmate.

In obedience we begin the pups out teaching with food, then move to working them in drive for the tug. And the reason we don’t use a ball is just we find it easier to control the tug in the dog’s mouth, it is similar to what the dog will be biting later, and the tug is used in everything we teach, from tracking to all the obedience to foundation protection work. Until the helper steps in..and then the game is over..

The best thing about dog training is there are hundreds of ways to get to the end results, and there really is no wrong way if you are happy. It is about fun first and foremost..

Happy Training!

Tracey

“Prey + Conflict = Power” - L. Collins

 

Tracey, thanks for viewing. I was wondering if you were going to reply as I know your training philosophies have done a 180 in the few years since I have trained with you. I am glad you are happy with the switch you have made. You are right, there are a lot of ways to get results in training and it is about having fun first (for me anyways) and of course its fun seeing your dog progress. I look forward to see how this puppy progresses and anticipate that she is going to be a very fun dog to train. We'll see what the future holds!

 

Thanks for sharing your video Lisa and funny I use a ball to train for the same reason. Hudson will chew a tug but not a ball, and the ball he usually brings bag into my hands. We are about to introduce the recall to Hudson soon too so I really don't want him chewing. I have a ball on a string but he still thrashes that so lately it has just been a ball and it's good.

She definately seems excited to work. Can't wait to see more!