training anybody....? - Page 1

so this will likley be surpassed with other "OT" posts but what the hell.....

I was thinking about training tonight

"touch" = target w/nose (my hand, something I'm holding or the wall) almost generalized we have been doing this off & on since she was a puppy (thanks Donna R. although i have not applied this to anything practical yet)

"step" = target/front feet (a place board, ramp or bucket) shaping has started & gone well, but not all the way there (thanks ring sport friends although you usually use the word touch)

"contact" = target w/ rear feet (again on a place board, ramp or bucket) going to do this for the first time tomorrow. (thanks agility friends, although I don't know if you really say that but I guess you are moving to fast for me to notice anyways)

1/2 of me says why bother then the smarter better trainer 1/2 says the more tools you have the bettter off you are

So what have you done with your dog & what do you think?

Well today, we tracked and did some drive promotion. I'm starting a new pup. Just got him. With the training you wrote about, I guess I'm confused. I have never used those tactics and I don't get around ring, etc very often. Where I live ring is not prevelant. Going out on a limb to equate to what I think you're talking about, I never understood the clicker training. Why put another thing in your hand when God gave you a voice to mark behavior. The same thing with touch. I don't understand why you have to mark a behavior like that when you have a voice. Just a question, but what is faster, marking by voice or touch/clicker? Which marks the behavior closest to the desired action?

well since I am getting better at stepping lively in heeling we are working off lead more and more around the house in a heeling pattern with sits and downs in motion! Recalls out of platz with ball under chin and reward! Yes the more tools and knowledge makes a better handler and partner!God I love it so! It is poetry in motion! got evening practice tomorrow and training sat and sun! Wa Hoooo

thanks for the replies, gentlemen

Thanks for the post. It's nice to have a training discussion between the drama. Wish there was more of it. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of touch training. I think I can simply mark the behavior with my voice quicker and more on the spot, but if you find it working, by all means!

" To click or not to click " is a whole 'nother topic - mine was a "what" not a "how"

for what its worth I spent a lot of peak training sesason on crutches last year so I had to find "other" things to do with my dog other then let her rot in a kennel or waste her brain chasing a "chuck-it" all day everyday

I just posted a video of playing around with the dog, on the other training thread.

I'm trying to get my puppy ready for a rally trial in two weeks. I have a sinking sensation she's going to break my winning streak of bringing home blue. The little hellion has a mind of her own. I am putting a dog in veterans, the trial is on her ninth birthday. :)

Dawgawesome, I do use a command when I want a dog to put their paws where my finger is touching, such as on obstacles. Many people use "here" but since we train in German that's our recall command, so I use "step". I don't use a separate word for the back feet as I teach my dogs whatever their front feet touch their back feet must also touch, and it becomes a given.

Sam, I agree with you on the clicker. I've always just used my voice. When  working on an excerise in which I use two hands, such as a difficult obstacle or teaching a retrieve, who has a third hand to click with? I've seen people use one with great results, but nothing surpassing equally excellent vocal training.

Double post, forum's been weird lately!

I have always used my voice and am now also using the clicker to start with.  Any control training is good, even if it does not relate to a specific excercise for a specific sport.  I've been working positions and control.  Amazing the amount of control a dog needs to display when have a tug on a flirt pole bounce them on their nose, paws, in front of them, etc.

Thanks for the training thread........