Obedience Video - Page 1

Below is a link from training on Saturday.  Molly has gained 12 lbs and is getting some energy back.  It is so much fun to be back into training - full speed ahead toward our first Schutzhund II.

I have a question concerning improving focus during transitions between exercises.  When I originally trained Molly, I rewarded with the ball by throwing.  As a result she loves to get the ball, but likes to prance around with it - not immediately re-engaging with me.  I have recently started rewarding by giving her the ball but holding on to the string so she is forced to stay close.  I see a little improvement but was wondering if there is something else I could do to get her to stay in drive and focused during the transition to each exercise.

Also, during retrieves - since she does not like to bring things back and sit in front - she will glance around while she has the dumbell in her mouth, occassionally running to the crowd, prancing with the dumbell in her mouth.  I have tried long lines, but then she drops the dumbell.  I have started using the ball or treats to get her to come back to me, but as you can see in the video - she is not quick nor does she sit close enough.

During protection, when she is slipped the sleeve she will also try to run with it toward the crowd.  I can call her back, but would like to work on getting her to bring it to me on her own.

Oh, and I know her jumping is horrible, but she has severe hd, so has and will always have problems with the high jump.  I know it and am just happy that she is not in pain and can goes over it.   I don't want to jump her so much so we only do that occassionally.

Here is the link.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RD4Tme58js

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cheryl

 

Molly is very pretty.  Maybe one thing to try is be a bit more animated?  I found that easier to do with a tug then a ball on a rope, the tug is easier to control for me anyway......  Make everything happy happy joy joy.  Maybe try playing reward with her a bit longer?  It was fairly quickly you took the reward away sometimes.  Change it up and as soon as she gives it to you reward play again for a bit more.  Happy training!

Animules:

Thank you.  I did not realize I was not giving her the reward long enough.  She does respond to the happy, happy - which I try to do, but sometimes feel like an idiot out there, lol.  She does like the tug, but really loves the ball.    Sometimes I just get in to a rut and fall into training and rewarding the same way.  She probably gets bored with me.

I will try to mix it up and reward a bit longer and see how she reacts. 

Cheryl

Does she really like that ball?  I ask b/c if she really wants it, for the retrieve, tuck it under your chin as she's running away from you.  I did this and got my male to come back as fast as he goes out (like right as he picks up the dumbbell and turns, he sees my hand drop b/c I've just tucked it under my chin).  He comes back FAST and he gets in close and never once takes his eyes off me.  I did this for a month or so, did not work on the out or finish, just let him come in fast, sit fast and correct and BAM I mark the behavior and lift my head to drop the ball.  Now he will do all three retrieves without a reward in site and is always the same speed back as he is going out, always focused.  Just make sure the dog really understands the correct hold behavior first, the toy can make them a bit more hectic in general and you don't want to end up with a lot of chewing.  We spent months *just* reinforcing a correct hold behavior so once I put a ball under my chin it only had positive outcomes, did not create chewing.

Another thing is I would not get in the habit of patting your stomach and having her move in closer.  It is tempting but IMO either the dog is correct, or not.  If not correct then sorry, no reward, start over.  If she is consistently incorrect, I would work on coming in and sitting close and correct outside of the retrieve and then put the behavior chain back together.  I have seen a lot of times, and I'm guilty of this as well, that when a dog doesn't do a position correct we try to move or talk in some way to get them to correct themselves when they need to just understand it correctly from the beginning and not develop a habit of always adjusting themselves.

To me the retrieve is so important I do not like to be doing the entire behavior if there are consistent problems anywhere.  If there is some part where the dog is consistently not perfect, I would break it apart for a while and work on that area (like if the dog is chewing, or looking away when holding, I would switch to a dowell and work on just the holding behavior, or if the dog is not coming back fast or sitting correct, I would take the dumbell away and use a toy reward in some fashion to build the speed, drive, and/or correct position).

I will try the ball under my chin.  I kept trying to reward with the ball after she was back in front.  Maybe her seeing it when she turns will give her some added incentive to speed it up and not rubber neck the crowd. 

I think you are correct.  I have rewarded her too many times for just sitting in front but not waiting for her to complete it correctly.  I know I created this problem, just was hoping I could still fix it.


Thank you for all the advice.  I cannot wait to try them this weekend.

Cheryl

Cheryl,

You can work correct positioning at home too.  Molly doesn't need to come any distance to learn the correct finish position.   I do some in the family room and hallway.   Have fun.  :)