Echo Back to Basics - Page 2

Great idea Sueincc...Thanks!  I'll look into some cleated shoes.  I need all the help I can get!

Thanks Steve.  I agree and will bring that up with my trainer.  We had another short session like this but my cameraman was gone and I did a better job of cradling my dog.  I have trouble with my knees so I can't get down on one like I really need to but I did put an arm across her chest and hugged her while petting her from her nose to her flank.  I can read her well enough to know when she is getting frustrated because the trainer hasn't let go yet so I am going to have him let go sooner.  He is trying to calm her down but I think she will calm down sooner if he lets go quicker. 

As always, thanks folks!  I appreciate comments, good or bad.  I want to be fair to my dog and get her done right.
Deb

Looks much better, Deb! You got a nice girl there, drivy for sure. That she drops the pillow....yeah, its yours and helpers fault. LOL To keep her in drive you need to speed things up between the tugs. One small circle and back to the helper. Helper needs to encourage her to continue the tug game.

Also, having the pillow on the leash is unecessary for her. She has good prey drive and doesnt need to chase it big time. The helper can keep the pillow moving with the handles. This will also give her a better presentation for the bite. I saw that her bites looked full but there was still room on her back teeth. The correct thing to do would have her adjust the bite while tugging. Its a movement that is hard to put in writing, but your helper should know it. Presenting the pillow on the handles should eliminate this. This will give your helper also more control over the tugging itself. When Echo pulls strongly straight back its vital to let got of the pillow as this is the correct motion. If he doesnt, then Echo will try other things, like going to the site (as in the video) or shaking, to win it. If she goes to the site, there is a way to bring her back straight by trending the pillow. But for this he needs to have the hands on it.

Holding the pillow (or sleeve) calmly is a confidence exercise. Agree with the said above, your right hand underneath her schnout for support, left hand calmly strokes starting at the head over the body, single strokes. If you rub back and forth like you did in the video, thats still a form of bringing in excitement. At that exact moment you dont want that. Your helper could be a bit more supportive in that by holding onto the pillow, checking her bite, until you are in correct position. Dog stays on the spot, you move in and take control, helper steps slowly away. This exercise is the built-up for a confident hold and bark.

Lots of info to digest..huh Keep up the good work!

Thank you Elkoorr!  It is a lot to digest but I'm understanding all of it.  We won't get another chance to train until Thursday (if it's not storming)  and I can't wait to get out there and implement all the good advice I am getting.  I was really getting down before I posted the other thread.  I knew something was wrong but didn't know what.  I am sooo grateful for all who have come on here and given me good advice.  I do believe we are headed on the right track.  We will get there!  Bless her heart, Echo is very capable it's just her piss poor handler holding her back.  I have no doubt in the right hands she would be way ahead of this point by now but I've got to start over.  I'm in no hurry.  Echo is a very bright, thinking dog.  She will be ok despite my blunders.  Watch and see!  I've got great help from several people on here if they will just continue to be patient with me & my dumb questions.  


Deb

No, I know we arenot jackasses, it'sjust that I have a potty mouth, big time. Some people don'tmind it,some are used to it, some are shocked and shy away from me. Don't want to hang out with them anyway.

Your questions are actualy intelligent and pointed, just a little bit of guidance and patience and presto, in a few years you will be answering similar things to some new Debbie that is lost with her dog. Nobody here was born with this knowledge, I didn't come out of kindergarten and yelled at the dog - Revier! It takes time, looking t the dog all the time, observing.

Keep the questions coming. Also, what he suggested, she is no longer a puppy, she is19 months, there is no need for pillow on a string, she can handle intermediate sleeve,or if you want to continue with pillow, that is pretty okay too, but lose the string and let him use the pillow handles.

Short circles, everyting has to be POW, POW, POW, Echo gives her best effort, bam, slip, short circle, cradle, spit, BAM BAM BAM, thank you mam, back to the crate - let he carry the sleeve off the field and keep it in her mouth as long as she wants.

There is a 50-50 chance in the beginning, that when the session isover and she is leaving the field, she will spit the pillow and go on. Do not let that happen, let him pick the pillow up, even if you left the field, agitate briefly, quick bite and pillow all the way to the car, or most of the distance.

When you get that book, read it and digest it slowly. The guy talks about a lot of stuff and it took me a few readings of the parts that interested me (NOT tracking, mind you!), to uderstand what he was talking about.

Of course seeing it in practice with dogs helped a lot to confirm what he writes. A lot of stuff there to digest and ponder.

Anyway, you keep the questions coming, people that have been in your shoes (whihc is pretty much all of us), will keep answering.

When she gets her Sch title, I'd be a happy camper. And SHE WILL
, just stick with her.

Thanks Adi!  And she did carry the pillow all the way to and into the truck on her last bite of the day. 

Baby steps!  We're doing them.  We will lose the lead next time around. The helper just wanted to test the waters with her to make sure she wasn't trying to avoid him.  Didn't see any evidence of that in the video.  I think we're on the mend.
Thanks for the pep talk.  It means a lot.  And your language doesn't offend me...I've said worse in a heated moment.  

LOL. I have said worse in a non heated moment and every day talk. No pep talk, just my observations, I don't really do well with pep talk. Unless... in my younger days I had to "console" a hot chick who broke up with a guy. Boy, I could bullshit a whole lot there, a perfect C in "protection".


I guess English being my non native language, it's just a lot easier for me to spit it out without the subtitles.


Also, all this running around with the dogs, being outside, training, soon enough you'll be in great shape! Echo and a Barbie doll!


Ok, fine, that was laying it a bit thick with this one.

You take care and enjoy your holiday weekend.

LOL!  Your English is better than a lot of those to whom it is their native language.  I am one of the best at butchering it...just ask my husband.  You'd never know I got "A's" in English while in college.  

 I think I'd give you an A for bullshit, I mean pep talks (consoling a hot chick, hmmm I can only imagine) but a Barbie... that is a laying it on a little thick.  I'm older than Barbie.  That chick never ages damn her!  I used to pull the head off of my Barbie dolls (it was easier to switch heads on them than change the clothes when I wanted to switch outfits on them.  LOL

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend!

Bump!  For Steve & Bark and Hold

Hey DebiSue!

Thanks for the bump!  I am new to this forum and I didn't realize that your threads were in the "General" category.  I thought it had mysteriously disappeared from the "German Shepherd" category , but stumbled upon it again today.  I'm pretty slow at figuring things out, but with a little luck I sometimes get there!  Now to watch your video for educational purposes, not to mention feeding my general curiosity.  Thanks to you for addressing your concerns here and to all who have so generously contributed to helping you.  Perhaps unknown to them they are helping to educate a wider audience.  Thanks!!!

Steve