Guest Giselle Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I've found that backing up is more of a positional and precision aspect of heeling than it is a behavior in and of itself. Once dogs have gone through perch work and understand hind-end awareness, I've never found a problem with them translating that to keeping Heel position while you're backing up. In my experience, it's sort of a by-product of a dog who REALLY understands Heel. One exercise that I think could be helpful, however, is teaching the dog to back-kick into a Stand from a Sit. In other words, moving from Sit --> Stand without forward movement. But, then, again, I find that dogs who really understand perch work tend to pick it up super fast. So, I guess in my experience, once the perch foundation is there, the rest falls into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 Yes, and that will be good for Kili since she knows her perch. I never did that with Summit though since I never really bothered with a rigid heel for him. I will probably initially work his back up in semi-heel position (i.e. beside me) but the plan isn't to have him back up at my side... I want him to back up as I back up... directly in front of me or directly behind me, or directly between my legs for heelwork to music routines (so not actually heeling but doing dance routines to music). I've always thought calling it "heelwork" is kind of deceptive. I guess "Canine Freestyle" is perhaps more appropriate. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Bu and i are starting a second agility class on Monday. Hopefully he'll behave. I do it to give him something to do. To learn to use his powers for good, not evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickReturn Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 For a while we have been working on getting Hester to go for walks with other members of the family (without me). Normally he gets to the end of the driveway, does some business, and then heads back to the house to find me. This week I think we finally solved it. As long as at least two other family members are with him he will go for his walk. Yay, now I can let my plantar fasciitis heal a bit. The whole scenario is so silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 OK, new project started last night, to get all dogs comfortable with sitting in our new DoggyRide Novel bike trailer. Surprisingly Bender, who I thought wouldn't take to it at all, has shown the most promise so far, getting in, sitting and poking his head through the hole to chew on a dentastick. I need to get some dried sausage things that I can hold and the dogs can chew so I can keep rewarding them for good position in the trailer. I imagine it will be some weeks before we head out on the road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carriej Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I will have had Chance for 2 months on Friday, and we have mastered sit, bed, lay down, wait, and he's starting to get shake a paw. Not a single accident in the house to speak of... Most of his issues are damage related. So we are working on "How not to destroy your new home". Right now we are mostly working on what's OK to play with and what's not. He seems to think anything that can fit into his mouth and be carried is his. This includes cell phones, television remotes, car keys, shoes, towels, etc. So I have been setting him up by placing these objects in a very presentable way so that he will want to take them. As soon as he touches them I intervene, and he's starting to get it. I left the remote unattended all day today and he never touched it. However, he did try to kill his bed today which is a huge NO-NO... He is using an old bed, because I thought he might eventually do this. I have a new bed for him for xmas, but it was $$$, so he can't have it until he learns not to eat his stuff. I just hope this chewing doesn't happen to our new sectional couch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Chance looks like such a cutie Mouse tends to pick up couch cushions when she is super excited. I just make sure there are lots of toys around for her to pick up instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carriej Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 My Freeman was a "grabber" when he got excited. If he couldn't find a toy, he started throwing those hard bare bones around! I thought he was going to break a window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greymaroon Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 It's been forever since I've been on greytalk! We've celebrated birthdays, moved from Chicago to Montreal with our Bhombolina in the van (she LOVED it! The soft blankets, the rocking, and the air conditioning put her to sleep almost immediately.), and are getting married in February (destination wedding without pups, though - that's gonna be tough). The new living situation has really changed what we're working on. During our time in Chicago, I think Bhombolina was a bit cramped in the small studio, and rarely ever off-leash when outside. She was sweet with people, but generally anxious, and had a few accidents. Since moving, she's got a large apartment to herself, is more comfortable staying alone for longer periods of time, and even has a dog park across the street! This has revealed, though, that she's REALLY unstable around large dogs. So, that's what we're working on! Suggestions welcome! I started a new thread in behavior, so I wouldn't take up too much time here, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Greymaroon, good luck with that Mouse has issues with some dogs, but it's an on-leash only problem for her so it is manageable at the moment. For her it's not size, i think it might be the way they look at her/body language etc. Have been working sporadically on getting the dogs into the bike trailer with wheels on, stand down and hitched up to the towing bike. Videos/pics on my blog. http://jetsagenda.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/doggyride-novel-10-bike-trailer-going.html Sambuca: good luck!! I have the same theory for Mouse but we need to work on her recalls first Krissy: I taught back up by using our hallway, but we are only at a few steps backing away from me, so not as advanced as you are aiming for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Haha, freestyle is the one activity in which I actually have pretty limited experience. For everything else, I've taught backing up using physical cues, eventually weaning off the physical cues and using only verbal cues (though this should be done very quickly to prevent reliance on body language). Free shaping "Back" was too difficult and slow for me; I'm sure there's a better technique to it, but I wanted fast results and physical cues got me faster results. Now that I think about it, though, you could probably free-shape a dog to target his back paws onto a platform and use the platform as a target. Then, you can add distance and independence and then wean off the platform. But, then again, there's still a large physical cue that needs to be weaned off. You gotta do what you gotta do, right? That's my experience with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest javakaty Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Nica has mastered sit (lopsided...but I'm okay with that), down, side (flop over onto her side from a sit), and spin (clockwise). We're pretty close on a down-stay (will hold it for her breakfast...working on estending the time) and working on the sit-stay. Trying to decide what we want to work on next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Javakaty, I would recommend spinning the other way. I only taught Barbie to spin one way and now I can't get her to go in both directions no matter how hard I try!!! Also 'shake' or 'high five' is cute and I try to get them to offer both legs... will help to teach 'marching paws' later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Many of you popped into my thread about Clarice (I've started a new one for new advice so please go and let me know if there's anything else I should be doing!)...she is intimidated by dogs her size and larger, even if the other dogs are not threatening. She has some fear reactions toward Ozzie, who is my gentle boy. So we're working on "hey Ozzie is fun and when he is here you get treats!" We're also working on walking well (weather permitting, we're in the middle of an ice storm right now and a snow storm coming tomorrow night), "go to your place" and sit. She sits naturally A LOT (appeasement behavior?), but I am trying to use the fact that she sits to my advantage and capture it. My #1 goal right now is just to do whatever we need to do so we can live a nice quiet life together (quiet in the sense that there's no growling and teeth baring at every turn, that is). I recognize that she is just 18 months old and full of puppy piss and vinegar It will be a lot easier to tire her out when the weather is nicer. She bows when she stretches so eventually I'd like to capture that into "take a bow!" but she is too wound up to understand what we are doing and I never seem to have treats available when she does it. Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest javakaty Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Javakaty, I would recommend spinning the other way. I only taught Barbie to spin one way and now I can't get her to go in both directions no matter how hard I try!!! Also 'shake' or 'high five' is cute and I try to get them to offer both legs... will help to teach 'marching paws' later. do you still use the same command for both directions, or do you use a different cue for spinning the other way? her "sit" is lopsided (and I was happy enough to get her to sit at all - since we aren't going to compete, I'm not going to try to correct it), so I havent tried to work on getting her to shake because she's actually stabilizing herself with her front paws!! i am trying for a high-five from laying position...maybe I should try to fix her sit so we can do shake (and stand??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 do you still use the same command for both directions, or do you use a different cue for spinning the other way? her "sit" is lopsided (and I was happy enough to get her to sit at all - since we aren't going to compete, I'm not going to try to correct it), so I havent tried to work on getting her to shake because she's actually stabilizing herself with her front paws!! i am trying for a high-five from laying position...maybe I should try to fix her sit so we can do shake (and stand??) Different command for each direction - I use 'spin' and 'twirl' maybe encouraging her to offer both paws would help straighten up her sit ? It doesn't matter that much, just a suggestion, in my experience when you get to the point where you are concrete on a trick it's harder for them to do both sides or both directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) Nova is making s-l-o-o-w progress but I am thrilled with it. I've been teaching her "touch" and she will reach out and touch my hand to get a treat. For about a week I tried raising my hand so she has to lift her front feet off the floor. I would have Rona do it and then ask her to do it. It was a no-go until Christmas morning when she suddenly realized what I wanted; both front feet came up off the floor about 2 inches! Oh boy did she get the treats and praise! We repeated it several times through the day and she understands it now. I have been trying to catch her doing things naturally and giving praise, but I'm not sure she is understanding yet. She will eventually. She still will get that scared look and back away sometimes when I call her, but that is happening less and less. She is very food motivated except when she gets scared and then it doesn't matter. Trust is building slowly. Edited December 27, 2013 by june Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 Kili is working on "perch". She's on exercise restriction because of her hock but I need to entertain her so she doesn't drive me bonkers. This is kind of fun and something she sort of likes anyway. I get all sorts of photo ops with her by asking her to jump up on stuff. But now we're going a little extreme. It's good for her balance and core strength. First we worked with a small end table. That was pretty easy. Then we tried our overturned garbage can which was a fair bit harder. The surface area is about the same, but the rectangle was definitely easier for such a long dog. Also the garbage can kept wanting to tip so I had to hold it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOWOtdXqnOg&feature=youtu.be Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 aw that is cute!! I gotta get Mouse to do that. She is very agile jumping and can land softly when she wants to the problem is deciding what objects she is allowed to perch on ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Interesting! That's not the "perch work" I have in my mind, but that's interesting nonetheless. My idea of perchwork is this: I also wrote about it in my blog to help my students: http://www.progressdog.com/1/post/2013/12/teaching-heel-the-pivot.html I'm so curious now. How do you plan to use that behavior? Anyhow, for us, it's pretty obvious what we're working on We're still working on the ever elusive picture perfect Heel. We're "good enough", but I want to be great/greyt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 Interesting! That's not the "perch work" I have in my mind, but that's interesting nonetheless. My idea of perchwork is this: I also wrote about it in my blog to help my students: http://www.progressdog.com/1/post/2013/12/teaching-heel-the-pivot.html I'm so curious now. How do you plan to use that behavior? Anyhow, for us, it's pretty obvious what we're working on We're still working on the ever elusive picture perfect Heel. We're "good enough", but I want to be great/greyt! She's already done that kind of perch work. http://apexagilitygreyhounds.blogspot.ca/2013/05/9-months-using-pivots.html (on my iPad, can't hyperlink, sorry!), though I tend to find obedience boring so I didn't really go much further with it. If I revisit rally later it'll be handy. This is purely for fun. It's great for confidence, balance, and core strength. It also makes for entertaining photos when I can ask my dog to jump up on random stuff. Actually, I think someone out there has a photo blog of just his dog balancing on interesting things. Possible next steps include stalls on me. A greyhound is kind of big and awkward for foot stalls but I might be able to manage a back stall. If I don't collapse under her weight. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ah, I see. For core strengthening, you could take it a step further and do it on a balance ball. I used to do "push-ups", asking for Down - Sit - Down - Sit: (bad images, but it's a pretty popular exercise amongst agility/rehab folks, so you could probably google better images and instructions) I used to think obedience was boring, too, until I met someone here who follows Denise Fenzi as much as I do. And now I think it's absolutely thrilling. Her emphasis on joy, precision, and accuracy is so challenging but so thrilling. Love it now! I still think agility is fun, but I find that we can afford to be a lot "sloppier" in agility and still Q. So I really like the precision that obed demands. Or maybe I'm just at a weird stage in my life. Who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 We have the balance disc. I got it when she was a pup though so it's the small one. I probably need a large one now too, though it'll be fun getting her to get all 4 feet on the small disc. I also have the 4 paw pods. I really want the peanut but... it's massive and I don't have that kind of space. When I move into a bigger house I'll get one. I love Denise Fenzi! I love reading her blog. But I still find obedience boring. lol. By comparison to agility or disc... I just am the kind of person who needs to be moving. I don't really care for working on super precision behaviours and I find obedience is too much of that for me. I did enjoy rally well enough... but as soon as Kili started agility... well, rally fell to the wayside. lol. Once we're competing in agility and it's quite "push button" for us maybe I'll go back to rally for a bit. But then again... I really want to get Kili into disc dog so... maybe not so much with the rally. I do love watching obedience trials though. It's absolutely incredible. I just don't have the patience for it right now. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 More perch. You want me to climb up on a moving, rotating chair? Ummm... ok, I guess....This is as far as we've gotten with the back stall. And I'm not sure how to proceed from here. She's so long and tall that I cannot lure her enough to get her back feet moving... she just stretches her giraffe neck. Not really sure how I'll get those back feet. I'm hoping just working on her putting all four feet on smaller and smaller objects will help and we can transfer it to the back stall.This was pretty good. Of course right after I shut off the camera, her next attempt she walked up to the darn thing and put all four feet right on it just as easy as you please. I guess she'll have this object mastered soon and then I'm moving to something a little bit smaller, and then we'll try a little bit smaller. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KevG0Gt4kE&feature=youtu.be Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Ah, gotta love dog training. Nope, don't know what you want. I don't get it. I'm frustrated so I'm going to whine at you. i have no FREAKING CLUE what you want lady! Then they figure it out and then it's a breeze to do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YorlMGFpY_8&feature=youtu.be Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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