I have a 7 month old GSD that loves to please and work. But she just doesn't understand how to fuss. She understands, sitz, platz, and watch. But she just doesn't get fuss. I have so far have gotten her to sit next to me and look up at me but I am having trouble teaching her fuss. I taught my older dog fussing when he was 4 months but I had the whole summer... Anyways, I don't remember how I taught him and I was wondering how you guys are teaching your dogs for schutzhund obedience.

Missy,
What has worked for me is to take it literally one step at a time. Take one step then reward, then another and reward. Then you can work to two and three steps witha reward. Always keeping the dogs focus on you. Bernhard Flinks and Ed call it intermitent rewards. Never the same amount of steps with a reward. Then he knows it is coming but doesn't know when so he will always have to watch you, and fuss to get his reward. Ed sells a great video that helps. Building drive focus and grip with Bernhard also I think he sells a Comp. Heeling vid. too.
Hope it helps Brandon

Thank you a lot. I am getting many different opinions and that is helping me. I will try this and hope for the best with Isa. Thank you.

Missy,
With your two dogs learning at a different rate, do they have different drive levels? For example, is one a high-drive dog and the other a medium-drive dog?

Depending on what motivates your dog, you'll probably end up doing something different from what's advised to you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I teach with food first, luring the dog at first, then with my hands in my pockets and trying to keep his attention on my face vocally and marking with my voice every time he's doing it correctly. I do very short steps at first, then lengthen it.

When the dog is older I transfer to a ball reward for speed, and I do only maybe a few steps before playing to keep the drive up while on a heel.

Isa is more high drive when it comes to food and Cody is more high drive when it comes to balls. I'm trying certain things with her that Cody wouldn't do. They do have different training levels because if I work Cody more then twice a week, he'll not want to do obedience. So I only work him 2 times a week. With Isa, I have to work her every day. She is very smart for her age.

i got a tip from an experienced puppy person that i'm trying: when the pup looks at you (your "watch"), "fuss". this is the foundation for competition "fuss".

i don't know if this is ANY help, but perhaps wean her off the "watch" to "fuss". other than that--CONNIE-HELP--there are some really good threads on here (somewhere) with positioning, etc.

sorry i couldn't be more specific help <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />--there's a LOT more people on here that can do that...

 Quote:

i got a tip from an experienced puppy person that i'm trying: when the pup looks at you (your "watch"), "fuss". this is the foundation for competition "fuss". ...i don't know if this is ANY help, but perhaps wean her off the "watch" to "fuss". .......

I don't know if this is what you wanted; it's about "formal" commands (about which all I'm qualified to say is "Here's a thread!"):
http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/showf...rue#Post4146670

Missy,

Teach your dog to stand and watch. After this is learned, then one step, pause food, second step, pause, food .....

Once this is going well and you are confident that 1) your dog COMPLETELY understands AND 2) your dog's muscles have"learned" to be cordinated in this way AND 3) the muscles are strong enough to fuss, THEN add correction.


I'd use "three and a free" If your dog makes a mistake, give a correction the next three times in a row, then let your dog try again. I would imaggne these will be very light corrections, a verbal correction may be all that is necessary, but do keep a reserve (leash and training collar) handy just in case.

one step, (repeat "watch", correct if needed) food, second step automatically crrect before error, food, third step automatically correct before error, fourth step (repeat "watch" and correct if neded) food...

The dog I'm doing (AKC) competition obedience with now DID NOT GET IT. I was very careful in 6 months or so of foundation work and just took her out a trained a short session with compulsion and praise. She did beautifully and was not stressed (because she knew what to do and was able to do it from the foundation work). The next time I took her out, I added food back in to keep her motivated. She's not fantastic, but much more than I expected.

Missy, I did just what Anne did. I taught my dog to "watch" first. He was taught to do it from a sit, then a stand, then with distractions, etc. He's superb in his watch command. I use "heel" when I want him to walk directly alongside me in a somewhat relaxed fashion, meaning he's allowed to look around but MUST keep my pace and I don't allow him to take any sniffs of the ground.

Just last week I began teaching him "fuss" which is more in line with what the others are saying how he must be looking at me at the same time. He's finding it a little difficult. He does best with taking only 2 or 3 steps at a time. For some strange reason, he can go further if I walk him in a circle <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

The video "Competition Heeling" is very good, just got it yesterday. Not finished with it but so far is worth every penny. Good luck.