 I messed up my finish!
#148198 - 07/13/2007 10:02 AM |
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Hi everyone,
I'm so frustrated so I hope someone can help. I have a yound dobe that I'm working and everything is going great except the finish. I did something wrong but can't figure out how we have a misunderstanding. When she comes into the basic position, sometimes she's crooked. If I ask her to correct herself, she just runs around me and tries again but each time getting more crooked. I've tried to guide her in the right position manually but that seems to confuse her.
I'm trying to get to the point that she really understands where her shoulder is supposed to be in relation to my leg and scoot her butt in when needed. If I step to the side, I'd like her to adjust to me. How the heck do I convey this to her?
I've used food to teach the position, and a toy when working in drive. Somewhere I missed a step.
Hope this all makes sense....Thanks!
Lynn
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Lynn Ballard ]
#148199 - 07/13/2007 10:19 AM |
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Here's an easy training fix - do your finishes ( or return to heel ) standing with a wall or a fence to your left side with just enough room for the dog to go into a finish.
It'll take a few trys for the dog to understand the addition of the wall, so be patient with him, but the wall will prevent him from sitting crooked.
Do enough repetitions once he's comfortable with the idea to build muscle memory ( 30 to 100 reps over the course of several days ) and that should end your problem.
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Will Rambeau ]
#148202 - 07/13/2007 10:50 AM |
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I should have mentioned that...I always use a wall or chair or some barrier to give her a point of reference. That works fine. I'm missing the step to help her learn to correct herself. I know it's hard to explain in email. You know when the handler takes one step forward, then one step to the left, the dog will swing the butt in to match the handler's leg? Or if she happens to sit a bit crooked, I'm trying to get her to step in towords me to straighted, not run around me and try again. Does that make sense?
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Lynn Ballard ]
#148204 - 07/13/2007 10:58 AM |
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The wall is what I would have said too. But I also wrap the leash around my back to my left hand to help guide him along the wall and a slight upward pop when he's in the correct position to sit. On the side stepping into position try quick little side steps and just a little bit forward in the beginning. I did at a fast pace one after another with quick rewards and then bit by bit eliminated the forward part. I'm not sure if there is a better way but it worked and didnt seem to create any other problems.
sorry I type too slow, Maybe this isnt much help to you.
Edited by steve strom (07/13/2007 11:03 AM)
Edit reason: I'm Slow
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: steve strom ]
#148207 - 07/13/2007 11:23 AM |
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Thanks Will and Steve. I think all this combined may help me. Thank goodness I have a forgiving dog :-)She puts up with my boo-boos.
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Lynn Ballard ]
#148211 - 07/13/2007 11:33 AM |
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okay, I had to stand up in my living room and try this out before typing it...lol. But here's what I do when I have that problem. I just go back to the way I taught the finish in the first place. The choreography is this: a step back (or rock back)with the right foot & a pop, transfer leash to left hand and a step forward with the left and a swift pop PLUS a "wham" on the left side of the dog's hip with the heel of my hand if she looks like she's gonna sit crooked. Then a quick SPIT out of the weiner (out of my mouth) into her mouth when she's in the correct position. This gets her sitting straight AND looking at me (for the weiner).
The choreography and timing is critical - it all happens in a split-second from the word "Foss" to the weiner spit. Dog never knows what hit her, but she's in the right position.
A few more tries without the heel-of-the-hand corrections or rocking back to see if she's got it.
Anyway, that's just my method. I'm not a professional trainer, but my dogs do have a crisp, lively (and accurate) finish!
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Anna Christie ]
#148214 - 07/13/2007 11:40 AM |
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) it all happens in a split-second from the word "Foss" to the weiner spit.
Oh, I wish I had a video of that and this has to be quote of the day:-) Thanks Anna, that helps too.
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: Lynn Ballard ]
#148220 - 07/13/2007 11:50 AM |
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You know when the handler takes one step forward, then one step to the left, the dog will swing the butt in to match the handler's leg?
This is where I'm getting lost Lynn. Are you directly in front of her at this point? With me most of the problems I've had have come from him anticipating what were doing and getting himself out of control. I stop that by not always doing a finish after recall or letting him run through my legs after a ball when I do a recall. Don't know if thats any help.
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: steve strom ]
#148222 - 07/13/2007 12:00 PM |
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With me most of the problems I've had have come from him anticipating what were doing and getting himself out of control. I stop that by not always doing a finish after recall or letting him run through my legs after a ball when I do a recall. Don't know if thats any help.
Steve makes a good point here. I ran into this problem as well. When teaching the finish, I'd recall and then always have my dog do a finish. She is so smart, that after a few days, I'd recall her and she'd run to me, around me, then finish. After that, she'd think "screw the finish", then run to my left side, and turn around and end on my left. I had to switch it up and start throwing a ball between my legs on her recall or have a piece of hotdog showing with my hands in front, so she'd stop and sit.
I use a wall also for a straight sit, but am having problems as well, having her glued to my left side. I think it might be the same as Lynn, where you scoot to your right a bit and the dog has to adjust or if the dog is too far to the left, you pat your leg or repeat "fus" and it moves over next to your leg.
Edited by Alex Corral (07/13/2007 12:05 PM)
Edit reason: Extra comment
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Re: I messed up my finish!
[Re: steve strom ]
#148223 - 07/13/2007 12:03 PM |
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Steve,
Sorry it's hard for me to explain. I'm only asking for a finish after a recall very few times. She gives me a straight recall now and I'm trying not to mess it up. I don't want her to put the two together too quickly but she seems to understand that concept easily. But I'm anticipating a problem since I'm having problems with the basic position.
Right now, i'm just starting at basic position and walking 2 steps (fuss) and stopping. At that point I'm expecting her to sit (and she does). We are using a wall or other barrier to help guide her. I'm having trouble getting her to understand how to correct herself when she is crooked - butt sticking out a bit. I would like her to understand where her body should be relative to mine whenever or where ever I stand. So if I face a different direction, she would adjust her position. Hope that helps, sorry it's tuff to explain.
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