Question for those of you in the colder climates. I have started using treats in my training but find in the cold weather it is really hard to pick up and feed the treats in a "quick & efficient" manner to relate to why they are being rewarded. I try to use my leather driving gloves but once it hits about -15c it too cool and my fingers freeze up. Any tips?

 Quote: tamara tholl

Question for those of you in the colder climates. I have started using treats in my training but find in the cold weather it is really hard to pick up and feed the treats in a "quick & efficient" manner to relate to why they are being rewarded. I try to use my leather driving gloves but once it hits about -15c it too cool and my fingers freeze up. Any tips?

Markers.

"Quick and efficient" in terms of rewarding loses much of its urgency when you have loaded your marker and started the work indoors. You can load the marker thoroughly, and then introduce a lag between marker and reward, then make the lag a little random, and so on, all indoors.

When the dog is completely acclimated to the routine, and s/he knows that the marker means the reward is coming, then slower fumbling outdoors is pretty problem-free.

Tell us where you are in your marker work. Marker loaded? Training that you will extend to the outside begun indoors (without frozen fingers)?

Remember it is the "Mark" (verbal confirmation) that tells the dog it did good, not just the treat. Always have treat in hand but hidden from dogs view as best you can when you give a command. The mark allows you to extend the time frame from the exact moment the action took place until you can get them the treat/reward.
If it is more than a few seconds, my personal method is to reinforce the command.
example if the command is sit, as soon as the dogs butt hits the ground I say, "good sit" instead of just good. I believe once the dog truly knows what a command is and is doing it correctly you can reinforce by telling them what they did that was good.
If you havent yet, read the articles on Marker Training here on the Leerburg site or better yet the DVD is awesome.

Great guidance that applies to my cold-temp training too! Excellent!

Another suggestion from a different angle...

I have Raynaud's Symdrome--bad. I lose circulation in my hands and feet readily, so this is a real issue for me too. I won't bore you with the details, but I own every bit of hand coverings out there--gortex, down, fleece, and combinations thereof in quadruplicate. Nothing kept me protected or my hands from freezing--and this was before I had to deal with a dog. I knew when getting our new puppy that I had to seriously figure this out.

What has been working amazingly for me are big, fat shearling mittens. NOTHING gets through them. I have the treats in my hand in the mitt, feed the dog, and just pop it back in the mitten. Slips right on, nice and warm. On the next super, super cold day, I'm going to try a light liner under and a chemical hand warmer in there too. I bet my hands won't chill off very much at all when I stop to feed her.

This is truly a serious concern for me, and through decades of trial and error, I finally found something that works! Hope it helps.

Raynaud's Phenomenon must make footwear a big concern too.

The hand-warmer is a great idea! I have taken them in my pockets on a fishing trip; they work for hours (come in a big pack). They have toe ones too.

Connie, you read my mind! I was thinking I should have noted that shearling boots have rocked my world. Last week I was out with Cali for about 45' at 8 degrees w/ windchill--and no socks!!! Feet completely warm--no kidding! I got them from the Shearing Shed in Belmont, MA for a fraction of the price of Uggs, and much better quality. He makes the mittens himself. I am thrilled. It's truly made a huge difference for me--finally!

When I need to wear real snow boots, I do use "electric" socks. LOL! They don't work very well, but sometimes it's just enough to keep my feet protected. Raynaud's is a scourge I tell you!

And oh, you should see my shearling trapper hat, handmade by the same guy. I think I scare the neighbors when I'm all suited up!

linda--would you mind posting a link to the Shearing shed? i can google it too, but i also suffer from Raynaud's Syndrome (fingers, not feet thank heavens), and have never found gloves that are even adequate.

mitts i can live with to a certain extent, but i need gloves as well-living in the wilds of Nebraska, with livestock, i've pretty much just suffered thru it, but if i don't HAVE to...i sure won't!!it IS kinda hard to even open a gate when you can't feel anything. much less "mark/reward" a dog.

Connie - I haven't done any marker training and have just started using treats since Oct with Diesel. Want to start with Athena as well but it is training the old dog (ME) new tricks. I have just spent the past year using Brad Pattisons methods and have decent OB in both dogs but want it to be solid and it really didn't have any solutions for DA which Diesel has become.

I am also gonna start using a prong with Athena as she is 140pds currently and is good on leash but always wants to be just in front and I don't like that - also has lunged a few times at inappropriate objects (cats, squirels) and she can give me a run for my money when she goes.

I am broadening my horizen for new methods of training and want solid dogs that I can be proud of.

I use glomitts similar to these (fingerless glove with a mitten flap that goes over the top). I put a pair of those cheap "one size fits all" knit gloves underneath them for a liner and the combination has worked pretty well for me to keep my fingers warm and allow me to give training treats/fasten leashes/etc when it is cold out.