Quote: Becca Fuentes

Start close! ... You know that moment when something that seemed really complicated becomes very simple and obvious all of a sudden?

Bob Scott was the one who made a lightbulb moment for me when he long ago introduced me to the term "circle (or area) of influence."

Puppy or not, start close! Start where you and your gimme hand are right there, with nothing in between (including distance).

(He also said "The retrieve is not a matter of tossing the item and hoping for the best." And for me, that goes for fun-fetch as well as any formal retrieve.)

I marker-train the release into my hand indoors. No distractions. But I still make it fun, as Steve said. Markers and rewards!

Then, outdoors, with the fun and movement and excitement and chasing, and with distance introduced gradually, that last step in the chain is pretty much automatic to the dog.

PS

You asked about healthful rewards:

http://leerburg.com/1078.htm are major at my house.

Also http://leerburg.com/1141.htm

And I also cook a boneless skinless chicken breast and dice it into M&M size bits. (I like a mixed bag of rewards, to create a slot machine effect of excited expectation.)

I like the rewards to be like these items so they can be part of the actual diet rather than something I would want to limit.



eta
More good stuff .... for marker rewards, I choose tiny ones:

http://leerburg.com/treat.htm

http://leerburg.com/search/searchresults2.php?view=prod&page=1&terms=treats





Edited by Connie Sutherland (08/21/2012 08:45 PM)
Edit reason: eta

"Once we get her over to the big field at the schoolyard, she just wants to run and run without chasing anything, just to move. Right now I can (barely) stay up with her. It's not going to last. I need to get really good on my landrollers before she turns two".


A solid recall is imperative with this dog. In time you, being god to the dog, will be challenged by anything that moves.
Again! MARKER TRAINING!

 Quote: Bob Scott

"Once we get her over to the big field at the schoolyard, she just wants to run and run without chasing anything, just to move. Right now I can (barely) stay up with her. It's not going to last. I need to get really good on my landrollers before she turns two".


A solid recall is imperative with this dog. In time you, being god to the dog, will be challenged by anything that moves.
Again! MARKER TRAINING!

And again: START CLOSE!

(You'll want to heed this from Steve: "Just like in recalls, you want running to you to always be fun.")

Heeding, heeding. I have Ed's DVD's on marker training and using food to create drive. I intend to apply it all. One of my neighbors asked me, "How can you learn to train a dog from a video?" Well, you have to see these videos; they're completely worth it.

Thank you all so much.

Becca, if you're interested in lure coursing if possible before winter sets in, it would be a good idea to take her just to observe the dogs coursing. Are they currently lure coursing in Greeley?

She should not yet be allowed to run the course, not even for a short distance, but allowing her to observe the dogs coursing can give you an idea of whether it's something you'll want to pursue with her in the future.

Any indcation as yet that you might have a problem with her chasing other wildlife (other than jack rabbits that is)?

Beautiful! I always wanted a western coyote hound, I'm jealous!
"Two ball" with small stuffed animals is the way I taught my sighthound to fetch. Keep it fun -- they don't live to please, they live to chase.

Touchy stomach is unusual with hounds of any type, most can eat variety with abandon. Consider a de-worming/fecal exam if bouts of diarrhea become frequent.

Elaine, that's a wonderful idea. I will have to look for a schedule. I think that would be a fun family trip, too. Since she is a sight hound, I am assuming she will always want to chase wildlife. Since we are in town (though only a 1/4 mile from the edge), jackrabbits and the occasional fox are most of what we see (other than squirrels, of course).

I switched to Zuke's mini-naturals and she has had no more loose stools (& she loves them). When I need a really high value treat, I use the crunchy dried salmon from Kong. It's smelly, but she adores it.

We did stairs today! She went all the way down to the basement and all the way back up. She wasn't sure she wanted to try it even for treats, so I had the kids walk down slowly. That was all it took. Treated and praised her big-time for it. At the park two nights ago, she decided that following the toddler up the stairs onto the play equipment was great fun. She went up steps, through tunnels and down the slide--twice! Surprised the heck out of me.

We are also working on 'sit' and 'up' into the car.

What a cute pup!!

Here's another idea for "fetch". Try a flirt pole. I was lazy about making one so I bought one (Bow-Wow flirt pole).

My 8 month old GSD has been a natural retriever from the start so I taught him "out" right away. But he gets lazy/bored sometimes. He LOVES the flirt pole. So, I let him chase it then when I allow him to catch it, I tug with him for a while( holding the tug not the pole) make him out, then start the chase again.

After we do that a few times, I put it away and toss the ball. Then he seems to retrieve it until he is tired.

Of course this all needs to be done in an enclosed yard/area!!

Forgot to add; my boy is STILL wound up early morning and late night!!!!

Edited by Carol Blumlein (08/26/2012 01:54 PM)
Edit reason: addition

Becca, Sounds like she might enjoy agility also, at least for fun and exercise.