We worked on this morning:
101 things to do in a box. The dogs had a blast, moving in, on, touching with one paw, then two, then three, then four paws. Bindi thought pushing the box all around was great. So now I am going to take that behavior and teach her push command. Cody doesn't really think this game is that great. He did it, and stood on it, but I could tell there was not enough action for him. Terra did great too.
Tonight, practice pivots with bindi and cody. Heel with Terra.
Today it was only 87 at 12:00 noon, but then later it popped up to 100 in the shade, so we are laying low.
Sharon

Very warm today so not much done.

Harley worked at not playing with the indoor arena watering system. He can get wet but not bite or bark at it.

Some ob with both dogs out during a break in a lesson.

Hot again so early short under 500m track. Harley was very good nice corners.

Then ob with food distraction on the floor with both dogs. Dexter did need one firm reminder that food is not to be eaten when he wants to. Then all was good.

Haven't been able to post much lately, but we have been tracking almost every day. Sadie is doing okay with the three-track system, but we are not progressing as much as we were in my original routine. Yesterday, we went to our first tracking field and did one of our old tracks. She aced it. I would return to that system, but we stumble when I try to reduce bait on the track.
I worked on moving back on the line, but she's confused by the difference in handling, as the line is tighter and lower.

I've been setting up a lot of scenarios for long downs under heavy distractions. She is doing well, even though she whines and you can tell she's about to burst. Also, since my fence is blown down, I've been having to tie her in the front yard so she can get some outside time. This is increasing her reactivity to EVERYTHING she hates. I bring her in if she gets too worked up, and crate her if she won't calm down inside, but I feel like I'm punishing her for something she can't help. We both can't wait to get our yard back!

Harley was in is crazy mood today so it is very hard to get him to do any thing constructive with him.

We managed some basic stuff but he nearly rip my pocket off to get the ball. I tried to get the edge off him by playing some fetch. Half an hour later he was still bouncing off the walls. I know not to even try to track when he is like that.

Finaly I was able to work on the send around, but he brought the cone back a few time, sorry Harley no extra point for that.

The little he did was very good but there was a lot of wild crazy dog stuff in between.

Now that Harley is sleeping guess who decided that he could get some attention, Dexter now want to play and it's bed time for "moi"

had a major ant attack, so spent most of the day cleaning and killing ants. So we didn't do much.
Bindi: "around", "go touch", pivot, heel, her new behavior when playing with the box, "push". She is doing pretty good. I tried to help her understand the word "push" by doing the work with different objects. She pushed her box, then her ball, then a video. She did well. Was very excited to work. We did work on hand signals and distance work. We used the mark to keep her from creeping forward. She did well. She tries really hard.
Cody- He was very motivated to work today. We worked on his box lesson, he is learning "in". Did very well. Heeling -did beautifully. Hand signals-sit, down, come. Did well. "Close it" (closed my coat closet, and kitchen cabinets) did very well. He brings me the dog dishes without being asked, every morning for his chore, did that very well this morning.
Worked on bumbbell work. Is really pulling and holding the dumbbell well. Then we worked on "pick it up". He will pick up just about anything but the keys. Working on that. Worked on recall. Will begin soon, stand.
Terra- she didn't get worked much today. Began barking almost immediately and wouldn't stop even when I said "enough". So, I ended training when she would not respond to "enough". She didn't like it much. Later came back and we began again, and again she went crazy with the barking, I walked away into the other room. She didn't like it. No training for her much today.

There you go. Loved reading your posts for the day.
Wishing others would check in and let us know what the are teaching their dog.

Got to go. Have a good day tomorrow. sharon

Another terrific late-night game of tug last night. It seems that Sadie's drive for play is at 9;30 pm, when she feels like she hasn't had enough attention for one day. She has a very overt way of letting me know when she's up for some engagement, and she just wouldn't stop. I was tempted to stifle her, but I've been working super hard to work through her inhibited prey drive, so I took her outside and fought with her for about 20 minutes. Her obedience is awesome when she's playing, but she won't perform for the tug anywhere but at home and when she's ready.

Sounded like you had great night time fun with her. That is so great!
Here is my day with the dogs:
Cody: went to petsmart when they opened. He did extremely well. We just walked in and he went right to the lady at the cash register and sat for a treat, she gave him one. A man walked in and he just sniffed him as he passed by and then trotted on. We checked out the kitties and someone else had brought their dog in and Cody was curious but not afraid or worried. He goes right into a heel and is basically in his performance mode, prancing along in perfect heel position. Then we walk around the store and along the buidling for about 1000 feet, he did very well. Got home and trained him, reviewed, mat, touch, sit , down, heel, close it. worked on=place. He is moving into position very well, and needs work on going down between my feet a little quicker, but I think he is doing well. And worked on "in" getting into a box. Also retrieving basics. He will now go and get the dumbbell and bring it back and "give" it to me.
Bindi- Went outside today-a lot cooler- and practiced heel on leash, serpentine weave around my "ghetto" red cones. Worked on heeling, with moving down. Her moving down wasn't as good as it usually is, not sure why yet. Hope to practice again tomorrow. Worked on pivot, she is doing better and better.
Terra- reviewed basics, heel, sit, down, touch. Her barking is a little better but she is still barking. Now when she barks I just walk out of the room and talk to the other dogs.
So, that is it for my day. Next two days going to be very busy, so not sure how much training I will get in. Plan to walk the dogs tomorrow morning before I head to church.

Had a question: Do all of you walk each of your dogs every day? I was just wondering.
Thanks for sharing with me your training adventures. Love reading about them.
Sharon

Very pleased with club tonight. BH is in six weeks, and I had not yet done a full pattern without bait or lots of handler help. Tonight, we did the on-leash pattern in full with loose leash held in the right hand. I gave her a reward and allowed a slight lapse in focus as a break, then asked her to refocus, removed her leash, and did the second pattern. She broke her sit out of motion when I turned to face her, and we haven't worked the down out of motion much, so she needed help with that. There weren't enough people there to do the crowd work or long down, but we've been working on those, so we should be okay.

TD said her focus was good in the heel, even though I think it could be better. The main thing to me is that she's capable of doing a pattern without having to give multiple rewards and commands. TD is still a little impressed at what I've been able to accomplish with only food.

 Quote: Sharon Empson

Had a question: Do all of you walk each of your dogs every day? I was just wondering.
Sharon

We don't do a formal walk every day, but we do have an off-leash romp every evening in the field behind my house. She gets a good run, and after she's made that initial charge to release energy, I start mixing in some long distance recalls and redirection using our proximity cues. I take her for a real walk once or twice a week and I sometimes use it for a training opportunity. We train at the club, and we track five days a week, so Sadie gets out a lot, just not always for a walk.

ETA: Sadie now brings in the paper without a command (but she stii expects to be paid).

Edited by Duane Hull (09/19/2012 11:05 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Short track for Harley, did well. I should start to aged the track a bit more. No bait but a nice reward. Later we had some very good ob work.

I tryed to do some ob with Dexter, all ok. Not much focus but willing. He wanted to ply but when ever I want to engage with him he just goes away. He does the bark, play bow, run around as long as I ijnore him, if I try to play (ball, tug, chase) he goes off and lay down. Just can't figure him out.

Sharon: I do not have a daily leash walk but we run in the wood or bike or play. I also live on a small horse farm so the dogs are outside a lot.