We did a Flash Session this evening and I filmed it. I won't say it was our best, but you can see how we just do whatever comes into my mind. And doing it for kibble takes so long. . . he has to chew every bite, and I kept dropping pieces. But here it is.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
What's your name?
Zane still has all his horrible nicknames. Yesterday I didn't know where he was, so I called, "Where's Booger Butt Head?" And he came running. Oy. I have got to stop calling him that!
I'm going to an APDT Rally trial next weekend, so for fun I've pulled out their rally signs and have played with them with Zane. He's so funny. "I can heel! I can heel! Oh look! It's Daddy! (boing, boing, boing) Hi Daddy!" He is also having issues with front if I stand straight up. He wants to swing into heel position. Along with wall fronts, I'm doing this: I toss a treat and tell him to go, then I place a treat between my feet and tell him front. He comes in and straightens up to get the treat between my feet. Then I toss a another treat. Back and forth and back and forth, then I "forget" to put one between my feet. He looks, then looks up at me, I ask for a sit, and he's in a nice straight front. It's all fun and games right now.
In December, there is an APDT Rally trial with a puppy class. He'll be old enough to enter. I may do it just to get a good laugh. A friend with a puppy just 2 days older than Zane is entering, and she wants to have another puppy in the class - no need being humiliated alone!
Our morning flash sessions are still a hoot. He's so eager to try things, and he did a down on a utility signal this morning. Of course, the next time I gave the signal, he looked at me like I was an idiot.
He has one baby tooth left - a canine. But. . . it has split in two. It doesn't seem to bother him as he's still tugging and chewing. It must already be dead as you can see the middle of the tooth.
I'm going to an APDT Rally trial next weekend, so for fun I've pulled out their rally signs and have played with them with Zane. He's so funny. "I can heel! I can heel! Oh look! It's Daddy! (boing, boing, boing) Hi Daddy!" He is also having issues with front if I stand straight up. He wants to swing into heel position. Along with wall fronts, I'm doing this: I toss a treat and tell him to go, then I place a treat between my feet and tell him front. He comes in and straightens up to get the treat between my feet. Then I toss a another treat. Back and forth and back and forth, then I "forget" to put one between my feet. He looks, then looks up at me, I ask for a sit, and he's in a nice straight front. It's all fun and games right now.
In December, there is an APDT Rally trial with a puppy class. He'll be old enough to enter. I may do it just to get a good laugh. A friend with a puppy just 2 days older than Zane is entering, and she wants to have another puppy in the class - no need being humiliated alone!
Our morning flash sessions are still a hoot. He's so eager to try things, and he did a down on a utility signal this morning. Of course, the next time I gave the signal, he looked at me like I was an idiot.
He has one baby tooth left - a canine. But. . . it has split in two. It doesn't seem to bother him as he's still tugging and chewing. It must already be dead as you can see the middle of the tooth.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Moving Stand
This morning's flash sessions included a moving stand. Zane was very confused at first. He wanted to drop, as that is what he's been working on. But after a couple of tries, he figured it out. It's definitely not fluent yet, but he got the idea.
He's done enough brickwork right now that his sits need some work. Instead of sitting straight, he always swings to get into heel position (or close to it). I'm doing a lot of wall fronts to remind him where front is, and I'm rewarding immediate sits if we're not working on front. Zane is learning about stimulus control - only offer the behavior when it is asked for. All dogs go through these stages. Have you ever taught a drop on recall, then your dog starts dropping on every recall even if you don't ask them to? Anticipation can be a great friend in training if you use it wisely.
He is now fluent on his rear pivots without the brick. Well, on the left side he is. The right side needs more work. He still has trouble getting into perfect "side" position. If I were doing freestyle, I'd be working it a lot more. But I'm not, so I don't.
Every morning Zane goes outside first thing to potty. When he comes back in, he is so cute. He acts like he hasn't seen me in two weeks and is full of wiggles and leaps and loving. We have to spend about 5 minutes just loving on each other before he can do anything else. My husband wanted a sweet, loving Aussie, and boy did we get one.
He's done enough brickwork right now that his sits need some work. Instead of sitting straight, he always swings to get into heel position (or close to it). I'm doing a lot of wall fronts to remind him where front is, and I'm rewarding immediate sits if we're not working on front. Zane is learning about stimulus control - only offer the behavior when it is asked for. All dogs go through these stages. Have you ever taught a drop on recall, then your dog starts dropping on every recall even if you don't ask them to? Anticipation can be a great friend in training if you use it wisely.
He is now fluent on his rear pivots without the brick. Well, on the left side he is. The right side needs more work. He still has trouble getting into perfect "side" position. If I were doing freestyle, I'd be working it a lot more. But I'm not, so I don't.
Every morning Zane goes outside first thing to potty. When he comes back in, he is so cute. He acts like he hasn't seen me in two weeks and is full of wiggles and leaps and loving. We have to spend about 5 minutes just loving on each other before he can do anything else. My husband wanted a sweet, loving Aussie, and boy did we get one.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
He Rallys! (Rallies?)
This morning at Rally practice, Zane got to run the course for the first time.
Ok, he didn't do the whole course. And he didn't do all the exercises in the part of the course he did. And I had food in my hand the whole time and heavily rewarded him.
But he still got out there and worked! He had some nice heeling, nice turns, he stood on command (but we didn't do the stand-walk around - he's not ready for that).
Baby boy is growing up.
Oh, and he lost another molar while he was there. He really is growing up.
Ok, he didn't do the whole course. And he didn't do all the exercises in the part of the course he did. And I had food in my hand the whole time and heavily rewarded him.
But he still got out there and worked! He had some nice heeling, nice turns, he stood on command (but we didn't do the stand-walk around - he's not ready for that).
Baby boy is growing up.
Oh, and he lost another molar while he was there. He really is growing up.
Flash Sessions
This morning Zane and I had great fun with our first "flash session". This term was started (as far as I know) by trainer Linda Koutsky. A flash session is a short, but intense, training session. Instead of working one thing, you mix and match and throw lots of things into the session. I usually do it to music (one song and you're done!), but didn't this morning.
So in about a 3 minute flash session this morning, we did finding heel, rear pivot from the left, finding side (right side), rear pivot from right, peek (coming up between my legs from the back), stand, heel, down in front, moving down (still needs lots of work), down in heel, get in, stand in front, stand in heel, down on signal, and I don't remember what else. It was all very quick, very fun, and it kept him very engaged and focused.
So in about a 3 minute flash session this morning, we did finding heel, rear pivot from the left, finding side (right side), rear pivot from right, peek (coming up between my legs from the back), stand, heel, down in front, moving down (still needs lots of work), down in heel, get in, stand in front, stand in heel, down on signal, and I don't remember what else. It was all very quick, very fun, and it kept him very engaged and focused.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Eyelashes. . . Oh my
Zane is definitely feeling better. I haven't worked him since Wednesday, and he spent all morning staring at me until I got up and did something with him. I love dogs who want to work and insist on it!
Zane has a long, long, long eyelash above each eye. Jill wants me to trim them. What do you think?
Today I watched Susan Salo's Puppy Jumping DVD and worked the first exercise.
We took this video last week. We were trying to get a video of Zane gaiting, but as you can see, he is now a gazelle. He leaps! Unfortunately, Jill broke her toe, so I haven't had any more help to try to get another video. And yes, I giggle every time he leaps. That doesn't help matters any.
Zane has a long, long, long eyelash above each eye. Jill wants me to trim them. What do you think?
Today I watched Susan Salo's Puppy Jumping DVD and worked the first exercise.
We took this video last week. We were trying to get a video of Zane gaiting, but as you can see, he is now a gazelle. He leaps! Unfortunately, Jill broke her toe, so I haven't had any more help to try to get another video. And yes, I giggle every time he leaps. That doesn't help matters any.
No Training
On Friday morning, I wanted to continue to work stands. As usual I made his breakfast and we got to work. Not. He did stand, but would not eat. I broke off the training session as I want his work to be enthusiastic. If we practice ho-hum, humbug, then we'll get ho-hum, humbug.
He refused to eat breakfast. He threw up a couple of times. He didn't eat dinner. Threw up some more. And he was not his usual bouncy self. He just laid at my feet. Oh dear.
On Thursday night, Zane discovered the kitty litter box. I know he ate some. I can only imagine that is what upset his tummy. I was ready to head to the vet on Saturday morning if he didn't eat.
So Saturday morning I got up, fixed him a bowl of chicken and rice and pumpkin (much easier on a tender tummy). He gobbled it down and kept it down. Yay! He got the same for dinner. He loves it.
I can just see the future now. "Mommy, my tummy doesn't feel good. I think I need some chicken and rice and pumpkin for dinner."
He refused to eat breakfast. He threw up a couple of times. He didn't eat dinner. Threw up some more. And he was not his usual bouncy self. He just laid at my feet. Oh dear.
On Thursday night, Zane discovered the kitty litter box. I know he ate some. I can only imagine that is what upset his tummy. I was ready to head to the vet on Saturday morning if he didn't eat.
So Saturday morning I got up, fixed him a bowl of chicken and rice and pumpkin (much easier on a tender tummy). He gobbled it down and kept it down. Yay! He got the same for dinner. He loves it.
I can just see the future now. "Mommy, my tummy doesn't feel good. I think I need some chicken and rice and pumpkin for dinner."
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