Re: Sessions #5-8

Session #9

Quite the squirmer at first. She would not sit still long enough to take the bumper. Frustrating for me as she was doing so well. I decided to train her at a standing whoa rather than at a sit for the day, will go back to the sit tomorrow. 4 holds total, walked on 3 of them. First walk was only 2-3 steps and then a give, second walk was 7-8 steps and then a give, third walk was 7-8 steps, turn, 7-8 more, turn, 7-8 more and then the give. I decided to stop on a good note.


Next Steps:
Need to get back to the sit and solidify that prior to starting ear pinch. May focus on sit without a bumper outside of training sessions. Seems to be really starting to understand hold, now to begin proofing it and re-inforcing what she knows. No rush.

Re: Sessions #10-11

I'm trying a new idea that I got from a trainer friend of mine. I hooked a collar to her leash, ran it down her back and around her flank. I put her at a sit, which she does at first. I set my bucket on the leash so if she tries to stand without me releasing her it tightens around her flank.

Let me tell you, it worked like a miracle. After the first hold she tried to stand up, it tightened and she sat back down. I loosened it back up and she didn't try to stand again.

We did 6 or 7 short holds, between 2 and 10 seconds. Lots of praise before, during, and after. We finished the sitting portion with a longer hold, just under 30 seconds. And then a sitting hold to heel with 2 laps around the room (it's a small room), 8-10 steps each way.

She did great, couldn't have asked for a better result.

Next steps:
More reps, continue with the good stuff. Probably give it another week of this and walking hold and will introduce the bumpter instead of the roller.

Re: Session #12

Forgot the leash today so I worked without it. She sat extremely well only trying to stand up once. I gave her a stern sit and she did. I've been starting the past few sessions with sitting type drills, no holds. After a couple of minutes I grab the roller and start work with that.

4-5 holds about 10-15 seconds each. She holds very well, no mouthing, head still, etc. Lots of praise for that. I tried to get her to drop it, putting my hand on the roller, standing up, tapping it, etc. NO luck, great holds.

The 4th and 5th hold I actually stood up and walked about 5 or 6 steps out, looked at her and had her come to me. #4 she came, and she released the roller on the give command. #5 I had her sit at heel and then took the roller.

This was a fantastic day. She tends to do this to me, it seems like she isn't learning and all of a sudden bam there it is. Man I love these dogs.

I ended with lots of praise a few fun bumpers and a good belly scratch.

Next Steps:
Keep at this for a while yet, make sure that we have sitting down well before starting any real pressure. I may try to incorporate the bumper at the end of tomorrow's session for one rep.

Re: Sessions #13-17

Great weekend. We started each session with basic sit/hold sessions. 2-5 reps, increasing duration each time. She will now hold for 30+ seconds with no mouthing or signs of dropping. Basic proof by grabbing at the roller, hitting it, standing up/walking around, etc.

I intro'd the bumper on Fri and worked to full bumper work (no more paint roller) by Sunday evening (5 sessions).

We progressed into sit/hold into a come and a walk at heel. She did this extremely well in the basement. On the Saturday evening session and Sunday evening session we went outside to work on walking hold in the yard. She did well but would drop the bumper after about 20 seconds and a few turns. A quick correction and she was fine.

Lots of praise and fun bumpers at the end of training. She's donig well and seems to be almost enjoying this now which is good to see. It was tough on her to start as this is the first real pressure she's had but she's accepted it and is better in a lot of ways because of it.

Next Steps:
Continue walk/hold in the yard for the rest of the week. Next weekend I will start ear pinch.

Re: Sessions

I haven't updated in a while, but I've still been training. We are still working hold. She is walking extremely well. She will walk at heel with the bumper in her mouth for as long as I want her to. She will hold a bumper at sit while I walk away and then come to my side and sit again before I command give. Her mouth habits are great, no chomping or mouthing. If anything I think her grip is a little loose but she doesn't drop the bumper so I'll let her decide on that one.

Re: Sessions #5-8

I worked the past week on hold, walking hold at heel, and whoa/hold. For some reason she was dropping the bumper when I whoa'd her so I wanted to address that. I gave her a couple of days off, I don't want this to become boring mundane training. She really seems to like it now, when we go to our training spot she beats me to the bucket and sits right next to it and waits for me to grab the bumper and sit.

The past two sessions I've taken the next step to ear pinch fetch. Light pressure is all she's encountered. The first session I worked 3 fetches and put it up. The second session I upped it to 6. She picked this up rather quickly and is showing signs of reaching for the bumper already.

I don't plan to move to reaching for a few more days but it's good to see right now. I plan to work the near future on fetch right in front of her mouth with the ear pinch and really ingrain that.

We're taking it really slow, we don't have anything to rush for. She no longer shows signs of being uncomfortable (looking away, body language, etc.). As I said earlier she seems to enjoy our training sessions now.

Re: Sessions #5-8

We worked a few sessions in this weekend. I started to have her look up and down with the fetches but no reaching yet. Still only doing 5-7 reps and then a fun bumper or two. I almost keep it like a game rather than a drill.

She started anticipating the drop so I backed up and worked on that for a day. I can now put my hand on the bumper and she doesn't spit it until the verbal command. Not too much on this as in most circumstances I'll be taking the bird when she comes and not making her hold it in front of me but I understand the value of holding until I command out so I backed up to work on it.