[ffluffy]

We took some time off and did some screwing around. We played in a lake and hiked on a mountain. It was fun and relaxing!!

So here is a session with the target, reinforcing in place and reset cookie close by. I think it looks ok.

I will do the next session progressing to him going back and forth to the target.

My marker mechanics are awful. I will work on them. I don’t even pretend to be perfect with my timing, watching videos of myself is sobering. But hey, my dog is happy!!!

I haven’t done any other homework so I feel like I’m behind. I will watch videos and get working on it. Thx!!

[ffluffy]

These are a few stanchion wraps. I really want to use food so we are going to work on food on the ground for reinforcement and toy play in between reps.

I read your mind and used the toy with the tunnel (I put it down on the PT tray). I still want to be able to use food but I figure the toy can raise awareness of the location the food will be. I also saw my arm in a previous video so I agree I need to work that. I soooo want him to be right!!! But I will try to be better about not following him with my arm.

I put the target on a tub. I am starting to hate the target and might need a break from it. I’m pretty sure I left this mostly unedited. Fizz is meh. Granted it was hot. And he wasn’t super into the food. I might need to try chicken or hotdogs or something. I don’t know.

Thx!!!

[ffluffy]

I haven’t been posting but I have been working. Finally home and have access to a tunnel. Had to work on building reinforcement for the pet tutor but it is going well.

The rear cross and sends to the target leave much to be desired. I actually had bad dreams about it and I am not sure what to do. Here is an unedited video. I have spent 4 days trying to build the value for the target. We haven’t gotten very far. I guess I just need to build more value? I started mixing in the toy since he likes that. And I think I need to slow my motion, although I feel like I am barley moving. Thanx in advance for your suggestions.

Here is a quick video of tunnel work. I had my helper point out the pet tutor and fade that out. I’m pretty sure FizzLin only liked tunnels because we celebrated with a toy. So now we are using food. I will try threadle position today.

Thx!!

[ffluffy]

Here is some work from yesterday. We were at a park.

I went back to the start of foot targeting and I’m pretty sure Fizz doesn’t have a clue, it seems very random.

I did some work with the hand target and they toy in my hand and after the first rep it went beautifully!!!

I put a lot of play into this session so I edited that out. Otherwise I kept it short and fun.

[ffluffy]

I trained touch collar means look at me so he is probably reverting to that when I put my hand on him. I’m fine with that, and hopefully he will figure out the context clues. The collar touch is a safety item for off leash walks.

I did what you said with throwing the cookie farther away. It mostly worked but this was on a county road near an irrigation ditch and Fizz was very distracted by the water. I ended up using it as part of his reward so I edited this video quite a bit. The first rep he just ran past me, veering towards the water. I also don’t think he quite knew we were working so I just gave him a chance to check things out and then tried it again. The distance definitely helped me show some decel. ETA there were at least two when Fizz went to the water, I left some of that in so you could see how I dealt with it. I edited out when I used the water as a reward. Also sorry for the engine sound, I propped my phone on the tire and the van was idling. Lol.

We also did the serp work with the target. I realized afterwards that I was probably supposed to stand still and send him to the toy and I ran with him because I was so happy he drove to my hand. All except for the first one, that was when I had the toy in my hand and he thought we were doing the toss trick. I will work on touch target while holding toy but honestly I don’t run with toys anymore, they just lay on the ground so I’m not sure I need that skill (but definitely worth training through it).

I’m not sure my serp position was good, maybe you can comment on that. And the toy was probably too close (oh yeah, there was one rep in the middle that he drove out away from me, back the way he had come since that’s where the toy was previously) (I think that’s why I decided my position was wonky).

Any way, we are visiting friends who live off the grid in UT. We are all self contained so I feel pretty safe. But that means no jump and no tunnel for me. I need to work more with the foot target anyway. Thx!!

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by ffluffy.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by ffluffy.

[ffluffy]

Here is the sandwich game. I am very happy with this. Sorry part was off camera screen.

I did one full circle on the first blind because he wasn’t tight on me. The rest seemed pretty good.

I love how this dog and I work together. It’s so cool to come across a dog who gets me. And I love these games, they are perfect for where we are at right now!!

[ffluffy]

I swear I posted this yesterday but I obviously didn’t. LOL. I’m having some memory moments.

I used some different things for the wing wrap and also tried standing up. It was super hot that day so Fizz was a little blah. I really think this is coming along.

I have a video of the blind collection go sandwich, I will edit and post asap. I still need to do more work with the send and rear cross with the target.

I have a question, is there information in the zoom recordings that is not covered in class? I have such massive ADD right now I don’t think I can watch the whole thing. I don’t want to miss something but I also want to conserve my brain. I am loving the online class, I’m glad I didn’t do the zoom class part, it would have been too much for me right now. Covid has made things weird for sure. I hope you are coping ok.

[ffluffy]

I used to think that I knew so much, and now I’m pretty sure I know just a little, lol.

Here is some work today with our foot target. I forgot the grey bag at home so I did a quick warm up session with this blue bag and then did some parallel work and some sends.

I forgot to look at him for the first few reps, and then I remembered to look at him. I think it went well. I tried to do some reps using the toy as the reinforcement instead of treats.

Thx!

[ffluffy]

I have quite a few markers but, like you, I do tell my clients to just pick a couple at first. I don’t think marker systems are for everybody, lol. My favorite markers are ‘yes’ and ‘bravo’, yes meaning to move and eat food from my hand and bravo meaning to eat a treat from the ground. I am certainly not perfect and screw up my marker words frequently. I also use different markers for toys vs food, as well as toy in my hand and toy from the ground. Those seemed to help my malinois figure out what we were doing together, again, lol. I don’t use a release word anymore, I just tell my dogs what they are doing next. This seems to work well, but I think a release word is fine too. I don’t think there is any one way to train a dog anymore, I think you have to train the dog in front of you and every dog is different so you better prepare to adapt!! I’m ok at adapting but I could be better at it, ug, oh well.

More again with the two bowls https://youtu.be/_SiiKHu-UOs

And finally blind crosses! I will be interested to hear your feedback on these https://youtu.be/2n_4vgoqcDc

I will do some sends to a target using your suggestions today. Thx!

[ffluffy]

I have some videos I will post ASAP. I know you had live class this am and I think you are at a seminar so no hurry in replying.

Fizz is a boy, lol. I am saying ‘bravo’, it’s my marker for food from the ground.

I did a nice session with bowls today and blind crosses that were actually ok!

Thx for your feedback, I will try the foot target again, I get so used to not having treats in my hands, I forget that it is actually helpful to be prepared.

I’m really happy with our progress!! I really like Fizz, he is turning out super nice.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by ffluffy.

[ffluffy]

It was cool enough today for me to work outside.

Here is some foot target sends. I used a bag. Of course I forgot to look at the dog for the first few reps. It seemed to get better, I had to move closer, which was fine.

Foot target sends

Here is some two bowl work, I did not add the stanchion, we need to work more on it with better treats and a fresh Fizz.

Two bowls

My blinds were a mess so I will re-watch the video and try again tomorrow.

Thx in advance for your feedback! PS I posted unedited videos this time so you could see in between reps. I can always edit them if you prefer.

[ffluffy]

I have another question about the eye contact in the drive forward. A lot of times when we make eye contact with a dog they look back at us. So we are trying to change that auto eye contact with this training? What would happen if you really needed a hard decel and you looked at your dog? Would they ignore it?

Drive forward

Decel and turns

I am slowly working through the homework. Here are two videos that I have so far.

It’s been over 100 degrees here during the day so I am limited with where I can practice.

Thanx in advance for your feedback!

[ffluffy]

When you say softening the side info, would that be when a dog crosses behind when they shouldn’t? Because they were confused about which side to be on?

Thx for explaining!

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