Test Drive the Dogs!

When I was younger and well before driving age, my parents would let me go out and start the car so it could warm up before they headed off to work. Even though it was 10 below zero, I loved that moment behind the wheel. It was a thrill, a job I had proven I was capable of handling and for just that one moment, a glimpse into my future.

Later, my role evolved and I was allowed to back the car down the driveway and not long after that, my Dad let me drive his truck around the property. All of these skills prepared me for real driving on real roads.

Training a dog in agility is much the same thing. We start our puppies/dogs off by instilling the safety rules of agility skills. Next we let them sit behind the wheel by sharing the keys of handling and soon they’re backing down the driveway of sequencing. Before we know it, they’re driving courses in the safety of our property…all in preparation for real driving on real agility courses.

This analogy came to mind when I recently took Zulu out for a little test drive in agility class. I have to say, it was a thrill! First, his contacts were amazing. As I pushed, he gave me 2on-2off contacts that were fast, confident and accurate. The timing couldn't have been better as my 2on2off DVD will be available via download next week and soon available for shipping. It was a nice reminder that the training is GREAT and dogs just love it!

But back to my Zulu test drive...next, he sequenced with relish and was clearly enjoying himself while working with gusto. I couldn’t help but be proud of his skills and I have to say, it was fun to get a glimpse of our agility future together.

You may remember when a few months ago I took Rouge out for a few test drives on the open road at an agility trial and again at the Stacy Peardot-Goudy seminar. Those times gave me confidence that her visitation days were behind us.

It also means that it’s really time to start driving her like the little race car she is and to see exactly what’s under that sporty hood of hers. So I grabbed my best treats and off we went to race around the agility training course. To my surprise, she was just as hyped about the experience as I was. It seems the more I pushed, the more she gave. Pretty soon I was giggling, she had a smile on her face and we both learned how to burn a little rubber!

The lesson I'm reminded is that there reaches a point in each dog’s training where it’s time to buckle up, hit the road and see what’s under the hood 'cause it’s time for a real test drive. Relish that moment. You're sure to have some great moments and if you're lucky, you'll walk away with a few specific items to work on. 

The Best Kept Secret in Dog Training - Criteria!

I was in the process of writing a blog post questioning WHY dog handlers don't give the concept of predefined Criteria the attention it deserves...when it dawned on me. Have they ever been told of the need for planned Criteria?

So for the heck of it, I did a little surface research to see if Criteria is mentioned in common training definitions.

GENERAL DEFINITION OF TRAINING*
First, I looked up the general term 'Training' and found two relevant, accurate and interchangeable definitions for human & dog training. The definitions are 1) "acquiring of skill: the process of teaching or learning a skill or job." 2) training is an organized activity aimed at imparting information and/or instructions to improve the recipient's performance or to help him or her attain a required level of knowledge or skill.


While there were some great key words used, the word Criteria was no where to be found.

DEFINITION OF DOG TRAINING*
Next I looked up the term Dog Training. Dog training is defined as - a standardized program of training for dogs calculated to give owners mastery of their dogs at all times. 


OK, I can't help the sarcasm and getting a little off topic here, but REALLY?!?! That was the best definition Websters & Wikipedia and other referral sources could come up with? I'll have to devote yet another blog post to this topic called 'What IS Dog Training' . But back to the current topic...again, no mention of the word Criteria.


READING BETWEEN THE LINES
While the word Criteria was not specifically used in any of these definitions, words like...

• Process - a series of actions directed toward a specific aim 
• Instruction - a spoken or written statement of what must be done
• Skill - A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both
• Knowledge - all the information, facts, truths, and principles learned throughout time
• Calculate - to consider a situation carefully and decide what is likely to happen

....were used. So the question all dog trainers should be asking themselves is "How do I come up with a process? How do I give instruction? How do I teach a skill? How do I share the knowledge of what I want my dog to do? And how can I calculate what my dog is likely to do?"


THE HOLY GRAIL OF DOG TRAINING - CRITERIA
All of the above (Process, Instruction, Skill, etc.) uses Criteria as a means to obtain the wanted outcome. Think about it, Criteria is the necessary base to train specific behaviors. Need further proof, how about all of the pros use it (agility, baseball, football, etc.) so why shouldn't you?


Give Criteria some thought as it deserves attention when it comes to dog training. As a little tidbit, something to remember is that in dog training, Criteria is a bunch of small little steps that ultimately make up a specific end-behavior. 


I'll be writing more about criteria, but in the meantime, ask yourself "Can you define what the expectations are for your dog in a factual and logical manner? Do you have a clear and concise blue print to work or train by?."


If you answered 'No' then you need to add Criteria to your tool box. Not sure how? Well stay tuned for more on Criteria!


*On-line references used: Websters, Wikipedia & Encarta

The Big SHOCK!!!

If you know me, you won't be surprised that the topic I'm about to engage in is controversial for many dog owners. Wait, let me get my flame suit on....okay the topic is....using an electric shock to train a dog (for example via a collar or an 'invisible fence').

Now before you get your hackles up, this conversation is going to be about my own PERSONAL experience with an electric shock. Let me clarify here to be sure you read the last sentence correctly - I'm not going to talk about using an electric shock on a dog or any other animal. I'm going to talk about when I (me, myself) was shocked. It's a different point of view, but I think it is well worth the discussion.

Let me start off by saying I'm not a fan of shock collars and prefer other training methods. However, as a trainer, I always keep an open mind to different techniques so that I can understand the pros and cons of each method and make an informed decision. In political terms, I'm neither a Liberal or a Conservative.

With that said, here's what happened to me personally.

First, I was in a familiar place and somewhere I felt at ease and comfortable. I'd gotten there early so I wasn't feeling stressed from the drive and it was a beautiful sunny day. In other words, I was in a great mood.

As I was walking my usual route, I noted an electric fence along my path (a first). Unfortunately, I had to deal with it to get to my destination and after not being able to get to the power source, I was left to try and figure out if it was 'hot'. Note for others, using a stick does NOT work as an accurate indicator!! I was doing a great job in removing the fiberglass end post of the fence when the potentially 'hot' wire inadvertently touched me.

There was a moment of nothing and so I thought I was safe. Personally, I think the wire was just gearing up to shock the living *@#% out of me because then IT happened. I swear time froze and went into slow motion. I could hear the electricity coming my way, but by then it was too late to avoid the impact. Much to my surprise, there was an INTENSE stab to my thumb that shot rapidly up my arm and through to my lower shower blade. I vaguely remember the loud & painful howl that came from mouth. I also don't vividly recall the intense instinct that told me to immediately drop the rod and 'hot' wire. What I do remember is being very surprised at the incredibly strange sound I made.

More importantly, I distinctly remember my emotion.

I was PISSED. Mad as all hell and definitely not thinking rationally. Mentally I kept coming back to the pain in my thumb and the surprise of how the electricity had traveled through my arm and into my back area. Again, I was PISSED. I kept coming back to that feeling and I'm very glad nobody else was around. Now this is important...I have no doubt that if the owners of the electric fence would have been there, I wouldn't have been a nice person because logic was out the window. I hurt, it hurt and I was PISSED!

In reality and from the view-point of a trainer, I'm not at all upset with the owners and am actually glad that the situation happened (although I wouldn't volunteer to relive the event!). It is moments like these that are so educational, you just can't learn certain lessons from a text book and they define you as the type of trainer you're going to be.

Bottom line, it better be a life and death situation in order for someone to try and rationalize the use of an electronic shock on ANY living creature. While I would gladly comply with not going near an object that would elicit an electronic shock, it definitely also elicited intense feelings of pain and anger - both of which I view as a negative emotion that could easily fall under the category of intimidation.

The lesson I learned is that I can't help but wonder, is this how a dog feels when it's shocked? PISSED! Wouldn't it naturally blame the owner for putting that darned collar on them? Would or could they potentially turn on their owners...which was my first instinct? These are all interesting questions and I have no doubt the answer is "Depends on the Dog...." Ah, yeah, that's a little too vague for me to swallow as a trainer since I prefer more black and white answers.

As has been said in many studies, Aggression begets Aggression. As a trainer, I would be a fool to ignore the first impulse I had when I was shocked, which was intense and immediate ANGER. While I may have looked compliant on the surface (in an effort to avoid additional & future pain), the fact is that the underlying emotion was there (as the effects of my previous pain continued to throb) and it was quite strong.

It's something for all of us to think about, but I know that based on my personal reaction, I would avoid negative training methods if at all possible.

Career Day - My Life as a Dog Trainer

I've been looking forward to today for over a week!

It started when a very nice young 6th grader did a phone interview with me on dog training as a career. Next was today's in-person classroom presentation - it was a blast!

I just love sharing my passion for training dogs and especially enjoy working with kids on this topic. 

I brought my friend Jill along as well as my pups, Ru and Burton, so the kids could see two different kinds of dogs working.

After a formal presentation from my hostess, I did a hands-on & interactive introduction to clicker training and then brought the dogs in, along with a few props. Besides the basic obedience items, Ru is great at scooting backwards while in a down and then crawling forward while her back legs are spread out behind her. It's always good for a good laugh since she's pretty cute.

Next, I brought in a suitcase and showed them Ru's trick of getting in the suitcase with the lid down and then popping just her nose out. Of course they thought that was adorable and this trick earned a lot of "Ohhhh's!" from the crowd. Afterward, we brought Burton in to show us a few basic obedience items. Burton LOVES kids so this was such a treat for him.

When all was said and done, the kids could visit with and pet the dogs while we had a Q&A session which lasted for over an hour! This was an amazing group of bright kids and I was equally impressed with the teacher and his commitment to his students. I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again!

For the Love of the Sport

As the Puppies Grow...

The attached picture of Ru was taken almost a year ago, but it's one of my favorites. She's not so puppy any more and is now almost 16 months old. While she is technically old enough to compete in AKC Agility, I prefer the 18 months that USDAA uses as their guidelines.

Ready or not, Ru will compete in the PSLRA Lab Trial that I'm co-chairing in mid-June. I mean hey, why not make her debut in front of friends! : )

I've been feeling the pressure a bit since I haven't been practicing as diligently as some, but I've certainly spent daily time bonding with her in non-agility ways - so there is a plus and she certainly isn't being ignored. On the contrast, she's a spoiled brat !

This is a hard age because she's probably ready physically for the challenges Agility has to offer, but I've intentionally chosen to be conservative and take it easy on this (as I have been with all of my prior dogs) and that's why I hadn't practiced as much as some at this age. 

For the record, mentally Ru has an incredible work ethic and LOVES to be with & interact me. I've known all along that she enjoys the parts of Agility we have trained, but was concerned when she was a bit slower and more cautious when it came to putting it all together with jumping AND handling. You could definitely see the wheels turning while she worked through the information being tossed at her at a faster and faster speed as she progressed (this is a good thing). 

Here's where training with Stacy P-G and Pinky way back when came in handy - Stacy taught me that as long as they're thinking, let them finish the thought and see what conclusion they come up with. Far too often handlers step in to make the decision for the dog - not the best way for the dog to learn. It's amazing how that sound advice from over a decade ago is still very relevant today and has quickly paid off.

Tonight I finally got a full glimpse of what Ru is capable of and I'm thrilled! 

• Tonight she was a little speed demon over the jumps (a first). While I had the speed over contacts, I hadn't had it during jumps & handling sequences so I was so amazed at the progress and enthusiasm she suddenly showed tonight. 
• Next, she took 3 jumps in a straight line, a very tough sequence for a young dog.
  
• On the first approach to the teeter, she did hesitate a bit earlier than I would have preferred. However, I'm proud that she recognized the obstacle and adjusted to fit her comfort level (although ultimately I'd like to heavily reward going to the end of the board & riding it down).  So I was VERY pleased that as the night progressed she ran toward the last 1/3 of the board with confidence and rode it down easily on her own accord. I was very generous for that teeter performance and am encouraged that she offered more on her own accord!
• Next, Ru loves her contacts and will often pull to those obstacles rather than follow my lead. I continued my work from last week on by-passing contacts and taking a different path. I was so pleased when this week she easily got the concept and again, I rewarded generously for her decision. (Note to self: remember to stop and reward the jumps as much as I had the contacts so that all obstacles have equal value).
• Next, what stuck out was that I really need to go back to my rear-cross work with her. As she gains speed and confidence, she is not reading (or I'm not executing properly) the rear-cross as it's been trained or to my criteria expectations. This is normal for the transitional phase and should be some fun homework for us to do over the next week or so.

I believe that one of the things that made us successful tonight was that I made sure to be very generous with my praise and treats over the last few weeks. I worked hard to focus on the positive and to change my attitude to look for those good things vs. the 'faults'. I also worked hard to break things down into smaller, more managable & successful parts.

As a bit of insight, there was a week in the past where I came to the conclusion that I was expecting Ru (my Dalmatian) to act like a Border Collie (namely like my now deceased BC, Coal, the last dog I trained from a puppy). Imagine my disappointment when she wasn't Coal and shame on me for inadvertently going in that directions. But, I'm human and since I allow my dogs the luxury of learning by doing, I need to give myself the same space. It was a good reminder on how every dog IS different and that just like when I'm teaching, I need to remember to adjust more liberally to my own personal dogs.

Additionally, I think it's easy to forget the amount of time and effort we put into our older dogs and that it's way too easy to expect our younger ones to 'just know' those things. Too bad osmosis doesn't work for dog training since I'd be soooo rich if I could accomplish that.

Why Not the World Team?

While living in the Pacific Northwest, I've often been ridiculed and put down because I have no desire to be an agility World Team Member (apparently that's the 'in' thing here). I don't think less of those that dream of being members and in fact, I admire those who have dreams and work hard to make those desires come true. I just know it's not the right decision for ME. I made that decision almost a decade ago and have been happy with it ever since.

What folks in the Pacific Northwest don't realize is that I've been around agility for a long, long time. In fact, far before the inception of the World Team. Long ago I competed with the best, traveled across the country with the best and knew the "who's-who" before they became the "who's-who". Over the decades, I've watched people emotionally fall to pieces, crash under pressure and act in a way that even they weren't proud of. It happens to most of them at one time or another and I've seen it all.

What most people don't realize is that for those working to be at the top, there is a lot of pressure from spectators constantly watching, from those who are judging every move and even more expectations for them self that go unnoticed. Given these conditions, it is inevitable that people will crack.

I feel that I've been very smart in my decisions as they pertain to the dog world. For one, I don't feel the need to prove to myself or to anyone else what I can and have accomplished. Second, I don't feel the need to be in the spot-light. Every time I walk out onto the Agility field or engage one of my dogs, I do it strictly for personal reasons.

Those going for WT status must make them self #1 or they'll never get to where they want to go. Another reason I wouldn't make a good WT member is that I do fully commit myself to my students, heart, mind & energy. When I'm teaching, the moment is about my students and NOT about me. I'll admit that I harbor a secret desire to guide my students further than they thought possible - there's nothing like seeing the light glow in their eyes the moment they accomplish something they never thought possible. I'm not saying WT folks aren't great instructors, but they're much smarter about their emotional investment and smartly keep the best for them self.

I had an old boss once tell me that not everyone in a group could be a go-getter and that every group needed their steady-eddies. For those who are World Team bound, it requires a great deal of self-preparation, training (both mentally & physically) and an intense inner drive and focus. Those bound for WT make immense sacrifices and work hard to stay focused on their task. 

Personally, I know I'm just as driven and intense (just ask my husband), the difference is that instead of focusing on a singular item, I desire more of a balance in my life and chose to focus my time and energy on multiple items that bring me joy. It doesn't mean that one is right or one decision is wrong, it simply means we all have free will and can do whatever we chose with our given lives.

It's a pretty neat concept when you think of it because it guarantees that none of us will be exactly a like. It adds variety to our world and it also gives us the chance to appreciate each person for their individual desires and choices.

Whatever your choice is, just be sure you're true to yourself. If you don't want to be a WT member, that's Okay! If you do, get a plan together and make it happen. Whichever path it is, I would caution that you don't loose yourself in the process. Make a list of things that are important in the whole of your life and be sure you're giving care to those items as well as living your dream.

From someone who has been there/done that and seen a whole lot more than I let on, take my free advice and remember that ultimately only YOU can make you happy.

Emotions & Training

Emotions - we all have 'em and sometimes they're a blessing and sometimes a curse.  

I'm mentoring someone who, during the course of training their dog, is experiencing a range of emotions. I'll bet you can relate - they started off with their dog acting brilliantly.  Each week the brilliance increased and the dog & handler were having a great time.  Now as the handler experiences success, they expect their young dog to act brilliantly all of the time and at a moment's notice. They've now gone from a euphoric high to a ground-slamming low of disappointment as their expectations have surpassed the dog's ability.

Rather than go into the "Why's" of the situation, I thought it would be good to address the one thing nobody talks about - Training & the accompanying EMOTIONS!

It's natural for our emotions to take over at times. Like when you've just had an incredible agility run with your dog and you're certain you just conquered the world...or there was that equally frustrating run where you were less than pleased with either yourself or your dog....I'll bet you can immediatly blurt out how you felt in those moments.

The first thing I want to say is that emotions are NATURAL!  Like it or not, we live with them in every waking & non-waking moment.  Some of us are more prone to embrace (or be overtaken by) them and some are in denial that their parents passed on the emotion gene (I hate to tell you, but it's there).

Whatever type you are, I suggest preparing for "emotions" to sneak up on you at some point while training your dog.  It's going to happen. 

Unfortunately most coaches don't talk about this side of Agility and who could blame them? Emotions can be sticky, icky, uncomfortable, personal and honestly, not many agility coaches have a degree in Wading Through Emotional Sludge.

Let me say upfront that I've experienced both euphoric and just plain ugly emotions during my 13 year dog career and I'll bet you have too.  Some lessons I've learned the hard way and some lessons I did just right - life is about learning and you'll find yourself learning as you go too. Any way, since many of us commit ourselves to our dogs & to our training financially, physically and with our souls it's natural - and to be expected - that our commitment level comes out in emotions every once in awhile. 

Some handlers try to pretend that they're always positive and this is simply being untrue, unfair and undermining to themselves.  I say recognize & embrace your emotions because it is a part of who you are.  NOW, with that said, that doesn't mean emotions should necessarily run the show and run your behavior - especially if it highlights the inside ugly monster you swore you'd never let out of it's cage!

Seriously, be aware of how you're feeling (happy or not) and if you're not feeling "balanced", are overwhelmed, irratated, disappointed, etc. then stop, chose not to train, don't continue with what was eliciting the negative emotion, concentrate on breathing and resist the urge to replay the bad in your mind and instead chose to focus on things that went well.

Emotions are going to happen and it's our job to recognize them as they occur and if appropriate, immediately move toward an action that relieves any negative feelings - BEFORE we act upon them.

I share all of this because emotions and training do not necessarily go hand in hand.  Training is about our dog, is more factual based and focuses on a goal.  On the other hand, emotions are about US and they are sporadic and often can be unfair and illogical. 

So the next time you go to train your dog, check your emotions at the door (ok, just the negative ones!) and be prepared to focus on your dog and not your emotions.

As always, have fun and enjoy the training!  Oh wait, those are emotions....

Why & What Foundation Work?

Today I turn 40, so I might be a bit nostalgic - but I realized that I've been training/competing/teaching in agility for 13 years now!

Last year I got my 5th dog, a Dalmatian I named Rouge (or Ru for short). Since she is now 13 months old it's time to start thinking of agility training beyond puppy concepts. With that in mind, I attended a Foundation Seminar given by my favorite instructor, Stacy Peardot-Goudy. I've been working with Stacy for 12 years now and it's great that she is still my "go to" person.

Why go to a Foundation Seminar:

As I mentioned, I've been in Agility for 13 years, am on my 5th dog and I paid to go to a Foundation Seminar.  Some might ask why?  Well first, no matter how many times I may have heard something, it's always good to be reminded of it again - especially in Foundation work when most of us want to skip on off to the end result. Next, I might learn a great exercise, learn a new tip, be reminded of something I'd forgotten, learn by watching the other young dogs or have a chance to ask a knowledgeable person a question or two and to see their view point on various topics.

But the biggest reason is that no matter how much I've learned or how much I know, it's fun to be the student again!  There is so little pressure. I mean I don't have to prove myself, all I have to do is LISTEN and WATCH (the 2 best ways to learn) and it gives me an opportunity to work & focus on only my young dog.

History of Foundation Training for Me:

When I think back on the 5 dogs I've owned and the journey we've had together, I can see how things -including me - have changed.  My first dog was my FIRST dog ever.  With her, Agility was just coming into the main stream and training was a wing on a prayer (Foundation was never a thought).  

With my second & third dogs, training was better, but both dogs were rescues and there was a ton of "other" baggage that had to be worked through before I could even think about Agility (Foundation Training was called "Obedience").  This is when I also became more interested in behavioral shaping and decided to greatly expanded my training skills beyond the basics and even beyond Agility. 

My 4th dog was brilliant and I could experiment on his agility training and behavioral shaping as much as I'd like because he loved to work and was very high drive. Unfortunately he knew how to push my buttons so the unexpected lessons learned (via the school of Fort Knox!) was to stay calm (even when he was a whirling dervish) and break the training steps down into TINY pieces and TINY time frames so that both of us could be successful. 

This is when I first heard the term "Foundation Training" as it relates to Agility.  A "well known" seminar person said "you need to work on Basic Skills," but when I asked for specifics, they couldn't define them!  I love their theory, but I work much better in reality and so I've since been on a mission to better define all of the skills I've acquired and taught dogs so that I could come up with a definable and relevant Foundation Skill Set & Plan for myself.

Foundation Training Today:

I'm happy to say that before the seminar, I had about 80% of my Foundation Plan formulated in my head and had been actively doing it with Ru over the last year.  After the seminar, I feel I'm 99% there.

After 13 years and 5 dogs, this is the first time I really know EXACTLY what outcome I want when it comes to her agility related performance and I have the hands-on experience to know exactly how to train it.  Maybe I'm a slow learner, but more than likely it's because I've been growing and learning during the last 13 years and now have a solid definition, skill set and a plan for Foundation Training.

What is Foundation Training To Me:

My definition of foundation training is the general & "every day" skills that I teach my dog that can easily be translated into basic agility skills. While these are the ones that are important to ME and since each dog is different, plans may need to be adjusted to take that into account.  

I should note that thanks to Stacy's Seminar, her influence and smart training over the years, there is no doubt she is the master behind this list.  Especially since she is the creator of the Contact Training Method 2-on-2-off, which I have spent a lot of my time playing with and having fun shaping.

My Basic Foundation Skills Plan:

• Attention - okay, this is Stacy's word.  Mine would have been the sentence "ensuring the dog doesn't zoom around the ring, race off to another county or leave you frantically yelling "come" as you chase the dog down"  However, the point is still the same.  Without you and the dog working together, there is no team work - only frustration and conflicting agendas.
• Name Recognition - ah, it's so basic and yet there are still dogs out there who don't know their name or more importantly, don't care about their name when there are other exciting things happening!  When naming my current Pup, I knew it had to be a short, fun name. While Rouge is her formal name, it was automatically shortened to Ru and when I call her, it's a fun "Ru-Ru!".  That name gives a positive feeling for both of us since I keep it light and up beat.
  
• Play Drive - this is definitely Stacy's word!  Each dog is different and my Dals love their toys, but not in the ring.  I'm sure it's something that I've done (or not done) and this is an unfinished item for me in the plan. Food has been a great motivator for the Dals, but toys were easily used with my Border Collies. Note to self: I need to experiment in make toys a higher paycheck for my Dals in the ring if at all possible.  Second note: Play doesn't have to be about toys - it can be a game of chase, etc. Now that I'm good at!
• Eye Contact - I just love this one and work hard to share with my students the impact and information eye contact can have on a course.  I encourage my dogs to make eye contact at a start line when appropriate, when I need to be very specific about something (collection, come into my hand to go between obstacles, etc.). It's a powerful tool that most people don't think about.
• Hand Touch/Lead Hand - Stacy uses Hand Touch, which is the first step to teaching my favorite term, Lead Hand.  The end result is to teach the dog the importance of following your hand cue - a must if you want to make it around an agility course or snake your dog through a crowd.
• Parallel Path Work (Stacy's name) - Heel & Side (the terms I use).  It's interesting that I learned this skill set wwwaaaayyyy back when after having done quite a bit of obedience work with Pinky (this would have been 12+ years ago). I don't remember what led up to it, but I got the idea that Pinky should learn to work not just on the "heel" but also on the other "side" as well.  I'm not terribly creative with names and "side" stuck.  I worked it various ways and played lots of games with it.  The one detail part that Stacy's seminar definition added (& that I will be incorporating) is that the dog must be parallel to you and not kind of parallel or sitting crooked.  I know I had that with Pinky because of Obedience, but not so sure I would have been that much of a stickler in detail with my new pup - it was a great point to relearn.
  
• Verbal Release - Ah, the age old proofing of not moving and using a single word to release the dog from a position.  It's been around for a long time and yet it seems to be one of the hardest to maintain, especially as we begin to compete and potentially forgo the release word in our excitement to be on course.  Yes, I found myself doing this with dog #4 in our very first run.  That was a HUGE mistake and I'm going to have to work HARD at not doing that again .
• Directional Commands - Some folks can use Right & Left (refers to the dog's right and left), but I am NOT that talented so I tend to focus on relative directional commands such as "Get Out" (means move away from me), "Here" (means move into me), and "Back" (means 180 degree turn).  Other commands you may have heard are Switch, etc.
• Rear & Front Cross Hand Signals - Defining what your Front & Rear cross signals are is the first step in this process.  After all, if you don't know what you're trying to teach, it won't get taught very clearly to your dog. Details are important on this one and should be done on the flat first.
• Reinforcement/Shaping - It's important that trainers/handlers know and understand what actions or steps they want and are actually shaping or reinforcing. We may have an idea in our head, but the reality of the situation may not match what's happening. This piece of Foundation Work is for the handler/trainer as it will help in communicating your expectations to your dog.

So even after the hands-on experiences, training, seminars and other education I've received, a Foundation Seminar is still relevant.  I would suggest everyone go with their new dog, even if you know the content it's GREAT to be a student and have fun with your dog.

A Clicker Challenge

Written May 2, 2008

Ok, want a good clicker challenge? I've got it!

I decided that I'd like my dog to lick their lips on cue.

How does one accomplish this you ask? Well, it's not like I can pull their tongue out of their mouth to get the trick and lord forbid I try to lure the behavior because then I'll have a dog who thinks licking at my hand is what I want, so shaping/clicker training is going to be my means of eliciting the lip licking behavior (say that fast 3 times!).

Sounds easy enough, but holy cow that tongue is FAST! I had more missed opportunities before I finally got a few clicks in. I can also say with authority that licking my lips didn't elicit the wanted behavior either . Any way, once I got the timing down, it went quick after that, but timing was a challenge!

I encourage you guys to give this a try, it's fun! It does require a lot of waiting while the dog goes through it's toolbox of behaviors, but at some point they ARE going to lick their lips and you've got to be ready. Also another hint I wish I would have known inadvance - when you feed the their treat, be ready to click as they're swallowing. I noticed at least 1-2 licks would happen millimoments after the dog received the treat. This is another opportunity to click & treat to mark and reward the new wanted behavior.

Report back to the list and let me know how it went.

Next I may try blinking...

How Dog Training Has Progressed

Written May 2, 2008

Recently I decided to take the examination for the Certification Exam for Pet Dog Trainers and subsequently the Certification for Dog Behavioral Counseling. Lots of rereading and rewatching document dog videos are in my future, but what got me thinking the most was the application. You see, in order to take the Certification test, I must have a minimum of 300 hours of dog training experience. Before you read on, I invite you to add up your dog training hours - I think you'll be as surprised as I was!

In adding up my hours, I was amazed to find that conservatively I have approximately 4050 hours of teaching classes, 2960 hours of watching dog behavior while judging and over 3000 hours watching dogs as a spectator. These numbers don't include the countless hours I've trained dogs private lessons, obedience and puppy classes and they don't count the years I've spent training my own pups too!

Well, if I didn't know it before than I guess it's time I come to terms with the fact that I've officially "gone to the dogs" and that if I'm not careful they may make a "Best in Show" type movie staring my Busy Bee!

But the real point of this e-mail is that I'm amazed at how dog training has progressed over the last 10+ years. The biggest lessons I've learned and wanted to share are:

• Dog training isn't about the dog communicating with ME, but rather me adjusting my ways and communicating with the dog in THEIR language. They give us so many signals and we humans rarely pick them up. Instead we say "Why isn't he moving faster?" as we turn our back on our dog (which in dog language means 'leave me alone'), "He knows (fill in the blank)", "He's being stubborn", etc. I often wonder why it's all about us....and how did we become so self centered in this dog/human relationship. Don't get me wrong, we're not always like this, but when things aren't going our way, we tend to become self focused and ignore our partner. I used to get terribly nervous before running my Dalmatian in Agility. I've since learned that giving her a hug at the start line and looking into her eyes takes the focus off of me and puts the balance back in my world. I try to make that a habit now.

• Another thing I've learned is that when encouraging/training a wanted behavior, rapid repetition (click treat, click treat, etc.) and breaking things down into smaller, more manageable portions is my friend! In other words, I shouldn't expect my dog to be brilliant if I'm only going to notice the unwanted behaviors and ignore all of those good things they're offering up.

• One of the most important things I've recently been reminded of is that sometimes my dog needs to figure "it" (the thing I want them to do) out on their own and I need to patiently stand/sit there while they work through what I expect of them. Now granted, I'm talking in manageable steps, but gosh golly, if I step in every time they stood there staring at me and opted to lure them into position, I've given them no reason to think and they readily disengage their brain...the opposite of what I want! This one is hard, but as it's also been pointed out, I'm rarely standing/sitting there for eternity like it sure feels like!

• I've also learned it's okay to be silly with my dogs, to get down on the ground and play with them or to run around the yard playing chase. While my neighbors may find my antics funny, it is really good exercise! Like my justification on that?

While I'm sure I'll come up with more epiphanies over the next several months, I'd like to hear from you. What have you learned during your time training your dogs?