Week 3 Homework and Notes

    NOTE 1:  ALL TRAINING SHOULD BE DONE WITH TRAINING COLLAR AND TRAINING LEASH ON AT FIRST.  ONCE YOU CAN GET TO YOUR GOALS ON LEASH INSIDE, THEN YOU CAN WORK WITH YOUR DOG INSIDE DRAGGING THE LEASH OR OFF LEASH (IF APPROPRIATE) AND ON LONG LINE OUTSIDE.

NOTE 2:  DO NOT LEAVE METAL TRAINING COLLAR OR TRAINING SLIP LEAD ON WHEN YOU ARE NOT ACTIVELY TRAINING YOUR DOG.

NOTE 3:  PLEASE PUT ON YOUR METAL TRAINING COLLAR CORRECTLY.  ALSO BE SURE TO HOLD THE LEASH CORRECTLY.


This is a link to a leash article on our business blog.  Leashes How to Hold Them and How to Fold Them.

NOTE 4:  START EVERYTHING AT THE BEGINNING IN ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE EASY FOR YOU.  YOU WANT TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOUR DOG HAS LEARNED AND HOW TO HANDLE YOUR DOG IN LOW DISTRACTIONS FIRST, SO THAT YOU WILL BEGIN TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN MORE COMPLICATED OR HIGHER DISTRACTIONS LATER.

NOTE 5:  THE GOALS ARE PLACES TO WORK TO IN THE FUTURE.  IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE GOAL, DON'T WORRY AS LONG AS YOU PUT IN THE WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL ME WITH ANY TRAINING PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN BETWEEN LESSONS.

NOTE 6:  IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH ALL THE EXERCISES IN ONE DAY, YOU CAN JUST BE SURE THAT THE EXERCISES YOU DID NOT GET TO ARE DONE THE NEXT DAY.   THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, I THINK, IS THE MOLDED SITS.   HOWEVER, THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER TO START TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.

NOTE 7:  WHEN YOUR DOG WORKS WITH YOU AT HOME, YOU MAY NEED TO GO DOWN IN TIME AND THEN BUILD BACK UP TO WHERE YOUR DOG WAS TRAINING WITH ME (IF YOU ARE IN PACK LEARNING AND BOARD & TRAIN).  THE DOG WILL WORK BETTER FOR WHOEVER THEY WERE LAST WORKING WITH, SO OFTEN THE TIME NEEDS TO BE BUILT UP BY THE OWNER TO HAVE THE SAME SORT OF WORKING RELATIONSHIP.  ***REMEMBER THAT THE FOUR IN A ROW PERFORMANCES WITH OUT NEEDING A CORRECTION OR CAJOLING ARE WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LENGTH OF TIME OR DISTANCE HE CAN DO THIS AT RIGHT NOW.

NOTE 8:  TRAINING CAN BE DONE IN SEPERATE SESSIONS.  I LIKE TO KEEP MY SESSIONS AT 15 MINUTES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DAY (EXCEPT FOR LONG PLACE, SIT ON THE DOG, OR BEHAVIORAL DOWNS).  OTHEWISE, YOU CAN BURN YOUR DOG OR PUPPY OUT.

NOTE 9:  HERE IS THE TRAINING PROGRESSION AS YOU BUILD UP DISTRACTION IN ENVIRONMENTS.  WEEK 1: IS IN NON DISTRACTIONS (AS POSSIBLE), TYPICALLY INSIDE AND EVERYTHING IN TRAINING IS ON LEASH (EXCEPT MAYBE PLAY TRAINING, DEPENDS ON THE DOG) WEEK 2:  STARTING TO MAKE SOME MORE CHALLENGING DISTRACTIONS INSIDE FOR SOME EXCISES AND BRINGING WELL KNOWN OTHER EXERCISES OUTSIDE  WEEK 3:  PRACTICING INSIDE WITH DRAGGING LEASH OR OFF LEASH FOR THOSE EXERCISES YOU RDOG KNOWS WELL, AND OUTSIDE PRACTICING ON THE LONG LINE FOR THINGS LIKE "LET'S GO" AND STATIONARY EXERCISES.

NOTE 10:  I ALSO PUT IN SOME PLAY TRAINING SO IT DOES NOT GET DULL FOR THE BOTH OF US, TO REALLY GET TO KNOW MY DOG, TO GET THEIR YAH YAHS OUT,  AND MAKE TRAINING MORE FUN AND INTERACTIVE FOR THE BOTH OF US.  THE REASON I DO NOT DO ONE OVER THE OTHER, IS THAT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT DIFFERENT TRAINING TECHNIQUES AND CALMING EXERCISES HAVE DIFFERENT STRENGTHS WHEN WORKED ON THAT INCREASE THE RELATIONSHIP BOND AND MAKE DOGS HAVE AN EASIER TIME WORKING WITH US IN OUR DOMESTIC WORLD.  I DO REALIZE IT CAN BE CONFUSING TO PUT ALL THOSE GEARS IN PLACE AT ONCE.  I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE FULL PICTURE, AND YOU CAN DECIDE THE EASIEST WAY TO GO FORWARD AND EXPERIMENT.

NOTE 11: THIS IS THE WAY I PHASE OUT TREATS.  YOU CAN PRACTICE SOME THINGS INSIDE WITH TREATS AND NO EQUIPMENT TO KEEP THINGS FRESH.   WHEN I START THAT, I MIGHT DO A TREAT EVERY TIME IF THEY START OUT HAVING A HARD TIME.  AS IT GETS EASIER FOR THEM, I START TO DO EVERY OTHER TREAT.  THEN I DO EVERY FOURTH TREAT, AND EVENTUALLY NO TREATS.  I DON'T USE A MORE COMPLICATED REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE THAN THAT, ALTHOUGH OTHER TRAINERS MIGHT.  I DO EVENTUALLY WANT TO GET MY DOGS OFF FOOD (SOME FOR OVER EATING AND OTHER HEALTH REASONS), BECAUSE I PREFER THEY WORK FOR ME.   I ALSO PREFER TOY PLAY TRAINING OVER TREAT TRAINING, BUT IT IS HARDER AND SLOWER (ALTHOUGH ONCE YOU GET GOING IT DOES A GREAT JOB WITH ENTHUSIASM AND IMPULSE CONTROL).

NOTE 12:  MARKER WORDS ARE GOOD=GOOD JOB KEEP GOING YES=GOOD JOB YOU ARE RELEASED FROM THE EXERCISE AND NO=THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR.

NOTE 13:  BLUE TEXT GOES TO THE DIRECTIONS FOR THE EXERCISES.  [IT IS A LINK]

Homework Schedule:

Calming Exercises:

NOTE 1:  YOU CAN ROTATE THEM ON DIFFERENT DAYS.  (EX MONDAY SIT ON THE DOG, TUESDAY LONG PLACE).

NOTE 2:  IF I USUALLY DO ONE OF THESE EACH DAY, AND THEN A HALF HOUR OF OTHER TRAINING (OBEDIENCE AND/OR PLAY) DURING THE DAY.

  1. Sit On The Dog 30 + minutes Goal:  To get your dog to lay down on their own steam in five minutes or under.  NOTE:  YOU SHOULD PROBABLY START THIS INSIDE AT FIRST, IF YOU TRY IT.   THE BIGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE OFTEN MAKE IS TO KEEP THE LEASH TOO LONG.  IF YOUR DOG CAN EASILY GET IN COMPLETELY IN FRONT OF YOU OR COMPLETELY IN BACK OF YOU, THE LEASH IS TOO LONG.



  2. Long Place 30 minutes  Goal:  To get your dog comfortable and more relaxed staying on their place for thirty minutes.

Obedience Exercises:

NOTE 1:  REMEMBER YOU ONLY NEED TO DO AN HOUR A DAY.  IF YOU DON'T GET TO AN EXERCISE ONE DAY BASED ON TIME OR LIFE, JUST BE SURE TO DO IT THE NEXT DAY.

NOTE 2:  TRANING FOR ME MEANS I NEED TO BE PRESENT WITH MY DOG.  SO MY TRAINING WORK IS OUTSIDE OF WALKING WITH SOMEONE ELSE AND SO ON.  I HAVE TO BE VERY PRESENT TO WORK ON TIMING AND BEING THERE WITH MY DOG.  YOU CAN OF COURSE STILL GO OFF AND DO NON TRAINING WALKS AND USE YOUR TRAINING, I JUST DON'T CALL THAT MY OFFICIAL FORMAL TRAINING TIME.
  1. Lured Heeling 15+ minutes  Goal:  Start inside to get the feel of this, and then work him in the yard after you feel confident with this.   I FORGOT TO GET A VIDEO OF KANE DOING THIS, SO THIS IS ANOTHER DOG IN THE VIDEO. ALSO NOTE, YOU CAN COMBINE THIS WITH YOUR SIT AND SIT STAY TRAINING.

  2. Sit with Correction if Needed 5- 15 minutes Goal:  To get three sets of four in a row sits without needing correction or cajoling in increasing distractions as you move forward.   NOTE:  I OFTEN USE THIS AS A WARM UP BEFORE GOING ONTO SIT STAYS.  ALSO YOU CAN COMBINE THIS WITH YOUR LURED HEELING.


  3. Still Sit Stays (for Outside, Increased Distraction, or Warm Up) 5 + minutes  Goal:  (and remember this is the goal, you can start at less time) 4 in a row 1 minute still sit stays.

  4. Circle Sit Stays  5 + minutes  Goal:  (and remember this is the goal, you can start at less time) 4 in a row 1 minute still sit stays.

  5. Recalls (the very beginning) 5 minutes  Goal:  Three sets of four in a row recalls.  NOTE:  ALSO THIS IS GOOD TO COMBINE WITH YOUR SEND TO PLACE REPS.

  6. Let's Go 5-10 minutes  Goal:  To be able to have your come towards you until released for 3 sets of 4 in a row without needing a correction.  NOTE:  YOU CAN ALSO COMBINE THIS WITH YOUR SEND TO PLACE, SIT REPS, AND SIT STAY REPS.


  7. Send to Place 5-10 minutes Goal:  To get your dog to step on themselves for times in a row for 3 sets.NOTE:  YOU CAN COMBINE THIS WITH YOUR RECALL OR LET'S GO REPS.

  8. Circle Place 5 - 15 minutes  Goal:  To be able to perform 4 circle places in a row for one minute.  You could also advance this to one five minute or more as you go on (this is when I start doing chores around the dog inside or outside (where I would typically be walking and getting stuff)

Play and Training and Exercise:

NOTE 1:  THE KEY TO PLAYING THESE SORT OF GAMES IS TO REMEMBER THE FLIRT POLE AND THE BALL NEED TO ACT LIKE PREY.  SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO GET THE DOG TO GET A NON MOVING OBJECT THAT IS NOT TRYING TO GET AWAY.   ALSO THOUGH, WITH YOUR DOG LESS THAN GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS, I NEED TO SLOW DOWN THE "PREY" SPEED SO HE CAN ENJOY CATCHING HIS PREY.  I START THIS, USUALLY, WITH NO COMMANDS AT FIRST OTHER THAN TO HAVE HIM WALK TOWARDS ME (WITHOUT COMMAND) BY PRAISING HIS PROWESS.

NOTE 2: THE TOYS I USE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVITY ARE TOYS THAT ARE ONLY BROUGHT OUT FOR PLAY TRAINING.  YOU CAN STILL HAVE REGULAR PLAY WITH OTHER TOYS, BUT BRINGING OUT THESE SPECIAL TOYS INDICATES A SPECIAL TIME FOR US.

NOTE 3:  TRY TO PLAY ONE OR TWO GAMES A DAY WITH HIM.   YOU CAN DO OTHER GAMES BSIDES THESE, BUT THESE ARE MEANT TO TEACH FETCH, RETRIEVE, AND FOLLOW THE HAND AS GOALS.  NOT ALL GAMES HAVE TO HAVE GOALS, BUT THESE BELOW DO AND ARE THEREFORE PART OF TRAINING.

  1. Flirt Pole  5 minutes   Goal:  At first is just to get the dog excited about the game.  You want them wanting more when you end the game NOT worn out completely.



  2. Ball Fetch and Retrieve 5 minutes  Goal:  To get four in a row balls dropped pretty close to your feet or given in your hand (which takes more time and patience).  

  3. Spin or follow the hand 5 minutes Goal: For now the spins are lured with the treat.  You want to get four of these in a row.  As time goes on, you can just start the spin motion, and your dog should start completing the spin on there own.  After that happens and goals are met, then you can start giving the spin command and motion from more of a distance from your dog. I FORGOT TO GET A VIDEO OF KANE DOING THIS.  THIS IS ANOTHER DOG AS A PLACE HOLDER.  



The following link goes to my blog on the series of play training articles.

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