Afternoon, I just thought I would write a little update on Charlie's progress as it helps me to see what has been done and if you don't mind maybe you can advise on things we need to do or anything we are doing incorrectly NON CUED LOOK AT ME We have been training this since the beginning of February and Charlie is doing very well with this on lead and even off lead in the woods, he is never going to be a 10 meter dog but what we get is good for Charlie and his breed. We are hoping he will start staying closer eventually, hopefully : BATing This is my favourite training and the most effective which helps Charlie in lots of situations, e.g. 2 off lead working Collies that circled him which was quite unerving, no problem for Charlie he looked to David for a treat and no reaction at all. The yapping, growling terrier that bombed across a field, shot under the fence up into his face, Charlie looked at David, "chicken please, can we just go ;D" He can now meet Woody the Fox Red Labador without a single bark or whine and so can Woody so it helped him too, they used to lunge and bark like crazy at each other, now they walk together Still a work in progress with the Doberman and Boxer. But having said that, Sid the Boxer was off lead a while ago coming towards David the owner didn't put him on lead so David sat Charlie whilst the owner kept Sid at heel and Charlie only barked once and no lunging so that was a big improvement. I think Charlie's group walks are helping him immensely and helping improve his confidence with situations like this GROUP WALKS Charlie has been walking with out neighbours for 2 months now without a single problem and he especially loves walking next to Millie the almost 15 year old Staffie. He has been placed in the middle of the group and moved regularly on a walk. Charlie has also walked with our neighbours across the road who have an absconding Chocolate Lab called Dylan and a bonkers Springer Spaniel called Charlie (must be the name ;D) he walked beautifully with both of them whilst Dylan's owner was literally being towed along by this huge Lab and the Spaniel ran around like it was on drugs : PLACE MAT TRAINING Still no place board However after about 4 months of training we have moved from indoors to the yard and now last weekend into the garden. David is decorating our front sitting room so had the french doors open so I took Charlie out let him have a burn off as he just can't concentrate otherwise, I put him on his long line, it took a few goes but he got it and went everytime to the mat and I had dropped the line The phone rang I went for about 2 minutes came back and the poor boy was still sat on the mat waiting for me to release him and that was with David in the area too, so pretty pleased with that On the hole really happy with him as our garden is full of distractions, trees, hedgerows etc. and we have Squirrels, Pheasants scent and a Cat that uses our garden as a rat run : I really would like to introduce the STOP whistle on the mat but should I? STOP WHISTLE This is still pretty slow to progress, we get some short distance ones and on lead but cannot get any distance, any ideas greatly received please RETRIEVING I have been doing some marked, memory and blind retrieves with Charlie in the yard and did a few marked in the garden and he brought his dummy back to hand every time, so proud of him as we haven't done too much dummy retrieving for a long time Really wish he could transfer all these skills on a walk but ... I just don't have any intermediate area to train, it's garden then countryside We have fun doing what we do and it wears him out and keeps his brain ticking over, especially the clicker training ASSISTANCE Charlie still helps me around the house, he only has to hear the washing machine open and he's there head in the machine handing me the 'clean' washing ;D He fetches my keys when I ask him, who could ask for more ;D WHIPIT I've given in, my lunge whip arrived yesterday so just need to get a suitable toy. I wonder if he will enjoy this as he loved chasing the Rabbit fur dummy around so much, worth a go, so we shall see THE BEST HOOLIE EVER!! When Hattie & Charlie were outside last weekend I have never seen Charlie play so much it was beautiful, we threw balls and they raced after them Charlie nicking Hatties : I played with Charlie with the Rabbit Fur Dummy thing I made which he loved being dragged along the ground chasing it in circles. Charlie would chase Hattie then he would dive rolling on the ground, they raced round and round the Cedar Tree, made my day I think that's it, sorry a bit of a waffle there, as I said any advice, help or suggestions all greatly received. Thank you as always xxxxx
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Our Charlie boy is really making great progress Helen. You must be terrifically chuffed!!
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Wow Helen that's fantastic. Charlie has made brilliant progress. His behaviour with all those different dogs and not reacting just looking at David is fantastic and it sounds like the 'Exciting Garden' isn't quite as exciting as it once was for him to stay sitting on his mat while you disappeared. Just think not that long ago he'd have barked at those dogs and it was pointless training in the 'Exciting Garden' because it was too distracting. Can't wait for the next update. ;D
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Wow, wow, wow You have made brilliant progress with him Helen (and David)
Re: Update on Charlie's Training This is fabulous to read- Helen you're doing such a brilliant job with him Retrieving, Group Walks....who'd have thought it? Amazing
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Thank you all, David and I make a good team, we train the same so no confusion, at least most of the time : Credit really goes to David as he walks him and does the group walks, BATing etc. I do the training indoors move to the yard and then the garden to get Charlie partially ready, I pass on all the great training advice from you guys so it works well for us xx I should add it could all turn to a pile of poo which regularly happens just as I have been saying how well Charlie is doing :
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Sorry to be a pain but just wondered if anyone knows whether I can start using the stop whistle on the place mat or should I? I don't want to ruin what stop whistle I do have :-\ Many thanks xxx
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Sorry Helen, I dont use placemats, so I can't answer your question..
Re: Update on Charlie's Training [quote author=charlie link=topic=10592.msg158125#msg158125 date=1429648142] Sorry to be a pain but just wondered if anyone knows whether I can start using the stop whistle on the place mat or should I? I don't want to ruin what stop whistle I do have :-\ Many thanks xxx [/quote] All the placeboard does is give you the opportunity to pair your stop whistle with the action of the dog turning to face you and sitting still (what you want them to do for a stop). Just like you blow your recall whistle when the dog is already running towards you to pair the action of approaching you at speed with the recall signal. So you can blow your stop whistle as Charlie turns and sits on the placeboard. I can't think why you could do any harm so long as you only blow your stop when you know Charlie is going to sit and stay sitting (just like any other cue, you get the behaviour then add the cue). I suppose if you had a faster stop than the action Charlie has on the placeboard it might downgrade your stop (but in which case, there is not much point in using the placeboard at all though if you already have a better stop without it).
Re: Update on Charlie's Training Sorry, I should add that you line up the dog and the placeboard to create an appropriate stop whistle scenario - so you shouldn't be using just any old way of getting on the placeboard, eg if you are still shaping the placeboard. So a typical exercise would be to send the dog back to the placeboard that is, say, 20m away and as the dog stops, turns and sits to face you on the placeboard (the action of the stop) you blow your stop whistle.
Thanks Julie, I have finished shaping, so as per your second paragraph that's exactly what I have been doing. x
