What do you train older dogs?

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by DebzC, May 9, 2017.

  1. DebzC

    DebzC Registered Users

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    Often on here someone says "I was doing some training" or state that they do some training every day etc...what training are you doing when your dogs are beyond the usual basic commands, recalls well and walks well? To be frank training is a bit dull when it's the same things easily done. We're still loose lead training with distraction but what else should I be doing, especially indoors? I don't need Libby to be a superdog...obviously things come up as we go along and we play games but any good training ideas for a one year dog would be appreciated.
     
  2. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Betsy is now one year, so the same age as Libby. :)

    Right now, I'm concentrating on Betsy's retrieving. She is ok, but I want her to be faster. Plus I'm trying to move on to more advanced things. So I'm training memory retrieves right now.

    Associated with her retrieving, I have a long list of things to train.

    Stop whistle - I need this to be my strongest cue, so she will stop no matter what, even if running to a bowl full of food.
    Steadiness - I need her to be able to sit and wait, for a long time, no matter what....
    Straight lines - in preparation for her moving onto blind retrieves, I'm training her to run out in a straight line
    She is learning her directions, so when she runs out I can stop her and then direct her left and right

    In addition to all of those kind of things, her basics need constant strengthening. So her recall is ok, but far from 'finished'. I have a LOT of proofing to do. Ditto her heel work - she is very unreliable if off lead.

    And in order to train all of that, I need her to be able to concentrate and focus on me in very exciting environments. So we do a lot of focus and attention work in exciting places. I also need her to settle, and switch off, so we train that too.

    I need massively strong reinforcers, so I spend a lot of time playing games with her to build up games as powerful reinforcers....

    Her swimming is only 'ok' but she shakes coming out of water. So I need shake on cue and my hand delivery (had target) much, much stronger to overcome that...

    I don't have enough hours in the day for the training a one year old dog needs! :D:D:D
     
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  3. DebzC

    DebzC Registered Users

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    Wow, she will be one army ready dog! We don't need all of those things but a few would be useful, proofing is probably my biggest need at the moment. Thanks for such a thorough reply. :)
     
  4. Emily

    Emily Registered Users

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    Ella is 2 years old. We do obedience work so there's plenty of training involved. Right now I'm trying to train left and right pivot turns. Dog sits at heel, handler swivels 90° or 180°, on the spot, to the left or right and dog shuffles around with them, remaining at heel. Right is relatively easy as the dog moves forwards but left is proving quite tricky as I've never taught Ella how to move backwards.

    I've just this evening managed to get her to put her front paws on a target box. I hope to get her turning left and right with her front paws on the box to help with her 'rear end awareness'.

    I've also been playing with a couple of fun things that a friend was showing me (roll over and sit pretty - where the sit down and lift their front paws in the air).
     
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  5. lucky_dog

    lucky_dog Registered Users

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    I do training and play games with my 3 yr old every day, because leaving him to his own devices on a walk would be chaos!

    We do a lot of trick training - if you look on youtube there are tons of ideas for tricks. You could start with some easy things like spinning round or running between your legs, or a hand touch. We do tricks that use the environment on our walks like walking along logs, going round trees, jumping over things etc.

    If you have a toy motivated dog, games like hiding a toy for them to find might be fun. I play search games with treats with my boy, as he isn't very interested in toys.

    I find that playing training games helps improve focus for the more boring things like stays and heeling if you mix up heel work with some more fun tricks.
     
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  6. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Most of my walks are generally continuous training. It doesn't have to be boring or strenuous for either me or the dog, but I like to work on focus a lot, off-lead heelwork, switching from one side to the other, playing the "ready, steady" game, calling to heel from a distance, either to walk alongside or into a sit at heel... as well as the gundog stuff we do for fun. They love to train and they get really engaged with me when they know there are games on offer.
    I'm also trying to build desire for other "normal" games in different environments; tug, for example. They all like to tug in their own certain situations, but I'd like to build it so that they find it rewarding out and about, too. Anything like that, that I can ten us as a reward in its own right down the road means one more tool in my box.

    For fun thing to do on walk, you could use fallen tree trunks, benches etc for teaching her to jump onto, and walk along, obstacles. Jumping over small fences etc. If she'll retrieve a ball over a jump, or a series of jumps. Anything that's fun and engaging.
     
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  7. QuinnM15

    QuinnM15 Registered Users

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    Outdoors on our "boring" park walks, I practice down/stays while I leave her, sometimes I run etc, then release. We are in agility, so I practice increasing her drive by putting a toy between me and her and using her start cue. This is easy inside and super hard outside when she is more excited so we have been working on increasing distance and not breaking the stay when her toy is on the ground.

    Inside we practice turns, walking at heel, tug and release and shaping exercises. Look up shaping - it teaches them to figure out on their own what you want them to do by rewarding in tiny increments. I use a box and have shaped a nose touch to it, one paw on, two paws on and standing on top of the box. I also shaped turning her head to the right and backing up.
     
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  8. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    Send away. You can start this indoors. Put a mat or cone or something as your marker and train to go to it and lie down. (Start by saying down when you're right next to it and gradually build up the distance.)

    Recall to heel as you walk away. You can start this indoors by calling Libby to heel while you're stationary but facing away from her.

    Molly enjoys some tricks such as picking up the correct object and putting it into a box.
     
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  9. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    She won't at all, you know. She is just going to pet gundog classes and is way off being as reliable as the older dogs who go....people who train seriously for a dog sport (I'm not all that serious) do a lot more than I do, and probably a lot more effectively!

    If you want a bit of a programme, something to train for, then look around for something that you fancy doing - gundog work, agility, obedience, rally, flyball etc.
     
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  10. Lara

    Lara Registered Users

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    We are dabbling in some gundoggery with indie now but also just joined a pet dog obedience class and are working on the Kennel Club awards. Just training basic stuff in a very distracting environment has shown me there is a lot more to work on, even without getting into any dog sports or whatnot. We are currently doing a lot of off-lead heel round cones, past other dogs etc. Given that you live near me, the club is called Four Paws (our side of Oxford) and they have 5 classes for various levels on a Sunday morning from puppy up to gold award, and it seems quite well run. I think it will keep giving me training goals for a few years yet!
     
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  11. DebzC

    DebzC Registered Users

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    I'll look that up now. I'd prefer a midweek one really but as I'm not allowed to drive until end August I'm a bit stuck to bus/train routes or convincing my daughter she wants to come too!! I think you're right about distraction. I've just started some impulse control training by getting her to sit and stay while I throw the ball.

    Anyone reading, please keep the ideas for back garden training coming...
     

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