Re: Charlie's July/August training Mmmm, it's a puzzle, isn't it? The basket thing just might be my project for the winter months though, inside. A kind of 'tidy up' cue. On a different note, we were doing a training session this morning in some local woods- lovely venue but very busy as it's attached to a council country park type thing. Anyway, had just put down the 'lovely red foam mock partridge thing' when we were spied and charged by a very energetic choc lab girl. It turned out she was 20 months, lovely looking dog but basically just imagine Charlie (or indeed Merla dyed brown!) without any training, ever M was on a lead as we were in 'work' mode, but we were repeatedly buzzed and bounced by her. Poor M went from zero to 100 on the adrenaline scale, impossible to keep her at heel but managed to get a few 'watch me's in with the help of dried sprats! No malice in the dog at all, but it just made me realise how important it is to keep going with all we do and give some positive outlets for all that energy. When the dog had finally been collected by its owner and they'd moved far enough on to be able to let Merla off without her charging after it, she nearly broke the sound barrier on the way out to collect 'red partridge'! The whole outing was a bit adrenaline charged after that, but I did just feel a bit 'there but for the grace of god....' about the whole thing. Anyway, keep going, with what ever you decide, the important thing is the responsible attitude you have about your dog and the way you work with him
Re: Charlie's July/August training What do you think the basket might help with - or do you mean that you will do a clicker retrieve to tidy up delivery (and the method you will use starts with a basket)? I have a vid of Helen getting a little puppy to put her head in the basket. It's very sweet. I'll ask whether it's ok to post. I think Merla sounds like she did very well! I think off lead dogs jumping right around on lead dogs is difficult, I struggle with it when it happens to me. [quote author=Merla link=topic=7009.msg101895#msg101895 date=1408114758] just imagine Charlie without any training, ever [/quote] Shudder. I'd rather not, it's bad enough as it is! ;D ;D ;D
Re: Charlie's July/August training Well, I was just going to do the basket thing for a bit of fun, when it's dark outside in the evenings. For all her faults, the one thing M can do is a smart delivery, which I always put down to the step-by-step retrieve method taught to me by Pippa and YOU, Julie, with your Charlie-in-the-kitchen videos! She now has a pretty hard-wired response of dummy-in-mouth -> dummy-in-hand -> treat, although she does now get substantial enjoyment from the retrieve itself, particularly the running fast part. It takes a fair bit of distraction to interrupt that train (although other dogs looking interesting behind me will do it!) But there's obviously something else going on in Charlie's head, so that he gets the dummy and has a moment where he just thinks 'YIPEE!!' So my thought for Charlie was that maybe going for the basket thing would just rewire the pathways a bit. But maybe, given that he'll already model the perfect retrieve inside or in a corridor, it would make no difference, you'd just end up with a neat party trick!
Re: Charlie's July/August training Decided that OH would do the retrieves tonight - to see whether changing handler would remove the body language issue (if there is one, whatever it is). Using the boring, boring old small dummy that Charlie returned properly yesterday after about 45 throws... Charlie did the most wonderful victory lap around the whole golf course! Full of joy! Boy, he shook and killed that dummy. ;D ;D ;D OH thought it was absolutely hilarious, and laughed his head off. Which egged Charlie on even more - so Charlie went round again! OH now banned from dummies, along with whistles and clickers. :
Re: Charlie's July/August training ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D I'm sorry, but after 2 glasses of wine that is SO funny ;D
Re: Charlie's July/August training He needs banning ;D Charlie will play to the gallery always if he gets a laugh from OH!
Re: Charlie's July/August training Oh lord.....I'm sorry but I did laugh at the mental image of OH laughing uproariously while Charlie kills the dummy. Naughty OH!! ;D
Re: Charlie's July/August training I think it's time you invented a new sport in which a dog has to run out, get a dummy, then run round in a circle. Points are accumulated for: - the size of the circle - the number of times the dog completes a circuit - energy and enthusiasm whilst completing circuits (subjective score from the judges) - number of times dummy is shaken Could be a team or individual sport. Let's call it Circusing. Titles will be awarded with the successive accumulation of points: Circus Dog Circus Dog Excellent Circus Champion British Circus Champion Circus Master Circus Master Excellent International Circus Master
Re: Charlie's July/August training Hurrah! Excellent idea! We're aiming to reach the very top of circusing! ;D ;D ;D
Re: Charlie's July/August training Ha ha! Sounds like he had a great time. Milly would give him a run for his money on that one. She loves a good dummy kill.
Re: Charlie's July/August training [quote author=bbrown link=topic=7009.msg101823#msg101823 date=1408094711] finding the path of objects is part of the challenge My route looks like this.....(roughly) rabbit skin, dummy that's had wings on it(or been in a bag with game), rugby ball shaped dummy, hexabumper, tennis balls [/quote] So I did a bit of experimenting with this - Charlie seems to have his eye on what he's getting in the switch retrieve now. If I have exactly what he already has, he thinks about just keeping it, thanks anyway. Was wondering about rewarding with the next thing up. So if the dummy comes back, he gets to run in for a more exciting dummy. It has limitations as a strategy - I'd probably have to escalate the reward to throwing an antelope across the zambize river to get rabbit skin back : - but I wondered if it was worth a try...
Re: Charlie's July/August training You could escalate or you could wave the switch object about, then hide it behind your back or turn away from him so he has to seek you out.....lots of "what's this charlieeeee" kind of stuff. Make him work for his fun
Re: Charlie's July/August training Also have two dummies in your hands so you can bang them together ..... One high value, one the same as he has and alternate which you throw for him?.....
Re: Charlie's July/August training [quote author=JulieT link=topic=7009.msg102325#msg102325 date=1408271163] I'd probably have to escalate the reward to throwing an antelope across the zambize river to get rabbit skin back : [/quote] I have just had to clean a mouthful of coffee of my laptop : No warning of that one......
Re: Charlie's July/August training [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=7009.msg102336#msg102336 date=1408276863] [quote author=JulieT link=topic=7009.msg102325#msg102325 date=1408271163] I'd probably have to escalate the reward to throwing an antelope across the zambize river to get rabbit skin back : [/quote] I have just had to clean a mouthful of coffee of my laptop : No warning of that one...... [/quote] She would do it too!!! ;D
Re: Charlie's July/August training [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=7009.msg102336#msg102336 date=1408276863] [quote author=JulieT link=topic=7009.msg102325#msg102325 date=1408271163] I'd probably have to escalate the reward to throwing an antelope across the zambize river to get rabbit skin back : [/quote] I have just had to clean a mouthful of coffee of my laptop : No warning of that one...... [/quote] ;D ;D Ditto with tea and ipad!
