Maybe some impulse control training of the human variety? I find it such a natural reaction to switch on the stern voice but, like you, have found that it makes no difference and you end up feeling a little silly! What were you working on at the time?
He legged it when he saw someone throw a ball for two other dogs in the distance. He ran a short distance, and stopped. Normally (well, recently normally) he has made the choice to return at that point and I've heavily rewarded for that choice. This time though, he decided to run forward to the other dogs. I blew my stop, he stopped. Then he decided to run again. I blew my stop again and he stopped again. I could see he was going to make the wrong choice so I shouted "siiiiit" in my stupid voice, instead of blowing my recall. "take newspaper and bash the human over the head" So of course he sits but then ignores me, and I have to then blow my recall in much more challenging circumstances while he is heading away from me at speed. "take stick and bash human over the head" So then I shout "CHARLIE" and blow my recall again. He comes back. And instead of showering him with sardines, I got cross and told him "siiiiit!". Which he did. "take brick and bash human over the head". At least I recovered enough then to give him a big game and keep him focused on me after that. Argghhhhhh.....! Feeling hopeless! It will wear off....
Aww, don't beat yourself up. At the end of the day, your dog ran away, you asked him to come back, and he did. I'm sure Charlie forgave you (assuming he actually got the sardines in the end of course) ☺☺
Aww, don't beat yourself up. At the end of the day, your dog ran away, you asked him to come back, and he did. I'm sure Charlie forgave you (assuming he actually got the sardines in the end of course) ☺☺
Hindsight is a wonderful thing Take heart from the positives - a pretty rock solid stop that many people would die for! And hooligan ears that are clearly still working! We all have to learn to make good choices, not just the dogs
Very true! I used to blow my stop the second he moved away from me when a ball was involved, but my trainer told me that the more I was "all over him" the more he would try to go, and the quicker I'd ruin my stop and recall. And it has worked much, much better in allowing him to make a choice, it's been a real breakthrough for us. This is absolutely fine in training set ups, when the person with the dog/ball/dummy will hide it from Charlie when he gets there, but in this 'real life' scenario, Charlie would have got the ball. The other two dogs were chunky, slow, bulldogs and Charlie would have been much, much faster. And once he got that reward, my troubles would have tripled....it's been ages since I've made a mistake that has resulted in him getting a ball. So I panicked.
Timing is quite a hard call, I think. Tatze is a royal terror for putting her paws up on people. She's fine if they have a dog - but seems to think it's her mission to 'make' the others like her If I call her back as soon as we see a non-dog person she's fine and walks nicely past. But, once she's past the point of hearing me (due to her excited focus on the person) I've no chance!
Yes, this is a very good point. In 'real life' I have started to bank on Charlie making the same choices as in a training set up. But it's tricky, because in 'real life' the reward is available....so the stakes are high. At some point though, training has to be used in 'real life'. I was thinking about similar points after Clickerexpo, in the use of doggie zen, and also in the use of my 'towel trick' in the vet's. I did get my towel trick to work in the vet's but in a really modest way. I couldn't ask the vet to spend 20 minutes more while I developed it further. And my heart sank a bit when I saw Cecile Koste show a video of the more advanced stages - in an empty, heated, big barn, with two helpers.... I really think someone needs to write a book on training in real life. With other unpredictable dogs and balls around. No helpers. No co-operative vets with an hour to spare. No long lines that magically don't get wrapped round ankles and the dog poo bin.....
There is a LOT about this that make me cringe - my poor dog, how on earth is he to learn anything! On the upside, he stopped on the way to a (memory) retrieve, twice, and recalled away from it twice. Which is nothing short of amazing for Charlie. Plus after all that I think he'd completely forgotten where it was and found it. As you can tell, from all the shouted 'good boys', I was pleased with him. Must revise the merits of 'quiet handling'. I've chopped 3 minutes off the front of the video (because it would have been even more boring to watch) where he didn't move as the other dog stalked up to him, I had told him release before the dog got to him. My Movie by Julie T, on Flickr
Well done Charlie, I think little interuptions from other dogs helps training even if it's not what you were hoping for at the time! Love the joy of the run around at the end xx Just to add I hope the Rottie's? owner learned something as she couldn't get her dog to respond at all
The Rottie was an old girl. used to doing the same walk day in and day out, and used to saying hello to any dog she came across. She was a perfectly pleasant pet dog. But, for sure, not used to being asked to do anything. About typical, I find....
Wow! Charlie did fabulously there - very impressed Julie. I am sure you will say no impulse control blah blah, but I was certainly impressed!
Charlie so just wanted that dog to b***er off so he could fetch his dummy! He did do well....but...no chance of his stop getting better while he is charged by large, grumpy, Rotties just as he is about to sit! Sigh. Roll on Christmas when I'll have more peace in the country.....
fabulous! Really wish Benson was as sharp as Charlie. Really like your "go play" cue too. Casper was VERY interested in the video clip and ended practically sitting on my laptop!
Ah, thanks, Kate. That run around cue (at the end) has been my lifesaver. It's total premack - give me a dummy, then you can run around like a loon with rabbit skin. I keep thinking it'll lead nowhere but half an antelope in return for a pheasant...but so far so good....
