Hello, Can I have some advice on how to get Amy more focused on me? I know this will help with her training. At the moment I am not her world, so easily distracted. I have began to charge the clicker again. We have really gone off track with her training over the last few months and I feel so BAD about it!
Re: Focus. Hi Jade You'll get back on track,you can only do what you can do with the spare time you have and I bet you have had a lovely summer together,did you go camping in the end? I can only speak from experience of one dog .....early on I used a few exercises from kikopup on YouTube ( teaching eye contact,Look at Me) I alluded to this on another thread the other day,didn't mention by name as wasn't sure it was allowed but Pippa mentioned her the other day in another context.Also at the dog training classes I've started we have been told to lose the bowl and standard feeding times and hand feed their meal allowances out on their walks and in training sessions......I've struggled a bit with this but I'm doing it. I think it was Jacqui that mentioned holding the reward up by your face so they naturally look to you.....but only pass them the reward when you get eye contact .....I did this when Dexter as younger and it has worked because the trainer last week said that his focus is there and he does listen but now I am reducing the effectiveness by holding his reward where he can see it.....putting it behind my back improved things straightaway.....blimey gets confusing sometimes!and I need the training more than Dexter! Helen gave me some great tips about what she does with Charlie and she's had such success getting his focus and concentration.....I think it was the recall thread but ill check for you.... You'll get better advice than my waffle I know but I also think you will connect better with Amy now you are starting to work with her again...she's only young so it's natural shes distracted when she's had a bit of time to suit herself......think you might have to turn into the mad ,arm waving ,rolling on the floor dog lady for a little while to make yourself the most interesting ,fun thing in here life. Good Luck xxxx
Re: Focus. Amy is still really young, still at the age where most dogs are just starting serious training, you can easily make up ground. We started with "look at me" exercises - handful of treats, say his name, C&T for eye contact - not looking at the food or clicker etc. look at me, or no treat. Not feeding Charlie, and giving all food for some kind of training has been the best thing though, it's really helped over the last month, I'd say the difference has been quite dramatic. But it's time consuming - I wouldn't really be able to do it if I had other things on. While on a dog focused holiday it works though. He gets breakfast for his recall and stop whistle sits and walking to heel on his morning walk (he has to look at me before all food). Lunch is given out in a few clicker sessions through the day. We usually have something to do in the evening that involves him behaving with distractions, but if not, more walking nicely, sit until told to move etc. for dinner.
Re: Focus. 3rd halti walk went well, a bit of chewing and pawing but just kept going with her. Even got it back on her, after her run around. Have been doing so much more with her today and taking my time to give her the treat. Tried making her sit and stay while I loaded the washing machine. Normally its shove it in before she grabs a sock! lol.
Re: Focus. I've stopped with the halti now ( it was a gentle leader so maybe I am getting the 2 mixed up ?)but when I went right back to the start of heel work I used it with Dexter......he tried to rub it off at the start of a walk but settled into it fine...it really helped me when he was sore under his leg and couldn't be on the harness ....The pulling was just awful ...I've cried over it Jade,I couldn't bear the sound or the thought of the pulling on his neck it really is a big help while you are getting things under control. Julie has a point about the time factor when you have the boys but things like what you have done with the laundry are a great idea ;D and that's just stuff that fits into your day.....we have always made Dexter sit before we go in and out of doors and if he follows us around.....now we make him lie down ....to mix it up a bit ha ha ha!! Got to get off here now for the day,everyone off to Rudding Park ( just outside Harrogate,bet you know it?) for the Anniversary Party ( we got married there too ;D) x
Re: Focus. Have a great time. I am down about the pulling, thought it would fix its self. But my MIL said she can't walk her now as to strong and actually I have dropped the lead twice myself after she has lunged and I wasn't ready! NOT GOOD!
Re: Focus. We've all been there with lead walking problems! Lead walking a strong labrador for us novices is a big training deal, it seems to me. So easy to notice all the dogs walking nicely (well, actually, I'm not sure there are loads, a closer look and a lot of them are wearing some kind of halti type device) and assume it's straightforward. It's actually pretty tough! So don't get down, you are trying to do quite a difficult thing. I read (can't remember where now) that if you see a dog walking nicely to heel, the person walking with it has put in a lot of hours. Pippa's articles and tips are great, Jade, they do work. I read about Angela's troubles, just as mine were starting, learned from that what might lie ahead, and took rather drastic steps. Charlie didn't wear walk on lead hardly at all for 6 weeks, until we could walk nicely off lead. I drove absolutely everywhere (it is now such bliss to be able to take Charlie if I run to the postbox or something!). Then lead introduced half way through walks...and then I had to put in about another 10 roast beef powered hours when we transferred to lead walking on streets from the house! But my Charlie might be a little on the dim side and slow to catch on!
Re: Focus. dont feel down jade,...tomorrow is a new day, take your time do it slowly, follow pippas thread, i had jasper on lead walks only for 5 weeks due to his elbows, this gave me a lot of time to correct the mistakes i had made previous..........jasper is not food motivated so the click and treat did not help for me if amy is food motivated try and work with the click and treat, i am not experienced as you know.......you are rewarding her by letting her off the lead to run......the short lead walks helped me to train jasper may be give that a try jasper caught no harm being on short lead walks, infact i now have a boy that walks lovely on lead i think you are doing an amazing job by juggling your 2 boys with a puppy good luck jade,
