Since David and I are going it alone again I am trying to devise a training plan so all help, suggestions, advise would be very gratefully received Since Charlie is doing so well on a dropped training line in the woods doing blind retrieves I wonder is it time to do a little horizon work, so same method but on more open walks and in a month or so setting up a blind retrieve there too? Socialisation: Being rural and walked at 0600 hrs there isn't much opportunity for Charlie to socialise so I wondered if taking Charlie into town to a lake where all the urban dog walkers to, just walking him for 5 minutes or so and home and slowly increasing so that he has not need to worry about seeing on lead dogs. There also a little park area where their are off lead dogs but it's not fenced in, could we maybe walk around the perimeter on lead with Charlie so that he gets to see other dogs at a distance? Can we continue to let Charlie interact with Woody on his dropped line as sometimes David does meet him on his early mornings? Also would it be useful to arrange a quick walk round the park a couple of times a week with Mark and Woody both dogs on lead, as Mark is very cooperative which is rare around here : What do you think and please feel absolutely free to comment as you wish, we just want to get it right? Thank you so much xx
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Hi Helen I would definitely continue to let Charlie interact with woody and do lead walking with him aswell. As mark is so cooperative use him. It will help woody aswell. Dogs are usually much better interacting when walking as there are distractions so they don't fixate on each other. I would try Charlie in the park areas as you've suggested building it up slowly seeing how he reacts. I've been wondering Helen and I apologise if you've explained this elsewhere and I've missed it but what happens when you walk Charlie with Hattie ? When you take him to the woods and practise retrieving what would happen if Hattie was there aswell now Charlie is so attentive for a retrieve? PS your not alone we are there in spirit
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie I agree with Jen Helen , I would definately allow the interaction and the walks too . You were really making headway , so just return to what you were doing , it was so positive, for all of you xx
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Helen......you sound like you've nailed your own plan! It sounds great to me,as it sounds like you have chosen a COUPLE of things to focus on,and not getting into a flurry after what's happened,well done x....I think you should really for the next few days (or until you feel ready ) just walk Charlie and enjoy him.....using the social interactions you are able to engineer for him.let everything settle down and then pick up again exactly where YOU and DAVID were at xxx You sound like yourself again in this post.....and I love that! X
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie So glad you are feeling positive Helen I think you are doing the right thing and I think all the questions you have asked below is your plan good luck
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie [quote author=Jen link=topic=5462.msg68842#msg68842 date=1397742289] Hi Helen I would definitely continue to let Charlie interact with woody and do lead walking with him aswell. As mark is so cooperative use him. It will help woody aswell. Dogs are usually much better interacting when walking as there are distractions so they don't fixate on each other. I would try Charlie in the park areas as you've suggested building it up slowly seeing how he reacts. I've been wondering Helen and I apologise if you've explained this elsewhere and I've missed it but what happens when you walk Charlie with Hattie ? When you take him to the woods and practise retrieving what would happen if Hattie was there aswell now Charlie is so attentive for a retrieve? PS your not alone we are there in spirit [/quote] Jen, thank you. We haven't taken Hattie with Charlie to the woods as we don't want to damage anything achieved, they quite happily can go for just a lead walk, it's off lead we have the problem because Charlie just wants to be with Hattie and as he's not off lead but I suppose we could try a short walk dropping the long line to see what happens :-\
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie I don't want to give any bad advice but I'd be tempted to try it. Just 5 minutes. I'd letCharlie off first see if you can get him hooked on his retrieving with hattie there. Once he's concentrating on that let Hattie off and see what happens. Please don't shoot me if it goes wrong. PS just thought (whilst hoovering) if Charlie likes to be with Hattie when she's off lead and he's on which is obviously a problem. If they are both off lead (Charlie long line) would Charlie stay with Hattie then aswell maybe? When you call Hattie Charlie comes too. I think I'd try that in the woods rather than an open space but it might work. ???
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Thanks Jen, might give it a go over the Easter break can't do any harm I hope : Promise I won't shoot you as I need all the help I can get ;D x
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Thanks Kate, Ternaya, Angela and Jen I appreciate your help. We will crack on
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Helen, no one knows Charlie like you do. Trust your instincts. If you think the time is right to move forward and try new things with him - go for it. You are doing so well, I am certain he won't let you down. X
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie [quote author=Karen link=topic=5462.msg69052#msg69052 date=1397772728] Helen, no one knows Charlie like you do. Trust your instincts. If you think the time is right to move forward and try new things with him - go for it. You are doing so well, I am certain he won't let you down. X [/quote] Aww thanks Karen, I will xx
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Good luck, Helen! I'm not sure about socialisation on lead. I've read a far bit about this, and have my own experience of months of on lead work, and I'm not sure it's a good idea. Leads make dogs act differently, and muddle up their signs and signals, which can result in odd behaviour. But I'm not sure at all! Sometimes I think my "no interaction on lead" policy makes things worse, and leads to more frustration. Then I think if I stick with it, things will eventually get better. A key difference of course is your off lead restriction and the better opportunities I had when Charlie was younger.
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Thanks Julie, you could be right, Charlie definitely does not like on lead interaction and barks at some dogs but not all, there are some dogs he is comfortable with. It might sound strange but he tends to bark at dogs that have barked at him and even if he hasn't seen them in weeks he remembers :. I was just wondering if no interaction and just a quick walk up and down with no stopping, home a couple of times a week would desensitise him a little :-\ Maybe I have more pressing training to be getting on with but I really don't like this reaction. Hmm don't know :-\
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie You mean walk him around other dogs on lead to deal with his reaction to them? Well, yes, that sounds like a great plan.
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie [quote author=JulieT link=topic=5462.msg69186#msg69186 date=1397839592] You mean walk him around other dogs on lead to deal with his reaction to them? Well, yes, that sounds like a great plan [/quote] Yes exactly, but what should I do if he reacts, wait for calmness and treat/praise any ideas? I am hoping that town dogs behave differently but sometimes they are off lead when they are technically not allowed to be round the lake. Or I could take him into town on a Sunday again just up and down, home as some dogs are out in town whilst their owners have coffee etc. Thanks Julie
Re: Going it alone again with Charlie Well, it depends on your dog, and what's going on with him, I think. For my Charlie, his reaction is excitement, simple. Nothing else, he just wants to play. His motivation is to move as close to the other dog as possible. So I can increase the distance in response to excitement, that's effective, and reward for calm as we close the distance. I find rewarding for calm on the move though, is tricky. I find it easier to be still and reward for calm. So we sit down and reward for calm as dogs pass. We chose our spots very carefully. If I have no choice but to move passed a dog that is too close I try a) the "get it" game in an attempt to make myself more interesting than the other dog and b) an outrageously, large, smelly bribe - but I can only do this once a walk, so tend to save that for walking back through the busy with dogs car park emergencies. I'm working on auto eye contact when he spots another dog but we've got a long way to go on that. These techniques (apart from the massive bribe ;D ) are from Karen Pryor here (the greeting in this case is other dogs http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3600
