Re: More progress with Rachael Interesting article, Pippa. I wish I had kept a similar training log when clicker training the retrieve with Murffi. He still isn't passionate about retrieving like the other dogs so I still use the odd food reward to keep him keen. But strangely he has got the best sit/present out of all of my dogs.
Re: More progress with Rachael I think that is often the way Heidrun, lower drive means the dog is better able to focus on (to him) the boring detail.
Re: More progress with Rachael Nowhere near as exacting Pippa, but I've been working on Poppy's return. Our trainer gave me the tip not to try and take the dummy from her, but just to get her to sit next to me on the return, and then to gently let her drop it into my hand. Since reading your article yesterday I've also practised 'leave it' and 'take it' - she's so quick she caught on in no time. I also let her carry the dummy around, and if there is any chomping or chucking I just say 'uhuh' and take it away. Wow. Suddenly things are going so well! She seems to get the very basic directional commands too - I say 'go on' if she needs to go further to find the dummy, and 'back' (obviously! :) if she has gone too far. What else is working? Oh yes - if she runs in, on that return I just take the dummy from her without saying anything or praising her and put it away for a few minutes. She understands that too and is running in much less. She seems to love working with me and we are both very happy. I dont really know what I'm doing though, and am just having fun working with her. I'm getting the feeling this is the start of a partnership between us - it's such fun. Oh, sorry, I have hijacked your thread. Didnt mean to, just got caught up in the excitement of telling our story!
Re: More progress with Rachael Hi Karen, that is fantastic. You are doing really well! It is a lot of fun isn't it.
Re: More progress with Rachael It really is lovely to read about Racheal and her training , her little wobbles make me feel far less inadequate too
Re: More progress with Rachael [quote author=editor link=topic=1316.msg8532#msg8532 date=1363607363] Hi Karen, that is fantastic. You are doing really well! It is a lot of fun isn't it. [/quote] Thank you! And yes, it's brilliant fun... Sometimes it doesn't go the way I want it to, and then it can be a bit frustrating... But days like yesterday are fab! And I have to say - it's really the dog, she's just a joy. I just wish I lived in England and could take part in the gun dog training scheme. Ah well...
Re: More progress with Rachael Great stuff Rachael! have been sitting on a seat with my two in front of me, trying to improve their Holding, following your last article. I actually find it quite hard not to giggle a bit, , they put their ears really really up and brodick has this look of extreme focused concentration on while waiting for his turn. Need to try and distract one of them off somewhere else with a Kong and do it one at a time though...thanks for putting this up, really helpful on where to go next...
Re: More progress with Rachael Goodness, can't imagine doing it with two dogs!!! Or like Pippa and Heidrun,mwithnfour or five
