We've just had the first class of the next obedience training level and I get a feeling that we could be in this class for a while ☺ Firstly, three chocolate labs and her GSP friend all in one class is a recipe for disaster! Secondly the actual class is pretty tricky for us. The walking/direction changes/sit/drop/stand at heal on a loose lead is tricky but work in progress and we are improving each day. The 3 minute sit-stay and drop-stay (lead dropped at full length and my foot on the end of the lead) are also work in progress but I do think we'll get there as she's already getting to 2ish minutes and is calmly retuning when she breaks. However, we also have to do a stand-stay (at full lead length as above) and someone has to walk up and run their hand along her back without her moving. Apparently this is to replicate if we were showing her and if she moves all four paws when they approach or touch her it's a fail. The problem is that as soon as anyone starts to approach she gets super excited and starts bouncing on the spot (hmm.. I wonder if she'd fail if all four paws landed in exactly the same spot hehe). My plan: practice the stand at heal so she can be completely focussed on me and start to get someone to approach a little. As she gets better, they can in time approach closer and closer until they actually touch her. When she gets this, we'll add the stand-stay at lead length. Does this sound like a good place of action or are there any other ideas?
Yes, that sounds like a good plan. Also, you can feed her treats almost continuously as the patting person approaches. A heap of practice is to key to this one. From now on, visitors to your house should get no food and no drink unless they have helped you to practise this exercise (making sure they understand that they need to about-turn immediately if she moves towards them or jumps up - this is really important). Also, it's fine to teach this as a sit beside you first, then move on to sitting in front of you (then, as you describe, standing beside you, then the stand stay with you moving further away till you are at the length of the lead).
Hah - I'm afraid Charlie and I are a HUGE fail at this. Charlie is 2.5 years old and his reaction to anyone touching him is: a) immediately roll on his back like an 8 week old puppy and paw at their hands or beg for a tummy rub or b) sit down very firmly in case they are a vet in disguise about to examine his back legs. Bless him. I've sort of given up, and just bribe him with treats if he needs to stay still in the vet's..... But, I did try to train it and succeeded in the kitchen anyway. I train a "still stand" which I did by getting him to put his paws on a board (a bread board) and marked for stillness and looking at me (I was in front of him). Then I did as you say and got people to gently touch him, then stroke him, and rewarded stillness and looking at me. I never got it to work outside the kitchen though, no doubt a lack of proofing. I just had other things to do....
Haha JulieT I'm a little concerned that we might end up the same way!! Some of the dogs in the class stood still on their first attempt or at least just moved a little. Ella started bouncing as soon as the instructor turned to look at her! Oh well, we'll give it our best effort and I'll let you know how we get on ☺
Riley is the same as Charlie.....sit down quickly to avoid being prodded. The only difference is he doesn't really have any excuse! Good luck with the training looking forward to hearing how you get on
Juno is fine for standing to be examined whether on the floor or on a bench - think it's down to all the examinations when she was younger for her limping. just don't expect her to let you see her tummy, laying on her side for examination is a completely different story
You could perhaps try a stand/stay on a platform (that is just the right size/shape for her to stand on)first - sometimes a raised platform can help anchor them in position - my puppy finds it easier to do her sit/stays on a placeboard
