Training Group

Group Crate

Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Franklin P. Jones

Obviously there was a doubt in my mind about Boon remaining in the crate while I left with Logan. THAT doubt should have been my cue to close the gate on her crate, preventing her leaving, OR to have someone stand nearby and reward OFTEN instead of asking ( a distracted person) to correct Boon by closing the gate if she stepped out. THIS is an example of poor training. I allowed my goal of practicing her open door crate behavior in a positive way to be over-ridden by my need to multi-task. The goal is ZERO error learning. In this case previous training had set Boon up for success, my absent minded decision and lack of proper criteria and planning resulted in a session ending with a mistake instead of a success! Proper planning and criteria setting insures the session to end with the desired behavior!

Dual Down with Haven as distraction

11 seconds I think before Logan got up. This was too hard, Haven, bunnies in the distance behind me and the camera, new place etc etc. For 11 seconds it was great!

Car Zen

3 minute out of sight Down Stay

Door greetings

Landry's challenge

Footprint Practice

Wheelchair Choosing to Heel

Dremeling Nails

This is the finished product of training  for dremeling nails.  Thanks to Jan I got of my  you know what and got this done!  I am so happy I did!  No more click clack of nails on my floors early in the morning! Two out of three dogs now get their nails dremeled and Cowboy can actually be in the room now while it is being done!  THAT is major progress!  Why he still prefers having his nails trimmed with the clippers is odd to me but I venture a guess that we will get to the dremel before the year is out!  Also I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE the grooming table!  I finally broke down and purchased one ( adjustable height) and my back will be forever grateful!!! 

Veterans World Wheelchair Games Finals

This is part of the finals of the Veteran's World Wheelchair Games in Denver. Boon and I went with a fellow trainer and her SDiT for some public work near other dogs. We were inspired by the spirit of the participants and the difficulty of the course! After the games were over Boon was allowed to traverse the course walking over chains, walking on the angled and slippery ramps and various surfaces all while clean up was in progress with lots of banging noises and echoing.

Later when we were leaving the venue a woman with a dog attached to her wheelchair was thrown from her chair when her dog lunged at Boon. It was a scary event for everyone involved. I am happy to say this was in NO WAY Boon's fault as she had her attention on me and didn't even see the dog coming and to her credit she never left my side for an instant. ( I had stopped and made certain that Boon's attention was on me before proceeding past this group and THAT paid off in Boon's non-reaction) The dog was then released from the wheelchair so the attendants of the woman could get her back into her chair. The dog now off lead climbed the stairs to go "visit" my fellow trainers dog who was trying to get down the stairs as well( all this happened at the bottom of a staircase) Only after my friend stepped in front of her dog to protect it, did the attendants of the woman come get the dog. The woman in the wheel chair then proceeded to yell at the dog in a guttural tone with teeth clenched. I tell this story because it is IMPERATIVE that our dogs are beyond reproach! I can only imagine how I would feel if Boon had caused this! I felt terrible anyway. I think the mistake made was mine in assuming the dog was trained and safe to pass at a reasonable (what felt reasonable and non-intrusive to me) distance. Also a reason to be certain you have insurance! The woman's head bounced off the concrete like a basketball, the thump could be heard from quite a distance. I can assure you I will only pass another strange dog at a MUCH larger distance in the future, or we will simply wait for them to leave! Do not assume that a dog who appears to be a service dog in fact is!!!

CCAF Oddities and excercises

Boon encounters a few oddities and does a down-stay under a table so I can look closer at some art.

CCAF Dog encounters

This was also at the CCAF. Boon had several encounters with dogs. Our goal is to have Boon completely ignore dogs even if they were to try to engage her. For where we are now I think this isn't too bad considering the multiple distractions for her and me!

CCAF Cart and kids

This video is of us working at the Cherry Creek Art Festival. TONS of people and some dogs and oddities. This first video is of Boon's encounters with a cart and various dogs. As you can see we have a lot to work on but I felt good about where we are now. This benchmark sparks some goals about where we want to go from here!

Tug and Relax

Here you will see me using the tug game as a way to reinforce Boon for relaxation. We play a bit of tug, then I have her out. To restart the game she must completely relax. We began with just the out, the the out and a sit, then the out, sit and hip roll, then the out sit, down, then the out sit down with hip roll now we are working on down with relaxed tail. Watch Boons tail as it hovers over the ground, then quivers before it finally relaxes. The second it totally relaxes I begin the game again.

L2-4

Relax 3

Relax 2

Relax 1

I am working on helping Boon learn to relax more. She is in control of herself but is more tense ( shown by her tight/ erect tail and stress lines on her face) more than I would like to see. I both shape and "help" depending on the situation. I am working on the tail carriage at this time. Looking for her tail to be relaxed at the base so it can lie on the ground if she is down and for a more horizontal carriage when standing. There are three videos showing different progressions toward relaxation. In the down, standing and then in the last video the LOOK game with "help"

Boon LLW for 5 year old Mary Scott

Sitting in Water

Boon doesn't really like sitting in water much. She is doing it and the shallower the better! I raised the treat value in hopes that her focus would be less on the water and more on the toy. It is a work in progress. Interesting that several months ago water wasn't an issue for Boon. This is a clear reminder that when training a puppy just because they handle things at one stage of development soean't promise that it will never be an issue. Making a list and revisiting things briefly but continually though time is a way of catching little "problems" before they become big ones!

Stand from a Sit

This is a series of outtakes that show Boon doing a pop-up stand from a sit while we were working on sit in water. I was not cuing or working on the stand . I just noticed this is a great way for Boon at least to practice her stands from a sit since she does it so readily and it will build muscle memory making it easier to generalize in other places with a minimum of body cue from the handler! Another benefit to the video is that you see things missed in the moment when you are focused on another task! I will be using this to teach the stand from sit and taping the progress in the future.

CGC Accepting a freindly stranger/ Sitting Politley for Petting

This is a training exercise not the CGC test. Boon is working with two new people she has never met before. It is not shown in this video but we learned that Boon has more trouble approaching people calmly than she does being approached. Information that is valuable to have and important to train.

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger

This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting

This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.

CGC Reaction to Another Dog

This is CGC Training , not the test.

Test 8: Reaction to another dog

This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.

CGC 3 Minute Supervised Separation

CGC Training Not the test.

Test 10: Supervised separation

This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness. Evaluators may talk to the dog but should not engage in excessive talking, petting, or management attempts (e.g, "there, there, it's alright").

Finding HEEL Position

Finding SIDE Position

Moving down

That's Enough

In this video we are practicing some ZEN behavior where Boon must wait for permission and then also LEAVE what she wants to continue doing. I am using Premack. Boon leaves what she wants so she can have it again! This is work I do in conjunction with work on sniffing. It is the same principal but with a different distraction, yet this also includes her nose, just more mundane information making it easier to practice.

Sidewalk ZEN

Hello, my name is Sheila, I am a recovering Lumper. Umm, where is the coffee? : )

This video shows a great example of LUMPING. I OBVIOUSLY should have made the exercise easier so that I could trust Boon to do her job and not feel the need to prevent her from making a mistake by tightening the leash from time to time. If I can't trust her yet, then I should make it easier so she isn't put in the position of needing a correction ( she didn't) or having me fall into poor handling skills because I was unsure. The video is a firm and honest critic. It catches the things that otherwise might go unnoticed. It is true that it is important to trust your dog. It is also important to set them up so they should and can be trusted and not fail. Less is MORE!

Boon Sit Challenge

This was a fun challenge. My favorite part was seeing how a cue that is really understood can actually calm a dog ( see Boon behind the gate when I went out of sight, I say her name she gets very excited, she hears the cue sit and immediately complies and is CALM ) The other thing that I saw was the trust that is built up over time. Boon trusts me when I ask her to do "scary things" like get onto a moving object. I earned her trust over time by setting her up for success and she has gained the confidence to trust and to try!

LLW 2' Leash no treats

COME GAME default-sit

Race Track Zen

L3 Sit/Stay

L3 down/stay

Mall Zen

L3 Down out of sight

Default Leave or Zen

L3 Down in the mall

Name recogniton and self control

Mark and Boon Weave

Controlled Chaos

Mark and Boon

Tagawa Garden Center

After the game

Boon 4-2010 Go AVs

FETCH just for fun Boon 4-2010

SHAPING Stand from Sit Boon 4-2010

Off Leash Single person Come Game Boon 4-2010

Boon Denver Car Show 3 Minute down stay

Safeway Stay, Boon 4-2010

Lily's Birthday Party dress and Manners Boon 4-2010

Car ZEN 4/2010

A Walk in the Park Boon 4-2010

Springtime meet and greet Boon 4-2010

Playground ZEN Boon 4-2010

Boon's Gauntlet 4/2010

ZEN and play ball with distance

Shaped Down in too small box Boon 3/2010

Nonsense Shaping

Surfaces Boon 3/2010

On the Road Boon 3/2010

Kennel Trick Boon 3/2010

Floor ZEN Boon 3/2010

Shaping Around Boon 3/2010

Before Moving on Level 1 Sit and Down

Level 2 Deliver Beginnings Boon 3/2010

HAndling Boon 3/2010

Level 2 Deliver Boon 3/2010

GTM in the snow Boon 3/2010

Pairing Down and Stand Boon 3/2010

Doodling in the snow Boon 3/2010

Calling out of play practice Boon 3/2010

Playtime ZEN Boon 3/2010

Cat ZEN Boon 3/2010