Sunday, October 18, 2009

Obedience Seminar weekend in WI

Linda Koutsky seminar in Milwaukee, WI with Rosco and Lola.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Teaching The Broad Jump

The broad jump is an exercise that seems simpler that it is.
The two most common mistakes that you see on the broad jump exercise is (1) the dog will walk across or between the boards and (2) the dog will cut the corner of the broad jump.
The first mistake (1) is a result of the dog no fully understanding the broad jump as a JUMP. The second mistake (2) is a result of not separating the jumping action from the finding-front action and as a result the dog is trying to do both at the same time.

As with all exercises there are many ways to teach the broad jump; using leg to keep dog jumping straight across jump, using chicken-wire or some other unseen deterrent place on the floor of the jump in the corner to deter dog from landing there, using targets, lures, or toys (thrown and placed) to get the dog to drive straight over the jump. I don't like to teach the dog the broad jump using any of above methods either because they are de-motivating to the dog (making him worry about a leg coming out to "move" him to the center of the jump or worrying about landing on chicken wire) or they don't create the desired behavior (lures and targets can cause a dog to jump flat and cause him to go out straight which makes it harder to find front, not to mention that if there if something on the floor in the ring it may be hard to convince a dog trained in this way that he shouldn't go investigate it).

The way I like to teach the broad jump is to break the exercise up into 2 pieces, a piece (A) Jumping piece and a piece (B) turning and coming to front piece. Piece A & B can be taught concurrently and than put them back together.

Jumping Piece (A):
GOAL: Your dog should jump UP and Over the broad jump independent of where you are.

Step 1: Your dog should be comfortable jumping a normal / PVC / agility jump. He should understand what the "Jump" command means when you are running by the jump with your dog (on both sides), on the same side of the jump as your dog sending him over, and recalling your dog over the jump when you are on the opposite side of the jump from your dog.

Step 2: Add broad jump boards to either side of the normal / PVC / agility jump. Let your dog come up to them and see both the jump and the boards. Repeat Step 1 above with this set up.
The normal / PVC / agility jump height should be LOW, only as high as your dog needs to lift them up over the broad jump.

Step 3: Figure out what your dogs broad jump width your dog will be required to jump in competition and how many boards this will require. Using the appropriate width and the right number of boards (this is important) set up the same set up as Step 2. Where ever space between the boards has a normal / PVC / agility jump in between it. You may have to play some with the spacing and legs of the agility jump to get this to work out. Repeat Step 1 above with this configuration. Start using the verbal command you intend to use for the broad jump. If you are planning to use a hand signal instead you will introduce that later and so in that case continue using your "jump" command. I prefer a verbal command for the broad jump since it allows to dog to fully focus on the jump and not on my body motion. I also use "jump" for both the broad jump and regular jumps.

Step 4: When your dog is comfortable at step 3. Start fading the bar, by lowering it and than taking it away. Look for your dog to still be jumping UP and over the broad jump. If you dog starts jumping flat add back the bar and stay at step 3 for a while longer. Repeat Step 1 without the bar.

Step 5: Start fading the jump stanchions by slowly moving them away from the jump so that finally the jump is alone, you may also add an additional (optional) step where you lay the stations down on their sides. Again repeat Step 1 as you slowly move the stations further away from the broad jump. Remember to make sure you dog is not jumping flat.

Step 6: Your dog should now be able to jump the broad jump NO MATTER where you are standing. Your position should not be important part of their broad-jump-picture.

Turning and Fronting Piece (B):

Step 1: Teach your dog to wrap an object with their right shoulder. Such that when you indicate the object they will run out and wrap it such that their right shoulder is on the inside (clockwise). I like to clicker train this behavior and I like to start with my dog on one side of a big round object such as a garbage can, such that the garbage can is between me and my dog, I peek around the right side of the can and when my dog comes to me I click and treat. Of course this exercise can also be lured if you prefer to train that way. I often label and add a hand signal to this wrapping behavior calling it "pole" or "wrap" if that makes it easier for the dog.

Step 2: Transition from using the garbage can to something smaller, I like to use a jump stanchion. But you can use anything including a very small piece of wood (or anything else) on the ground. Your dog should understand that the "wrap" command can correspond to any object. Use garbage can, chair, jump station, etc ... this makes it easier to fade these props later.

Step 3: Add the Front Chute and the get-it-get-it-front game to the wrap motion. Such that you ask your dog to wrap and than play the game with him and than ask him to front. See: http://dogtrainingadventures.blogspot.com/2009/10/creating-and-using-front-chute.html for more details on Front Chutes.

Putting it together:

When your dog is proficient at all the steps of both pieces (A) and (B) above. It is time to put them together.

Put the jump station (or whatever you dog will wrap) at the end of the broad jump. You should be able to ask your dog to "jump" to "wrap" and than to come play his front game. You should stay at this stage for a while to let your dog build this habit.

I will add video and pictures to this post when I get the chance to make the concepts more clear.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Dreaded DOR

DOR = drop on recall

I think that 70% - 80% of all dogs will do the drop-on-recall correctly if you just DO IT without teaching the dog anything. However in this case it is impossible to understand exactly HOW the dog understands the exercise since you didn't teach it. (Let me give you an example of this concept. Say your dog is on the other side of the yard and you say "Fido Sit". Your dog runs all the way up to you and sits at your feet. If Fido understood SIT the same way you do, he would have sat in place on the other side of the yard, but obviously Fido thinks SIT has something to do with his proximity to you, perhaps something to do with looking into your face, perhaps something to do with his tail for all you know. All of this is a consequence of how you taught Fido to sit, which may have been while he was next to you, perhaps looking in your face, etc ...) So back to the DOR, say you decided NOT to teach the DOR and just to DO-IT, and say that after some time your dog starts messing up something about the drop (the DOR is the MOST failed open exercise). What do you do? Do you correct the dog for things you never taught --- assuming he should understand them the same way you do (which remember from the Fido example above is likely NOT true), even though you never explained them to him --- and for all you know the mistakes he is making are still correct based on how he first "understood" the exercise (remember you never taught him different). That isn't fair. Perhaps you simplify the exercise --- back up one step --- that makes sense, make it simpler for the dog --- but wait. If you never Taught the dog how to do the DOR what is the last step? Your first step was the last step so you are forced, in this situation to actually START again from scratch. Perhaps you change your drop word and /or hand signal and start again --- poor dog.

So lets instead TEACH the DOR. By teaching this exercise we will ensure that our dog understands this exercise in the same way we do and if we ever run into a problem we will be able to simplify the exercise by going back to the last step of the teaching process.

TEACHING THE DOR:

There are Many ways to teach the Drop-on-recall. My favorite is to use a bar as a marker for a spot where the dog should drop. You will need a square bar (not round since they roll away), a bar jump bar works well, or any other "thing" that will not roll and that your dog won't ignore. I like this method because I find you get the least amount of hesitation and anticipation with it.

(1) First you must teach the Drop action. Dogs can Down in at least 2 ways. (A) Sitting first and that bringing their elbows to the floor (this is likely how you taught your dog to down if you lured them into a down with a treat). (B) With front feet NOT moving, folding their body backwards or placing their elbows down before their rear comes down. This is sometimes called a Fold-Back Down. If your dog is doing the sit-first-than-walk-forward-with-front-legs-to-down type of down, type (A) above there is no need to worry. But for the DOR you will want to teach the Fold-Back Down type (B) above.
There are two reasons why you want this type of down. Reason1: It stops forward motion. You signal or say drop and your dog locks his front legs and folds back --- all his motion is backwards. Reason2: It is faster and doesn't involve the sit intermediate where many dogs get stuck.
If your dog is doing down type (A) when you say "down" you will have to use another word "drop", "splat", "crash", "lay-down", etc... for the other type of drop, type (B).
Teaching Drop type (B), the Fold-Back Drop:
* If you are going to lure to teach the Fold-Back Drop; leave your dog is in a standing position move the treat from in front of their nose to between their legs, if you dog follows the treat with their eyes they should fold into the down position.
* If you are going to free-shape the Fold-Back Drop; than you will need to kneel on the ground holding a treat down between your knees, let you dog work to get the treat, when to dog lays down in front of you in an effort to get the treat, mark and reward this moment.
* Alternatively any method of down-ing your dog that is taking place "in front of you" such that the dog can not move his front legs forward (if you are in front of the dog you are blocking this option) and such that your dog transitions from a stand to a down without sitting first, will likely result in the correct behavior (Fold-Back down type (B)).

(2) Introducing the dog to the bar. Your dog should not be scared of the bar, should not be scared of his feet touching the bar, should be comfortable running over the bar.

(3) Starting the drop-at-bar game. Step 1 of this game is to stand in front of the bar, such that the bar is touching your toes, your dog should be standing on the other side of the bar. Ask the dog to drop. Look for your dog to drop in a fast consistent way that meets your criteria on the other side of the bar.

(4) Once your dog is comfortable with step one. Start moving back from the bar (You move back). One step at a time. At each stage down your dog (who is transition from a stand to a drop on his side of the bar).

(5) Once your dog understands that he is to drop at the bar no matter how far you are away from the bar. It is time to move your dog back and yourself forward up to the bar. I do this dramatically which means I move my dog back a lot (a good distance) at one time. This is to ensure that my dog can pick up some speed before reaching the bar. If you move your dog back step by step he will learn to walk or step toward the bar and you do not want to put it in his mind that it is okay to walk on the DOR. At this stage I also move myself forward, up to the bar, such that the bar is once again touching my toes. I call my dog and down him at the bar which is at my feet. Don't stay at this stage too long.

(6) Than start moving yourself back again, step by step as before, only now you are calling your dog to come, before dropping him at the bar (asking him to down at bar). Go slow, make sure your dog is doing the drop well before taking another step away from the bar. Make sure to maintain your criteria.

(7) Once you are a good distance from the bar (as is your dog, on the other side). Start adding straight recalls over the bar. Sometimes call your dog over, sometimes drop him at the bar. This is where you will start getting mistakes --- your dog might drop without you telling him to or he might start coming slowly, or he might stop dropping at the bar. This gives you an opportunity to clarify what it is you want to your dog. You can simplify the exercise by backing up a step or two if you think your dog really might not understand what you want from him. I find the most useful thing to do at this stage is to SHOW my dog what to do. I stand next to my dog on the same side of the bar and I say "come" (I know strange since I am next to them) and I RUN with them over the bar to the other side and celebrate. Than I do the same thing but with a drop in the middle, where I will pause at the bar, say drop, and make sure they drop. I find that SHOWING your dog in this way that you want a run and drop and a run or just a run over the bar works the best to clarify this situation in their mind and to make it all a fun game.

(8) Once your dog is comfortable recalling over or dropping at the bar. It is time to fade the bar. I fade the bar by transitioning from the bar jump bar to a piece of wood (optional) to a leash to a string (optional) to nothing at all. I find that the first transition is the hardest and requires backing up a step or two in your training to make sure the dog understands that this new object functions the same as the bar did. I find every transition after that easy and dogs understand the transition to nothing easily as well.

(9) I often go back to the bar in my training if I need to or if I am working on another part of the DOR and don't want to put pressure on the drop part of it. I also will add a second bar such that each bar is 1/3 of the way between me and my dog, to test a more experienced dogs understand of the drop and the drop signal. I will call them over the first bar and drop them at the second or vice versa. Also if a dog is NOT ABLE to make it past step (7), somehow they just can't understand that sometimes they pass over the bar and sometimes they drop at it, adding a second bar and dropping them at one or the other will sometimes clarify this confusion for them.

(10) The only thing left is to proof the DOR and get it ready for the ring. Remember to sometimes bring back the bar and remind your dog that this is great fun game.

I will add pictures and videos to this post to make it more clear when I have the chance.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Creating and Using a Front Chute

Say you are working on /doing a retrieve, you throw the dumbbell out, send your dog ..... your dog does a wonderful pick up and a wonderful fast turn and than comes back in ..... and sits in a slightly crocked front .... what do you do?

Do you praise the retrieve -- ignoring the front?
Do you fuss the dog, correcting the front, losing the chance to praise the retrieve?

Perhaps you were smart and you eliminated the front --- by either squatting down or by running away from your dog --- any thing that presents them a different picture of your body position in which they are not required to or can't "front". By doing this you have given yourself an opportunity to praise the retrieve. However, by doing this you have lost the chance for your dog to practice the front. The front is PART of this exercise (in this case the retrieve), in addition the front is something that must be first taught but that is than perfected by practice --- making a straight front a HABIT for the dog.
Your dog should be able to run into a straight front from any angle with anything in his mouth after a jump or a down or whatever without having to think about it or worrying about you fussing him about it.

When I am working on an exercise where the focus & therefore the pressure, will be on another aspect of the exercise other than the front, but where I want to, never the less, add a front in order to build the front-habit for my dog and to show my dog that a front is part of this exercise, I like to use a Front Chute.

Building The Front Chute:

* use cardboard (light, and won't hurt dog if they run into it, but not long lasting) or wood (if using wood ensure that the bottom piece is thin enough that the dog won't stub their toes when running into the chute, and that the wood contains no splinters).

* Your chute should consist of a bottom piece that the dog will sit on. This piece should be just wide enough for the dog to sit on it comfortably with their legs square underneath them without their body touching the sides (for more on sides see below). The bottom piece also should be long enough that when the dog sits on it their whole body, feet to base of tail fits on it, and should not be longer than whole sitting dog + extra half of sitting dog.

* Your chute should also have sides on it. The sides should stand up by themselves. If you are using wood heavier pieces of wood will work, if you are using cardboard you will likely have to place (or tape) another piece of cardboard to the outside, to hold the sides up. The sides should be tall enough so that your dog won't ignore them and can't sit on top of them, but not so high that they reach over the dogs head. Elbow to shoulder height on your dog is usually a good place to aim for.

* Your chute must be open on both other sides and on top. It should look like a 3 sided box or like a square U.


Using The Front Chute:

* First make sure your dog is comfortable with the Front Chute. Encourage your dog to touch the chute with their nose or paw. Move your dog backwards into the chute so that their back feet and rear rub against it, encourage them. Than lure them into the chute (or otherwise encourage them into it) ask them to sit once inside, than let them run out of it. Make sure this is a pleasant experience and that your dog is not scared of the chute.

If your dog is scared of the chute. You have some options.
*You can instead use 2 boards placed dog width distance apart. You want to ensure that the boards are length of the sitting dog to, a max of, the length of the sitting dog + half of sitting dog (so you don't want to use, say, broad jump boards since they are just too long). I like a chute better because the size of how-far-apart-the-sides-are is defined and I don't have to fuss with trying to place the boards the right distance apart each time, however some dogs will tolerate the boards better than the chute and for them this is a better option.
*You also can use a platform IF AND ONLY IF your dog will sit square on the platform and is sensitive about putting and keeping their entire body on it. If your dog will happily sit on the platform while half their body is hanging off the platform or manages to sit crocked while on the platform, than a platform will not work for this purpose. In my experience platforms require a dog to think more and require a dog to lift his body onto them so they function to slow most dogs down quiet a bit as they are coming into front. If you are looking for your dog to think about the front more or to slow down as they approach the front a platform may be the right choice. Platforms work very well for teaching sits after go-outs, where the dog must turn and sit at a distance, but I think for fronts where most people are looking for speed, precision and not much thought from the dog chutes work better.

*Lastly you can play a variation of Susan Garrett's "Crate Games" using the chute. These games will result in making the chute a desirable place to be. The best way to do this is to watch Susan Garrett's "Crate Games" video and modify the exercises to use a chute rather than a crate.

*Once my dog is comfortable with the Front Chute and sitting in the Front Chute, I introduce them to the "get-it, get-it, front" game. The foundation for this game is the "get-it" game. For the "get-it" game I get a hand full of food (white food like white cheese works best since dogs can easily see it on dark floors). I throw out a piece of food and tell my dog to "get it" as soon as they eat it I throw another piece of food in another direction again telling them to "get it". If this game makes your dog too crazy you can add an element of control to it by asking your dog to sit and throwing the food out but, in this case, only letting them get the food if you actually say "get it". You may have to have a leash on your dog to ensure that they do not "cheat" if you are adding this aspect of control to the game. Think about who your dog is --- is control no problem but speed, motivation, and drive are? .... than you likely don't need this extra piece of control, you want you dog to focus on you LESS and learn to RUN. Is control and food on the floor a problem? ... than go ahead and add the controlled sit or even sit-stay + leash to the game.

* Now we are ready to teach the "get-it, get-it, front" game. This game will teach my dog to run into the chute. Make sure your dog is comfortable with the chute and with sitting in the chute before you begin. I stand to the side of the chute such that the 2 open sides are perpendicular to me. I throw a treat out and tell my dog to "get-it", than I call my dogs name while holding another treat in my hand over the middle of the chute, just before my dog gets to that treat, I throw it away from them at the same time saying "get-it", so that my dog runs through the chute. I repeat this a few times till my dog is happy and fast at this game. Than instead of holding a treat over the middle of the chute. I step in front of the open side of the chute call my dogs name with the command "front" and lure them into the chute and into the front with a treat if needed (you should only have to lure the first few times when your dog is learning this part of the game). The game doesn't stop with the front. I now release my dog from the front one of 3 ways (1) I throw a treat between my legs commanding "get it" (2) I produce a tug toy and tug as I walk backwards walking my dog out of the chute (3) I turn my whole body to the side and throw a treat behind me commanding "get it" (if you do this make sure to alternate sides).

* Once your dog understands and enjoys the "get-it, get-it, front" game you are ready to use the chute whenever your primary focus of an exercise will not be on the front. Lets use the example of a broad jump. I ask my dog to jump he does a wonderful job, I stand at one open end of the Front Chute and do one of two things (1) ask him to front (or just stand at the end of the Chute which the dog will come to understand as a front) than praise him for a great jump since the front will, thanks to the chute, be straight. (2) stand in the chute and at the last minute the side and start the "get-it, get-it, front" game.

* The Front Chute is not a replacement for teaching a front. A dog must be taught a front first without the chute, however as long as the front is taught without the chute and the dog demonstrates understanding of the front without the presence of the chute, than using the Front Chute works well to keep fronts fast and straight and builds a very nice front-habit in the dog. In this case the Front Chute can also be faded easily.

I will add pictures and video to this post to make the concepts more clear when I can.