Wordless Wednesday
2 days ago
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Breaking her start line
So, Little Miss Miley has bee breaking her start line a lot. Is she just so excited to be running the course she cant control herself? Is it something I'm doing? Ive been really trying to reward heavily when she stays. I try to be mindful of walking back to her when she does stay. I'm sure the dogs learn that the farther out you go, the less likely the reward. Ive been just doing a two jump lead out , at the most. So yesterday she broke several times even with rewarding when staying. I finally started throwing the chicken to her, which seem to help. I could tell her body relaxed when she leaned over to find the chicken. The only problem is that if your throw isn't great, your dog may move. One time she did have to stand up to get the treat but did stay in the same spot. Is that ok? I really don't want this to become an issue. And me worrying about it, makes it an issue. Maybe she isn't trusting me because I'm not trusting her. Ive been reading through Clean Run looking for something to jump out at me as the problem, but nothing yet. I do make her wait in her crate to be released and sometimes we practice waiting at doors , but all the time. Any suggetions?
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8 comments:
look at your release cue- does she release on your word- or your motion? typically this is the most common problem. the dog starts to guess as to when they can leave.
also- you can vary where you release her- place a toy behind her- lead out in front, release and drive back to the toy with her.
probably it is a release issue- you have to be very consistent about that sort of thing or it does quickly become an issue.
and a start line issue also becomes a contact (2o2o) and a table issue. Basically anywhere the dog has to have impulse control.
we also reccomend for our students with start line issues to go back and work some "It's Yer Choice" games. If you google it and Susan Garrett you'll find some articles I am sure. But basically the dog learns to have impulse control to get what they want.
Good Luck! Don't stress about it too much- but definitely train it!
I bet she is just so excited to be doing agility again that she can't control herself! Probably some more self-control work like you're talking about - waiting at doors and crate, etc. will help. And the going back to reward the stay is very important from what we have heard. Hopefully someone will leave you some new ideas - I would enjoy reading them!
Excitement is a big issue when I'm training Josh... he just can't control himself :)
The start line seminar I was at suggested doing stays in all sorts of places, and then "proofing them" by throwing something in front, throwing something behind, walk around your dog, waving your arms, skipping, saying a similar word. etc...
I do a LOT of wait's and then go back to her, instead of waits and then calling her. So she is never sure if sh is going to get to run or not. That way she doesn't anticipate getting to run and break. Now I don't do agility (not really anyway) but I do obedience, and Katie has never broken her wait and come at school because at home I never call her, I just do waits and then go back to her. Hope Miley gets calmer soon...but not TOO calm!
Sounds like you are doing a lot of great things, and there are a lot of great suggestions offered, one other thing I have done is having my instructor or someone else once in a while throw down a treat, seems to get the idea that who knows where a treat may come from and then I can a lot further away too, and the treat just might still show up. Another thing I like to do is a game that we play away from any agility - I get the dogs all excited maybe tug, throw things-what ever gets them most excited and then say down or sit and stay and then throw their toy, the game doesnt continue until I release them if they break them the game just stops and we start again, but it isnt the wild time they get when they hold it until released, so I think they get the idea that even in a highly aroused state having a little self control still pays off and they can control themselves even when highly excited-because I want my dogs to know how to handle being really excited at the start line, I do not want to lose that. Now not saying I have a perfect stay by any stretch of the imagination but I think those are things that help us in addition to the things you are already doing.
I really work just my stays. You can put her in her stay and then try to get her all reved up while you are standing close to her. Then jump around, run past her, run around her...basically everything you can think of that may get her to break. If she doesn't then treat her and release her!
This is especially effective with Hobbs if I set him up in front of a jump or the weaves. That way he thinks he is going to play, and he learns to control himself better so that he CAN play!
"its your choice" games have really helped him as well!
Wow. Some really good ideas here!
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