So Ive been thinking about my table issue. One thing I have realized is that when I'm on course at a trial, I tend to hang back when I send her to the table. I know it doesn't look like it on tape but I feel it. And then I watch her to see what she is going to do. The whole time worrying, is she going to do it? Maybe I need to attack it. Run at the table, run like I mean it. It may not make a difference but it couldn't hurt. And hey, maybe I can catch her if she does a touch and go.
The next thing Ive notice that Ive been doing has to do with staying. When I tell Miley to wait ,when giving out treats to all the dogs, she will scoot around trying to get a better position. Not move a lot but just a little. I haven't corrected this because I wasn't really "training" anything. But Ive notice she does this in a lot of little places when waiting for a reward. Hmmmm... You get what you reward. I'm trying very hard this week not to let any little movement go. She moves, no reward.
A Walktober summary
1 day ago
5 comments:
Good observations Diana! I think that your rewarding Miley only when she is completely still will also help with her startlines. Keep us posted...
Sorry to bug you but did you read Bud Houston's blog about training or re-training the table? The stuff he said seemed to make a lot of sense and maybe it would work for Miley.
What you said about stays is true - we dogs will get away with whatever we feel we can! :)
I was just watching Mo S. foundation training video on the stays....because we are retraining those too....and she said her criteria is NO MOVEMENT, no shifting feet,no twitching, no scootching, they can move their head or wag their tails but nothing else. So I found it interesting how she taught that, but I thought it made the not moving at all really clear to the dogs, wish I could show you the video, and I personally am going back to basics to teach Breeze, just to clear it all up for her and for me. Then I heard what I thought was another really neat idea for teaching the stays and that was when practicing the stays to put a leash down in front of the front feet so if they move even a little you can see better they have moved. I also was advised to sometimes reward and release behind the dog, like throw the toy or reward behind so it is not a sure thing you are going to eventually move forward. Kate Moureaux is now having everyone pick up their dogs and miss their turn in practice if the dog moves at all...ANYWAY, I know you did not ask for advice ;-), but i am retraining it too so thinking about start lines is pretty exciting to me, and I like you have been mulling around everything I can find about those pesky start lines, trying to unravel the mysteries of a great start line, LOL, so hope you do not mind...
PS if you come across some great training tips to make a dog more secure on the start line...I would love to hear those, at least Miley is happy and wanting to GO, poor Breeze holds her stay but is looking more stressed-so she goes off the line more unsure and worried and slow....so I am having more trouble trying to figure out how to handle that, considering she has a bit of seperation anxiety...
I see people working on their start lines a lot. Especially people with high drive dogs like Miley.
Abbie Tamber does a half day seminar just on start line stays. I think she may travel south in the winter. Maybe you could keep an ear out for one of her seminars.
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