A Walktober summary
1 day ago
Monday, February 1, 2010
More Mat work
I took Miley back up to the field today. I took Guiness too. I was feeling guilty about never taking him anywhere. But it was a disaster. Miley was a wild women. I'm not sure if it was Guiness or that there was another person their working her dog. Or was she crazy because I came straight home from work, loaded the dogs up and went straight to the field. I also couldn't just let her run like I usually do when I first get there. So she was wild. It wasn't our finest practice. She couldnt think. So inbetween agility practice we practice the mat work. I had talked with Meagan earlier in the day about Miley crawling on the mat. She told me work not just rewarding on the mat but releasing off the mat. She also told me work separately the next 3 things: 1. drive to the mat 2. staying on the mat and 3. lying down on the mat. So this was the session after I had rewarded her coming off the mat. I also didn't use the clicker for the first time today. She did much better with the crawling thing. The reason she keeps looking to the side is that a car is coming. She was thinking about chasing the car.
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6 comments:
You are really challenging Miley-mat work at Petsmart & right after work. That should really help for highly stimulating times, like trials.
I need to work on sending my dogs to a mat when the UPS truck pulls in the driveway. LOL. crazy times.
Miley looked great in the video! She is really getting the mat thing and looks very happy to go over there and lie down on it! Good job!
Sometimes not clicking is good. She knows her job, and you can clean up the behavior without clicker. You mark "YES" for mat but if she creeps, you take the treat away, extinguishing the crawling. Also, when I teach mat work and even downs to pet people, I have them feed between the dogs front paws on the ground. It helps them keep focus down and the don't help you give them the treat because they're expecting the treat between their paws. I've gotten really good at chucking food between the dog's paws. Men are impressed at my aim. LOL!
I know that if I came straight home from work, bundled Katie up in the car and went to, say, a fun match, then she'd be a crazy girl. I think she picks up my stress of trying to get something done right after work.
It's awesome, Miley. You're so clever and committed.
When I worked on the Relaxation Protocols on the mat with Rogue, we never used the clicker because it just got her more excited. It looks like Miley is doing really well.
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