Thursday, January 20, 2011

Catching Up ...

Things have been a little crazy this week.  Basically, I'm spending too much time working my dogs to write about it!  So, I'll try to summarize what has been going on without going in to too much detail.

I've been really working on the morning ball sessions with 1 dog waiting while the other dog gets the ball.  This has worked fantastically well with Gata.  However, it wasn't working so well with Tor.  He tended to really fixate on Gata and had no interest in food as a reinforcer for good behavior.  And, in fact, his behavior wasn't good - leaping and lunging and barking for all he was worth.  So, I tried a higher value reward with him - the tug.  That is definitely working.  He still watches her take off but then refocuses on me and plays tug vigorously.

He is clearly conflicted about it.  He thrashes and does alot of high-pitched whiny vocalization, especially as Gata returns with the ball.  However, it is getting better with practice as is his ability to refocus on me after I throw the ball for Gata.  It would probably help if I had the tug in my hand, but only have 2 hands and between Tor and the Chuck It they are already full.  He is outing well even with all the conflict.  So think this is a positive game for him though it is clearly a difficult game for him, too.

Another interesting observation about Tor.  The first time I took him to a different park with lots of people around he really lit up when a young child and her father stared and pointed at him.  There have been quite a few kids around in some of the parks that we have been going to lately and he seems to be trying to drag me to them.  I don't exactly know what he would like to do when he got there but he seems to be relaxed and happy while he is trying.  So, I think this is a good development, too.

Poor Gata, she gets the short end of the stick a little these days.  In the morning, she comes flying back to me with the ball only to be ignored as I continue to work Tor on the tug.  In the evening, she usually has to wait until after I work Tor for her turn.  However, she is the dog that gets the run of the flat, sleeps on the bed when she wants, and benefits from my insomnia by getting numerous massages :-)   All in all, I think she does OK but I have to remember to make sure that she get special attention sometimes, especially during work.  She loves all the other stuff, but she really loves to work with me :-)  And it is always a joy to work with her.

Have been working on her positions in many different ways.  I am definitely switching to the new command "Tomber" for the down - less baggage.  I decided to work on her moving down for the next week or 2 by practicing the AKC OB down on recall exercise.  I am rewarding every correct down, regardless of how long it takes her, with a ball thrown behind her.  Hopefully, in a few days time, her down will be much faster.  Part of the problem is that her recall is so darn fast to start with.  It's a good problem but definitely makes it harder to down.  Still, we'll keep working on it and see how it goes.

Also working on those stays with backward releases using either a thrown ball or a stationary, placed ball.  Need to do these over and over again with her in all positions.  Also doing more stays with Tor in both the sit and down.  With him I am trying the - don't move from your position until I release you approach rather than using a "stay" command.  The stay command has always done as much to hurt as help with Gata.

Stay tuned ...

No comments:

Post a Comment