Sunday, 20 February 2011
Introductions
Thought I'd do some introductions today! Meet pretty boy, Callum, an angelic looking! Maisie and the handsome Hector. Callum is 6 and his favourite activity is a missing person search. Maisie is 1 and loves hunting for birds! Hector is 3 and loves to run.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
I Know This Game!
Clicker training is very effective and for those who are not particularly strong on timing of rewards it is a really useful tool. However, rewarding the right behaviour is the key point and the owner has to be very aware of what behaviour they are actually rewarding.
We have a young collie in class who was a rescue at 6 months old and was launching herself and barking and snapping at other dogs. The owner brought her into class and just sat quietly observing as other dogs worked around them. The dog was rewarded using the clicker for sitting quietly and ignoring the other dogs. Dog could eventually walk ast other dogs, sit in close proximity with no adverse reaction. So far so good!
A few weeks later and we have an issue! The owner has become comfortable and started rewarding the wrong behaviour and has not noticed the behaviour she is rewarding. Dog is now lunging and barking at other dogs when they move after something, then turning to owner sitting and looking at them and being rewarded! Dog has worked out this game and the owner hasn't noticed so is effectively encouraging the behaviour.
New game commenced - back to rewarding for sitting quietly and ignoring, no reward for lunging or barking - this behaviour is ignored. Desired behaviour is given a cue so we can use it when needed. Owner now aware of where they have gone wrong. Let's see what next week brings.
We have a young collie in class who was a rescue at 6 months old and was launching herself and barking and snapping at other dogs. The owner brought her into class and just sat quietly observing as other dogs worked around them. The dog was rewarded using the clicker for sitting quietly and ignoring the other dogs. Dog could eventually walk ast other dogs, sit in close proximity with no adverse reaction. So far so good!
A few weeks later and we have an issue! The owner has become comfortable and started rewarding the wrong behaviour and has not noticed the behaviour she is rewarding. Dog is now lunging and barking at other dogs when they move after something, then turning to owner sitting and looking at them and being rewarded! Dog has worked out this game and the owner hasn't noticed so is effectively encouraging the behaviour.
New game commenced - back to rewarding for sitting quietly and ignoring, no reward for lunging or barking - this behaviour is ignored. Desired behaviour is given a cue so we can use it when needed. Owner now aware of where they have gone wrong. Let's see what next week brings.
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Golden Oldies
Spent a lovely day with the Golden Oldies despite the persistent rain. Scottish Working Trials run this competition every year for those dogs who can't compete in Working Trials any longer either through age or injusry. There are no jumps or stays but just a lot of fun! Helen was the judge and I stewarded the competition for her. We had 9 competitors, a mix of GSDs, Retrievers, Collies and even a Schnauzer!
The tracks were all worked well with the toys and treats well received by the dogs. The cocktail sausages at the sendaway point caused much hilarity with just one dog ignoring them and it was a Labrador too - very unlike them!
It was a real pleasure to watch these dogs really enjoy the competition, every one of them strutted into the field and excelled at every exercise. A thoroughly enjoyable day outdoors with good friends, good dogs and good exercise!
The tracks were all worked well with the toys and treats well received by the dogs. The cocktail sausages at the sendaway point caused much hilarity with just one dog ignoring them and it was a Labrador too - very unlike them!
It was a real pleasure to watch these dogs really enjoy the competition, every one of them strutted into the field and excelled at every exercise. A thoroughly enjoyable day outdoors with good friends, good dogs and good exercise!
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Hydrotherapy
My first time back in the hydrotherapy pool for some months due to holidays, illness, weather and work! We are visited by a range of dogs; those that are injured, rehabilitation and those just keeping in good shape.
I made an interesting observation tonight though, in that the dog's behaviour in the pool is breed specific. The Spaniels are swimming before they even reach the water level - those little legs are going ten to the dozen before they reach water! The German Shepherds like to hear their own voices and whinge and moan throughout the session and and are also the worst for hitting the water with their paws and splashing it in your eyes. The Labradors like to grip you with their paws hanging onto you for dear life and panic if you let them go which for a gundog is ridiculous! The terriers like to stay stock still and keep a paw on your arm. Then there's the consumate athlete the Greyhound who come elegantly in, never make a sound, show off their muscles and leave!
It is a real pleasure to see the improvement in the dogs who come in with an injury or after surgery then a few weeks later they are back to full fitness. You really feel as if you are making a difference.
I made an interesting observation tonight though, in that the dog's behaviour in the pool is breed specific. The Spaniels are swimming before they even reach the water level - those little legs are going ten to the dozen before they reach water! The German Shepherds like to hear their own voices and whinge and moan throughout the session and and are also the worst for hitting the water with their paws and splashing it in your eyes. The Labradors like to grip you with their paws hanging onto you for dear life and panic if you let them go which for a gundog is ridiculous! The terriers like to stay stock still and keep a paw on your arm. Then there's the consumate athlete the Greyhound who come elegantly in, never make a sound, show off their muscles and leave!
It is a real pleasure to see the improvement in the dogs who come in with an injury or after surgery then a few weeks later they are back to full fitness. You really feel as if you are making a difference.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Manners!
Well we had a great day's training today despite the bad manners displayed by a breed specific rescue who were having a get-together in the same fields.
It is an unwritten rule in dog circles that when you see someone training their dog, you try to keep out of their way so they can continue their good work. Not so it seems with this group. We had cars parked right at our agility jumps, a dog running along the fence intimidating our dogs, and then just as one of our dogs commenced a send away they decided to walk all 14 dogs past in a row to commence a walk! That was after advising us that their dogs didn't like small furry dogs and would chase!
It's these bad manners that give responsible dog owners a 'bad name'. It has made me think though on how we run our training session and some helpful reminders will need to be posted.
Despite these irritations, we really made progress and had fun in the process and that's what counts.
It is an unwritten rule in dog circles that when you see someone training their dog, you try to keep out of their way so they can continue their good work. Not so it seems with this group. We had cars parked right at our agility jumps, a dog running along the fence intimidating our dogs, and then just as one of our dogs commenced a send away they decided to walk all 14 dogs past in a row to commence a walk! That was after advising us that their dogs didn't like small furry dogs and would chase!
It's these bad manners that give responsible dog owners a 'bad name'. It has made me think though on how we run our training session and some helpful reminders will need to be posted.
Despite these irritations, we really made progress and had fun in the process and that's what counts.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Trainers - what does good look like?
Interesting conversation yesterday on trainers in dog clubs. What makes a good trainer? There are trainers that remain steeped in the past unwilling or unable to change their methods despite overwhelming research and evidence to the contrary. There are trainers who think gaining a qualification (mostly completed through distance learning) is sufficient for them to take on training classes and offer paid advice on behavioural roblems in dogs. There are trainers who think because they have years of experience they don't need anything else. In my opinion, it's not just academic qualifications, it's not just experience, it's a combination of both PLUS continuing professional development.
A good trainer recognises the need to keep up with academic research. A good trainer recognises the value in years of experience working with different dogs, different breeds and different situations. A good trainer recognises the need to keep their own skills up to date through trying different disciplines, learning from other trainers and behaviourists. A good trainer also recognises the need for people skills as in the main it's the handlers that need training!
So what do you think? Are you a good trainer?
A good trainer recognises the need to keep up with academic research. A good trainer recognises the value in years of experience working with different dogs, different breeds and different situations. A good trainer recognises the need to keep their own skills up to date through trying different disciplines, learning from other trainers and behaviourists. A good trainer also recognises the need for people skills as in the main it's the handlers that need training!
So what do you think? Are you a good trainer?
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
New Year, New Goals
Back from a New Year break and looking forward to whatever 2011 will bring. Main goals this year are to finish my canine behaviour degree which keeps getting put to the side whenever I am busy and to finally put in the final training needed for Hector to be ready to enter a Working Trial.
So.... some organisation is needed, which for a butterfly brain such as I am is going to take some doing! I start off well enough but get bored very quickly and I jump onto the next new shiny bright thing! Going to try - let's see how successful I am.
So.... some organisation is needed, which for a butterfly brain such as I am is going to take some doing! I start off well enough but get bored very quickly and I jump onto the next new shiny bright thing! Going to try - let's see how successful I am.
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