I have been working with Glory a fair bit....just not posting about it.
She is doing a great stand now and I kicked a soccer ball around her today and she held the stay. I did some heeling with sits and then several recalls ending in a finish. I also did some clicker training with the 'get in' as per Celeste Meade. I have started doing a bit of heeling to end that. Not sure how I am going to tidy that up yet but.....
I also did some fetch with her on the table....slow going but coming. Things should pick up once I only have her to train and Addie gets her OTCH.
And field training every week has been going very well.
She is bringing back both ducks and bumpers very well each time. I may be warm enough shortly to add the water.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Starting formal training
Formal training with Glory began this past Monday. I have become a student in my own class.
But I broke a toe in my right foot on Wed night so walking is horribly painful. Nevertheless she has had her long line work done. Don helped me with it today as we started the distraction part of the work. After about 20 minutes she was turning the distraction down and choosing instead to stay right with Don in heel position. I will do a bit more a couple of times tomorrow and Dale is coming here on Monday to train so we'll do that again with her.
She is doing really well at everything. She is entered in the show in Lindsay at the end of April and I have engaged a professional handler to show her. Her stand it coming along very well and she is a bit less easty westy and her foot is tighter than it was 2 months ago so worried about nothing really. Her bite is perfect.
But I broke a toe in my right foot on Wed night so walking is horribly painful. Nevertheless she has had her long line work done. Don helped me with it today as we started the distraction part of the work. After about 20 minutes she was turning the distraction down and choosing instead to stay right with Don in heel position. I will do a bit more a couple of times tomorrow and Dale is coming here on Monday to train so we'll do that again with her.
She is doing really well at everything. She is entered in the show in Lindsay at the end of April and I have engaged a professional handler to show her. Her stand it coming along very well and she is a bit less easty westy and her foot is tighter than it was 2 months ago so worried about nothing really. Her bite is perfect.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Back to training
Well March has been pretty much of a write off as far as training Glory goes. I have had the worst cold/sinusitis/bronchitis and migraine headache I have had in my life.
I have spent days and days in bed or on the couch. But I forced myself to go field training last Wed with Karen and it made me realise how far behind I am but alas the next day I was so sick I could hardly look after the dogs. I went out with her again this week and Glory does want to retrieve but to Karen. LOL. She is being a typical retriever puppy. So we have been doing a lot of fun retrieves this week with Glory as many times during the day as I can and she is doing a lot better at it. I have already started introducing her to the force fetch too. I have had her fetching the dumbbell on the table by holding it in front of her and then saying fetch, opening her mouth and putting it in her mouth and having her hold it in her mouth and then saying give. She has been doing this since she was a puppy but we are just formalizing it now. She seems pretty unconcerned about it and very willing to do it.
Also worked on sit stay a lot more too.
I have spent days and days in bed or on the couch. But I forced myself to go field training last Wed with Karen and it made me realise how far behind I am but alas the next day I was so sick I could hardly look after the dogs. I went out with her again this week and Glory does want to retrieve but to Karen. LOL. She is being a typical retriever puppy. So we have been doing a lot of fun retrieves this week with Glory as many times during the day as I can and she is doing a lot better at it. I have already started introducing her to the force fetch too. I have had her fetching the dumbbell on the table by holding it in front of her and then saying fetch, opening her mouth and putting it in her mouth and having her hold it in her mouth and then saying give. She has been doing this since she was a puppy but we are just formalizing it now. She seems pretty unconcerned about it and very willing to do it.
Also worked on sit stay a lot more too.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Weight and height
I went past the vets today and took Glory in quickly to weigh her. She weighed 41.5 lbs and she is 20 inches tall.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Glory
I have had a few sessions with Glory.....at members night on Wed night she was much better behaved and actually did a 30 sec sit stay with the group of about 15 or more dogs. She did a couple because of course we could not expect her to do much more than that. But she did pretty darn good at it.
I have been trying to stop the luring with food for the Sphinx drop and have been doing a lot of them randomly throughout the day in the house and she is finally starting to figure out that sometimes there is a reward for dropping so that is great. I expect that to get better and faster over time. Her stands are great. She'll do a stand with a hand signal from either heel position or from in front (for the show ring). And she sits immediately when I say sit.
Tonight I did some more clicker training for touching the paper clip...this time on my training apron. I did several downs, sits and stands on the table and that was great.
I set her up on the ground with the Utility jumps set up (jump heights are only 4 inches high) and her in front of both the solid and the bar and I sent her over each one 3 or 4 times and she held the stay to till I sent her and she came right in over the right jump each time. Of course I have her positioned so it would be hard for her to make a mistake.
I also walked around with her working on attention (no heeling yet) and she does very well with that. Once I have had her through all the Koehler in about 10 weeks, I will start to put the attention and the heeling together.
And of course we did a few retrieves with the pigeon before and after. She did that very well as usual.
I have been trying to stop the luring with food for the Sphinx drop and have been doing a lot of them randomly throughout the day in the house and she is finally starting to figure out that sometimes there is a reward for dropping so that is great. I expect that to get better and faster over time. Her stands are great. She'll do a stand with a hand signal from either heel position or from in front (for the show ring). And she sits immediately when I say sit.
Tonight I did some more clicker training for touching the paper clip...this time on my training apron. I did several downs, sits and stands on the table and that was great.
I set her up on the ground with the Utility jumps set up (jump heights are only 4 inches high) and her in front of both the solid and the bar and I sent her over each one 3 or 4 times and she held the stay to till I sent her and she came right in over the right jump each time. Of course I have her positioned so it would be hard for her to make a mistake.
I also walked around with her working on attention (no heeling yet) and she does very well with that. Once I have had her through all the Koehler in about 10 weeks, I will start to put the attention and the heeling together.
And of course we did a few retrieves with the pigeon before and after. She did that very well as usual.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
2nd session today
It is warmer here....the hot dogs that I had stored in the shelter for training were not frozen for the first time. I did a lot of sits, stands and downs on the table. She does everything very well except the drop which she does well for a treat but not so well without one. That will come.
I used Addie for a distraction for Glory to get attention and that worked fairly well. I did a sit stay with her and Addie and that was great. I didn't do the other things that I did earlier because I had Addie to contend with as well and couldn't devote all my effort just to Glory who is sound asleep with her head on my feet as I write this. She is becoming quite the momma's girl.
I used Addie for a distraction for Glory to get attention and that worked fairly well. I did a sit stay with her and Addie and that was great. I didn't do the other things that I did earlier because I had Addie to contend with as well and couldn't devote all my effort just to Glory who is sound asleep with her head on my feet as I write this. She is becoming quite the momma's girl.
Glory again
Doing a second post because I forgot to include in my previous post, that Glory is on antibiotics for vaginitis. She ran to the door on Friday morning and could not hold it peeing on the floor. She has never done that since she arrived. She asked to go outside every 2 minutes all morning and then on our off leash walk she peed so many times that I called the vet the moment I got in. I thought it was a bladder infection but it is actually vaginitis, so she is on antibiotics for 10 days and I have to take a urine sample in on Friday off this week.
Glory
I have had a few sessions with Glory over the last few days and yesterday I took her and Addie to a correction match in Lindsay. Glory just went for the experience and Addie did Utility. Glory did very well with sitting to be petted and trying hard not to jump up on people. Trying to keep a close eye on other people giving her treats, something I do not want to encourage.
Today I finally remembered to take my camera with me into the shelter to get some pictures of her doing a stand and a few sit stays.
She will now do a stand with a hand signal from either the side or from in front of her. This will help a lot for conformation so she can continue to learn a sit but I have a signal to over ride it in the show ring. And down is very good. Trying to fade food now though so she only gets the treat as a reward and not as a lure anymore.
I also put a bowl on the floor of the shelter and worked on attention with the food bowl and a chicken wiener in it and that was great. She picks things up so fast. I have also been clicker training her to focus on a paper clip. I did this with Tanner but not Robbie or Addie. She is getting a click for touching the clip and I am now transferring the clip to my pant leg. She is doing very well with that but next time I should wear light coloured slacks so it is easier for her to see. Hopefully this will get me a nice tight front eventually.
Also did lots of sits and sit stays with her. She can hold a stay for about 45 seconds and about 15 feet now....awesome. I am working on the front position too and getting her used to my feet touching her legs to move her from side to side. I have never done this till much much later with my other dogs but have seen enough high level competitors do this at seminars, that I feel it will be of great benefit later on so I am doing it with her now so she will not be worried about it later on.
I also have been doing some jumping over a 4 foot high board and I am going to start to cast her over them fairly soon. I am introducing this with a recall to front over the board. So far it seems like she is doing a lot of stuff but she loves it....she gets food treats, after all....but every time we go outside she tries to persuade me to go to the training shelter to work.
We did retrieves with a pigeon several times throughout the session too so she loves that part A LOT!
I am picking my field training buddy up tomorrow and bringing her home after she had both her knees replaced a month ago. She has been staying at her dads but is going to start to get her dogs back and start to work, so once she is up to it, I am going to get her to help me with field work for Glory.
Today I finally remembered to take my camera with me into the shelter to get some pictures of her doing a stand and a few sit stays.
She will now do a stand with a hand signal from either the side or from in front of her. This will help a lot for conformation so she can continue to learn a sit but I have a signal to over ride it in the show ring. And down is very good. Trying to fade food now though so she only gets the treat as a reward and not as a lure anymore.
I also put a bowl on the floor of the shelter and worked on attention with the food bowl and a chicken wiener in it and that was great. She picks things up so fast. I have also been clicker training her to focus on a paper clip. I did this with Tanner but not Robbie or Addie. She is getting a click for touching the clip and I am now transferring the clip to my pant leg. She is doing very well with that but next time I should wear light coloured slacks so it is easier for her to see. Hopefully this will get me a nice tight front eventually.
Also did lots of sits and sit stays with her. She can hold a stay for about 45 seconds and about 15 feet now....awesome. I am working on the front position too and getting her used to my feet touching her legs to move her from side to side. I have never done this till much much later with my other dogs but have seen enough high level competitors do this at seminars, that I feel it will be of great benefit later on so I am doing it with her now so she will not be worried about it later on.
I also have been doing some jumping over a 4 foot high board and I am going to start to cast her over them fairly soon. I am introducing this with a recall to front over the board. So far it seems like she is doing a lot of stuff but she loves it....she gets food treats, after all....but every time we go outside she tries to persuade me to go to the training shelter to work.
We did retrieves with a pigeon several times throughout the session too so she loves that part A LOT!
I am picking my field training buddy up tomorrow and bringing her home after she had both her knees replaced a month ago. She has been staying at her dads but is going to start to get her dogs back and start to work, so once she is up to it, I am going to get her to help me with field work for Glory.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
more glory days
I took Glory out into the shelter to train. I did some retrieves first and she loved that. I put her onto the training table and did some casting and she has that down pat. I also did lots of sits, stands and downs and they are great. The down is very nice and fast already. I might try them on the ground next.
On the ground I did a lot of fronts and worked at getting her used to my feet tapping her over. I also did sit stays and attention....all of it going well.
I also had her at handling classes on Monday evening and at members night last night. Last night I just did the long down aka sit on the dog, just sitting there with her watching all the other dogs so she calms down a bit. She did well with it and ended the evening playing with Wendy's new Aussie pup, Blaster. They both had a blast.
She was also out today for a long walk in the fields so she is passed out on my feet right now.
On the ground I did a lot of fronts and worked at getting her used to my feet tapping her over. I also did sit stays and attention....all of it going well.
I also had her at handling classes on Monday evening and at members night last night. Last night I just did the long down aka sit on the dog, just sitting there with her watching all the other dogs so she calms down a bit. She did well with it and ended the evening playing with Wendy's new Aussie pup, Blaster. They both had a blast.
She was also out today for a long walk in the fields so she is passed out on my feet right now.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Maturing Glory
Her incisors all just came in over the last 2 weeks, so she is starting to mature a bit and it is definitely observable in her attention span. I have been doing a lot of sits just randomly in the house always getting her to move her bottom forward towards her front legs.
I have not done a whole lot of stands (although I have done some) or any real downs/drops. She has been outside all the time, now, dragging a long line because she had started to play 'keep away' and I DO NOT want that to continue at all. So I have been doing a lot of fun recalls outside just to introduce her to the word COME. She is doing very well at that. One thing that she really played keep away for was getting in the car because she always went in the crate in the car. So I have let her stay loose in the car on a few occasions with Addie especially and the other two occasionally and that seems to have changed her mind about the car. She wants to get in it now.
So today I took her into the shelter again (with the heat on which was so nice) and I put her on the training table. I did a bit of casting over to the food bowls as I had done before but this time I insisted that she wait till I sent her to the bowl and that she watched me do the cast and wow she did well for such a tot! She of course loves doing this. Next I did a lot of tuck up sits with her and each one followed by the kick back stand with the hand signal. This should work well for in the comformation ring....I hope.
After that I took her off the over head cable and did a lot of sphynx drops with her. Her first ever and we did it with Benny Bullies and boy by the end she had that one figured out. I want this style of drop to become an entrenched habit because it will be so much easier for signals in Utility as well as for the drop on recall in Open.
Then I did some attention exercises with her as per Connie Cleveland. It was hard though to get her to stop paying attention to me so I tossed out a ball and a kong and then corrected her for looking at them. Bad thing to do and I knew it as soon as I did it. I want her to look out at marks so I have to use something else for that. Not sure what yet but probably will do it at members night instead. Each time I correct her for not giving attention she received lots of praise and occasionally a treat.
I then did a sit stay with her and she did VERY well with that. WE followed that with a brief stand stay and several stands on the ground (we had done them on the table).Her attention span has changed dramatically over the last week or so. She is in another photo shoot in a few weeks or so, so the stand stay and sit stay will make for a much more enjoyable shoot.
We ended everything with some fun retrieves on the long line and praised her for coming back and let her keep the toy for a bit so she feels no threat of losing her treasure. She had spent the weekend with our granddaughter who has her retrieving scent articles in the house for her. Alberta has learned to throw things for Glory so that Glory will quit pulling her pony tail or as Alberta calls them...her pony hairs!
I have not done a whole lot of stands (although I have done some) or any real downs/drops. She has been outside all the time, now, dragging a long line because she had started to play 'keep away' and I DO NOT want that to continue at all. So I have been doing a lot of fun recalls outside just to introduce her to the word COME. She is doing very well at that. One thing that she really played keep away for was getting in the car because she always went in the crate in the car. So I have let her stay loose in the car on a few occasions with Addie especially and the other two occasionally and that seems to have changed her mind about the car. She wants to get in it now.
So today I took her into the shelter again (with the heat on which was so nice) and I put her on the training table. I did a bit of casting over to the food bowls as I had done before but this time I insisted that she wait till I sent her to the bowl and that she watched me do the cast and wow she did well for such a tot! She of course loves doing this. Next I did a lot of tuck up sits with her and each one followed by the kick back stand with the hand signal. This should work well for in the comformation ring....I hope.
After that I took her off the over head cable and did a lot of sphynx drops with her. Her first ever and we did it with Benny Bullies and boy by the end she had that one figured out. I want this style of drop to become an entrenched habit because it will be so much easier for signals in Utility as well as for the drop on recall in Open.
Then I did some attention exercises with her as per Connie Cleveland. It was hard though to get her to stop paying attention to me so I tossed out a ball and a kong and then corrected her for looking at them. Bad thing to do and I knew it as soon as I did it. I want her to look out at marks so I have to use something else for that. Not sure what yet but probably will do it at members night instead. Each time I correct her for not giving attention she received lots of praise and occasionally a treat.
I then did a sit stay with her and she did VERY well with that. WE followed that with a brief stand stay and several stands on the ground (we had done them on the table).Her attention span has changed dramatically over the last week or so. She is in another photo shoot in a few weeks or so, so the stand stay and sit stay will make for a much more enjoyable shoot.
We ended everything with some fun retrieves on the long line and praised her for coming back and let her keep the toy for a bit so she feels no threat of losing her treasure. She had spent the weekend with our granddaughter who has her retrieving scent articles in the house for her. Alberta has learned to throw things for Glory so that Glory will quit pulling her pony tail or as Alberta calls them...her pony hairs!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Glory at the vets
Glory was at the vets today for her final vaccinations and Rabies. She weighted in at 29.1 lbs.
My vet just lost her own Flatcoat to cancer at the age of 7 years so it was not easy for her but she is getting a new FCR puppy in less than 8 weeks from Susan Ware. So she might come out for a visit and go with us on some of our 'farm' walks.
Glory goes to handling class again tonight but this time she'll be on a choke collar for the first time.
My vet just lost her own Flatcoat to cancer at the age of 7 years so it was not easy for her but she is getting a new FCR puppy in less than 8 weeks from Susan Ware. So she might come out for a visit and go with us on some of our 'farm' walks.
Glory goes to handling class again tonight but this time she'll be on a choke collar for the first time.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Glory starts longe line work
This is two sessions combined into one post. I had Glory at handling class on Monday night and she is pretty out of control. She is 4 months old now. She will be in a show in two months and I would like her to be a bit more presentable than she is at the moment. Time to get some training started.
So Tuesday evening I did quite a lot with her....possibly too much for her age but we'll break it up more in the future. I did some fun retrieves with her in the shelter at first and let her keep the bumper for a bit so that she did not feel that I was going to snatch her prize away from her. She is on a leash for this so that I can control her a bit. Did a few sits as well but boy she does that very quickly...with no distractions of course (although Addie was in a crate in the shelter too). Next I put her up on the table and did some casting with her....and she takes the directions well. I have to tie her up while I load the food bowls but I am working on having her wait and look at me and watch the cast over before I let her get the treat. It is going well.
I was using a clicker to do the sit and the stand but I got better results without it. The clicker got her too wound up and I would like her to be calmer rather than crazier, so for now I'll just do it with praise. So we did a lot of sits and some stands and it went very well.
After that I took her outside (in the driveway) and wearing a slip collar we started to do the longe line work with her. I did 20 minutes and she was starting to pay more attention at the end. I only did it in a straight line going back and forth instead of a square or a triangle because doing those would have taken Glory and I out to the road and so far she has never been out there and I don't want her to think that she can go out there. As soon as the snow goes she has to be trained to the invisible fence. She will be the perfect age for that when the snow goes.
I did another 25 minutes on longe line over at the farm this am and the horses were there. She was initially pretty spooked by them and was whining a bit but through the session her anxiety decreased and she was sticking pretty close to me. Her attention increased through the session and right now she is passed out at my feet. I am going to let her snooze for a bit and then do some more table work with her. This evening is members night so I am going to take her with me but not to the class. I will just do about 20 minutes more of longe line work with her instead.
My goal is to take her right through Koehler novice program and then to blend her over to Connie Cleveland's training style and we'll see where we go from there.
So Tuesday evening I did quite a lot with her....possibly too much for her age but we'll break it up more in the future. I did some fun retrieves with her in the shelter at first and let her keep the bumper for a bit so that she did not feel that I was going to snatch her prize away from her. She is on a leash for this so that I can control her a bit. Did a few sits as well but boy she does that very quickly...with no distractions of course (although Addie was in a crate in the shelter too). Next I put her up on the table and did some casting with her....and she takes the directions well. I have to tie her up while I load the food bowls but I am working on having her wait and look at me and watch the cast over before I let her get the treat. It is going well.
I was using a clicker to do the sit and the stand but I got better results without it. The clicker got her too wound up and I would like her to be calmer rather than crazier, so for now I'll just do it with praise. So we did a lot of sits and some stands and it went very well.
After that I took her outside (in the driveway) and wearing a slip collar we started to do the longe line work with her. I did 20 minutes and she was starting to pay more attention at the end. I only did it in a straight line going back and forth instead of a square or a triangle because doing those would have taken Glory and I out to the road and so far she has never been out there and I don't want her to think that she can go out there. As soon as the snow goes she has to be trained to the invisible fence. She will be the perfect age for that when the snow goes.
I did another 25 minutes on longe line over at the farm this am and the horses were there. She was initially pretty spooked by them and was whining a bit but through the session her anxiety decreased and she was sticking pretty close to me. Her attention increased through the session and right now she is passed out at my feet. I am going to let her snooze for a bit and then do some more table work with her. This evening is members night so I am going to take her with me but not to the class. I will just do about 20 minutes more of longe line work with her instead.
My goal is to take her right through Koehler novice program and then to blend her over to Connie Cleveland's training style and we'll see where we go from there.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
training Glory on Wed Jan 20
I did much the same today with Glory. But this time I clicked her for sitting in the center of the table and then sent her 'over' to the food bowl. It went very well.
I tried to do some free stacking with her on the ground but she was so focused on the food that I got little done with her. So I did several sits and stands on the table. That went much better and I added the words stand, sit and stack. I hard stacked her and clicked brief stack stays. That went so well that she was starting to stand with the hand signal.
I ended the session with 4 or 5 fun retrieves with a toy....letting her have it for a bit before tossing it out again for her.
She enjoyed the training and it is fun to watch how quickly she picked everything up.
I did not take her to members night because I didn't think there was much to gain. Instead I took Addie who desperately needs more Utility work although she was remarkably good tonight in spite of having about 3 months off.
I tried to do some free stacking with her on the ground but she was so focused on the food that I got little done with her. So I did several sits and stands on the table. That went much better and I added the words stand, sit and stack. I hard stacked her and clicked brief stack stays. That went so well that she was starting to stand with the hand signal.
I ended the session with 4 or 5 fun retrieves with a toy....letting her have it for a bit before tossing it out again for her.
She enjoyed the training and it is fun to watch how quickly she picked everything up.
I did not take her to members night because I didn't think there was much to gain. Instead I took Addie who desperately needs more Utility work although she was remarkably good tonight in spite of having about 3 months off.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
training Glory this evening
I went out again this evening and did some work with stacking, attention and retrieving the bumper. Everything went very well with all of that. I put her on the table again and did lots of sits and stands. I want her to have a bit of a head start on stand for conformation and some free stacking on the ground so that was why we were doing stand.
I then did lots of sits in the center of the table, getting her to actually sit and then sending her with a hand cast and command over to get some yummy turkey out of the bowl. She likes it and we had a good time doing it.
I then did lots of sits in the center of the table, getting her to actually sit and then sending her with a hand cast and command over to get some yummy turkey out of the bowl. She likes it and we had a good time doing it.
training glory
Up till now this little girl has had fun retrieves using bumpers, toys, pigeons and ducks, long walks with the other dogs, lots of learning her name and coming back for a treat. She does not know sit, or down or anything else. Our focus has been on a happy well adjusted retriever.
Last night she went to her first handling class and we worked on attention.
Today I put her on my new training table...a 16 foot long table to train lots of things at my height. A cable runs along so that she can't get off of it and my hands are free to help her.
So we started with sit on the table and I started with a clicker and man did she learn that fast.
I also added food in bowls to the ends of the table and with her sitting in the middle, I can start to teach her casting over. That worked very well. This is something new for me too so it is a bit of an experiment but so far I like it. It will be nice when the time comes to do the force fetch as well.
Last night she went to her first handling class and we worked on attention.
Today I put her on my new training table...a 16 foot long table to train lots of things at my height. A cable runs along so that she can't get off of it and my hands are free to help her.
So we started with sit on the table and I started with a clicker and man did she learn that fast.
I also added food in bowls to the ends of the table and with her sitting in the middle, I can start to teach her casting over. That worked very well. This is something new for me too so it is a bit of an experiment but so far I like it. It will be nice when the time comes to do the force fetch as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)