Hemi's Job is working

Just two weeks of class since I have started giving Hemi a "job" [at the end of the contacts] and I am happy to say I think so far the results are very positive. I noticed Thursday night she gave me a couple of barks, but then started her job! Hooray for her!
Due to Debbie's lil' tornado in her field, we have only been doing the A-Frame - but that is OK, we work the dog-walk in my back yard all the time.

I got her sassing at me when I have the ball in hand, which is simulating her excitement in a trial - that is awesome too - because now we can work on fixing it in the back yard. Last night I got her doing her job quietly with the blue frog ball in hand ! - Boohya!

What's next? Well, still working forward focus & "Go's" - but see some much needed circle work in the near future.
We need to get to some fun matches or some kind of trial to start putting our hard work to the test!

These next couple of weeks, she isn't going to get the lessons she needs, since my kids are in town - but I hope to throw one or two in there to keep it fresh in her mind.

That's all for now...

My Blue Eyed Boy

I had an amazing shaping session with Oreo this morning! I am just so excited!

Oreo has always been a challenge to shape behaviors with. I remember the first day I got him and I was trying to clicker train him to do some real basic behavior.  He just wasn't getting it!

Next day - I tried it again... and then he had it. I had decided at that point maybe he just needed some time to go and think about it... LOL

After absorbing and thinking about what I have learned in the seminar I recently attended - I decided I wanted to try to shape a new behavior with each dog - one new one a week. So - this week I decided Oreo was going to be play dead after I point my finger at him and say "Bang!"

The reason this shaping session was so amazing and such an improvement is because I waited... stayed patient... and continued with asking

was that average or better?

Also - I am working really hard on being a splitter - not a lumper... that comes with patience too. You want to hurry up and get the behavior so you try to get it all at once - lump lump... breaking it down into clear identifiable pieces - splitter!

Oreo has a great Spinx sit, so 

First I just had to reward him shifting to his hip. ✔

Second, shift of his shoulder down.  ✔

Third, laying flat and putting his head down..... waiting.... thinking.... waiting... 

He would put his head down... but not laying on his side .... waiting... 

I could see his wheels turning... spinning... tail was just a waggin....

Head down flat on his side !!  ✔ 

The other thing I am getting better at is rewarding where I want the behavior, so I gave him several treats with his head down  - then huge break - cheering - belly rubbing - ran to the treat container together to get some more - ran back to our spot...

Immediate shift to hip, few seconds shift of shoulder... wait for it... wait for it... *Boom!* head down!

I think that was the fastest I ever go Oreo to think through a behavior... and what did I see in him - Joy! Tail wagging in circles... prancing from foot to foot... he likes this new game.

So yes - it was amazing - because it was NEVER Oreo - it was me....  Awesome!

11 Laws of Zoning

I pulled out an old book of mine, that I have had since competing in agility with Boomer. Since he is 12 years old now, I would say this book is about 10 years old. I love it, and with each dog I have owned, I have gone back in, re-highlighted and made notes - even dated them, some in 2006 when I read it for Oreo and 2008 when I was reading it for Peanut. I even started reading in on my long flight back from Germany last year for Hemi. Each time I find a new and wonderful nugget of information.

It is called:

Agility Success: Training and Competing with Your Dog in the Winning Zone

         By: Angelica Steinker, M. ED

 It starts out with the 11 Natural Laws of Zoning... These I must share today:

1. Always take responsibility for the errors your dog makes
2. Believe in your dog
3. Have Fun
4. Care for yourself like you care for your dog
5. Practice the physical skills required for your to succeed
6. Teach yourself to focus on command
7. Wear "positive everything sunglasses"
8. Praise your dog
9. Relax your body
10. Implement your per-competition ritual

I can't wait to read on and discover some new little nuggets of information... 

Average or Better?

When you train, what is your expectation of your dogs performance? Is it an average or better effort?

What is their average performance?    What does a better performance look like? 

I recently saw this  put into action by a great trainer and it has opened my eyes to a completely different expectation of my dogs performance.
Every time my dog offers a behavior, whether we are formally training, playing with tricks or are just bumming around the house - when my dogs offer anything - my first thought response is...

"Was that offered behavior average or better than what they usually offer?"

This single change in my thought process has my dogs wanting to improve their performance.
I am no longer rewarding a less than behavior... I wait... and I am seeing their wheels spin...

"Why didn't I get a cookie or tug session for that? Let me try again.." 

Suddenly a soft hand touch, the nose barely touching my hand as they quickly look at me in anticipation of the cookie, now becomes a hand touch with pressure and intent - eyes focused on the task.

Peanut, one of my Aussies has been a master of offering as little as possible and getting a reward. Since I changed and started asking myself "Was her fill in the blank average or better?" we have made more progress in a week than we have in the last 4 years. What I have learned is she is a smart cookie and has been shaping me all this time - giving me just enough - but offering no more... and time and time again - I have rewarded her for that.

Someone recently told me this:

"In any relationship either the dog or the human is being shaped, it is your goal to be doing the shaping."

My challenge to you is this:

Challenge your dog to offer better

Watch them think

Don't guide or make it easier 

They will challenge you

But be patient 

And watch as new and improved behaviors unfold.