Piper amazes me!

[Piper's mom]

I am always amazed at Piper's focus. I am still trying with Baron...

It took a long time for me to get that focus (I had been contemplating quitting several times with Piper because of it), but then a really good trainer taught me how to teach him...she said that they need to be taught, theyre not born with it. I would stand in front of Piper (had him in a sit, on leash) and I'd say 'watch me' and as long as he watched me I'd praise but if he looked away I'd give a correction with the leash. As he got better I'd walk a circle around him, never taking my eyes off him and saying watch me...I'd stop at each side of him and behind him and he had to continue watching me, I would get him to hold the look for at least a minute or more. Now a year later and its amazing the difference, so you can do it too Gloria! Of course this trainer also told me that Shelties are sniffers lol, more interested in the ground than us haha

 

[ghggp]

Great tips! Thanks!

Took Baron on his training walk today! He did terrible! It is as if he forgot everything I taught him. Don't understand at all what is going through his head!

Maybe I am showing too much affection to him? All my other dogs were so much farther along at this point in their training!

I am glad to know you climbed that hurdle too!

Hope he gets more engaged soon! I love him as he is so very affectionate to me as I am to him. Not sure if that is working for me or against me!

 

[Piper's mom]

That happens Gloria...he had a brain fart, it's happened to Piper many a time and will no doubt happen again. They will forget things but will relearn them faster so not to worry.
I think it's definitely to your advantage for him to be affectionate to you as that means he's bonded well to you and it will help you build his focus.

 

[Piper's mom]

Hope he gets more engaged soon! I love him as he is so very affectionate to me as I am to him. Not sure if that is working for me or against me!

I forgot to add...try doing several 'watch me' sessions (1 minute long) every day. Increase length as he improves.
Good luck, with work it will get better!

 

[Calliesmom]

Great tips! Thanks!

Took Baron on his training walk today! He did terrible! It is as if he forgot everything I taught him. Don't understand at all what is going through his head!

Maybe I am showing too much affection to him? All my other dogs were so much farther along at this point in their training!

Don't compare Baron to other dogs- they are each unique and do things in their own time....
frustration is the big result of saying my other dog did this by this time........

I took Jocu to rally practice some time ago- he hadn't done anything rally-wise since last Nov and he was terrible- pulling on the leash and distracted. I have been working and competing with Cran all year and he's always had that focus so it's really unfair to compare Jocu's practice with Cran's- but I did while we were working on heeling. it is hard to remember that when you are trying to work on something. and they have different motivators though all my shelties love food and more food.

 

[Piper's mom]

Your absolutely right Calliesmom, I think we all have the tendency to do that. I know I did when I had Piper in a regular obedience class. You see another dog doing better and you start to ask yourself how come my dog...or that dog I'd doing so much better, what am I doing wrong...
It's a trap we all fall into but we continue plodding along, teaching them and suddenly one day we realize Hey, he gets it!