Rally Training

[k9kreationz]

Ah but a obedience dog only crosses behind your when you tell them. Any other time is worng., bad dog.

It is just like conformation people telling you never teaching a breed dog to sit for fear that they will sit in the ring during the judging. Dogs aren't that stupid, just teach them to stand and don't sit unless you tell them. Teach the dog it is never ok to cross behind you unless you tell them.

LOL So true so true. But when you have a dodo dog like Koji, he doesn't learn. He WAS taught to never blind cross me, but he does and has. My lovely trainers even set up a course to watch him cross behind me (they're so mean, hahaha). But then, it also gave us the chance to stop it, or find what works so he won't do it.

Okay.....so only do rally and agility if your dog is smarter than mine.

 

[Calliesmom]

Cran will be doing both
our agility trainer says the dog shouldn't go in front unless you tell them too and then they should go and do whatever you told them. Cran is focused on me and was looking at me while going over jumps last night. she had us put our target out and he went for it- unfortunately skipping most of the jumping part

as far as getting the dog to let you walk around - I made Callie sit for her dinner- then wait and I would walk around her and when I got to my original place, I would release her to eat. she got pretty good at it that way. when we first tried that, I had to walk very wide so she could see me the whole time and then she would stay still- otherwise, she would get up so she could watch me. once sit is good with the food, you can do it with down. Callie loves down so that wasn't too hard once she got the wait and let me walk around her part.

I lured her with treats for front and finish- both ways. she was funny when she pretended she had never done the left finish before- had to up her treat value to get her to do it again.

I will say Novice is great- having trouble with off-leash with her. She gets to play Rally on Thur- first time since her meltdown at our trial. hopefully, she will remember what it's all about

 

[k9kreationz]

Driving me mad!!!

Y'know. It's amazing when a dog has been trained one way and is stuck that way. Koji is so easy to train, because he understand clicker training. Miko on the other hand, doesn't get it and I was so frustrated last night, I gave up (best choice for both of us).

No matter what command I give Miko, he sits. I'm like, I didn't say sit and you know it. I was working on getting him to sit closer to me in front. I'd say 2 feet is the closest he's ever going to get. He really is one of those dogs where if you get too close, he'll move. You can't step over him if he's lying on the ground, you can't step around him. If you're within 2 feet of him, he will move/get up.

I was also working on going around him. WIDE berth. Nope. As soon as I'm out of sight, he gets up. As soon as I treat him, for anything, he gets up or moves. I can click, wait 10 mins, he won't move. As soon as he starts to chew, he's up. AUGH! I also noticed he's watching my hands. And isn't paying attention to anything else. I'll try the bait bag again.

Sigh. Working on go around is difficult when the dog won't move. He stands in front of me, I give him the signal. I lure him with the food to my side, and bam, he walks away (no food yet), and won't budge. Seriously, he hates being near anything. Except a couch to lay against. LOL.

So frustrated this morning. I am rethinking this. Maybe he is too old to relearn things. lol. Especially since I think Koji could do this better than him. Miko is just soooo....I dunno. Not willing. Well, he's willing to sit and that's what he keeps offering. And won't budge...oh, unless I walk around him, then he won't stay.

What? No loony smiley? maybe that one will work.
Just venting really. There are a handful of signs I don't need to work on, but I don't want to work on around and walking around him for 30 days. I need to work more on heeling too, but dangit, it's been raining. And strangely, he won't heel in small spaces (let me guess, cuz he's too close?). Hmmm.....

We'll definitely be failing the Halt, Down and the Walk Around. If I can get the rest, we may Q. If he doesn't lag. lol. Thank gawd for being able to cheer them on. I'm going to need it.


For those that do novice rally....what signs do they typically ALWAYS use?

 

[k9kreationz]

as far as getting the dog to let you walk around - I made Callie sit for her dinner- then wait and I would walk around her and when I got to my original place, I would release her to eat.

I think I need to up the ante for this one. I'll have to find super yummy treats for Miko. The funny part was, I made Miko sit and I said, watch. I walked around and around Koji. Then I told Miko, did you watch? LOL.

I lured her with treats for front and finish- both ways. she was funny when she pretended she had never done the left finish before- had to up her treat value to get her to do it again.

I'm doing this right now, baby steps. Hopefully by Nov he'll get it. So typically, I'm working on a lot of things in one night (with breaks). Sadly, he doesn't get the lure part when I want him to go around my back. It's funny. He'll walk 2-3 feet away from me, to the side. Big sigh. We'll get it.

 

[Calliesmom]

Callie is very food motivated- she didn't get dinner unless she waited until I walked around her. same with the luring to finish- she wants that treat and will do just about anything for it- no running though- but sometimes she'll do the jump
just not in the ring

 

[SheltieChe]

We started rally after basic obedience and Che's heart was not in it, so we are saving it and doing more obedience for now. While Che's heart is not there either he likes going to classes and it helps us in the long run.
Beauty of living near Chicago is there anything you want to train, just gotta have time and $$$

 

[k9kreationz]

Well, I learned a few things over the past couple days.

1. Train in smaller amounts. Otherwise, both me and Miko are frustrated. I'd only train for maybe 15 mins on different things, but ugh, too much. So last night, I trained for about 5-10 and only on 2 things.

2. Miko just doesn't like me going behind him regardless of distance. I thought I'd try out the "far circle" and even went around the coffee table. Nope, as soon as I'm out of sight, he turns. I'm thinking this is one of the exercises I'll have to realize we'll fail. lol. Oh well, I'll keep trying though. Any thoughts on how to get him NOT to turn his body and maybe only his head? I guess I could do what I did with Koji (for agility). I'll try that.

So far, he's getting it really well. Actually, I think he's just motivated by the food. Hubby said to dip my hands in food before the trial (do you call it that?), so Miko will be lured by the smell. That's so bad. But he's really getting the front and around already. Now to work on the left around, but still, getting there. Some days he'll lie down some not. I wonder if it's cuz he's more creeky on some days than others. His heeling is getting better (probably because I have food). I need to work on the 1 step halt, 2 step, 3 step. that's when he really starts to lag and get WAY off to the side. his circles are getting a lot better, although, there are times when he gets too far ahead of me and i have to cut him off. lol. that was never a problem before so i'm happy for it.

I wasn't going to sign him up, but after a nice chat with Bailey's mom (sorry, can't recall your s/n nor real name, lol), I decided to get him signed up. I just hope my judge is as easy going with novice as hers was. I'm just way too much of a perfectionist and think that it needs to look like the advanced levels. Ugh. Gotta remember not to compare.

So, his premium is being sent off today. I hope I fill it out right, lol. There's a lot of things I'm scratching my head about. But I don't think they're Rally related.

Thanks for reading. I'm sure Miko hates this "journey", but I want him to have a title, like his brother. Sad, but true. Don't worry Miko, get 3 Q's and you're done, forever and ever. I promise.

 

[Justicemom]

Hang in there

Well, I learned a few things over the past couple days.

1. Train in smaller amounts. Otherwise, both me and Miko are frustrated. I'd only train for maybe 15 mins on different things, but ugh, too much. So last night, I trained for about 5-10 and only on 2 things.

Ember is like that about 10 minutes that is it and she doesn't like to repeat things if she does it right either. I have found in class that if I do alittle then rest her, she can make the whole hour or 2. That is why I rotate around the dogs in obedience class and at home. I train 2 or 3 exercises in quick order and then put they in a kennel then the next dog and so on. That way it keeps them wanting to work with me because they see the other dogs getting treats and having fun. I will often do a whole run though and that only takes a couples minutes for Rally. about 4 minutes for novice, 6 for open and 9-10 for utility. I have everything set up in advance and then practice flowing though the routine. Biggest thing is to keep you ethusium up and to treat it like a trial with no treats on your body. I use verbal praise and petting and then go get the treats. I will remind them with" wow that is good your so close to your cookie" If they do something brillantly, I break it off and go grab a jackpot. Just keep them guessing. I also mix up the order I do the exercises right from the beginning.

. Miko just doesn't like me going behind him regardless of distance. I thought I'd try out the "far circle" and even went around the coffee table. Nope, as soon as I'm out of sight, he turns. I'm thinking this is one of the exercises I'll have to realize we'll fail. lol. Oh well, I'll keep trying though. Any thoughts on how to get him NOT to turn his body and maybe only his head? I guess I could do what I did with Koji (for agility). I'll try that.

Start off with him right in front of you in a sit or down in proper front position. Move your upper body shoulder to the right just a few inches don't move your feet. Click and treat. Then move one foot to the right if his butt doesn't move click and treat then move to the right with both feet C/T then to his side C/T and then slightly behind him then behind him and so no until your around the start for the side linstead of the front like you would in the trial. Don't give him room just move close around him right from the beginning. I am not a pure clicker trainer. I do use non reward markers and when the butt moves at any step I say wrong ang ove back t te front and start again. If you don't want to do that just start again with no treat and click. I just think it gives a clearer picture to the dog to use NRMs. The key is to keep it neutral or opps like in tone. Just a mistake not a bad dog or the end of the world.

So far, he's getting it really well. Actually, I think he's just motivated by the food. Hubby said to dip my hands in food before the trial (do you call it that?), so Miko will be lured by the smell. That's so bad. But he's really getting the front and around already. Now to work on the left around, but still, getting there. Some days he'll lie down some not. I wonder if it's cuz he's more creeky on some days than others. His heeling is getting better (probably because I have food). I need to work on the 1 step halt, 2 step, 3 step. that's when he really starts to lag and get WAY off to the side. his circles are getting a lot better, although, there are times when he gets too far ahead of me and i have to cut him off. lol. that was never a problem before so i'm happy for it.

I wasn't going to sign him up, but after a nice chat with Bailey's mom (sorry, can't recall your s/n nor real name, lol), I decided to get him signed up. I just hope my judge is as easy going with novice as hers was. I'm just way too much of a perfectionist and think that it needs to look like the advanced levels. Ugh. Gotta remember not to compare.

So, his premium is being sent off today. I hope I fill it out right, lol. There's a lot of things I'm scratching my head about. But I don't think they're Rally related.

Thanks for reading. I'm sure Miko hates this "journey", but I want him to have a title, like his brother. Sad, but true. Don't worry Miko, get 3 Q's and you're done, forever and ever. I promise.

 

[Calliesmom]

2. Miko just doesn't like me going behind him regardless of distance. I thought I'd try out the "far circle" and even went around the coffee table. Nope, as soon as I'm out of sight, he turns. I'm thinking this is one of the exercises I'll have to realize we'll fail. lol. Oh well, I'll keep trying though. Any thoughts on how to get him NOT to turn his body and maybe only his head? I guess I could do what I did with Koji (for agility). I'll try that.

I just remembered when I started working with Happy earlier this year for Rally, one of the things that the trainer suggested to keep him from moving while walking around him was to touch the top of his head lightly and then walk around- almost like you are holding him in place- that might help get Miko used to you going around and him not moving

 

[k9kreationz]

I just remembered when I started working with Happy earlier this year for Rally, one of the things that the trainer suggested to keep him from moving while walking around him was to touch the top of his head lightly and then walk around- almost like you are holding him in place- that might help get Miko used to you going around and him not moving

Should I say "duck" when I touch his head? Or "goose"? LOL. Ohmigod. I should do that with my dogs. Duck, duck, goose!

I'll try that. I know he's watching my hands aka food when I go around. I've done it w/o food, but he's still watching. Sigh. I know it took Koji a long time too (but now his rear crosses are awesome). Move the head, not the butt. Maybe super glue would work too. hehehe. Just kidding.