Velcro dog gets out!

Silaria said:
"Get out" or "Out" is a command, generally known as Distance work, you teach to the dog so that it works away from you laterally. ("Go" is usually used to send the dog forward head of you.) Usually it translates to something like "I know I'm here but your job is to leave my side and take that obstacle all the way over there."

There are points on a course where having the ability to send the dog "out" is very valuable because it allows you, as the handler, to get into a position on the course to clearly telegraph what the next move is.

Having an "out" command is also essential for games like Jackpot and Gamblers because those games are designed to test your ability to work your dog away from you.
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Oh boy. I have a lot to learn...
 
We are all constantly learning! Don't forget, I've only been training for about 2 years and trailing for 1 year. (My first trial was 1 year ago this month.)

The way I decided to approach it was to work on making sure my foundations were solid then adding on the more complex skills like distance. I used this approach because Edan's my first agility dog and I really knew NOTHING about the sport. Would I do things differently with another dog? SURE! But I've learned a lot with Edan and we are having fun so there is no problem.
 
YAY!!! Go Bentley (and you and your hubby). That is so awesome. I am sooooooo jealous. But I can understand the hard work that is going into it.
 
corbinam said:
That's exactly it :) his modus operandi is to stop and look at us like we're crazy if we don't go with him.

I so wish he were toy motivated. That would be such a big help.

Thanks for the support everyone!
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Gosh knows I am not one to be able to give a lot of support (other than emotional, lol) when it comes to agility, being such a bloody novice, hehehe..
BUT Toffee wasn't toy motivated much, but my instructor wouldn't let me stop trying to find what floats his boat! It used to be the ball, and fast movement, DUH SHeltie... but a ball doesn't translate well in class or field... So I went with the Kong Wubba... he used to chase it lackluster anywhere else but home, where he loves me playing tug with him... My trainer advised to NOT give up, and get him excited with it at all other venues I take him, on walks, visiting friends and neighbours etc.. OMG did he ever have a break through last class... he couldn't WAIT to have me throw that thing, and he was really focused as all heck.. and waiting to see were that toy was gonna land, even tho other dogs were working and excited all around us..
 
Silaria said:
(Velcro dogs, I've come to learn, are dogs who are simply not 100% confident in what they are doing either because they don't really KNOW their job or they don't have full trust in the handler.)
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I think that I disagree with this statement. And I'm not offended, or anything, I just don't think that's necessarily true. Bentley has always been stuck to our sides, from the very first class we've taken. Lexi, on the other hand, is perfectly happy to run out and try an obstacle far away.

However, I would argue that Lexi is far less confident and has more reason not to trust her handlers (since she doesn't know what we're asking the majority of the time).

There are several dogs in our club that are very obstacle-focused (opposite of Bentley), and Bentley is very handler-focused (velcro). Many of the obstacle-focused dogs grab whatever obstacles they want. I don't think that the argument can be made that they are grabbing obstacles because they are more secure or trust their handlers. In fact, it could be argued that they grab obstacles because they don't know what's being asked of them.

I'm not sure where the predisposition to obstacle-focus or handler-focus comes from, but I think it's a mixture of nature/nurture. It can be trained, but I think dogs are born with a predisposition to one or the other (hence why many trainers say that "You either have a natural snooker dog or a natural gamblers dog") because some dogs are more comfortable staying close while others prefer working farther away.
 
I'm glad you weren't offended because I definitely wasn't trying to offend anyone. My comment was based off of watching the various dogs I train with over and over and over. I've seen a number of dogs start as velcro dogs (including Edan) grow more and more comfortable moving away as they really learned what they were supposed to do (their job) on course.

Edan is still very handler focused. I can very easily pull him off a send (out) or pop him out of weaves or off a jump/tunnel by moving just the slightest bit too early. However, he's also gotten more comfortable with moving away from me and taking a somewhat more distant obstacles.

So, yeah, that was just my observations of the dogs I see on a regular basis.
 
Silaria said:
I've seen a number of dogs start as velcro dogs (including Edan) grow more and more comfortable moving away as they really learned what they were supposed to do (their job) on course.
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I agree with you on this :) I think we're on the same page. I think it just takes some dogs longer than others being comfortable with their part of the responsibility.
 
Woo-hoo, finally got a Gamblers Q. Tully actually went off and did the gamble without me, left me for dead - she made it to the finish while I was still at the start of the gamble (we even got 4th place)! So I can definately recommend playing some ball before a run (or something else where the dog works away from you).
 
*Caro said:
Woo-hoo, finally got a Gamblers Q. Tully actually went off and did the gamble without me, left me for dead - she made it to the finish while I was still at the start of the gamble (we even got 4th place)! So I can definately recommend playing some ball before a run (or something else where the dog works away from you).
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Great job Caro and Tully!!! That's terrific news. Want to come train Bentley for a bit? :razz:
 
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