Almost 2 months without blogging! We slacked off on the training but haven't stopped. Duece has done some work in the basement during the cold weather and we've done some out in the snow as well. We've had some trouble in the basement but it was due to the fan used on the treadmill. Duece worked it out once I didn't believe his indication and he couldn't "Show me!"
This evening we put out two separate scent sources which is something new here at home. After he found the first one and got his treat reward, he was given his command together with an 'arm sweep' and it confused him a little. He went back to the one he had just found a couple of times. Once he worked his way downwind of the second scent he did well and worked out an indication in the soft snow and where it wasn't easy to do a sit & down at the scent.
We're back at agility boot camp at the GF Kennel Club to work on some confidence building. We've been trying to get Duece to climb a step ladder and he isn't too sure about it as it isn't solid enough and moves around a little. We're working on it.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
11-18-2009
We are waaaay behind on blogging. Duece is attending ABC- Agility Boot Camp for basic introduction to agility. We want to build up Duece's self-confidence for new things and work on him being afraid of unstable things. He's played with the see-saw set at an inch or so and the uneven table but haven't done a lot yet. One of the trainers hid some scent at the end of the class and Duece got to search for it. He indicated in an area but I didn't see the container so I screwed up and let him continue searching. The continued searching is okay, but he needs the reward & praise at the scent until his confidence builds. The area didn't let him go into a full indication and we need to have an indication that works better even if he can't sit or down in that area. Duece indicated, I just need to recognize it better.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
10-27-2009
We've been working a little off and on while keeping Duece interested. Yesterday, after Joker worked a trail, our trail runner gloved up and hid some scent for Duece. Duece has been getting a lot better in the traveling department. It takes some bribery (and pleading) to get him to climb into the suburban on his own, but once he gets in he does okay. Even when left in the suburban for awhile.
The scent was hidden in a grill in a park, one of those heavy duty things that are cemented in the ground. It was getting dark and there was a lot of traffic around the park so we didn't let the scent sit long enough to establish much of a scent cone. He did work it pretty good and the light breeze took the scent to a picnic table and Duece barely slowed down and jumped up on the table. He sniffed around it and then did his indication while on top of the picnic table. I asked him to 'show me' and he worked his way over to the grill and when I got him really excited about "show me" he jumped up on the grill and stuck his nose down into the grate. It was really funny and he got his reward and a bunch of praise.
Today we got out the PVC pipe garden to start proofing Duece from indicating on food/treats. His favorite search treat is bologna and he passed right by another treat but did an indication on a piece of bologna. He got a little correction and went on to the correct PVC pipe. We did about 5 more of these and he's starting to ignore the food/treat. It's going to take some more work especially since Duece doesn't like the PVC pipes and would rather run around and search. I guess that means we'll have to leave some food/treats out in his search area until he learns to ignore those distractions.
The scent was hidden in a grill in a park, one of those heavy duty things that are cemented in the ground. It was getting dark and there was a lot of traffic around the park so we didn't let the scent sit long enough to establish much of a scent cone. He did work it pretty good and the light breeze took the scent to a picnic table and Duece barely slowed down and jumped up on the table. He sniffed around it and then did his indication while on top of the picnic table. I asked him to 'show me' and he worked his way over to the grill and when I got him really excited about "show me" he jumped up on the grill and stuck his nose down into the grate. It was really funny and he got his reward and a bunch of praise.
Today we got out the PVC pipe garden to start proofing Duece from indicating on food/treats. His favorite search treat is bologna and he passed right by another treat but did an indication on a piece of bologna. He got a little correction and went on to the correct PVC pipe. We did about 5 more of these and he's starting to ignore the food/treat. It's going to take some more work especially since Duece doesn't like the PVC pipes and would rather run around and search. I guess that means we'll have to leave some food/treats out in his search area until he learns to ignore those distractions.
Friday, October 16, 2009
10-16-2009
We've been searching in the basement the past few days. It's really wet outside and I have to get rid of this cold/cough. He's getting better about working inside and is even starting to pay attention to my 'detailing' with him. He is still afraid of things like a parked, shut off, vacuum cleaner but we're working on it.
On Wednesday we went into town and tried something different. Put a harness on Duece with a long lead and had a trail runner tease him with a treat and then run away and hide behind a tree. He used his eyes instead of his nose but it's a start. Duece had a blast, got a lot of treats and we all got wet in the snow.
Duece's new harness/vest arrived today from Ray Allen. I'd post a picture but he gets too excited if I put it on him as he wants to search and I don't need an excited Aussie in the house this evening.
On Wednesday we went into town and tried something different. Put a harness on Duece with a long lead and had a trail runner tease him with a treat and then run away and hide behind a tree. He used his eyes instead of his nose but it's a start. Duece had a blast, got a lot of treats and we all got wet in the snow.
Duece's new harness/vest arrived today from Ray Allen. I'd post a picture but he gets too excited if I put it on him as he wants to search and I don't need an excited Aussie in the house this evening.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
10-10-2009
Duece wants/needs to work. He's been pacing around looking for something to do. We've done a couple hides out in the yard and he loves to search. We put some scent in a gravel pile and he found it okay, but had trouble pinpointing it for his indication. I was able to start some 'detailing' with him but he's pretty active and excited which is good in the long run because he wants to work. It's just going to take awhile. I put a jar of teeth in the basement and he knows it's there and is just itching to go and look for it.
After it sat for awhile we went to work it. Duece still can't quite figure out why we are searching inside. He started but then slowed way down and got into his 'frustration mode' so I tried to 'detail' with him. He didn't like that so we just followed each other around the basement until he hit on the correct place. He actually does a pretty good search on his own, we just need to refine it a little bit. He gets so excited (and so do I) when he finds it and wants his treat right away. I'm trying to get him to wait in the sit-down position but right now we'll do anything to keep him fired up and wanting to play the game.
After it sat for awhile we went to work it. Duece still can't quite figure out why we are searching inside. He started but then slowed way down and got into his 'frustration mode' so I tried to 'detail' with him. He didn't like that so we just followed each other around the basement until he hit on the correct place. He actually does a pretty good search on his own, we just need to refine it a little bit. He gets so excited (and so do I) when he finds it and wants his treat right away. I'm trying to get him to wait in the sit-down position but right now we'll do anything to keep him fired up and wanting to play the game.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sept 28 - Oct 3, 2009
We went to NASDN fall seminar at Camp Ripley, MN. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot. Duece was exposed to hidden scent put out by someone besides me and I was able to learn how he works in different environments.
Duece did an excellent job and we learned where we need to do more work. We haven't done much on buried scent or on scent hidden inside buildings or on/in water. The buried is similar to what we've been doing but the indoor is a different. Water is a whole other equation that needs others to participate since we can't work the dog and run a boat at the same time.
I've never done a 'detail search' with Duece and it's something we need to work on. In a building the air movement can really screw things up so we need to practice those. Outside, Duece has room to work with the wind and the scent cone that he doesn't have inside and it frustrates him. It'll get better when we do more of them.
Another nice thing about seminars is learning how other folks do things. Duece seemed to get over his anxiety of getting left in the suburban when Diane suggested we feed Duece a little at a time instead of all at one time for his morning meal and it seemed to work.
Duece did an excellent job and we learned where we need to do more work. We haven't done much on buried scent or on scent hidden inside buildings or on/in water. The buried is similar to what we've been doing but the indoor is a different. Water is a whole other equation that needs others to participate since we can't work the dog and run a boat at the same time.
I've never done a 'detail search' with Duece and it's something we need to work on. In a building the air movement can really screw things up so we need to practice those. Outside, Duece has room to work with the wind and the scent cone that he doesn't have inside and it frustrates him. It'll get better when we do more of them.
Another nice thing about seminars is learning how other folks do things. Duece seemed to get over his anxiety of getting left in the suburban when Diane suggested we feed Duece a little at a time instead of all at one time for his morning meal and it seemed to work.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
09-19-2009
The wind was blowing pretty good this afternoon (17 gusting to 25). I put some scent out and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Duece was pretty excited and would hardly sit still while I put his vest on him. I started him just outside the garage and let him work while I went for a walk. He was a little distracted by the other dogs and the neighbor mowing lawn. Once we cleared the barn and were down wind of the scent it was really fun watching Duece work. He circled and weaved and appeared to find the edge of the scent cone and then he would double back and work the other edge. He lifted his head up and looked into the wind and worked his way to the scent. We need more work on his indication though, but he's starting to understand a little more of the "Show me!" command.
I should mention that a couple of days ago while cutting cockle burrs out of Duece's hair, I cut his skin under his hair. He has a few stitches and staples on his neck. It doesn't seem to bother him even though we have a 'neck warmer' over his neck to keep him from scratching the wound. Other than the day of his surgery, it hasn't slowed him down at all. Our vet said I should surrender my scissors although she also said it happens more often than I ever thought it did.
I should mention that a couple of days ago while cutting cockle burrs out of Duece's hair, I cut his skin under his hair. He has a few stitches and staples on his neck. It doesn't seem to bother him even though we have a 'neck warmer' over his neck to keep him from scratching the wound. Other than the day of his surgery, it hasn't slowed him down at all. Our vet said I should surrender my scissors although she also said it happens more often than I ever thought it did.
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