Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
Tennis balls are on the banned list
his stomach is bad because he hurt his leg and ended up on metacam - vet has banned tennis balls as they get him way to excited and leaping around...
IMDT Partnership Grade 1
- Thread starter Leanne
- Start date
his stomach is bad because he hurt his leg and ended up on metacam - vet has banned tennis balls as they get him way to excited and leaping around...
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
I do training with an ex police dog handler and Rourke's reward is a tennis ball, he turns his head away from a treat if a tennis ball is on offer.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Is it a long list? I used tennis balls as an example because I know that the police dog handlers use them but other things can work too. What other things does Mas like that aren't on the list? Have you tried Puller Rings? It'll be a balancing act (not literally, I hope!) between finding something that is a good reward for the desired behaviour and something that will not push him over the top and get too excited.Tennis balls are on the banned list
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Balls are off the list for Shadow because he can't be trusted not to hurt himeself. However, the Chuckit on a rope doesn't bounce anywhere near as much. It's not as high value, so he doesn't get as excited, but it's still pretty good. The fabric frisbees are good, too, and you can throw them in lots of different ways, play tug with them etc.
I can't imagine a day when Luna would ever turn away from food for a toy. She's only young, though, so that's probably famous last words!
It's the same with Willow and Shadow. I'm working on it, because I want them to be able to eat in all states of arousal. As nervous dogs, it's important to me that I can use food to change their emotional state, and that starts with learning to eat when they're excited
I can't imagine a day when Luna would ever turn away from food for a toy. She's only young, though, so that's probably famous last words!
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
There was absolutely no way my GSP would take a food reward (I didn't reward with tennis balls in those days) if there was a gun or game, they topped the rewards, they were they rewards 
With Rourke, I don't think his food refusing is due to excitement, he just prefers the ball.
My last Lab was very nervous and reactive but having the lessons with the ex-police dog handler helped enormously. We would go to the very small country town and just walk round it and also go into a cafe for a cup of tea. At certain places, like a doorway, we would sit the dogs and leave them a few feet away for about a couple of minutes, or sit them on a bench, we even went on a train! His philosophy was to give dogs confidence and not use punishment. He didn't believe in food rewards as he thought that could lead to fighting, I suppose he was used to different temperament dogs eg German Shepherds. However, his rewards were tennis balls.
With Rourke, I don't think his food refusing is due to excitement, he just prefers the ball.
My last Lab was very nervous and reactive but having the lessons with the ex-police dog handler helped enormously. We would go to the very small country town and just walk round it and also go into a cafe for a cup of tea. At certain places, like a doorway, we would sit the dogs and leave them a few feet away for about a couple of minutes, or sit them on a bench, we even went on a train! His philosophy was to give dogs confidence and not use punishment. He didn't believe in food rewards as he thought that could lead to fighting, I suppose he was used to different temperament dogs eg German Shepherds. However, his rewards were tennis balls.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
I have a picture somewhere of the first time the ball trumped sausage.... *wanders off to dig it out*
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
My bad, it was ham....
"Shadow, ham?"
"No fanks, Mum, want ball"
Mum throws ham, expecting him to catch it...
"Shadow, ham?"
"No fanks, Mum, want ball"
Mum throws ham, expecting him to catch it...
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
What a super photo and how good to click the shutter just at the right moment! Shadow thinks it is funny as well!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Haha, would you believe, I actually laughed, got the phone out, unlocked it, pointed it at him, took the photo and he just sat there the whole time like a happy idiot.
Gosh, he was only about nine months at this time, I think!
Gosh, he was only about nine months at this time, I think!
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Amazing!
Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
Week 4
Interesting one today. There are only 3 in our group, another labrador who is 18 months and VERY bouncy... like dragging the owner everywhere, bless her. A poodle cross who is lovely and us.
I got there early and the poodle was off the lead so I let Mas off and they had a manic chase around.. I then glance up and see the labrador coming hurtling accross the field... I remember clearly saying ‘why has he got a stripe on his back?’ When he launched himself at Mas and pinned him to the floor.. snarling and growling at him. Mas was screaming - I launched myself at the lab and yanked him off Mas who then cowered behind me - the lab was still snarling and going absolutely ape - eventually his mortified owner. (who could have not been any more apologetic) caught up - she had seen the two younger ones playing and let him off to join in.. obviously he had taken a dislike to the ‘entering puberty’ boy. I then realised that there was no stripe - it was his fur was up that much it looked like he had been shaved apart from one strip!!!
Trainer then turned up and checked Mas was ok (he was fine, just a bit twitchy), insisted that the lab remained on a long line for the remainer of the lessons.. I’m assuming she’s going to be doing some 1:1 work with them as they don’t appear to be following the Grade 1 that we are doing.
Anyway... tonight we had the dreaded vet check, Mas hates this. He is fine with all but the teeth check where he jerks his head away every single time - therefore acting uncomfortable which means he can’t pass... tonight I spent a good 5 minutes calming him down before hand and he did it! The instructor came over and checked each bit and he laid there so calmly! Very proud!
We also did our recall test tonight. Man that was hard. We had to release the dogs to play and then call them back at the trainers signal.. Mas literally span back in seconds. We had 5 seconds to get them to us (100m) and put them on the lead! But we passed! We then had to do the ‘distraction alley’ where there were stuffed kongs, cones, toys etc in a row.. we had to walk them (to heel) down the path, leave them in a stay and walk back to the starting point - then call them. Again we had a perfect recall!
Also practised our loose lead walking tonight ready for the test next week! I am fairly comfortable with this one apart from that if I don’t catch the second he loses focus then he eats the cones as we walk past them!
So we have 2 tests left... the loose lead walking (100 metres with 3 sits, a left, right and an about turn) and the find and retrieve which is probably Mas’s strongest one... aside from the fact that he tries to retrieve the cones
Interesting one today. There are only 3 in our group, another labrador who is 18 months and VERY bouncy... like dragging the owner everywhere, bless her. A poodle cross who is lovely and us.
I got there early and the poodle was off the lead so I let Mas off and they had a manic chase around.. I then glance up and see the labrador coming hurtling accross the field... I remember clearly saying ‘why has he got a stripe on his back?’ When he launched himself at Mas and pinned him to the floor.. snarling and growling at him. Mas was screaming - I launched myself at the lab and yanked him off Mas who then cowered behind me - the lab was still snarling and going absolutely ape - eventually his mortified owner. (who could have not been any more apologetic) caught up - she had seen the two younger ones playing and let him off to join in.. obviously he had taken a dislike to the ‘entering puberty’ boy. I then realised that there was no stripe - it was his fur was up that much it looked like he had been shaved apart from one strip!!!
Trainer then turned up and checked Mas was ok (he was fine, just a bit twitchy), insisted that the lab remained on a long line for the remainer of the lessons.. I’m assuming she’s going to be doing some 1:1 work with them as they don’t appear to be following the Grade 1 that we are doing.
Anyway... tonight we had the dreaded vet check, Mas hates this. He is fine with all but the teeth check where he jerks his head away every single time - therefore acting uncomfortable which means he can’t pass... tonight I spent a good 5 minutes calming him down before hand and he did it! The instructor came over and checked each bit and he laid there so calmly! Very proud!
We also did our recall test tonight. Man that was hard. We had to release the dogs to play and then call them back at the trainers signal.. Mas literally span back in seconds. We had 5 seconds to get them to us (100m) and put them on the lead! But we passed! We then had to do the ‘distraction alley’ where there were stuffed kongs, cones, toys etc in a row.. we had to walk them (to heel) down the path, leave them in a stay and walk back to the starting point - then call them. Again we had a perfect recall!
Also practised our loose lead walking tonight ready for the test next week! I am fairly comfortable with this one apart from that if I don’t catch the second he loses focus then he eats the cones as we walk past them!
So we have 2 tests left... the loose lead walking (100 metres with 3 sits, a left, right and an about turn) and the find and retrieve which is probably Mas’s strongest one... aside from the fact that he tries to retrieve the cones
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Very impressive!
What an excellent pair you make x
What an excellent pair you make x
Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
He really is a born working dog. He lives to do stuff like this... he is so much happier when he’s being given something to do
Aaargh, stripey backed lab sounds a frickin nightmare! Glad Mas was okay, and what a fast-emptying stress bucket he has to be able to calm down and carry on as you did, that’s really impressive.
I’m in awe (and frankly a little envious) of the stuff you’re doing at his age; how do you do such good vet checks and teeth handling? And distraction alley? This is really mind boggling to me - well done indeed
to be able to calm down and carry on as you did, that’s really impressive. I’m in awe (and frankly a little envious) of the stuff you’re doing at his age; how do you do such good vet checks and teeth handling? And distraction alley? This is really mind boggling to me - well done indeed
Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
I was really surprised at how quickly he got focused - there were a few incidents where he looked over at the lab (who is a big big lad) but he looked away and focussed straight back on me.
The only reason I can think of that he’s so good (and I assure you it’s not my skills as a trainer!) is because of him being at school. Since he was 8 weeks old he’s had to walk down corridors with children walking past munching on toast, he’s had god only knows how many little hands sneaking in for a stroke (despite it being a major school rule that they have to ask) and he gets literally 8 hours of training a day.
Working is easy for him.. his Achilles heel is ‘downtime’ he hates being on his own, he genuinely throws tantrums if he’s not being given something to do and will go and find random things to retrieve etc.
You have to remember I have 400 children at my beck and call... all very very very willing to ‘help’ with his training.
Recall with distractions? We just go onto the field when there is a PE lesson taking place, vet checks? I have asked at least 20 children over the past week to ‘check’ his ears for me as I’m giving him a treat
The only reason I can think of that he’s so good (and I assure you it’s not my skills as a trainer!) is because of him being at school. Since he was 8 weeks old he’s had to walk down corridors with children walking past munching on toast, he’s had god only knows how many little hands sneaking in for a stroke (despite it being a major school rule that they have to ask) and he gets literally 8 hours of training a day.
Working is easy for him.. his Achilles heel is ‘downtime’ he hates being on his own, he genuinely throws tantrums if he’s not being given something to do and will go and find random things to retrieve etc.
You have to remember I have 400 children at my beck and call... all very very very willing to ‘help’ with his training.
Recall with distractions? We just go onto the field when there is a PE lesson taking place, vet checks? I have asked at least 20 children over the past week to ‘check’ his ears for me as I’m giving him a treat
Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
He actually cracked tonight the sitting in a wait whilst I throw a ball and waiting till I release him to go and find it. Even the trainer was impressed by that one! (I was bloody gobsmacked!)
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
- Location
- East Sussex
Great achievements and so good that he wasn't too upset by the other dog.