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Puppy October 6

And here comes your last list!

1. add duration and distractions to heeling – try it in different environments, reward a lot there, but apart from that, start adding more duration: reward every couple of steps with a small reward first, then do a really long distance and big jackpot for it – then a couple of steps for a small reward and a really long distance for a great reward again – vary it a lot for them to be able to see the pattern that the longer there is no reward, the better!

2. pick up the object to hug it – if the dog can already hold an object independently, put it on the floor and see if he can solve the problem and pick it up with a muzzle to get a hold of it with a paw

3. get a ball for kids, hold it with your feet so that it doesn’t move too much at first and click for front legs on – then release your feet a little bit so that it starts to move and the dog needs to balance on it. Now click for little steps on the ball, the final goal is the dog walking ahead with hind feet on the ground and front feet rolling the ball. Great for balance and coordination and for getting used to objects moving under the feet.

4. “sit up” to “stand up” and back and “down” to “sit up” and back – great for strength in the back, especially important for those who will be doing agility. Down to a sit up and back should go easy, use a hand signal together with your verbal cues. First, reward even if the dog goes into a sit for a second, but then try to get rid of it and go for direct transitions from one position to another. Sit up to a stand up is easy too, you can use a lure for that one. Going back to sit up (without falling in sit first) is hard, so offer your hand as a support so that the dog can lean on it and then click for any knee bending until actually going into sit up. This is conditioning exercise, so you can help some more with lures if necessary. As always, don’t do so many repetitions that the dog would be sore after, you need to build muscle and balance gradually.

5. another great warming up exercise to stretch the dog before the run: spins to left&right and figure 8 forward. I teach it with a nose touch, putting a hand for a nose touch on the right spot (somewhere at the dog’s hip) to get a spin, then getting more&more spins in the same direction in a row, fading the hand and putting it on verbal cue left &right – very useful to have those directionals also on a course! I also do figure 8 forward with a nose touch, putting a hand so that the dog comes between the legs, rewarding at the side and then again the other direction. Fade the hand then into a hand signal and then completely, using just a verbal cue. I simply use cik&cap as the dog is wrapping an object again - my leg.

And yes, sure, that nose targeting is almost as luring and if you wanted, you can also shape it instead. I will sometimes lure as sometimes, it is the easiest way to the goal. I never lure at the very beginning stages as I want a puppy to understand the concept of shaping first because many things simply can’t be taught by luring, so at one point, you need a dog who will offer behaviors. If you always help with easy tricks and then count on simply going to shaping when needed, you’ll get in trouble. But I don’t have a problem with going the other way around: first only shape, but later on do some luring or targeting when teaching something as easy as figure 8, spins or sit up to stand up.

6. limping: click for one paw in the air (front or rear, whatever you prefer), add a little bit duration and then start clicking for any movements or weight shift of other 3 legs. Shape towards a real step and slowly add more&more to get limping on front/rear foot.

You again have 2 weeks to work on those exercises and post videos to comment and suggestions for improvements. Then, I will open a new, "graduation page"  and this will be your very last assignment: making a video of everything you learned in this class – without training sessions as such, but finished version of tricks, some breakthrough moments, some playing, city walking and everything else you did with your dog for this class (using what you already taped or taping some more). Those videos will be your graduation work, you will get a “LoLaBuLand puppy class graduate” certificate and as a gift, a download link to a training video of your choice (see the training videos website to choose one). Auditors are more than welcome to post graduation videos too!

And then that's it for this class, but I hope to see many of you also in Foundations, starting 27th February! If you want to continue with tricks too, you're also welcome to join Advanced Tricks. Advanced Tricks have open registration, meaning that you can register and post whenever you want, no time limitations. It would be cool if a group from October Puppy Class joins too! And the third option you have is to join Running Contacts class that started today. Next RC class will probably only start in September - or MAYBE May.


166 Comments

  1. Pascal HERMANN January 12, 2012 at 21:50 Log in to Reply

    Good session yesterday ! Outside in a new environment. Heeling with big shoes ! Must do heeling steps more slowly ?
    At the begining Garlic was disturbed, discovering the new environment.
    I did not know how to get her attention, she don’t want to be with me…
    I leave her alone and back 15 minutes after. And then ok.
    Silvia, how do you proceed in such situation ? Do you let the dog free discovering new environment or do you discover it with him ?
    Sunday I’ll be to agility competition in gymnasium, to get her used to the noise and try some tricks …

    Garlic -- Puppy Oct Class -- Lesson6-01.avi

    15 minutes after a break

    Garlic -- Puppy Oct Class -- Lesson6-02.avi

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    • LoLaBu January 12, 2012 at 23:54 Log in to Reply

      What a great hug! You could try to get some independent holds now! Getting there with cik&cap, but definitely try to select for the tightest ones: you are clicking at 2:36 for example when she is really wide -- don’t click wide anymore! You could also start rewarding with a toy next, maybe she will try harder to get to her polecat 🙂 Nice heeling too, you can slowly start to make it more like heeling now.

      As for new environments… I take them to so many different environments from their first day with me that they don’t even notice it anymore 🙂 If they’re not completely comfortable with it, I don’t even ask anything. When I think they’re ready, I will try to play and maybe throw in some easy tricks like spins, figure 8 forward, jumping over the legs etc. No difficult thinking stuff. When they’re completely fine with that, I go to other tricks that they know well already and only add new stuff when they really don’t care where we are anymore. I never give them a second chance, so if they choose to leave, I’ll take the next dog in line -- but I add difficulties so slowly that it almost never happens. I let it happen at home to make them see a pattern: now or never -- but in new environments, I make it easy and keep them with me with play and fun easy tricks.

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  2. Gia Savocchi January 13, 2012 at 04:06 Log in to Reply

    Vera Ring Toss Finale

    Here is Vera putting the rings onto her toy really really well. My favorite part is at around 1 minute, when you can see her fail at getting the yellow ring on, and then pause and look at the toy for a minute. It is like she is really thinking hard. She also backs off from the toy when she realizes she is about to tip it over. Super cool to see them thinking like this.

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    • Louise Hoelscher January 13, 2012 at 04:08 Log in to Reply

      Great job!!!

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    • Kathy January 13, 2012 at 13:43 Log in to Reply

      Very cool!! I’m in awe of how precise Vera is stacking the rings! 🙂 Great job!

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    • LoLaBu January 13, 2012 at 17:42 Log in to Reply

      Impressive, she sure is very precise and that part with the yellow ring is sure so cool, you can really see her make a plan 🙂

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    • Deb Jones January 15, 2012 at 21:10 Log in to Reply

      Vera is so careful and thoughtful compared to Star!

      Nice work!

      Deb

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  3. Pascal HERMANN January 14, 2012 at 10:24 Log in to Reply

    Hi,
    Silvia do you have a video to get an idea of what is limping ? Is it the way to diagonal 2o2o ?

    Here tries with paw touch during lesson 2 :

    Garlic Lesson2 07

    And today :

    Garlic -- Puppy Oct Class -- Lesson6-03.avi

    Classmates : have a nice WE !!!

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    • LoLaBu January 14, 2012 at 17:11 Log in to Reply

      Great ball rolling and great strength in sit up to down and back and sit up to stand up -- almost there with going back to sit up too, she does it on her own at 1:59: gets up some (not all the way up) and sits back down. Jackpot that! Once they get the idea, it’s much easier to get them sit even when they get up all the way.

      Limping is when a dog has a hurt paw and is not using it when walking -- see 1:08 of this video:

      Summer Tricks 2009

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  4. Diane Whitney January 14, 2012 at 21:01 Log in to Reply

    I am still having trouble with handstand and sit up.

    1. Handstand: The problem here is that he was doing great on this trick until I introduced 2o2o. He thinks 2o2o is pretty much the most fun trick ever and now wants to do it on any surface that will allow it. Which makes me wonder why I’m killing myself to teach RC :). But to the point, now he will no longer back up onto an object but insists on first jumping up on it and then putting his front feet back down. Perhaps I should switch to an angled cushion or board? But that would prevent him from learning to push up on his own, right? Do you have any other ideas?

    2. Sit up: I really wish I were not auditing so you could see what I’m trying to describe. As you may have noticed over in RC, he is somewhat long-backed for a Sheltie. He understands what I want and reaches up to touch my hand with his paws, but it seems that his torso is always sort of curving like a backwards “C” instead of going straight up, so he never gets a chance to feel what it’s like to balance. I think if I could find a way to trick him into feeling what it’s like to balance, he would get it. What could I do?

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    • LoLaBu January 14, 2012 at 22:02 Log in to Reply

      Yes, definitely use an object he can’t jump on for handstand. It’s no problem if you use an angled cushion or a board for short time period, it’s just better not to use it for a the whole process. So start with quite a bit of an angle and then raise it to vertical pretty quickly and jackpot any pushes you might get in the process.

      For a sit up, I indeed don’t imagine well what he is doing, but did you try to let him put front feet on your hand and help him get in the right position and clicking when you feel he is well balanced? You could also try with the lure above his nose, it sometimes really helps them understand the position if you show them how it feels. If neither helps, make a short video and post it, no problem.

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      • Diane Whitney January 17, 2012 at 20:49 Log in to Reply

        I can’t believe it but I switched to using angled sofa cushions and after just a few repetitions I actually got a full handstand in the air! I’ll probably never see it again but I sure got a thrill while it lasted!

        Thank you for the offer to post a video of sit up, but I think we may be able to get it soon on our own. I will only post if truly desperate. 🙂

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        • LoLaBu January 17, 2012 at 22:52 Log in to Reply

          Great! 🙂 That sure was fast to get a full handstand!

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  5. Diane Whitney January 14, 2012 at 21:04 Log in to Reply

    Also, I’m wondering if I missed something because I don’t understand what Pascal and Garlic are doing with the paw touches on the ball in their first video . . . ? I looked back in all the posts but still don’t understand.

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    • LoLaBu January 14, 2012 at 21:57 Log in to Reply

      He is doing exercise 3 of lesson 6, roll that ball trick.

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      • Diane Whitney January 14, 2012 at 23:59 Log in to Reply

        I know, I just didn’t understand about the paw touches. Thank you for your other advice, as soon as Byrdie recovers from spending the morning chasing a toy on a string we’ll try it!

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        • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 10:40 Log in to Reply

          Glad he liked that!!! 🙂

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  6. Verena January 15, 2012 at 13:46 Log in to Reply

    Silvia, is it still possible to sign up for running contacts? I’d love to join with my 2yr old Tibetian…

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    • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 13:50 Log in to Reply

      Sure, we just started Monday, so you’re welcome to join!

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  7. Verena January 15, 2012 at 17:16 Log in to Reply

    Yeah, just did it -- thanks and read you there 🙂

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  8. MiaLara January 15, 2012 at 18:26 Log in to Reply

    Hi, we have not posted a video in December, mostly because of all the fireworks outside. It started in early December, and is still going on, though not as much anymore. Mia is very scared of the sound and reacts even at the slightest sound.
    We did manage to train a little though. I have filmed, where we are at the moment, though I forgot to film our sit-up.

    :o) Mia & Lara

    Puppy Oct. Jan. 15th.wmv

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    • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 20:23 Log in to Reply

      Oh, so sorry to hear she is so stressed about the fireworks… It’s horrible it’s still going on, here it luckily stopped on 2nd January (it’s actually only legal between 26th December and 2nd January here).

      And wow, really cute paw crosses! Time to minimize the hand cue to a finger pointing and then switch to verbal cues. Nice back, but try to add even more distance and independence from your position. Great heeling position, you can slowly add duration now. As food ignoring is going well too, you can also join the two and try heeling with food on the ground! 🙂

      Nice understanding of stacking bowls, keep working on precision. And wow, a little bit of an independent hug!!! Only reward strong, firm hugs now and jackpot when she holds it on her own, slowly adding duration to the hold. No fear with the skate-board, you can try rewarding lower to get more of a bow position and even stronger pushing. Really cool ball rolling! Keep working on backwards 8, trying to get rid of a lure as soon as possible! Have fun!

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  9. Verena January 15, 2012 at 20:16 Log in to Reply

    This is todays training -- we tried excercise 3 and 4, but the ball we used is a bit bigger…;) Bisou really made me smile -- she so does not care if anything moves under her paws! She was supposed to roll to huge ball, but she just jumped on -- no matter how shaky or how often she fell off, she simply jumps on again and even offers paws up -- Bisou is really a no-fear-puppy 🙂

    Aaaaaand: A breakthrough in handstand 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Bisou Puppy Training 15 Januar 2012

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    • Louise Hoelscher January 15, 2012 at 22:42 Log in to Reply

      What an awesome little dog she is!!!

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    • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 22:46 Log in to Reply

      Wow, what a strength to go from stand up to sit up so well already!!! Great handstand to the wall too and wow, what a cool free-standing handstand!!! She sure looks very confident on that ball, loved that 4on rolling at the end! 🙂 For front feet rolling, try to use a smaller ball as they need to balance more there.

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  10. Verena January 15, 2012 at 20:20 Log in to Reply

    P.S. sorry for the bad perspective -- I underestimated the distances so you cannot see her head -- stupid me. But I didn’t want to make her repeat it, as she seemed somewhat exhausted…

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    • LoLaBu January 15, 2012 at 22:48 Log in to Reply

      Yeap, those tricks really take lots of strength, so you shouldn’t do too many repetitions. I think a good amount is as much as shown in a video every other day: and then slowly adding more repetitions/duration.

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sialaSilvia Trkman is known for bringing every dog, from her first dog on, to the very top of the sport. Her dogs are known for great speed, tight turns, running contacts and long and injury-free careers. Silvia is in agility since 1992 and is
– 3x World Champion (with two different dogs)
– 5x European Open winner, with 4 different dogs (Lo, La, Bu, Le)!!!
– National Championships podium and World Team member with every dog she’s ever had
– National Champion for 22-times (with 5 different dogs of 3 different breeds)

– World Team member for 19-times (mostly with at least two dogs at the time – sometimes four 🙂 )

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