Enough vacations, time for new tricks!
1. heeling: make the "glued to the leg" exercise more like heeling: still do different kind of turns, but also some normal forward walking in different speeds (slow, normal, fast) to teach them to adjust and keep the right position in every situation
2. figure 8 backward: tell the dog to go into heel position and start spinning as we were doing on the target, then very suddenly stop and step back with the other leg (if the dog is at left side - with right leg), you can also make a gesture with left hand to try to get them to keep circling below the heeling position, eventually all the way around you leg, so that they come backwards between your legs back into front position. If the dog insists on staying in heel position, you can help with the hand a little bit, lure his head out (left for 90 degrees if the dog is on left side) and say back to have them back up in your direction. Step back with the other leg enough to have them back up between your legs. Reward and tell them to heel on the other side (right) and repeat the process. As soon as you get some smoothness with that, stop rewarding for coming in between, always first tell them to come to the other leg and reward at your side in order to avoid having them back up too far - they need to stay very close to your legs all the time.
3. skateboarding: try to find a skateboard (kids department) and reward for making it move with front feet. Don't reward 4on, but 2 or 3, the criteria is they make a skateboard move.
4. cik&cap: find a table leg, dog-food container, traffic cone or similar and shape the dog to go around it - first just a step, then two or three circles, both directions (you can reward both right from the start if you are getting it - if not, start with just one, but then on one session, don't reward that direction anymore but wait for the other)
5. fade the object for side legs: if the dog is already heaving both legs up at the same time, click&reward that before he even touches the object, so that he understands the idea is picking them up, not touching something. At the same time, try changing objects as much as possible. Going to vertical objects shouldn't be too difficult, then go to "empty" objects like a chair that looks like an object, but doesn't really offer much support, so at this point, the dog is already free-standing, the object is just there for mental support. Next step in table leg and then you don't need an object anymore. For free handstand, you go through the same process, only that it takes longer as it's physically more demanding - you can start working on it, but do not rush it, especially not with young puppies!
6. don't forget on recalls and playing, stays with distractions (you can combine it all in a really fun game), try the hug on a plastic bottle or something similar that is light enough for the dog to hold it and have them hold it independently, add more steps to backing up from you, tape the 4in the bowl trick again so that I can see to what size you managed to get: the smaller the better! And if you need some more ideas, you can also try balancing ON the object (4on vs. 4in) 🙂
And most importantly: have fun!
Have fun!
Our handstand progression:
Oh my God, this is getting serious 🙂 ! It will take us at least three months to get near it! But we are going to have some fun!
Nope, I’m sure 2 weeks will do!
As we add more tricks and shape up the old ones I am constantly amused as Nero searches for the correct behavior. I’ve tried some cik/cap with buckets and things, but my biggest problem is that Nero is offering all his paw touching and reaching behaviors. I tried going outside and trying it on a jump standard and he offered hugs etc. When he does start to circle he drifts out and turns into a crouching border collie which I want on sheep. I guess when I think about it I need to make sure that I am doing pure shaping and not using my body or hands to help.
Nancy and Nero
I know, it can be somewhat confusing at first, but wait for the smallest step in the right direction, click ad place the reward so that you will most likely get another step in the right direction -- and then it goes really fast from there. But no, you definitely don’t want to reward a crouching BC circles in agility! Not very wanted in agility!
We are a little behind, but will catch up in next couple of weeks. I did circle around an stool before with crash and toby, so it should be easy for them to pick it up. right now we are working on gradually fading out the object for hind feet circling. I will start Toby’s 2on2off tmr. Crash got it already. 🙂 a lot to work, its fun though ^^
Angela
Hi. For cik&cap is it fair to reward by throwing treats on the ground as long as they are close to the pole to make it easier for the dog to go around? Or should we just feed from the hand?
which one is cik and which one is cap? Right for cik, left for cap?
and what do you call side legs? I am running out of names/commands for all the new things we are doing 🙂
I would be interested to know how everyone is doing this.
Buddy is afraid of skateboards, so we will have to go very slowly on that one. Any suggestions on how to approach this?
Thanks guys!
Cik is left, cap is right. I haven’t named them yet, but I think I will use different words (not that I don’t like them, it’s just that my brain has to work too much to remember that if there’s a left turn I have to say cik that means left in another language that I don’t know how to speak… And all this in a matter of seconds…) 🙂 Or maybe I’ll get used to them, I don’t know…
For side legs I use “side” and show with my hand which side I want.
Hm, I don’t think cik means left in any language! 🙂 That would be a very funny language to call left cik and right cap 🙂 It comes from zig-zag, meaning the opposite of straight. Nothing about direction. Afterall, it’s not about the direction 🙂
Ahah, funny! 🙂
…still too difficult for me to remember, even if it’s a made up language! I didn’t know it came from zig-zag 🙂
It’s not about direction, it’s about tight turns vs long jump, but still you use cik for left and cap for right… How about using just one word that means jump tight and use your body to show which direction you want the dog to jump? Would it be too hard for the handler or the dog? Maybe you can’t always be there to show the direction?
It might be a silly question, but I’m a greeny, you know… 🙂 still have to learn everything from you!
Yes, you could use one word -- still better to use one as to keep thinking that long which is which that you say it too late… 🙂 Mostly, you can show with body language, so direction is not all that important. Still, its not that difficult to use two as some think, you learn it through the process, don’t worry.
hm, I am more confused now. I thought cik/cap means “wrap around to left” and “wrap around to right”?!
It sounds like zick-zack to me in German.
I just need to figure out which one is which for me first, so I don’t confuse my dog, too 🙂
No, that’s right, that’s the meaning of it for my dogs. I just wanted to say it doesn’t origin in my language, it origins in what zick-zack yes.
Thanks, Silvia,
maybe this sophisticated discussion Laura and I had will help some of our other classmates, too 🙂
It’s just too funny! 🙂
I’m using “oi” and “vas”. In Finnish oikea = right and vasen = left. I just shortened the real words. So for me it is easy to remember.
Maybe in German Li and Re could be easy to use.
You are free to use the Finnish words too 🙂
Thanks, Teija 🙂 I like your Finnish words, that sounds great, but I think I’ll just use my native German Zick-Zack, because I already use Links/Rechts for changing direction when heeling, walking and running. Since I am right-handed, I figured that Zick will be wrap right, and Zack for wrap left. I hope that makes sense.
I use “oi” and “vas” (cik/cap), “oikea”and “vasen” (free time walking, maybe for heeling too), “left”and “right” (in agility for direction) and I think that I have to introduce also”Links” and “Rechts” soon. After that I’ll need some Swedish words. And then I need to practice a new language.
But Zick-Zack nice too.
I always have trouble naming… I was thinking maybe kick and wrap? the R sound of wrap to remind me wrap is to the right… I have to try it out to see
You mean he is afraid of the sound skateboard makes when kids are skating? Many dogs are afraid of that sound, but usually don’t mind it when they’re pushing the skateboard as it’s not so loud and unpredictable, so I think he will be fine with it -- just try, but maybe first on a carpet as it doesn’t make that sound at all then.
I think he is more afraid of the “loud mean neighbor boys” who scare him when they go by on their skateboards. But once he came across the skateboard just lying in the grass in the neighbor’s front yard and he jumped straight in the air 🙂
But we will try anyways; with chicken liver and softening the noise he might get over it, which would actually be very good for him.
Yes, they sometimes transfer the fear to the object… Bi for example is afraid of the printing sound and as a consequence even of the printer as such… Dogs can sometimes be strange 🙂
Tossing treats on the ground close to the pole is o.k., sure.
We are skateboarding!
This is almost the first session. Well, it is second one but the camcorder battery was empty on first session but it actully was as good as this one.
wow!!!great!!! It looks like in the first shots you were working on a slight down incline??? thats a good idea, I think I will try that.
Well, there is no incline. The camcorder is skewed. My skateboard would go way too fast on downhill.
Very cool! He seems to like his skate-board!
Yes, he does love it.
Is your YouTube channel private? I cannot access it. I am only asking, because I started adding people from this class to my YouTube friends and subscriptions, it would be nice to see what everyone is doing after class and keep in touch
Your skateboarding looks great! 🙂
Yes, my channel is private. I don’t like to be to open. Maybe I have to re-think 🙂
For these videos I use the settings only the ones who have the link can access it. So you’re still private, the world can’t find you.
the exercise for the handstand are difficult for him, but he like skateboard, i think it’s more easy for him LOL
before i am doing skate with other dog who now playing with a skate, félix look.
for cik&cap can we use a cone ?
He would sure make a great skateboarding dog! And yes, sure, you can use a cone for cik&cap! Send a video of how he is doing on 2on2off too, to see if we can help! Sometimes something as easy as treat placement makes a great difference!
Here’s a transition video from Lessons 4 -5. I’m getting side legs for everything now. initially we had a struggle with side legs so now that he has it he really wants to show off. I’m talking in the hardware store knocking over boxes, during cip/cak, during heeling, everywhere. This is just a small peak. He’s starting to balance better and is offering tries for that as well. Overall I’m really happy and he is thinking a lot about the behaviors. He really is deciding a little bit what direction we’ll take in training sessions and I’m allowing it to a point because it means he’s bored with the current task. The heeling to backing in this video is not great and he has done better, but it’s about average. The white out in the windows is snow again…… Hard to stay on task with outside training right now. I need more beach and sun videos to watch!
Nancy and Nero the sideways dog.
Wow, more snow! That’s crazy! You would need to see the videos from puppy class2 of somebody living in Bermuda 🙂 But great job with the tricks! Figure 8 is actually going pretty well already also on a video, I see some understanding on stacking bowls going on too and wow, that’s a very small bowl for 4in for a puppy! And he definitely gets bonus points for cuteness with the side legs, it’s too funny!
Wow, he’s so big! Amazing side legs 🙂
Here is our homework 🙂
Great job! Some more work on figure 8 to get rid of sitting down and to get more fluency. But now, you can already stop rewarding for coming in between and start rewarding at your side, for coming to the other leg after coming in between the legs. Cik&caps are sometimes a little wider as ideally… I would probably work some more on just a pole or something thinner as a wing so that you can see better how tight or not she is, if she is bending her back around it etc. The more they need to work to stay closer, the better understanding that will give you.
We again.
I taped some stays with distraction. I have played a word game with him. I’m try to bluff him with wrong words but he can move only with “go”. He is quite good in the game. The two-ball-game is also included (sorry about the bad light/colour).
On second video we have the figure 8, cik/cap and backing up. The cone I use for cik/cap is very light and that’s one reason why he is not very close or is not wrapping very well. I got very nice and tight wrapping with heavy object.
We haven’t start the hugging yet. And we stragle with the side legs up. He jumps into air and turns to the handstand position. I have tried with angled plank and pilow, stairs, boxes etc.
Amazing backwards weaving!!! You’ve inspired me 🙂
Itäs all my pleasure
Looks great! Really nice stay and play, very smooth with figure 8 already, great back up and cik&cap is actually really nice too -- even better if you can get it even tighter! 🙂 Tape the tries for side legs too, maybe we can help with treat placement or object positioning. If he knew the “pee” trick, that would help a ton too! I don’t remember if you trained it or not?
We didn’t train the pee trick. We were so much behind so I decided to skip that one. Maybe I need to train it anyway. I will tape some side leg tries too.
That would sure help a lot! Go back to such a low object for 2on2off that he steps on vs. hops on and click as soon as he picks up one foot, before he touches an object or the other foot joins in. Once you have that, side legs are really easy -- just ask for a paw touch to your hand.
Thanks for posting your cip/cap work. It’s gives me a great image to build from. I’d trade some side legs for that any day!
Nancy
Wow, Teija! Great dog, great handler!
Hi. This is part of our homework.
For the heeling position, I didn’t go back to the target as I wanted to try to just put that hand behind her head. What do you think? Should I go back anyway? She still kind of looks at the hand sometimes.
Thanks,
Laura & shape
Great job! Great figure 8 backwards and very nice skateboarding! You can click for more of a push now, she needs to be more in a bow position to push even more. Heeling is going great too, I don’t think you need to go back to the target no. Very cute sit up! Love the long legs! 🙂