Congratulations! You got till the 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 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 sit up and back should go easy, use a hand signal together with your verbal cues. First, reward even if the dog goes into 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 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, but as always - don't do it so much 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 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 hand signal and then completely, using just a verbal cue. I simply use cik&cap.
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 with a puppy because I want them 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 like 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 give suggestions for improvements. After those 2 weeks, your very last assignment before graduating puppy class is to make a video of everything you learned in this class - so don't post 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). If you allow, I will then publish your videos on my website. 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 DVD of your choice (see the training videos website to choose one).
For everybody asking for "advanced puppy class" - I will try to think of a good program as it was so cool to work with you that I would sure love to see some more of your dogs in the future 🙂 But I think that won't be doable before autumn, so the plan is to hopefully open advanced tricks class in September or October. Another option is Agility Foundation class that will start end of June - I will put a description on my website soon.
We went for a 30min run this morning, and I thought that would be a good time to practice outside, after he spent some energy he is not as obsessed with looking for squirrels.
I tried to fit in some other excercises as well, but he was a little tired for that.
That’s a great point, thanks! Talking about how to stop obsessive behaviours: ACTIVITY! It’s VERY important the dog gets enough physical activity every day! I can see my dogs getting nervous if they don’t get to run enough. To keep them happy, I make sure they are dead tired every evening 🙂
A tired dog is a good dog 🙂 We have been working on stays for long time.
I believe it’s easier when he’s tired and relaxed, and then he is successful which makes it stronger.
But now it’s time to work on release. He doesn’t care that much about toys, but more running with me or chasing me, that’s why I added lots of movement now to proof stay, before he would get up when I started jumping etc.
Very nice videos I like buddy´s stays and the 8s are nice too! :).
I dont know why but Buddy remind me of my Springer Vesta…Our problem are the Birds…:) and Darwin´s problem are the other dogs…:)! We are all struggling with something! 🙂
Right, it’s always good to know you’re not the only one 🙂
Our figure 8 backwards makes me laugh, he barely fits through my legs and then he just stopped! I think I gave him the food too soon, I should wait untill he goes through all the way.
Yes, he is really funny! You can slowly start to only reward when he comes back to the side, actually. He knows the behaviour really well, it’s just that it takes a lot of practise and precision when you’re that big!
I guess that makes it interesting as it keeps us challenged! 🙂
Figure 8 backwards is going great now! Nice stays and figure 8 forward too!
Hi Silvia and everyone.
Just a quick video of our progress.
Rolling Ball; He is getting better in balance but when I feed him from the front position, He naturally roll ball towards to himself so he is moving back wards.
Q) What position is the best to make him roll forward?
Q) I would LOVE to do agility foundation course and I am searching to buy tunnel now.. but I will be in Japan until 14th of July. Is it possible to miss first one or two session? or should I wait until the next one?
Do you know when are you planning to do next agility foundation class?
Just everything to do with sit up trick.. I am still struggling to teach him sit up/hug. I will post another video of sit-up/stand/sit up and hug this weekend! I need a help 🙂
Emi & Niah
Oh, lovely video…
Very nice Emi! 🙂
Great heeling! I bet the other people were thinking “how did she do that?!” 🙂
I showed some of our tricks yesterday in agility class and everyone, even my instructor, was very impressed, even though we don’t have final versions yet. It was fun to show off a little 🙂
Our training club is having a week long camp for kids (10-12 years old) in June to teach them how to work with their dogs, and I was asked to show them some clicker and tricks training. That’s gonna be fun!
Oh, that’s great! I’m often asked why I don’t advertise the videos and classes more, but hey, my students are my best advertisement! 🙂
That was too cute, 100 things you can do with the ball 🙂 He is sure doing great by now, rolling it backwards! I would just let it be, why not? La also rolls it backwards, it’s because of shifting weight back. You could try getting him to move forward by standing up and and having him stand up on it more straight. Very cool skateboarding and spins! Try to slowly fade the hand signal for the spins -- show the first spin, but then keep him circling saying left or right without additional hand signal. Also, make hand signals for the first spin less and less pronounced, so that he needs to switch to verbal cue. And his heeling is beautiful and his focus is amazing!!!
Not sure when next Foundations will be… MAYBE end of October, but I’m not sure about it at all as I’m not sure how many participants we can get then, because of the weather limitations on working outside… You could join the June class of course -- there is a continuation of the exercises, so you can’t just skip the first lesson, but you can work on it when you’re back and post a video when you’re ready -- I’m sure you’ll catch up in no time. We’ll also have a 2 weeks break in August, as I will be having camps here, so plenty of time to catch up.
Thank you for comments and Great advise Silvia!
I think everyone can tell that I have been teaching Niah to heel since he was 8 weeks old, using silvia’s heeling video 🙂 we were very lucky one!
I will sign up for June’s foundation. I am excited now 🙂 yay
Wow--I loved this video. Niah reminds me of Nero. He is calm and deliberate with his offers. On the ball you can see him experimenting with the different foot placements. I figured out with Nero that you have to be more behind the ball to go forward and that if the feet go over the all they go backward. I think backward is more natural. It reminds me of the Dwarf Mongooses (Helogale Parvula) that we studied in Tanzania. When they would find eggs they would put their front feet on the eggs and then shoot them through their back legs against rocks. My Pyr Shep immediately pulls the ball through her legs like a mongoose. Her behaviours on the ball are so fast that it’s hard for me to consistently click the correct behavior. Nero gives me much more time. I’m typing away because Nero is totally sleepy this morning. We ran for an hour yesterday in the woods and it’s totally wiped him out. He’s definitely not ready for 2 hours yet!
Nancy
Oh, Bi must be Dwarf Mongooses mix then, she LOVES to play with things so that she shoots them through her back legs, she thinks it’s just too funny. That sure didn’t help with her ball trick!
Great! Very happy to hear I’ll be seeing that many of you in Foundations! 🙂
OK, now I am really Jealous!
Silvia, If I join foundations class can I skip the whole month of August and restart the class on the 6th of September?
Eva.
We’ll be on break first two weeks of August anyway, so you won’t have THAT much catching up to do. So I think it would be possible, especially as most important things will be covered in the beginning, so if you skip the middle part, it’s not such a big deal.
Here’s some more video of pecking away at week 6. We’ve also been working on heeling duration, figure eight through the legs and spins. The spins are great off a toy signal and the 8 is using the toy as a lure. We’ve been transitioning to a tug toy for outside stuff and he’s really likes working with a tug. He’s a little under the weather this weekend, so no new things right now. I continue to work on the sit up to stand and back, but we really need to get our sit up solid before much can happen with that. Anyway’s here’s a little skateboarding, ball rolling and hugging. My daughter is filming and both leave me to play around on a very rainy morning.
Nancy
Wow, ball rolling is sure going great! With the skateboard, he still looks a little bit unsure, so keep working on that. For the two-legged hug, you also need a very good sit up, so maybe focus on one leg hugs first. And yes, use a toy for rewarding as much as possible, it gives you faster and more intense responses. He sure looks to like playing, especially with that big bottle! 🙂
Oh--As I watch my video back I see that Nero has transferred “limp” to the skateboard. Meanwhile I’m clicking away for his limping behavior rather than getting 2-3 feet on the skateboard. Ah the power of the video camera.
Nancy
practicing balancing on a ball, and also still working on picking up an object (toy) for bowl trick.
now I need help: how do I let him know to put the object into a bowl; he is still trying to do 2 or 4 paws in when presented with it 🙂
So what’s the next step?
Does anyone have some tips on video editing. I found the Windows Movie Maker on my computer and figured out how to cut videos, but how do I put several cut videos together. I would like to make the “graduation video”.
Silvia, how long should it be?
i use imovie -- It is so easy. I havent been able to find one this good for pc. Wld be interested if anyone knows one
I totally agree -- LOVE iMovie! Just got a macbook and can’t believe how much easier it is than the program I had on my old pc.
Jennifer I use Movie Maker and it is true that has taken me a while to figure it out but now I think that it has some cool features…
To put several videos together you just have to import a new video and drag it to the show storyboard below beside the last one you had previously…
You can add pictures to the video as well, titles, and effects…the main point in this program is to drag effects or transitions to the storyboard below between the clips…if you have some specific problem tell me and I would try to help you…
Thanks, Eva, I will try that.
Getting there with the ball! At this point, only click for moving front feet and do click them every time he moves them, you sometimes miss it (like on the last try in the first video). With a bowl to bowl trick, keep clicking for picking up an object and then after few tries, try to put a bowl very quickly on strategical place that might help him drop the toy in it by accident. 🙂 If he tries to step in, don’t click it, you can also put it away for few more tries and then bring it back again. It might also help if you use an object that doesn’t look too much like 4in object, maybe something higher and too slim to be stepped in?
You can make the graduation video of whatever length you want. But as you don’t want to include training sessions as such, I guess they will be about 5min too.
OK, Thanks, Silvia. I will definitely try that.
I had another idea: putting the toy in the bowl to begin with, then see if he can pick it up from the bowl and release it back into the bowl, and then moving it back to the floor.
What do you think?
Sure, why not, you can start that way, that might give a better successful rate to start with.
Ha, ha, I tried it, and he took the toy out of the bowl put it deliberately on the floor and stepped into it 🙂 One good thing I noticed was that he was moving and holding the toy more. I will try a small soup bowl or large joghurt cup where there is no way he can step into that. We’ll just have to find the right bowl and object, I’m sure he can figure it out.
Here’s our video for the last lesson! Still got plenty to work on.
Rolling the ball was a really fun trick (Nyx certainly agrees on that) but I think it’s really hard to know what to click for.
As you can see, she thinks it’s much harder with heeling on my right side. Still need to work a lot on that.
The limping trick still looks like a peeing trick so far, but we’ll get there I guess.
Sorry that you hardly can see her in the sit up to stand up trick.
Great job! The heeling on left side is just BEAUTIFUL!!! On right side, do it just step by step for now -- funny she finds left side so much easier! That was really nice and fast figure 8 forward and the spinning is great too! For rolling the ball, click for little steps on a ball, that’s what makes it roll! Limping can take a while, I guess you first need some more duration on holding the leg up in the air. Getting there with the hug and stand up to sit up! And she is just sooo cute! 🙂
Thank you for the feedback! It’s funny, the heeling on the left side looks way better on the video than what it feels like when we’re actually doing it! I wont have to think about new tricks to train this summer, we can just keep working on the ones we’re not finished with from this class, perfect! 🙂
Well, you’ve sure done A LOT! There were many tricks for just 3 months 🙂 And yes, the left side heeling looks perfect in the video!!!
Nyx is such a pretty and clever girl!! You are doing really great! To be honest… I´ve fallen in love with this breed and I think my next puppy will also be a PyrShep. 😀 Will you also join the AF class?
Yeah, they can be pretty addictive -- funny little clowns. Unfortunately, not all are like Nyx, so you have to be careful about the lines, there are some lazy lines too 🙂 But they should be like this, their standard says they should be “maximum of nervous energy in minimum body size” 🙂
My Saales du Val Soannan is a lot like Nyx--just 10 years old now. She is so hard to click for compared to Nero. She throws out multiple behaviors much like Nyx and I have to be really concentrated if I want to capture a new behavior. She’s always had a bad heart and I have to watch her myself cause she used to overdo everything. Now she has learned to watch out for herself more. I also love the breed. Saales is my heart dog. I can’t take a step without her in attendance. Way back when I got Saales I wanted a smooth face. Now I know that I want her personality again with a perfect functioning heart.
Nancy
Nancy: Yes, I agree, it’s really hard to click in exactly the right moment when they’re offering ten behaviors at the same time 😛 But it’s A LOT more fun, so it doesn’t matter 🙂 Sorry to hear about her heart, though!
For now there will not be another dog/puppy until Jin is at least 3 years old. (hihi.. Note the words: “for now” ;)) I will defenitely take the time to study different lines because I really loooove the “maximum of nervous energy in minimum body size” PyrShep :-D:-D:-D It doesn’t matter to me how far I have to drive to found a puppy. (Here in the Netherlands are a many “lazy lines” )
But for now, I want to take all the time for my 2 BC’s. (Orrrrrr if you say you want litter of Le then I will immediatley cancel all of my plans !LOL! 😀
Neeh, no breeding plans here, for now no more puppies for us either until Le is at least 4 years old! 🙂 And my next one will be again a BC anyway 🙂
Thank you! I have also fallen in love with the breed (and especially Nyx, of course!) BIG TIME! She makes me laugh every single day! Yes, we have joined the AF class, so we’ll see you there I guess! 🙂
This is pretty funny -- Grace & i trying to heel w a major distraction…
Camilla,
I hope you gave a little treat to Max at the end of the training session…he was working so hard to get it the poor thing…:) ! I am in stitches…So funny!
Yes, he’s hilarious!! He belongs to my friend from uni.. He wld sell his soul for a scrap of food! Watching the vid he had the beginning of some pretty cool tricks there. I must say, i had pretty sore knees after being jumped on so many times by one overweight beagle 🙂 don’t worry, he got his own training session straight after, so he had lots of fun
Oh.. and my ‘chicken arms’ -- i thought they were subtley behind my back, but watching the vid! Too funny -- i don’t know where to put them. Hanging by my side, everytime they swing she thinks i’m giving her a hand signal. Don’t know where to put them 🙂
🙂 I know the feeling girl!!!! It is the same for me,…I dont know what to do with my hands….
Maybe keep them in normal position, but keep them as still as possible at the beginning. Then slowly go from dead arms to moving them more&more.
omg! Cam 😉 your arm are so cute and I forgot to watch what was Grace doing!! what a hungry beagle!
Ha, Emi!! I’m sure you’ll b wanting to get some groovy ‘chicken arms’ like mine! Sounds like perhaps i was more of a distraction than Max!:-)
Very nice heeling! And very typical hungry Beagle! 🙂 Did you try “normal” hands yet? Like moving them freely, behind her head?
I did, but she thought every movement of my hand was a hand signal! The problem is i taught her to limp by dropping my hand down. I think the other problem is that i tend to hold a bit of food in my hand and a clicker and don’t know where to put it all. I’ll try again without the hungry beagle and start w completely still hands ..
Yes, I also always keep a clicker and food in my hands, but still move them freely. I think that by now, she knows the exercise well enough that it won’t be too confusing.
Again…really enjoyed your video! You’re doing great Camilla and Grace!
Thanks so much, Jonina 🙂 Wow, Jin is such a cool dog. I loved watching the vid of you guys cruising along together thru the market, train station. You look like such good friends 🙂
NOOOOOOO!! Our last lesson :'(
A little while ago we went to the market and bus/train station but didn’t post it… still here is our video (Hope it’s ok I post it in lesson 6).
It’s a very wobbly video but I was glad I’ve found someone who wanted to film 😉
Our second time ball rolling:
Our first time cik & cap outside, around a pole:
And a picture of the field where we can practice for our “Agilty Foundations Class”. (And a little room in the barn where we can store our stuff 🙂 )
The field is not completely flat, do you think that’s a problem Silvia?
( Some bumps in the grass by -- how do you call them in english?- moles?)
I have once again enjoyed all your videos from lesson 6!
You are great classmates! Hope to see you all in AF class! 😀
Jonina & Jin
Nice to see Jin again, she is such a cool dog! I see she has no problems with distractions, she seems perfectly comfortable on the city walk! Getting there with ball rolling too, I think that from here on, it will be easier to progress if you’re standing up. Cik&cap looks great too, very tight and smooth! If you haven’t name it yet, definitely do it now, we’ll need it for Foundations! Your field looks great! Bumps shouldn’t be too big of a problem, holes can be more dangerous.
Great videos and a great field! Jin is a lucky girl!! I wish we have the area like this!~ I am doing agility foundation practice at the public park in the very early morning. It is wet winter here in Melbourne! It would be BIG challenging for us! Looking forward to seeing you and Jin again at AF class:)
Thanks Silvia we are very busy with some last tricks ( and improve old tricks) for making a “graduation video” (Pfff where do we start!) I hope it will be finished this weekend.
Thanks Emi! The field is 10 minutes away from us and not the best field there is.. but I am pleased we can/may train there. 😀
I hope the park is near your house so you don’t have to carry all the equipment to far. See you in AF-class and can’t wait to see your graduation video! 😀
Looking forward to see it!
Here is our homework…
I was so excited that she ‘got’ the pick up the object & hug challenge. When i first saw that challenge on the website i thought there was no way we would get it ..
(sorry it is a bit long)
Cool! She has great balance! We are still working on holding a sit up 🙂
Goldstar for Grace! 🙂
Awesome! Great job!!!
WOW Grace!!!! Very impressive!
Very cool! The catches are GREAT! What a great balance! And what a smart dog, offering to pick it up and try to hug immediately! Loved the drops from sit up to down too, that was too cute. Sit to stand up and back looks great too, it’s always very impressive when such a big dog can do it with such an ease. Great ball rolling too, it’s really amazing what a balance she has! And what a precision with those coins, that’s a GREAT trick! I kept smiling the whole video, it’s such a nice story on what a great team you two are.
Thanks so much everyone!
I had to cut quite a bit of footage out to make it fit so I’ll upload some of the extra footage from our session learning to pick up the toy-it’s probably more interesting to watch the whole process. It was also really cute the way she learnt to go from standing up to beg-while she was standing up I would put my arm out and she would hug it so tight that it would help her balance into the beg (it’s funny to think that at the start of this course she couldn’t really hold a beg and now it’s rare to see her sitting-everything has to be a beg). My partner looked after grace yesterday and didn’t realise that we had been doing so much work on hug. She decided to do some training with Grace and said that every object she picked up (treat bag, targets stick etc), grace would just try to hug for dear life. She thought it was very odd until I explained, then she couldn’t stop laughing 🙂
I had an amazing relationship with my horse, Puffin, when I was 14-18 years old. He was my superstar showjumping horse, but neither of us knew how to jump when we met. He would do anything for me-he was only a bit over 5ft tall (15.1hh) but he trusted me to jump a 6ft jump that was over his head. When he died (he got cancer) i was so heartbroken that i stopped showjumping, but I have longed for a relationship like that with an animal ever since. I realised this week that I now have the same relationship with grace – she is my 2nd puffin
I went to bed with a big smile last night because I realised that this course has helped Grace and I to become a team. I’m so glad that I’m doing AF because this feels like just the beginning … 🙂
Camilla, what you said about Puffin (what a cute name!) and Grace really touched me and made my eyes misty. My last dog Sam was my soulmate dog, and I miss him so much. He was a rescue too, but we bonded instantly when we first met. Unfortunately, this is not so with my new Buddy, he is a true misfit 🙂 and is not able to truely trust and bond, and I really miss that. I get frustrated sometimes when I feel I can’t get through to him and that he is most comfortable by himself. Working with him is always like retraining/correcting what some else did wrong.
So I am happy for you that you have found your soulmate dog 🙂
Jen
Well, the good news is that it feels even better when you get there if you start off with the dog that is hard to bond with!
Oh, yes, definitely. We are on our way. You should have seen him before! It’s already such a huge difference. Still, he often puts that wall back up.
I’ve had no computer for days -- been killing me! Hope my post wasn’t too soppy 🙂
Jennifer, I have complete faith in you & buddy 🙂 He is just beautiful and it is really clear how much work you have put into your relationship 🙂 You might not see it bc you guys are together every day -- but he looks at you w such loving eyes.
It sounds horrible to say this now, but when i first got grace i didn’t like her v much. It took us quite a while to bond. I’d been lucky enough to live w my soulmate dog, Jayc, for nearly 16 yrs (from when i was 14 -29yr) -- he was a border collie x australian cattle dog and was so diff to grace. He was my world (unfortunately i never got to have the working relationship w him that i had w Puffin & Grace bc my mum ran him over when he was 6 months old and broke his hip). He had a funny little hobble his whole life! I now realise that it’s possible to have more than 1 soulmate dog 🙂
I really lost my confidence when i got Grace bc after i’d had her for a wk the breeder told me i had damaged her and created a “broken pup” and that she needed to go back to the breeder for remedial work (the breeder was angry that i had socialised her and taken her to stay at my friend’s place) Thank god i never let the breeder near her and it is kinda funny now but at the time it really affected me
PS i cld completely relate when you mentioned Buddy’s obsession w birds and squirrels. For Grace it is birds and kangaroos. Those giant bouncing things are v v EXCITING! -- i’m finding it impossible to make myself anywhere near as interesting as a kangaroo 🙂 Perhaps i need a pogo stick?
Well, Grace doesn’t look “broken”, what load of @#$%.
She does however resemble a black kangaroo 🙂 maybe she likes them so much because they are second cousins 🙂
Why did the breeder think you shouldn’t have socialized her???
That’s so funny that you have a kangaroo problem! What a unique problem to have, that could never happen to most of us! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ha -- yeah i thought you might like my kangaroo prob. Grace had never really cared about them too much but on our last bush walk she actually ran off and chased one. It was in v thick scrub and i couldn’t see her. She was gone for about 5 min! i ran off in the other direction so she had some work to do to find me again (I was confident to run away bc she is v good at finding my scent from all those times I’ve hidden bh trees). This was actually the first time one of my dogs has ever chased a roo. A lot of people have this prob in Aus but most have it worse than me bc their dogs actually try to hunt the kangaroos when they chase (G would just lick them on the face). Ive heard of people whose dogs have not come back for 2 days!! These roos are brilliant distractions. I really want to set up some training but the prob is they tend to leap out of thick scrub w no warning, so it is hard to start working w it at any distance. How wld you do it, Silvia? Perhaps my graduation project will have to be doing all our tricks to an audience of kangaroos 🙂
That would sure be a great video! 🙂 Getting them to not chase is much harder when they are into chasing already… I like to take my puppies to places with lots of animals who will just ignore them (zoo, pastures, agility trials etc.) and have them focus on me, playing or doing tricks. That way, they learn it’s normal other animals are around and won’t even bother. That’s exactly how our try on sheep with Bu and Bi ended 🙂 They are all herding lines and love to herd each other, but on sheep, they were sure they should just ignore it and were only watching me 🙂 However, if you can’t find some lazy static kangaroos 🙂 then just keep her on leash and start a party any time they leap up. It doesn’t sound she is so much into chasing them already that you couldn’t get her attention, so try to make the connection between the kangaroo leaping up and a big party with you starting.
To be honest, I’m not really sure why the breeder was so worried about Grace & I staying w a friend. Here is the email i received…
(Hence why i was so delighted when i came across lolabu land on the internet 🙂 )
________________________________
Hi Cam,
I agree with Ray. I’m not posting this email to the list, because I don’t think you need a public flogging. But this is not your friend’s dog to raise. It is yours.
It’s a bit like those people who send their dog to boot camp for a few days/weeks to learn how to do basic obedience. When the dog comes back, it inevitably falls back into its back into its old ways because the fundamental issue has not been fixed.
It seems to me you haven’t taken on the pack leadership position at all -- that someone else and their dog has.
Ray has written to me separately and is very concerned that you’re going to bring back to me a very broken pup. I hope he is wrong.
Although I was planning to have this weekend off, the first in months, it is probably best you bring back the pup so we can do some remedial work.
___________________________________
She is into that “Pack leadership” stuff and thought i had taken her from one pack, put her in another and then put her in another pack and that she wld b v confused. What most people wld refer to as ‘life’. She had also told me i wasn’t allowed to hug her and that she was never allowed to sit on my lap. Strangely, although she doesn’t believe in much affection for puppies, she does advocate clicker training.
I hadn’t had any contact with her since Grace was 10wks old but i decided to email her Grace’s most recent homework.
It’s pretty funny, whenever my friend greets grace now she says, “Hi grace, how is my damaged doggy!”
Camilla,
It still sounds like BS to me. They have some very outdated theories. I am so tired of people talking about “pack leadership”.
Your dog is great, and the results speak for themselves.
There is a new book out by Dr. Bradshaw called “Dog Sense” (UK) that looks very interesting. It’s the latest in dog and animal behavior science.
I can believe it!!!….I hate the pack leadership stuff…
Dogs are not wolfs..there are 12.000 years of difference and even so the packs between wolfs are more kind of families relationship than dominance relationship…
There are thousand of good scientific articles out there if you get the bother of wanting to know….
How many dogs got killed and suffered for “believes and general truths like this…”….
Oh, gosh… That’s just stupid, not much more to say about it!
Ahhhh…Camilla,
My horse name was “Jaleo” and it is kind the same history…He died of
a very bad colic and of old age together, he was 21 years…. and I got another soulmate in Ben (A puppy we found dumped in a ditch beside our home last year in March…) but Unfortunately he was killed by a car when he was 9 months old, you can see him in my youtube videos..I was so depress that my boyfriend when to the pound and rescued Darwin when he was 4 months old…At the beginning I didn’t want to know anything about him but now he is my truly soul mate we cant live without each other. Vesta is more independent I love her to bits but with Darwin is different…by the way we know now that Darwin is a cross between border collie and a Collie…
Oh, that’s terrible when you loose such a young dog… So happy to hear you found the same bond with Darwin! Was that DNA test? I find it VERY hard to believe there is no Terrier in him… I see way more Terrier as Border Collie!
Yes sorry, He is border terrier cross with collie….We were told in the pound that was a cross with Labrador but I couldnt believe it as he doesnt have any hunter instincts at all but he likes herding all of us around and he does this distinctive posture of the border collies of lying in and wait for…kind of thing….
Ah, that makes more sense! I was about to say to not trust the DNA testing if they can’t find a terrier in him! 🙂
Oh, poor Ben, that’s terrible. I am glad you got Darwin now.
I also had a puppy before Buddy, but she had Parvo and I only had her for 5 days. I picked her up on Friday and on Saturday she got sick, on Tuesday I had to have her put to sleep, poor little thing. Her name was Lucy. And then there was Buddy, my husband calls him a GDI (god damn independent) 🙂
Poor Thing…It is terrible when you have to make a decision like that…
Do not give up on Buddy, he looks so happy in the recall video…! It is matter of time for him to know that he can trust people and you…I am sure that if he hurts his paw while walking he will come strait to you limping, wont he? Vesta it is very independent dog but when she needs me she is the sweets little thing…and I nearly gave up on her…!!!
Thank you, Eva. I would never give up on him, but he is a strange bird… he didn’t even know how to just be a dog when I got him.
Aren’t we lucky to have shared our lives w so many beautiful animals 🙂
I’ll go to your you tube channel to meet ben. That’s too sad that you had to lose him so soon
I’m so glad that your boyfriend found darwin for you. What a cool little dog he is! 🙂
PS where abouts in ireland do you live? I lived in dublin for a yr when i was 18 and i’ve got an irish passport
I lived in Dublin for a year when first I came to Ireland, but now I live in Bandon Co,Cork in the middle of nowhere…all countryside and I love it!!! We live in a Farm surrounded by cows and crows…the nearest beach is 15 minutes…so Vesta and Darwin are most of the time either in the Beach or in the fields…We are very lucky…But believe me I would love to visit Australia…It is my dream to go there some day!!
Oh, that sounds divine!! I never made it to co Cork. Hopefully i’ll make it to ireland in the next couple of yrs. Well, Grace & I think you should definitely visit us in Australia. We live about an hour from Melbourne, close to the beach 🙂
Yeap, you sure look like a great team! And I agree: the more things you do together, the better team you become! That’s why I love tricks so much, it’s so easy to do something with the dog then even when limited with space, weather or dark!