O.k., I'm publishing lesson 3 already now as we're then going for a 2-week-catch-up-break. I like those breaks as they take some pressure off and I can always see a huge progress after the break! It's a great timing right now as it gives you time to really master that pivoting before going to lesson 3. Focus on getting really independent, fast and fluent circling in both directions. Lesson 3 can wait, we'll start with it after the break and you'll have 2 weeks for it then, so no hurry with that one. You can also revisit recalls, playing and spend some time on socialization. We'll be discussing this lesson only after 25th November, with no video commenting in between, I only posted it now so that you can see what is the plan and you can start working some in that direction. But no videos and questions during the break please, otherwise there is no point in the break 🙂
1. take your dog to a city center, a store that allows dogs (pet store?) and on a train station. Do some easy tricks and tape your tricks in a new environment this time.
2. position yourself next to a high target and now only click for circling all the way to your leg (don't click for steps in between) - name it with heel for one side and something else for the other and have a dog follow your leg when you move in a circle around the target away from the dog - then tell him to come to the other side and have him follow the other leg. Use different targets, try it on a very low one too.
A word of warning: when you position yourself next to the target, you need to stay at it's side, NOT behind it (so at 3 or 9 o'clock, not 6!), meaning that you need to move from one side to another every time you ask the dog to come to the other side. If you stand behind the target, you're practising wrong position as the dog is too much in front. The dog's paws should be were your heels are, his shoulder at your knee and his rear end completely straight - parallel to you.
3. build your own cavaletti and walk the dog over it - you can use the drawers or boxes of appropriate size and height, put them in a row and walk the dog through, just as you can see on 
4. try the other version of 2on2off: instead of having them go on an object and off, stop in a position and wait, let's try stepping back into 2on2off this time. Position your dog close to a low object behind his back (maybe just a folded blanket or a low pillow first!), cue him "back" and reward for stepping on an object or trying to. Slowly, you can have a dog step on higher&higher objects - this is beginning of a handstand, but with young puppies, don't overdo the height. Instead, you can have them back up stairs or cavaletti for example, to challenge them some more without making it too physically demanding. You need to build balance and strength slowly enough for the dog to never be sore after. You can also teach them a "pee" trick: click when they heave one leg, searching the object - before they find it and name it, it's a fun one.
5. put your paw target on a drawer or doors or simply shape the paw touch to a drawers/doors and then select for stronger&stronger touches/pushes. The goal is to have the dog slam the doors or a drawer with power, to teach them that they control the movement under their feet and the sound and that it's FUN - my favourite trick for a great see-saw!
6. don't forget on recalls and playing!!! Also, slowly add duration to a sit up, teach crossing paws with the other paw and fade the target and check if the puppy will stay in 2on2off position until "go" even with distractions (toys and food flying around) - we'll need that for next lesson!
See you back in class on 26th November!
2on2off progression into handstand:
Oh sorry, I posted the wrong link, that was teeter training…
Here is Bisou’s new masterpiece:
Too funny two people in the class had the same thing happen! Obviously, it’s a dangerous trick to teach, even with the girls! 🙂
Our paw crossing training -- there were some good crosses, but she uncrossed so fast and seems constantly frustrated by this trick…
She sure is complaining about that trick 🙂 She did hold a paw in the right position several times though, so you could click&treat that several times -- even when the under leg slips under some. Or maybe bringing back the target might help? Or, teaching her the other paw cross and switching between the two for every next cross in order to keep the legs in the right position for a cross -- those would be some things worth trying to help her some with those crosses.
Hi everyone!
Here our work with Kalhy for this 3rd lesson. We don’t have a lot of place for the cavaletti so I guess it’s not very good.
I’ll try to work saturday on the market place and tape.
Great job again!!! Very cute slamming, perfect position with heeling, very nice rear legs coordination when backing up the object. Time for a pee trick too! Cavaletti work looks perfectly o.k. too, just keep practising like that. Looking forward to see how she does on the market place!
Trying to click the pee-trick -- not sure if she gets at I was clicking as she switches quite often to 2 paws onto the object:
Did all others train this also with an object like stepping on? Or did you use a paw target? I feel I dont have the right idea how to teach it as it is so close to stepping back onto an object. What is the best way to teach lifting one hind leg?
Yeap, I don’t think she knows you want one leg only. I teach it with a higher object (like if you saw Trono, doing it against the sofa), so that they can’t step on with both so quickly. You could try with just a wall for example.
Hi Silvia & classmates,
Here is our most recent video. I’ve been jumping around a bit with the tricks so this isn’t all lesson 3 tricks. I hope it’s ok to post it here. 🙂
We’re still working on 2o2o which is getting there slowly. 🙂 And I’ve started to fade the pivot bowl/plate which seems to be going ok, although Zephyr sometimes gets confused without it so I’ve been going back & forth using it some when I feel he needs a refresher. I hadn’t tried 4in for a long time & back when we did it before Zephyr was always sitting in the box & would not do 4in a bowl so I think we’re making some progress. 🙂
I’m really enjoying watching everyone’s videos!
Thanks!
Great heeling position, his head position is really perfect. Right side might need some more work, but left side sure looks perfect! Or were you doing backwards weaving from the right side? 🙂 No problem to still use a target when needed! Very impressive 4in too, what a great balance for such a young puppy! Nice 2on2off too! And, again, what a focus! 🙂
You live in a beautiful place!
What a smart puppy! How old is he?
Thanks, Iris! Zephyr is 4 1/2 months old. Just getting to the “little devil” stage! 🙂
Mastering circling to my leg is not easy for little Garlic and me.
Clockwise, I try to get Garlic confident with touching my leg.
Counterclockwise isn’t prefered and touch not easy to get !
The position to your right leg sure looks great now! Great fluency in clockwise direction, I think it’s time to only reward the other direction for some sessions now…
Now, I try without shoes but only socks and my foot more close to the target ( on the edge rather than 10 or 20cm like before ), so Garlic is very close to my ankle ! I feel now garlic touching my feel;
Great! I’m sure you two will master that one too, after all the other tricks you mastered already! 🙂
And some other tricks before a WE in familly to Alsace ( Wissembourg ) !
Slamming two doors ! Back up on higher&higher object : I haven’t decide what cue for “pee” trick I will use ( other than “pipi” that is already used for pipi action ! ).
2o2o and slamming fridge
Cavaletti
Sit-up : Atilla expert teacher with Garlic student !!!
Loved the double doors slamming! You need to do a full row of doors next, that would be hilarious! Makes me sad my kitchen doesn’t have more cupboards! Great job with backing up that high object too, definitely time to try pee trick next and then go ahead with a handstand when you master that too. Very good understanding of normal 2on2off too, very nice cavalleti and very cute sit up, she is too funny trying to steal Atilla’s treats! Have a nice weekend!
I really like the double slamming, and Attila and Garlic action!
Hahaha, Attila is very generous to let the puppy lean on him and even slap him -- looks marvellous!
This is our status with cavalettis, heelwork, 2on2off, one hind leg up:
One question about the hind leg lifting: How does the pee-trick continue? How do I get rid of the obstacle later on? And would you train both sides at the same time? She prefers her left hind leg, should I continue on this side or go on with obstacle until she does both sides equally well?
Great breakthrough with right side heeling!!! Still including some target work works really great, so just continue like that, it looks great! There are many possible continuations of the pee trick. 🙂 For what we need for the next session, still using an object is good, but yes, you do want to work on both sides, so work on her weaker side some more. Very nice cavalleti and 2on2off too!
We are back again!
This morning I managed to tape some work at market place…before be kick out because “it’s not hygienic”… ='(
I recorded also the work at puppy school this afternoon, some agility stuff and the beginning of pee-trick.
WOW!!! That is incredible! And to think Kalhy is just a baby! GREAT job!!!
Great job! Certainly no problems with distractions! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Very nice pee trick too, don’t forget to work on both sides! For 2on2off on a DW, I would work on a somewhat lower plank (maybe you can set one at home?) and a smaller part of it, focusing on her speed going into the position, making her really excited about it before releasing her and rewarding the fastest tries the most and the slowest ones less.