TrainingCategory Archives

How Much In Life Should Be Free?

Plenty In Life Is Free by Kathy Sdao
My Review

So I’ve been reading this book the last couple of days. And my review is not, yet, totally complete, as I haven’t read the whole book yet. I bought it from Dog Wise, the Kindle version, and I’m about 32% finished now. So far I’m really enjoying it.

Any dog behavior books I read anymore, I read from an obedience perspective. Since obedience is my joy and my nemesis at the same time. I love training for obedience, and it’s been difficult to figure out how to motivate the dogs to work for extended periods without treats.

Anyway, in this book, Kathy Sdao basically analyzes the Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) dog training program that so many dog trainers promote today. I have never followed the NILIF plan. One reason is because I’m lazy, and it would take a strong consistency I lack in my home environment. But mostly I don’t follow NILIF because really I just enjoy being with my dogs and doling out random treats and loves just to make them happy. And to make me happy. I have heard, time and again, that perhaps my daily behavior with my dogs affects my obedience training negatively. But really, I don’t care enough to change. While I do want Jet to qualify someday in obedience, I still want a fun happy relationship with him in my every day life. And our agility is going really well, so I’m glad we have success in agility. Agility is my favorite anyway.

Of course I really like to read books that support my training perspective style, or lack thereof, since Kathy is arguing against the NILIF training method.

Kathy Sdao argues against NILIF because, at the beginning of the book, she basically says that an emotional bond between two creatures should be free with love and interaction, and not dependent upon one of them doing something for attention. As the NILIF program does say that for the dog to get any attention, food, or anything at all, he has to do something first. No hugs without a sit. And if no sit, then the person walks away and there are no hugs or attention. Kathy says this can really break down a relationship, both in humans with humans, and humans with dogs. She states that such a relationship is actually rather passive aggressive on the human’s part. She also says that one point of positive dog training is so the dog feels like he is in control of his environment, as that builds confidence and trust. His actions matter, and get him things he wants and needs. But with NILIF, if the dog asks for attention, and you don’t give it (or only with conditions), then that could be telling the dog that he, actually, has no control over his environment after all.

She gives lots of examples in the book, and she talks about having a good genuine bond with our dogs, which I enjoy very much. That is why I have dogs in the first place. I want the bond, the companionship. The training is secondary. Hopefully I’ll be able to get those obedience legs with the relationship I already have with my dogs. Hopefully, the relationship I have with my dogs actually will increase the probability of qualifying legs. I guess I’ll find out over the years.

Kathy Sdao also talks about how sometimes people hear ideas and just automatically adopt them, without really giving them much thought. She talks about ‘sticky’ ideas and why the permeate society more than others. I think it’s always good to think about what we are doing and why, instead of just subscribing to the training program of someone else automatically. I think, in the dog training world, there are a ton of practices that people follow ‘just because,’ and they do need to be examined by each person to see how they really fit our own training and our own lives.

So perhaps Plenty in Life Is Free, or should be free, to both dogs and humans. I sure hope so. I get way too much enjoyment out of seeing my dogs get excited and happy Just Because of things that are Free.

Cynthia

May 16, 2012

Training

5 comments

Behavior, Obedience, Training

An Obedience Training Log for Jet

Okay… so I’ve been considering doing some sort of training log forever. I hate training logs. I’m really bad at writing things down and keeping track of my training. It’s not just dog training. It’s actually all kinds of logging. When I was a kid I actually journaled a lot. I have tons and tons of notepads in boxes in my basement of old journals from my late teens and early twenties. Maybe someday I’ll go back and read them all, and laugh at how dorky I was… but maybe I won’t. Guess we’ll see. Maybe they’ll just all get thrown away since we don’t have kids and no one will care after I die.

Anyway dying is neither here nor there. LOL. Back to the training log. I love Google Docs. I use Google Docs for everything. I have tons of spreadsheets in there with various things, tracking the dogs’ weights, their registration numbers, bank account information (nothing that will get you my bank account numbers though lol), packing lists, etc. I love sharing the packing lists with the friend I usually travel with, makes collaborating on packing dog junk a lot easier!

So I’ve been experimenting with Jet’s obedience training lately, and finally decided to keep a training log. So here it is, and it’s on Google Docs, and you can’t edit it, but you can view it. Granted there’s not much in there right now since I’ve only just started it. But here it is:

Jet’s Training Log

I thought about embedding it into a blog post but then though naw, the link should be fine. Of course it’ll only be as useful as I make it, and if I use it, so we’ll see if I can keep using it. I get lots of anxiety associated with doing things on a regular basis, so we’ll see. I’d like to make some charts out of it too but I haven’t figured out how yet.

I’ve been doing some obedience training on my own mainly because when I train with someone else, I tend to shut my brain down and not think on my own. This also goes for other things in my life.. work is one of them. If someone leads me, I’ll just follow and do what I’m told. Sometimes I need to be more aware of what my own actions are, what reinforcers I’m using, and to do that I have to do things on my own. And hopefully this tracking sheet will help me see trends and other things. So Jet and I have been working on various things with toys and play instead of treats, and I’ve gotten some good information about what Jet will work for and what he won’t. I have some video, but I haven’t uploaded it. I get shy about talking about what I’m doing, so sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, and I just haven’t been all to chatty lately.

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be changing that spreadsheet over time, but it’s what I have now.

Cynthia

May 1, 2012

Jet, Obedience, Training

2 comments

Jet Obedience

Jet’s Obedience Training

Since going to the Denise Fenzi obedience seminar I have some ideas for training Jet. I’ll be applying them to Chase, too, but Jet is my primary focus, Chase has a natural drive that can carry him through a trial. Jet doesn’t. So I’m reassessing Jet’s training. This weekend I did some different things to try to scientifically understand what is going on.

Denise is a motivational trainer. She isn’t a clicker trainer, but does occasionally use markers. She’s not a compulsion trainer. I kinda think she just fits into her own category. I’m not going full-on clicker training with Jet. But I’m going to do motivational training. No compulsion. But I’ll remove reinforcers if that works best. There are consequences to not working. But I won’t use pain, either.

Jet’s problem is he works beautifully with treats. He falls into heel, head up, nice focus, sits on the halts. But when I don’t have treats, then he doesn’t work. So this weekend I took him to an obedience trial. He was in Beginner Novice and Rally Novice on Saturday, and Beginner Novice on Sunday. He Qualified in all his runs, but his work was not what I want. And if any of it had been off leash, he would have wandered off or sniffed like he’s done in previous trials. I want him to work regardless of the leash. And I want him to want to work. I want him to enjoy working and interacting with me. And I will admit, I don’t subscribe to the belief that if you keep taking them into the ring, eventually they’ll just figure it out and work. I think they’ll learn bad ring habits and will end up getting worse.

When I was warming him up I didn’t use treats. In the past I would have whipped out the treats to get his attention. I don’t want to do that anymore, because I can’t bring treats into the ring. So when we warmed up he didn’t seem to know what to do. Either 1) he doesn’t understand, 2) he’s nervous, or 3) he is holding out for treats. (A friend suggested – maybe he doesn’t understands he’s supposed to sit regardless of the distractions.) (If there are any other options of what the reason may be, I will really appreciate comments!)

I would tell him to sit, and he just stared at me like he didn’t understand. I told him a second time, he still looked at me. I leaned down and said sit in a more sturdy tone, and he sat. Three times to respond to a sit cue is not acceptable.

I don’t really think he was nervous. Maybe he is. Maybe I’m a bad handler because I’m not completely sure if he’s nervous or not. But when I did eventually get out the treats, he fell right into heel and sat on cue. So I’m thinking, with Jet, he either doesn’t understand, or he’s holding out. I’m leaning toward thinking that he’s holding out.

I’m not going to start with the sit or the heeling when I train. Or any exercises. What I’m going to start with is getting him to enjoy working just for and with me. Below is a video example of Jet not playing with me, or even responding to me, when the environment is too stimulating. This is from Saturday, I took him outside to see if he’d just play. I didn’t get any treats out. I wanted to see how he’d respond. As you can see, he basically ignored me and air scented. Old instincts kicked in and I walked him over to see if we could see what was up, though Denise said that may be a bad idea. And it didn’t do Jet any good anyway. And really he wouldn’t be able to ever visit whatever it was, so probably I shouldn’t have taken him there:

Outside Training

Here is a video of training and warming up indoors. He’s better, but he still frequently looks away from me. I want constant steady attention. Those who have done or watched the high level competition obedience will know what I mean when I say I want his complete focus. I didn’t get it here with play. I would have gotten it with treats:

Inside Training

So I’m going to start with some play and focus work in my front yard.

The plan is, go out the front door, see what his attention is like. If it’s not what I want, we go back inside and he lost the opportunity to work. Then we try again in 30 minutes or so.

Jet really does love to work. He loves to play and interact. But usually when we go out the front door, he thinks we are going for a ride or for a walk so it’ll be interesting to see what I get. It might be a hard environment. I could do this in the back yard, but he is comfortable and likes to play in the back yard… however, if we consistently have less than I want out front, I’ll go out back.

So that is the first step. Front door, play, see what I get. I won’t use any treats. I may use some toys, depending on what I get.

Then I’ll move this same routine to a park or a ring setup. Take him out of the crate, if he interacts with me and works, cool. If not, back in crate, he lost the opportunity to work.

Of course if this doesn’t really work, then I may have to reassess again. I am not going to use treats. I’ll video our sessions so I can see what works and what doesn’t. I need to break this down. I need Jet to play and interact with me. Can’t bring anything into the ring but me and Jet. So if we don’t have a good play routine between the two of us, we are screwed in the ring. And I don’t want a dog that wanders off or sniffs. Jet is capable of really beautiful work. I just need to make sure that the play and the work are both rewarding for him. I want him to be happy while we do it!

If you are interested here’s Jet’s runs from Saturday:
Beg Novice, 186 1/2
Beginning Novice

Rally Novice 82. I thought it was a fair score.
Rally Novice

I didn’t get Sunday’s Beginner Novice on video. He did better, but still not what I want. He got a 191 on Sunday, which I also thought was a fair score.

So if anyone is interested I’ll be documenting Jet’s training over the next while, and hopefully things will work! I’ll put all these up with the tag Jet Obedience.

Cynthia

March 25, 2012

Jet, Obedience, Training

3 comments

Jet Obedience

Chris Zink Seminar

A couple of weekends ago I went to a Chris Zink Seminar in Grand Junction, Colorado. It was exceptionally good. I am pretty iffy about seminars. Many of them I don’t like. I don’t really have a good attention span for sitting and listening for hours on end. I really don’t like taking computer or work related classes anymore, they just bore me to death and put me to sleep. So I really like it when I find a seminar that is entertaining and interesting both at the same time.

Chris Zink was very interesting to listen to. She was funny and energetic and had a lot of good information. I do like dog information a lot better than computer information anymore.

Just a brief overview of what she went over… She said that the dogs’ sex hormones are very important. She prefers to leave all dogs intact, or with alternative sterilization methods. She has done studies, and was showing other information, that intact dogs tend to be prone to less injuries. And the old belief that dogs’ personalities became more mellow or less aggressive when spayed or neutered is actually incorrect. The information she showed told that dogs spayed and neutered actually tend to show more aggression and more behavioral problems. And the younger they are spayed and neutered, the worse the problems can be. Interesting. Jet is intact, and I’ll be leaving him that way. If I did anything I’d get him a vasectomy. Chris Zink said there are ways to remove a female dog’s uterus only, and leave the ovaries, so that they still get their sex hormones that are really good things. From all my PMS problems over my life, I believe that the sex hormones are important.

Chris Zink also said that a dog’s front dew claws are very valuable when it comes to performance sports, and just life in general. They actually use them a lot more than we realize. I prefer to have dew claws left on all my dogs. Unless they become torn or are floppy rear ones that may be dangerous. But then I prefer the dogs to all be natural and have what they are born with.

She also went over a lot of structure, so I think I can see a dog’s angulation better now. Especially the rear. The front I still can’t see so much. She talked about over angulation and how that can also be bad, like German Shepherd Dogs who are over angulated in the rear and it makes them less stable. So angulation is a good thing only to a certain extent.

The second day we did many jumping exercises and that was a lot of fun to watch. From the new dogs that have never done sports, to the advanced agility dogs. It’s all in her Jumping Books, which I own, and really should read more of.

All in all I really enjoyed the seminar and I think I learned a lot and I would go again if I could. Though I’d prefer more and different information. And the drive wasn’t too bad, only about 5 hours from Salt Lake City, UT, to Grand Junction Colorado. With a stop to pick up a friend of mine. It’s always more fun to travel with her.

This is just a brief overview. I’m still pretty miserable about losing Levi. I’ve been trying not to think about him much. I have a house in my mind I go to whenever I start thinking too much or getting down. I think it helps. I haven’t been eating much either, though I have been eating sugar. I always eat bad when I feel rotten. If there weren’t so many diet pill side effects I might consider those. But really I just need to eat more vegetables, and stay away from the bread and ice cream. But the bread and ice cream are so much more comforting than vegetables.

I don’t know how long it will take me to get over Levi… but I just miss his face. His sweet loving happy face. I miss everything about him. My heart aches for my Levi.

Automatic Tracking Video

Swivl

Well, it’s finally here. This is not an ad post… it’s just something I found. I’ve been looking, forever it seems like, to find a device that will follow me with video while I’m doing agility, or rally, or training, or whatever. Looks like finally someone invented the darn thing! Swivl

I have one of those big Canon Video cameras, though, which this won’t work with. But I also have an Android phone, which it will work with. I wonder if the big clunky cameras are just on their way out, and most everyone will eventually switch to phones or tablets for video. That’s fine with me, though of course it’d be a bummer if I can’t sell my camera eventually. But someday I do want an iPad. I just can’t justify it now. I have my Macbook, and I have my Android phone, and I really can’t afford a tablet. Maybe some day. And I love using iMovie to make my videos on my Mac. And as ya’ll know, I take a zillion dog videos of sports and of training. Usually I put my camera on the tripod. But sometimes I just need the camera to follow me around, especially in a small place like training, or a far place like an agility trial. I quite often don’t have anyone with me to video. Or at agility trials, I get tired of begging people to video. So many people just hate to video! This would solve my problems!

It’s not out until 2012, and it’s $160, but I actually think that’s a pretty good price. I’d use it ALL the darn time! I’d like it to be able to keep me zoomed in, but it doesn’t do that yet. Maybe eventually. And I bet there will be more manufacturers out there making more types like this soon. They are marketing it for bloggers… or vloggers, I guess. But heck, they should market it to the darn dog sports crowd. I bet they’d get a lot of interested parties!

Cynthia

December 28, 2011

Daily Posts, Training

6 comments

Tech

Heeling with Jet

So last weekend I got out into the back yard with the new tripod and took some video of me heeling with Jet.

I think he’s doing well, though still I worry that he’ll kick it into gear at a trial. I have to say, though, the only two trials I’ve entered him in were super hard. One was a conformation show with a busy smelly building with lots going on. And he did okay, actually, and would have Q’d but crawled to visit another dog on the down stay. The other show as the same day as an agility trial, and I think it was hard for him to switch from agility to obedience.

I may enter him in a one day obedience only show in September. It’s the day before the 3 day agility trial. Maybe he’ll do better there. Outside, relaxed. I hope so, anyway. I’ll probably give it a try and see how he does.

Anyway, life goes on, I’m trying to work the other dogs, do fun things, get on with life, accept that Lucy is gone. Maybe getting some Off Road Lights for the van would help in the dark when it starts getting closer to winter. I dunno, though, I usually just like it dark.

Cynthia

August 15, 2011

Jet, Obedience, Training

2 comments

Jet, Obedience, Training

Five Dogs Staying

When it’s hot out, and I don’t want to go for a walk after work… and when I just can’t decide what dogs to take with me when all of them want to go, I sometimes will just stay home and train.

Well yesterday at work I was thinking why not work all the dogs at the same time? I can do some stay work and mat work and have them really be good pups!

This is a long video, about 10 minutes, I didn’t edit it much since the in-between treating part is kinda fun to watch too. At least for me. feel free to fast forward. LOL. They all did really well. Tatum was the worst, which means we need more stay work with Tatum. Jet was the second worst, which is bad, since he’ll need stays in obedience! Lucy was also pretty bad but she’s old, 12.5 years old now, and she has a hard time moving. When I pushed her down I put hardly any pressure on her at all. I just touch her and she goes down easily. But still, I might not work her anymore. She loves the treats but it’s too hard for her to move.

Chase and Levi were solid as rocks. Good boys! They have had a lot of obedience training those two.

It was fun, I’m thinking I’ll split them up in pairs of 2 for a while since this is a new thing and I want to reinforce their stationary-ness for a while. And treating one or two dogs, while working one, will be a lot easier than treating four or five. LOL

Oh, Muffit doesn’t have a stay at all. So he didn’t get to work. He’s my husband’s hiking dog.

Cynthia

July 21, 2011

Chase, Jet, Levi, Lucy, Tatum, Training

1 comment

Chase, Jet, Levi, Lucy, Tatum, Training

Jet and Obedience Training

Jet is doing so well with obedience, I am thrilled! We did some training at a park a week or so ago and I think he’s looking great. This is his Novice run through. I am trying to use less treats, too, since he’s entered in Novice B the first weekend of May. Just for one day, since it’s a 4 day trial and 3 of the days we are doing agility. And although he can probably switch from obedience to agility and back again, I get flustered with conflicts and so I’ve only entered one sport each day.

As long as his Stand for Exam holds up, he comes on the recall when I call first, and he holds his stays, I think we’ll do well. Of course it’s just a test. First time in a real obedience ring is only a test of our training anyway. But I’ll still be nervous. It’s AKC obedience.

I just love Jet’s heeling. I love his front feet trotting up he’s so cute. And he looks so happy. And happy is the best part. I wouldn’t even do obedience if I had one of those dogs that trudged around the ring like they are moving through mud and look miserable. I want happy dog!

So hopefully we’ll do well in obedience and agility. It’s still a couple of weeks away. And it’s the trial I pulled Tatum from. If she’s okay I’ll bring her a couple of the days just to make sure she’s fine for the middle of May agility trial I have her entered in. Why is it so hard to pull from trials? I don’t know, but even with if I had a usb barcode scanner to scan my entries with I still would have a hard time pulling from trials. It broke my heart when I had to pull Levi years ago when he was having such weave poll problems. And now Tatum. I just hope and pray and cross my fingers that Jet will be healthy and sound his whole life. Even though he can’t hear in his left hear, that shouldn’t stop us from doing what we love!

The only thing I don’t like about this video is how much weight I’ve gained! Ugh. I’m doing good writing down my calories every day, so hopefully it’ll come off soon!

Cynthia

April 21, 2011

Jet, Obedience, Training

3 comments

Jet, Obedience, Training