CGC Class Week Three

Class Outline

Review:                 Wait, Stay and taking direct attention away from dog as they wait and stay.  Turning back to the dog for 5 - 10 seconds. 

Demonstrate:       How to determine "when" to call or release your dog from wait or stay.  Watching the dog's body language. 

Action 1:    Stand Quietly For Grooming

• Divide into teams of 2 dogs/handlers
• Tether one dog as the handler acts as "groomer."
• Approach dog with grooming tool.  If dog lunges, jumps or displays any anxiety or 
  "bad behavior" immediately turn and retreat. 
• Handler may issue commands such as sit, stand, stay or leave it. 
• Handler should reward for appropriate behavior " quietly accepting the groomer and/or grooming."
• Continue the approach.  When directly in front of dog, reach down and gently and slowly take one grooming pass down their back. If dog seems calm and accepting, continue to handle the dogs ears, tail and run your hand down each leg and left each paw. 
• If the dog is nervous about feet being handled, the owner/handler may lift the paw for the groomer.
• Each pair will work together taking turns grooming the other handler's dog.  Repeat the process at least 2 times, or until the dog is accepting handling and grooming. 

Review:          Ask each team to demonstrate a command as instructed:

•    Sit
•    Down  
•    Wait
•    Stay
•    Loose Leash Walking

ASK:   Explain "Penalty Yards"

Loose Leash Walking Assessment:

Have teams demonstrate Loose Leash Walking.  Add direction changes, speed changes, turns.

Counter direction walking ( dogs walking toward each other in opposite directions.  Remember to be READY to redirect and reward your dog's attention if they show too much interest in the other dog. 

Add 180 degree turns. While walking, continue the same pace and make a 180 degree turn.  LURE your dog with a marker to follow you around the turn - you should NOT be pulling the dog around the turn with the leash

Discussion:    Purpose of the Leash

• Safety

The leash is NOT a training tool.  No pull harnesses, gentle leader, martingale collars ARE training tools, but the leash should not be used to drag your dog into position or to Yank them back when they pull.   Think of the leash as a "telephone line"  You are able to communicate information to your dog by gentle changes in how you handle you leash.  A "leash check" is a quick, gentle 'pull and release' to remind your dog to pay attention to you.  

If your dog is pulling on the leash 100% of the time, try starting out with a LONG LEASH (more than 10 feet of leash/line) and stop and lure your dog back to your side. 

At this point you should be treating/marking about 75% of the time you are walking your dog.  Remember your marker is BOTH the treat and the verbal command.  Mark for the behavior you want!  If your dog is pulling at the leash by the time you mark the behavior, then you are reinforcing "pulling."  

Action 2: Recall - Targeted Recall

Rules of Recall:

• Do Not call your dog for a potentially negative reason (bath, punishment, vet, etc.)
• If you dog currently is called to another command other than "Fido (dog;s name), Come" begin pairing the commands so you can fade out the secondary command ( come 'ere, herehereherehere, comecomecomecome, etc.)
• Get your dog's attention BEFORE calling him to come. 
• Only use the formal recall "Fido, Come" when you are SURE your dog will come to you while you are teaching the command. 
• Train recalls in areas with little distraction, gradually adding distraction. 

Targeting:

We are going to start by asking our dog to come to our hand, while holding a treat in the target hand.   When you issue the COME command, wave your target hand ( right hand) in a half circle starting above your head and following a wide arc out to your side until your hand is pointing down to the ground, palm facing your dog.  As you swing your arm lean slightly to the right. When your dog touches your hand you reward with the treat. 

Total Recall Handout Part One:

Action 3: Distraction Stays

Introduce *mild* distractions to your dog's stay.  When introducing distraction work, do NOT increase the stay time or distance while adding the distraction. 

Some ways to add distraction to stays:

Step over your dog while they are in a down stay. 

Walk a circle around your dog while they are in a stay.

Carry a ball or squeaky toy as you walk a circle around your dog

Bounce a ball as you walk a circle around your dog

Jump from side to side as your dog is in their stay. 

  Taking Training to the 'Next Step' :Introduce Command Discernment:

When your dog has learned a command, you may "test" them by using an alternate word.  For example:  Ask your dog to "sneak" instead of "sit."  If your dog sits to the command "sneak", then  issue a "sorry, wrong, no reward" ( ie. "wrong", "oops", "no", "ah-ah") and repeat.  Then issue the correct command and jackpot the dog for the correct behavior or posture. 

Training Skills and Knowledge

The more you learn about training, the better your relationship with your dog and the further you will progress with training.  Punishment does have a place in training.  If you are uncomfortable with the word 'punishment' think of 'consequences.'

There are two types of punishment : Positive and Negative.  An example of positive punishment is swatting a dog across the dog for barking/nipping,  kneeing a dog that is jumping, or jerking a pulling dog with a leash. 

Handout: The Side Effects of Positive Punishment

Homework:

1. Read the handout on Positive Punishment.  Write down examples of positive punishment you have used in the past and whether it was successful or not.   Send your written examples to fran@lakenormandogtraining.com
2. Increase duration of NON-DISTRACTED Stays.  Work on achieving a stay of at least 3 minutes for your dog.  Do not increase the stay more than 6 minutes at this time. 
3. Continue to work on loose leash walking.  Next week we will start removing the use of training tools such as gentle leaders, etc. Don't panic.. we will do it one step at a time!
4. Practice LLW,  with a varied pace - quick, slow, stop and start.  Ask your dog to sit along side you, facing the same direction as you when you stop.  Use luring techniques to position your dog.  If your dog swings his/her butt out to the side when you are working on this, try practicing next to a wall. 
5. Take your dog to busy areas: parks, shopping centers.  Walk your dog practicing "penalty yards."  Encourage strangers to pet your dog - however, your dog MUST be calm and four feet on the floor when greeting strangers. 

Be sure to keep a training diary (a small notebook  that you can fit into a pocket ) to record your dog's progress.  You will be asked to share progress and what you worked on in our next class!

Look for "Holiday Week Two" Homework in your e-mail box on December 30.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas!!