So, I appologize that I haven't updated you all on my dogs training. I am in class, but I will try to update you as much as possible.
I tried a systematic training plan, only for find out that is so not me! I can only work totally random and spontaneously, so that's what I am going to do. Why try something I obviously can't do? So I work with my dogs whenever I am at home. Sometimes it's tricks, or fun obedience, or strength training, or conditioning, it's whatever comes to my mind and I think needs work. I try to keep some notes so I can see their progress, but that hasn't happened in weeks! Whoops!
Anyways, my last update was forever ago, so I am just gonna list the new tricks they have learned and where they are at as far as their training...
Skye:
Target - knows completely
Walk on my feet (from front) - is doing great with this. She is still learning where to place her feet, but it getting good at it and does good at staying on while I walk.
Tall (stand on back feet) - she used to know this, but the reason I am retraining it is because she learned this but then I quickly started teaching her to dance (spin in a circle while standing on back feet) and now when I ask for a tall I always get a dance. So I am just distinguishing the difference, and she is doing good.
Balance ball work - She has learned to get on the egg ball and does lefts and rights, sit, down, stand, hi five, other paw, sit pretty and call kinds of other tricks on the ball. I just got a round ball about the size of the egg and she is doing awesome with that as well. It is a bit more of a challenge, but she is doing great. She is learning to stand tall on the ball (with my help of course) to build core strength.
Bow - we are finishing and polishing this trick, she knows it but we are adding a cute thing to it.
Get your nose - this is an adorable trick, she is slowly but surely getting a hang of this. She understands the general idea of what to do, we just need to be more consistent, stop using the prop, add a command, and polish it.
Indie:
Target - knows completely
Cross your legs - we have done one session with this. I don't really like how I'm training it, I might find another way before continuing. She didn't really get it.
Balance Ball work - She also knows sit, stand, down, left, right, pretty, hi five and whatever else on the egg ball. We are working with the round ball and she is doing great. She is the biggest dog so she has some issues with turning on the ball, but she is getting better.
Bow - she is learning, but keeps wanting to lie down.
Clicker training yay! - I am starting to do some clicker training with her. We are just learning what the click is, getting used to it, and she is learning click=treat always.
Walk on my feet (from front) - She has done this a few times and is so goofy that I think it is going to take some time. She is so over the top when training that she like spins and flips all over when we do this. She is such a goof ball!
Swift:
Target - knows completely
Push it (ball) - she knows this completely. For a dog that was afraid of the awkwardness of the volleyball and terrified of the movement, she offers this trick all the time. She runs up and pushes the ball with her nose and is starting to use her feet, it is so cute! I'm very proud of her.
Crawl - she has done the best with this out of all my dogs. she rarely stands up and is eager to crawl. She has only just started this, so I expect it will take some time.
Tall - She is doing good with this. She knows what to do, we are now slowly extending the time she stands up. She needs a command on this as well.
Balance Ball Work - She knows sit, down, stand, left, right, tall, pretty, and whatever else on the egg and is also going to the rounder ball and doing great. I was so proud of how quickly and how eager she was to do this! I can hardly keep her off the ball! She loves it so much. My scaridy cat dog loves this, I was amazed.
Swift's Jumping work: We are doing mainly tricks, but have introduced jumping. She is doing mainly flat work and has started learning a round jumping style. We are going to start cik&cap from Silva Trkman soon and will then transfer that to jumps and go back up to full height in a month or so. She hates stationary work so the faster we learn cik&cap the better!
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This blog is all about me and my dog training. I focus on positive reinforcement and shaping to make training fun and exciting. I encourage my dogs to think through each process & to learn that failure is okay. The training you will read about will include anything from obedience to agility to tricks and new stuff we are trying! I hope you enjoy & feel free to contact me! I do offer training services including group obedience, foundation agility, and private lessons.
About Agile Paws Training
Agile Paws - K9s & Agility is run by me, Christin Fritzler (Swetnam). I am a small town farmer's wife in Northern Colorado who has been training dogs and competing in agility for 10 years. I currently have 5 dogs of my own, 4 of which are active agility dogs. Cody, Indie, Millie, Aleo, & Yahzi.
This blog was created to show people the process of my training methods, thoughts and ideas I have, and general doggie fun. It will show day by day videos and/or blogs about what we have done and our progress. Here is a little bit about why I chose this method and what this method is about.
I first decided to completely change my method of training when my oldest agility dog almost completely shut down. She seemed very depressed and was not excited to run in agility. She started to slow down and would pass by obstacles and blow me off. I could see it in her eyes and she was no longer enjoying herself. This is when I decided to change the way I trained. (This was about 7 years ago with my first competitive
While researching, my friend, Hannah, gave me a link to Silvia Trkman's website to learn how she gets her famous running contacts. I was so inspired by all she has achieved and the dedication she has to her dogs that I looked further into her training. I was so amazed by her success that I began looking up more World competitors. I also looked on Clean Run for some videos or books by famous handlers. I came across Susan Garrett's 2x2 weave training. I didn't know much about it, but it really caught my eye. In February 2009, I got her DVD and watched the whole thing. The way she trains her dogs made so much sense to me. If you punish a dog for something they don't understand, it only makes them not want to work for fear of failure. Teaching them that failing is okay is something we teach children, so why wouldn't we want to teach our dogs that!?
The method I am using is commonly known as positive reinforcement and shaping. For some tricks, I may have to shown the dog what I want, but for others it is something that they can figure out on their own. It works by introducing the dog slowly and encouraging any kind of behavior that may lead to the final trick you want to accomplish. You then begin challenging their minds by asking for more. This teaches the dog to think through each process and keep thinking about what I want and how to get that treat or toy.
Instead of corrections when the dog makes a mistake, a laugh or a "whoops!" or "oh no, try it again!" with a still happy, but not praising voice will teach the dog that failing isn't bad, but it isn't what is wanted either. They then try again and if they make the mistake, do the same thing. This will teach them that training and working is fun and failure is okay. They learn that if they do something wrong, it's okay, just try again and when it is right, they will get the toy or treat. When they catch on, they will continually repeat what is wanted with joy and pleasure because the behavior was reinforced, not corrected.
I have been training this way since I first learned about it and have had tremendous success! All my dogs LOVE training and love me and it's so fun for all of us. I can have all my dogs off leash together on the farm and they are all looking at me for something to do because they know how fun and rewarding working with me is. This is so much better than correcting a dog for every little mistake.
This blog was created to show people the process of my training methods, thoughts and ideas I have, and general doggie fun. It will show day by day videos and/or blogs about what we have done and our progress. Here is a little bit about why I chose this method and what this method is about.
I first decided to completely change my method of training when my oldest agility dog almost completely shut down. She seemed very depressed and was not excited to run in agility. She started to slow down and would pass by obstacles and blow me off. I could see it in her eyes and she was no longer enjoying herself. This is when I decided to change the way I trained. (This was about 7 years ago with my first competitive
agility dog - Skye).
While researching, my friend, Hannah, gave me a link to Silvia Trkman's website to learn how she gets her famous running contacts. I was so inspired by all she has achieved and the dedication she has to her dogs that I looked further into her training. I was so amazed by her success that I began looking up more World competitors. I also looked on Clean Run for some videos or books by famous handlers. I came across Susan Garrett's 2x2 weave training. I didn't know much about it, but it really caught my eye. In February 2009, I got her DVD and watched the whole thing. The way she trains her dogs made so much sense to me. If you punish a dog for something they don't understand, it only makes them not want to work for fear of failure. Teaching them that failing is okay is something we teach children, so why wouldn't we want to teach our dogs that!?
The method I am using is commonly known as positive reinforcement and shaping. For some tricks, I may have to shown the dog what I want, but for others it is something that they can figure out on their own. It works by introducing the dog slowly and encouraging any kind of behavior that may lead to the final trick you want to accomplish. You then begin challenging their minds by asking for more. This teaches the dog to think through each process and keep thinking about what I want and how to get that treat or toy.
Instead of corrections when the dog makes a mistake, a laugh or a "whoops!" or "oh no, try it again!" with a still happy, but not praising voice will teach the dog that failing isn't bad, but it isn't what is wanted either. They then try again and if they make the mistake, do the same thing. This will teach them that training and working is fun and failure is okay. They learn that if they do something wrong, it's okay, just try again and when it is right, they will get the toy or treat. When they catch on, they will continually repeat what is wanted with joy and pleasure because the behavior was reinforced, not corrected.
I have been training this way since I first learned about it and have had tremendous success! All my dogs LOVE training and love me and it's so fun for all of us. I can have all my dogs off leash together on the farm and they are all looking at me for something to do because they know how fun and rewarding working with me is. This is so much better than correcting a dog for every little mistake.
Followers
Blog Archive
About Me
- agilepaws
- I am a dog lover with a passion for dog training and agility. I've spent years working with different training methods and focus mainly on positive reinforcement and shaping. I am a mother of a beautiful daughter and 5 amazing dogs. I am married to the man of my dreams and live on 300 acres of luscious farm land. I battle with several autoimmune disorders which have a huge impact on my life but am doing my best to conquer the challenge. I live for my God, my family, and my dogs and want to spread the joy around the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment