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Obedience Information
The information on these web pages is meant to be used
by my students in conjunction with my classes.

 

:: Equipment ::
Nice articles and dumbbells
MAX 200 more obedience stuff :-)
More articles & More
Canadian articles & dumbells
More articles

:: Feeding Information ::
BARF raw feeding web site

 

:: How to figure out the lessons for the week ::

Code Topic Covered
1 Heeling & Handling = Pivots
2 Retrieve = Gloves + Broad jump +other jumps
3 ~Front & Finish = Articles
4 ~Heeling/Attention = Go Outs
5 ~Stay - Sit/Down/Stand = Come an Get it Game
6 ~Jumping/ Heeling = Directed Jumping/Open
7 ~Fun Match
8 Signal/ Drop/ Trick night

 

Thanks to all that made it possible - Dale Gordon, Dawn Jecs, Patty Ruzzo.

 

:: Points to remember with food training ::

  1. · Always reinforce behavior that you like.
  2. · Ignore behavior you don't like or want.
  3. · Don't only rely on the food as your primary motivator.
    • · Pet your dog.
    • · Verbal praise = words like "excellent", "superb" are exciting.
    • · Need an "Event Marker" decide on your marker word or sound for your dog that means food will come and the action they did is exactly what you wanted. You take a picture of an action that the dog is doing that you like.
    • · "Event Marker"
      Teach the dog what the event marker is - I first use the word or sound then give food. "Yes" treat (even if the dog is looking away). I repeat this for several repetitions in lots of different locations. You know that the dog understands the "Marker" when they look at you for the cookie when you use it.
    • · Play with your dog.
    • · We use Operant Conditioning.
      Work with your dog to get behaviors that you want. We want to create a relationship such that your dog will offer behavior to get reinforcement. Around the house with my young dogs I decide on a behavior that I would like to shape or create - i.e. down. I watch the puppy and reinforce all down behaviors that I can. You know you are on the right track when the puppy starts offering the behavior. At that time the behavior needs to have a cue word added - i.e. down. Then you only reinforce when you say "down" and the dog does it. I reinforce even a delayed response at first. I then only reinforce for quicker responses.
    • · Teach the dog to touch your hand
      • · This is the first thing I teach to my dogs to show them that they can try things to get food reinforcement.
      • · I present my hand to the dog and wait till the dog looks at my hand or touches my hand with their nose. Then I use the "Marker" then a cookie. I will do this till the dog understands that when the hand is presented that they should touch with their nose.
      • · Variable and unpredictable. I will still use my "Marker" for good work but not give a cookie for every touch. This will create a dog that will begin to offer more behavior in the teaching stage. This is very important if you are not getting increased behavior you may be reinforcing for every action the dog takes.
      • · The goal of this exercise is that the dog will follow your hand as if you have food in it. Step by step I build the dog following my hand and getting reinforcement.
    • · Have fun - laugh and relax with your dog.

:: Exercises to cover ::

  1. Building Drive for the food.
    Confidence in Heeling.
  2. Straight line heeling.
    • Need to get the food away from being a lure.
    • If the dog looks away slow down or stop.
    • When feeding in heeling stop then feed.
  3. Add rights and or about turns.
    • Need to slow down in turns and not use the food as lure.
    • Slow baby steps.
    • Feet together and knees together.
    • Consistent footwork.
  4. Sit, down and stand.
    • Signal and Verbal.
  5. Stationary attention
  6. Position work
    • Get it up
    • Get it back
    • Close
    • Get away
  7. Fronts
    • Scoot fronts.
    • Standing side fronts
    • Unders
    • Hand position on fronts. Be sure you gradually move position.
    • Proofing fronts.
  8. Finishes
    • Swing.
    • Around.
  9. Glove exercise get the cookie.
  10. Jumping
  11. Mouth tolerance.
  12. Food exchange, Retrieve.
  13. Stays
    • Building tension
    • Food tension
    • Food in front.
  14. Recalls
  15. Articles.
  16. Go outs.
  17. Come and Get it. Throw food and then call your dog.
  18. Backing
    • Get it in
    • Backing down.
  19. Break down Figure 8.
    • To the left.
    • To the right

:: More Obedience Information ::
Stays - Sit, Down , Stand - Come and Get it.