Scent work with both girls

Can you find a tea bag?

I just read an article of different nose work things from Canis magazine. I have done some track work with all of my dogs but the idea of scent search in a room or car sounded just fantastic. So I took two tea bags, glass jar and clicker. I teach the dogs to smell from the glass jar to get a scent what they needed to find. First hiding places were really easy so that the dog almost founded immediately. As soon as the dog sniffed the target tea bag, I clicked and rewarded. After few tries Freya got the idea. Pixie and Louise had a problem of offering different tricks at first. It took few tries before they really started to search the scent.

After my dogs got the idea, I started to hide the tea bag to harder and harder places. I used sofa cushions as hiding place. I put the tea bag between them in different places and also under sofa pillows. These were pretty easy places. On our second day I started to use closed hiding places like cupboards and pen sharpener. In these cases dogs needed show me that they had found the target. I used laying down as a marker position. For this I gave a cue to the dog as she sniffed the target smell. Here are some videos of our work as girls have done this few times:

Nose Work and scent discrimination

This work also made me interested in a dog sport called Nose Work. This sport has been invented in the US and its coming to Finland. In Nose Work dog needs find certain scents from four different scenarios - car, box search, room search and open area. Dog needs to show it has found to scent and there can be more than one hide. This sport sounds super interesting so I have started our work in scent discrimination. At this point I have used tea smell and spices as scents. I just want to sold the idea to my dogs. On our first training I used two different scents and one scent as distraction. I built our set up from glass jars and holders. Here is video from our first training:



As we trained we used our new samples of freeze tried food from Orijen. Girls just loved it!! It very easy to use and hands were clean the whole time. Next we will try in training as energy food Orijen Adult Freeze dried food that you can solve in water. Here are girls with their super treats:

That's for now.. Our Nose Work scent are ordered so that work will start soon!! 

MLPF

So far story of Freya's running contact

Freya’s running contact project

I wanted make Freya a true running contact dog. I had tried to build running contact with Pixie but her strong 2on2off messed up the whole process. Freya was my empty canvas that didn't have any history on the contact obstacles. I had done work with box method and Silvia Trkman method. More or less I saw weak parts on both of them. Then I saw a video of Jenny Damm and Miss Lily’s contact training and their competition contacts, I was totally sold. They had fast contact but still a control after a contact zone. I started to watch their story from her YouTube Channel. Jenny had work on the contacts with little steps and change the reward ways on the way. This seemed to me our way too. Work little by little our in mind.

First problem I had that I didn't have access to planks or dog walk that I could lower alone. So I started everything with one contact piece and started to make her run the contact plank. I did this few times and then I changed it to a full size dog walk. Firsts few times I just made her climb the contact obstacle so that Freya could get used to it. Next I started make her run half of the dog walk and started to shaping her running style. I was first only on the front so that I could control rewards.  At first I used treats and a bowl. This way Freya has a bowl target but she got treats only from right performance. After her running was nice and low I added new criteria – she had to hit the contact zone as low as possible. I rewarded the right performances even if the speed wasn't super. I only change one criterion at the time. Speed wasn't my big concern I just waited it to build up later on when Freya gets more confidence.

Soon as she started to hit the contact zone from half of the dog walk I started to do the whole obstacle. This change rhythm a bit and we needed to clear the criterion a little bit. At this point I started to make straight runs on the whole dog walk to a toy target so that Freya would start build up speed. Second thing I started was turning cues to left and right. I used long jump mark poles in the in the dog walk to help her got the idea and also stop her from jumping of too early from the contact zone. I used the same turning cue that I had used jumping. This made easy for her to catch the idea.

When she learned run full dog walk, I also started to work on the A-frame. In A-frame work I just watched first her natural rhythm on the obstacle. This turned out to be a perfect two canter technique. Only thing I needed to do was not reward her too crazy contact performances. This meant jump from contact zone to contact zone with one leap. Right now I have been working on Freya rc performance in course work and also worked on different obstacle combination.  I do also do every now and then some run trough work with basic set ups so that I can click for sharp and accurate turn and hits on the contact zone. We will see how these contacts will last in competition drive. I have tried to do every different contact in new places to make her used to different situations. So far so good…… 

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That's all for now!!

MPLF

Training between sick days

It has been a very long time since an update to my blog. I have been sick for 1,5 months and I still have some symptoms of a flu. I hope it will start getting better and we get to finally start our agility season. I have lost a lot time of getting myself fit again. Dogs have also had again some vacation from work but we have done some progress in obedience with both of them.

Freya’s ob depute

It was so exciting to take another a new dog to its first trial. Freya had worked pretty well in training. She had had a problem with guidance person giving commands in standing in heel work.  I hoped that the problem was solved but it turned out to be our only mistake. Freya worked really well in the ring even though she really pulled me in with the leash. Ring entry really was our biggest homework from our first ob trial. Overall I was very pleased to see that Freya worked really well the whole time. 

Our next goal is a National Champion Ships. Freya will be part of team and she will compete again in the beginner class. We have been working on with our problem areas and also done some work with higher level tasks. It has been a pure joy working with her. She just wants to do her best and she learns super fast. I think this route to ob champion will be a cool one.

Scent discrimination

Freya has started her scent discrimination work with looking for a one bar that has been hidden in a grass or snow. Next step was to put more bars around own one. I did this first with a net so that the untouched ones were under a net. This went pretty well. Next I just tried what she would do if I put a lot bars on a sand field. Not a good idea! Freya took 3 bars at the same time in her mouth. I really needed reset the situation. Then I put the bars on a grass and hid the own bar. This time time she brought me first a wrong bar. This one I just ignored and I send her again to find the right one. This time she found the right one and I was trilled!!! Still a lot of work to do but I think I'm clearing the idea of scent discrimination to her. I hope at least.

Agility training

Both girls have worked on agility a little bit. Freya has done contact and jump work. In jumping we have sharped our skills in different handling maneuvers. She has had a little bit of problem of jumping smoothly in German turn. Her jumping from left canter is a little bit different but when changed her reward spot I could get the jumping technique that I wanted. Lots of little things to improve but Freya is doing agility courses pretty well. She starts to really feel like a competition dog.


Pixie has improved with her start line stays a lot. She have had a problem of leaving too early and I made her stop running courses every time she took too early. I used negative punishment as technique this means I took some that she wants away from her. I needed to do this in competitions and it cost me some serious money but we have finally results. She has been sitting nicely for a few competition weekends. This has been a very waited change. Our next target is bar work. I have planning of stopping her runs every time she drops bar. Pixie can be a little too careless with bar work. She has a super jumping style but sometimes she just don't take time to make a neat jump. So lots of work on that area.

Here is video of Pixie doing a nice run with one bar down:





That's all for now!! Just quick note after long brake!

MLPF

Obedience debut coming closer and closer

Freya heat is still not here so it looks like we are going to our first OB trial next week. Time just flied. We have been training our basic ob skills for last few weeks. Most inside in our living room- I have been sick again. Freya has been working really well and her attitude is just perfect. Our hardest task has been laying from healing. Sit and stand is much easier for her than laying down. It a bit odd problem for a bordercollie. Oh well something need to be challenging. Here are some video of our work:

Pixie has done some dog dancing work instead of ob. She has sometimes problems in concentration. Pixie might start doing multiple tricks and don't listen to my commands. So we have a big stimulus control problem. Although I do change our chain of tricks all the time. We have work on the control more to be able built a routine. I don't know will I have courage to enter her to a dog dancing competition in the future. I think it would be fun but I'm not a very skillful choreographer. Anyway here are some our trick we have been working on:




That's all for now!! Just a quick note.. I hope to have some agility update soon... I hope to get in running condition soon.

MLPF

Clicker Expo Europe 2015 here we come!!

I finally had the courage to enter myself to Clicker Expo Europe. This is an expensive investment but this gives change to learn from the best and meet new people. I have been dreamed of going to this event but never had the money but this time I just decided that I will just enter and save money for it. I hope that this would start a every year tradition. I hope to get also new tools to train my dogs and if I have to courage to start teaching as side job. This has been a little dream but I still think I don't know enough.

This week I have had a vacation. So lots of lazy time and some training. Freya did some nice ob in a new arena and with new dogs. Still some work to do before we are ready for our first ob competition. I have already entered her to a competition but her first heat hasn't started yet. So we will see do go to this competition. Freya has been working super in obedience. She learns super fast and she gets new task as whole chain really quickly. I have very high hope to her ob carrier.

It has been really nice to have time to take long walks and rest. This has been a nice week for all of us. We have taken many pack sleeps ( all dogs around me) and played silly games. Just lots of relaxing and doing things we don't have a proper time. Louise has had a bad fake pregnancy. She has been super mellow. I hope her hormones are soon gone and get my crazy perro back.

I also got to meet Vinka and Punssi's new pups. We took them to a puppy test and vet on Monday. They were really balanced and strong puppies. Especially Eino took my heart. He was really strong and brave. I think we will here from all them. It was nice to see puppies again. There is just so much you can learn from them. It is interesting to see what kind of adults they will be. Starting looks super! We will see how environment changes them. I have been writing a paper of epigenetics and behavior. This has been a hot topic in the last few years. Life can change our genetic outcome with epigenetic changes so that big stress effect can be inherited from parents. This has been given a totally new way to look at breeding choices. But more later on...

That's all for know!!!

Beautiful Spring to Everyone!

Evolving as a dog trainer

Cross-over trainer

I have started my dog training carrier from a working dog side where training methods were more or less force based.  I remember when I got advice how to correct misbehavior: say “no” and pull from choke chain. This did stop the misbehavior but it didn't make it disappear. This was the way to change the behavior of a dog that had dominance and leader issues. This was the first way I learned to handle dogs.  These advises were given by a top dog trainer that worked with trouble dogs. Today I see this as sad thing but this was how it was done about 10 years ago.

When skill ends violence begins. This phrase is true in many ways in animal training. I could say many of us have trip to this hole when working with dog. At least I have many times and I still do. When a dog pulls and I’m tired, I could pull from a leash to try to stop. Dog learns nothing but behavior stops at that moment. I hate this part in me. I know how to do this better much better. I should always take the time to do it the right way but in my mind I justify my actions with phrases like : I’m in hurry and we need walk certain distance or my hand hurts so badly that reactions comes before brain. Why is it hard to just stop and think before acting? This is a key thing when it comes to training. In everyday things many of us can’t be very consistent and we get this “trouble” behavior like pulling on leash or jumping on people. It is a weakness that many times animals pay the price.

In dog sports I have really have had an inner conversation. Why do we do it? How should we see the dog sports? Are the dogs really enjoying it? What would my dog choose if it had a change? I have developed a lot in my training skills since my first dog. I have learned a scientific way of training. This has opened a window to a real connection with my dog. These skills have made me better trainer but have I change as person? This has been the big question. I have been a very competitive person. This has sometimes resulted of taking the training time too long or asked the dog too much before it even knew what was ask for it. All this pressure from me leads to a point when founded that competitions weren't fun anymore nor was training. Why was this all happening?

I started to look another motivation to enhance my training skills and to become even better trainer. I think one of my eye opening courses was a chicken-dog course in Kangasala. There I got more tools to the answers I had especially in ob. I had had a problem of making some ob task super good. In this course I really started to realize that how much we have to do and think before we can do a good quality training. It this course opened my eyes to not see mistakes but to see thing that my dog didn't really know or was unsure. These tools helped me to develop as a trainer one more step. 

With Freya I have done ob totally with shaping and during this progress I have learned more about training dogs or other animals than I have learned since. Freya is a very sensitive dog but learns super fast. She really shows you what things she an idea of and what things she is still unsure. Freya has made me see every time beyond of seeing mistakes but really communicating with each other and really solving problems. Think-plan-do! I started to see training as a puzzle and a game of solving the puzzle as my treat in training.

Puzzle solving approach gave me a better view in the dog sports. I started to use this also in competition. Competitions became a game of puzzle solving. All this turned off my competitive nature. I started to become more relaxed and see my goal better. My goals were little things on agility course and prizes started to lose their appeal.  This is still an ongoing progress but I have started to become a better person to my dogs and I can see better how they communicate with me rather than the trophies or titles they can get. This development is a never ending story but I hope become a better trainer and a better competitor as I have changed my view in animal sports. I hope to change my ways also in horseback riding. This will be tested next week. Can I change my attitude and open a window to a better communication? Or do fall to old learned habit of using a whip as correction without listening first? 

That's all for now.....

MLPF

Criterion in shaping and some agility work with Freya

The criterion planing in training

I have just given lecture on the basics in clicker training. I noticed that one the hardest things where building up the criteria in training. Every task should built up from a little pieces and make it as whole with back chaining. This is a hard thing for everyone that uses shaping as a training tool. Each part of the task should be built as well as you want it to be when it’s ready to a cue to it. People have usually a hurry to make all together and forget the little parts that can make difference in the end performance.  

So how to break down for example an obedience task of a box to little pieces? First you must have a vision how it should look like. If you haven’t seen a box task done in whole, it could be good idea to go to an ob competition to watch high level dogs doing it. This vision helps you to build your own version of it. Of course you must read the rules how this task is scored. Let’s start the process of back chaining.

1.       dog must have good recall and this must done while you are moving

a.       start with recalls so that the dog is sideways to you and you are standing

b.      then do same from a slow walk

c.       increase the distance and do from different angles

d.      start rewarding only fast runs to your side

2.       The place in the box

a.       Teach to dog a right place in the box with touch pad or shaping or etc.

b.      Do sending to the right place from different angles of the boc

                   i.      Reward only tries that the dog takes right position from the first try

c.       Start to make distance

d.       Make the position changes from sending

3.       Marked circle

a.       teach the dog run to a target -> give cue for running straight

b.      do stop first away from running to make sure to cue works

c.       introduce the stop to going straight

d.      change between running to a target and stopping on the way so that the dog doesn’t start to anticipate the stop

                 i.      if the dog slows dog when it’s running to target just ignore try

        ii.      remember to change distances to the target

All these parts can be started at the same time. When they are as good as you want them to be you can start to put them together. Remember when you start put these part together the dog performance might deteriorate but it will soon come together when it has had few repeats.  All these parts should still trained separately to keep the performance at its best and breaking the parts in the even smaller places you can sharpen the performance to its perfection.

Whatever you start to train remember that you can improve only one criterion at the time. If you want to improve speed in coming to your side you must lower your standards in position. Animals can’t understand multiple criterions at the same time so must have good training plan which part of task are planning to improve.

So have vision of perfect performance. Break it to parts. Keep it simple – only one criterion at the time. Put it all together and enjoy the beauty of you and dogs hard work! Training as itself needs lot of planning to get the best results but to see how the dog has it light bulb moments and learn what is wanted of him is worth all the work. Remember to have a lot of fun while you train. Learning is never ending story for you and your dog.

Balance on obstacle focus - Haven't gone as planned 

I just noticed today that I have taught Freya to love more contacts than tunnels. Usually dog are tunnel crazies but our rc training has made love more contact obstacles than tunnels. It was so funny today when she tried to climb the A-frame even though she needed go around me to get there. I was trying to make her go to a tunnel under the A-frame.  Just a little stop to her work and some shaping work in place. It took a few times before she started offer the tunnel. This tunnel was short and dark colored. Freya ran few times under the A-frame but not into the tunnel.

Second tunnel challenge was a away turn from me to a tunnel. Freya came to the tunnel on sideway line so she needed to do a 180 degree turn into the tunnel. There was a jump near the tunnel entry which had a jump near it. She jumped it with different ways for few times before she “saw” the tunnel. This was also exercise that showed that Freya had done too less tunnel work to really have good drive seek them. So we need to more work in that area. I have been lucky enough to trained two dogs that haven’t have any obstacle preference. This time I have done a contact crazy dog.

That's all for now!

MLPF