So today's post isn't really about training, more just a glimpse into what life is like with my crazy dog.
On this morning's warm winter walk we came across a big ball of snow in the grass. It looked like some kids had started to make a snowman and then gave up after one ball. It was about 2 feet across. We were maybe 10 feet away from the ball when Juneau started acting very strangely. Then when Lucy stopped to pee in front of the ball, I realized it was actually the snowball Juneau was reacting too.
I petted her and tried to get her to walk closer to it, but she was terrified. At first she tried to protect me from it and was growling and barking under her breath. (It think the barking with the mouth closed is a mastiff thing.) Then she decided we were too close, "screw mommy!" and she hid behind me instead.
Normally I would make her go up and see the object isn't scary. That's how I have dealt with fear of traffic cones, trash cans, an abandoned water heater with balloons tied to it, etc. Let her sniff it and see that is doesn't move and maybe put a treat on it. But for some reason the snowball was worse than those things. Unfortunately it will probably be gone by the time I get home (or at least much smaller) so I may not get my training exercise out of it.
I guess I'll be building big snowballs next time it snows . . .
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Small Attention Achievement
This morning we went for a short walk (because it is 18 degrees!) and my main goal was just to get her to remember to heel, despite snow and kids playing and people shoveling.
We started out with nothing. Distractions overwhelmed her and she couldn't stay next to me at all. But then after I stopped 5 times in 5 steps, she remembered that she has to walk next to me to move forward (and also I have those tasty bacon treats in my coat pocket.) Then we started to walk and she got better and better. She remembered that she was suppose to look at me periodically, and then I only treated her for walking next to me AND looking at my face. Then she kept trying to get me to treat her, and she paid much better attention. SCIENCE!
At the end of the walk, we practiced "look" about 15 feet away from the neighbor's kids playing in the snow. (She is scared of kids and barks at them.) She sat and took the treats and I could get about 5 in before she looked back at the kids. So then I would say "look" again, and get another 5 treats in there. So step one of the distractions worked! I can get her to look at me when a low level fear is about 15 feet away.
Feeling pretty good about my minor hurdle today, since learning has been a little slow lately.
Also, one funny thing happened: Juneau started limping with one back foot on our walk. When I picked it up to look, she had slush crammed in between her toes! My first thought "this is like when horses get snow in their shoes!" She just does't have that toe fur like other more winterized dogs. Maybe she needs booties!
We started out with nothing. Distractions overwhelmed her and she couldn't stay next to me at all. But then after I stopped 5 times in 5 steps, she remembered that she has to walk next to me to move forward (and also I have those tasty bacon treats in my coat pocket.) Then we started to walk and she got better and better. She remembered that she was suppose to look at me periodically, and then I only treated her for walking next to me AND looking at my face. Then she kept trying to get me to treat her, and she paid much better attention. SCIENCE!
At the end of the walk, we practiced "look" about 15 feet away from the neighbor's kids playing in the snow. (She is scared of kids and barks at them.) She sat and took the treats and I could get about 5 in before she looked back at the kids. So then I would say "look" again, and get another 5 treats in there. So step one of the distractions worked! I can get her to look at me when a low level fear is about 15 feet away.
Feeling pretty good about my minor hurdle today, since learning has been a little slow lately.
Also, one funny thing happened: Juneau started limping with one back foot on our walk. When I picked it up to look, she had slush crammed in between her toes! My first thought "this is like when horses get snow in their shoes!" She just does't have that toe fur like other more winterized dogs. Maybe she needs booties!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Snow!
I was reminded twice today that I haven't posted in a week. Between an amazingly stressful week at work, and it being so very cold outside, I haven't had time to do focused training or post! I'm still here and we are still motivated!
Let me start by saying that just because I haven't had any "training sessions" doesn't mean she isn't being trained. I focus on my behavior, and by extension her behavior, every single day. The little moments in my day where I used to think "my dog is hopeless" have disappeared. By working on "saying please" Juneau knows she has something to try when she doesn't know what to do. So instead of jumping up on me, she can try sitting to get the thing in my hand or get let outside, or whatever she wants.
Overall, the jumping has decreased dramatically since I started this program of thought. And when she does jump on me, it is because I am holding her ball and we are about to go play catch and she hasn't had any exercise yet that day. (Really intense for a 2 year-old dog to be good when they haven't had any release.) I hope in the early spring that we can buy a house with a back yard, so more exercise can happen on a day-to-day basis without always involving me and a leash.
One funny thing happened this morning regarding memory: It snowed last night. When Juneau was a baby and we were housebreaking her, I wanted going to the bathroom outside to be the greatest thing ever. So when she did her business outside, she got a cookie and we would kick snow for her. She loves to jump up and catch it in the air. So this morning she pees and then sits really quickly and looks at my face, then my feet, then my face; back at forth. She was reminding me to kick snow, which no one had done for her since March! (I did of course and she was ecstatic!)
I have also decided that enough time has passed that I need to read the two training books again. I need a refresher to make sure we are still headed down the path we started on. While I'm sad that improvements aren't coming in leaps and bounds anymore, I am so excited that we got past the "I can't take this" hurdle. My goal is to begin the dog-related training in the spring, since it is pretty simple to avoid strange dogs all winter long. By then I expect us to be quite good at "watch me" with minor distractions.
Let me start by saying that just because I haven't had any "training sessions" doesn't mean she isn't being trained. I focus on my behavior, and by extension her behavior, every single day. The little moments in my day where I used to think "my dog is hopeless" have disappeared. By working on "saying please" Juneau knows she has something to try when she doesn't know what to do. So instead of jumping up on me, she can try sitting to get the thing in my hand or get let outside, or whatever she wants.
Overall, the jumping has decreased dramatically since I started this program of thought. And when she does jump on me, it is because I am holding her ball and we are about to go play catch and she hasn't had any exercise yet that day. (Really intense for a 2 year-old dog to be good when they haven't had any release.) I hope in the early spring that we can buy a house with a back yard, so more exercise can happen on a day-to-day basis without always involving me and a leash.
One funny thing happened this morning regarding memory: It snowed last night. When Juneau was a baby and we were housebreaking her, I wanted going to the bathroom outside to be the greatest thing ever. So when she did her business outside, she got a cookie and we would kick snow for her. She loves to jump up and catch it in the air. So this morning she pees and then sits really quickly and looks at my face, then my feet, then my face; back at forth. She was reminding me to kick snow, which no one had done for her since March! (I did of course and she was ecstatic!)
I have also decided that enough time has passed that I need to read the two training books again. I need a refresher to make sure we are still headed down the path we started on. While I'm sad that improvements aren't coming in leaps and bounds anymore, I am so excited that we got past the "I can't take this" hurdle. My goal is to begin the dog-related training in the spring, since it is pretty simple to avoid strange dogs all winter long. By then I expect us to be quite good at "watch me" with minor distractions.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
On Treat Delivery
I wanted to answer Sue's question here so that other people might be helped too. The answer is yes, I had that same problem.
The key is not to LURE her with the treat, otherwise she won't do it when she can't see "the goods" and decide it it is worth it. Always have a couple of treats on hand and always have them hidden from view. In the pocket, behind your back. I use the marker word "yes" when Juneau does something right in order to buy myself the two seconds to get the treat out of my pocket.
Step one, wait for her to look at your face. Your just hanging out and she's going to look at your face eventually even by accident. If nothing happens after a long time and you get bored, make a little kissy noise with your lips. Don't do that more than 5 times or so, or it becomes a lure too. Just looking near your face even. Then the second she looks at your face, that very second, say "yes" or click if you have a clicker. Then give her the treat.
The first few times it feels very awkward and you are sure she isn't learning, but if your timing is right with the marker word she will learn "that right there is why you got the treat". Then you shape it. She doesn't get the treat unless she looks you square in the eyes. Then you can start to say "watch" and she'll learn what the word means (like 5 sessions later). Start in a 100% distraction free place, indoors, no other dog, no tv. Start SUPER small so she wins the treat, and use lots of treats. Then move up to the real world, watch me while I'm on the couch, watch me on our front steps. Make sure it is just a tiny step more difficult each time, and also keep doing the easy times.
Basically that's how I even got to be at the very beginning with Juneau where I am now. Good luck!
The key is not to LURE her with the treat, otherwise she won't do it when she can't see "the goods" and decide it it is worth it. Always have a couple of treats on hand and always have them hidden from view. In the pocket, behind your back. I use the marker word "yes" when Juneau does something right in order to buy myself the two seconds to get the treat out of my pocket.
Step one, wait for her to look at your face. Your just hanging out and she's going to look at your face eventually even by accident. If nothing happens after a long time and you get bored, make a little kissy noise with your lips. Don't do that more than 5 times or so, or it becomes a lure too. Just looking near your face even. Then the second she looks at your face, that very second, say "yes" or click if you have a clicker. Then give her the treat.
The first few times it feels very awkward and you are sure she isn't learning, but if your timing is right with the marker word she will learn "that right there is why you got the treat". Then you shape it. She doesn't get the treat unless she looks you square in the eyes. Then you can start to say "watch" and she'll learn what the word means (like 5 sessions later). Start in a 100% distraction free place, indoors, no other dog, no tv. Start SUPER small so she wins the treat, and use lots of treats. Then move up to the real world, watch me while I'm on the couch, watch me on our front steps. Make sure it is just a tiny step more difficult each time, and also keep doing the easy times.
Basically that's how I even got to be at the very beginning with Juneau where I am now. Good luck!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Not til a Hot January
Today's walk was amazing! I could not have asked for a better end to a very stressful day at work. I love my dog!
When I got home it was 45 degrees outside. Lucy didn't need any exercise so I set out for a long, focused, training walk with Juneau. She was great. She even started looking at me when we walked like those perfect Labradors. The key was low distractions (squirrels go to sleep after dark and the neighbors don't walk their dogs) and new bacon-flavored training treats. The high value treats vs dog food made all the difference.
When I stopped, she stopped and sat dead next to me and looked at my face. If I stopped because she was ahead of me, she backed up and sat right next to me and looked at my face. So many treats were had! You could really see her trying to figure out how to get more treats out of me! "If I walk with her and look at her face, she gives me treats! She stopped. Hmmm. If I sit down I sometimes get treats. No . . . hmmmm. What if I look at her too. Treat!" It was amazing.
We also tried "Watch" outside for the first time. Basically I say "Juneau Watch" and she has to sit and look at my face while I stuff treats in her mouth. The first time I could only get one in before she looked away, but by the end of the walk, I pumped 5 treats into her when I said it. This will lead to me being able to get her to pay attention to me instead of other dogs but right now it is just instead of nature. (All distractions are hard for this girl!)
When I got home it was 45 degrees outside. Lucy didn't need any exercise so I set out for a long, focused, training walk with Juneau. She was great. She even started looking at me when we walked like those perfect Labradors. The key was low distractions (squirrels go to sleep after dark and the neighbors don't walk their dogs) and new bacon-flavored training treats. The high value treats vs dog food made all the difference.
When I stopped, she stopped and sat dead next to me and looked at my face. If I stopped because she was ahead of me, she backed up and sat right next to me and looked at my face. So many treats were had! You could really see her trying to figure out how to get more treats out of me! "If I walk with her and look at her face, she gives me treats! She stopped. Hmmm. If I sit down I sometimes get treats. No . . . hmmmm. What if I look at her too. Treat!" It was amazing.
We also tried "Watch" outside for the first time. Basically I say "Juneau Watch" and she has to sit and look at my face while I stuff treats in her mouth. The first time I could only get one in before she looked away, but by the end of the walk, I pumped 5 treats into her when I said it. This will lead to me being able to get her to pay attention to me instead of other dogs but right now it is just instead of nature. (All distractions are hard for this girl!)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Freezing Tuesday
Ok, I'm not going to lie to you, I did nothing with Juneau yesterday. It was only 10 degrees by the time I got home and it was so windy! I cooked dinner and I worked from home for a bit and then we watched tv. Not going to improve the dog, but at least I didn't make her worse.
I'm not going to feel bad because stuff happens and the weather is bad. Long term goals! Plus I'll probably have to work from home again tonight.
I'm not going to feel bad because stuff happens and the weather is bad. Long term goals! Plus I'll probably have to work from home again tonight.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Things I Learned This Weekend
So after 3 days in the kennel this weekend Juneau forgot pretty much everything. I was jumped on a lot on Monday night and our walk this morning was awkward, slow and she pulled a lot. This evening, in the freezing cold, we are going to start again at zero. Hopefully we will get above zero faster than we did the first time. At least I know the walk won't be very long in 20 degree weather (if it even stays that "warm" once the sun sets.)
Work is going to be very stressful this week, so I'm going to have to fight hard to get Juneau-time worked in. I'm hoping we can at least do a few indoor exercises after work and then do some drills when it warms up this weekend.
Happy New Year!
Work is going to be very stressful this week, so I'm going to have to fight hard to get Juneau-time worked in. I'm hoping we can at least do a few indoor exercises after work and then do some drills when it warms up this weekend.
Happy New Year!
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