Blue and Teeny training 7/5/09

FINALLY we had a non-rainy day. AMAZING!!

We took a break from grip work and decided to have some fun and do some sends.

Here the commentary is to teach my friend, Liisa, how to decoy. I am VERY happy with Blue's progress on understanding the "out" command.

And Teeny is momma's hardcore princess. I just adore her.

I like the "your a douche" at the end of Teeny's vid. LOL

Looking good!! Hope we can make it out in August!!!!

LOL Well she WAS being a douche!! Basically if you watch the end of the vid I wasn't behind her, she kept side stepping me. I was supposed to be pulling tight on the leash (iepposition reflex, causing her to pile in and get a fuller grip), but since I couldn't get behind her I couldn't pull tight enough. She's a pest. I adore her

i like your videos, and if you don't mind, i'm going to give a bit of constructive advice here.

if you were working on grip before,i'm assuming there is some issue with the grip??? if not, maybe i'm way off, but i also get the impression there is some issue with the "out" as well since you say he's progressing. and by issues, I don't mean there is necessarily a problem, just that you are working thru the stages of teaching, it's not a finished product yet.

This is in regards to the first video, I haven't watched the second. I see you making some conflict with your dog. The decoy is still fighting and moving with the sleeve when you tell you dog to out. and that is perfectly fine for a dog that has no grip issues and is in a point in training where they have to learn that out is out no matter what.

BUT for dogs with grip issues or learning the out and grip work, the picture should be very clear at first for better understanding. A fighting helper or moving helper is fair game to get full hard grips, and there are ways to make that better. When it is time for the out, the helper must be completely neutral before any command is given.

Of course doing it this way sometimes results in a dog cueing off the helpers actions and doing an "automatic" out when he stops, but there are things to do to prevent that and IMO it's much easier to deal with that and not let it become a problem, than outing a dog off a fighting helper before they are absolutely clear on the exercise.

giving an out to early before the dog is clear and the helper is ready can undo grip work very quickly. Make sense? Like I said, I like your videos, things look good, just something I noticed.

does she always do that? How is she when you come in close?

RTH, we *just* started with the out and Blue is getting it very quickly. Since he was outing off of a frozen decoy we attempted to out off of a slightly moving decoy, okay he didn't do it, too soon, no big deal, decoy froze and was given the command again. An issue with conflict would have been if the decoy continued to fight my dog and I screamed "out" and corrected while the decoy was still fighting. All that is going on in that video is we attempted an out while there was still fight, didn't work, backed up and outed off of a frozen decoy. No biggy.

As far as the grip work, IMHO too many dogs have grip problems because in most sports they do not focus on grip. Since it's been raining for over a month we've just done grip work inside on a box specifically built for grip work. All dogs can improve their grips, especially in the beginning stages.

And no, Teeny doesn't always move away from me. We are working on her issues with standing on people while on the bite (she has no issue with other surfaces) and just happened to keep moving away. She is fine when I come in close, I can touch her, talk to her, stand in back of, next to, or in front of her when working. This was merely an issue with standing on people.

i was just pointing out what I saw, and no conflict doesn't just come from screaming and correcting while fighting. I pointed it out so you don't do it anymore. Telling a dog that is learning the out to out while in a fight is a sure fire way to create conflict, especially with a dog that isn't solid on the "out". he's hearing "'out" and his mind says hang on that's conflict, and will manifest itself later in the out and other areas of work. Just FYI, take it for what you will, just trying to help.

They are awesome dogs! Teeny is one hard core bitch! LOL!

Teeny & Blue look great. I always look forward to seeing them in action.

I laughed at the same thing

Blue's bark is sounding a bit more Teeny-ish in that vid :rofl1:

what i did notice...

both of them were happy wagging and enjoying themselves...
and for me that is key...yes its bite work ect...
but ANY sport should be enjoyable

awesome vids