Trick of the Week: Perch

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#1
Ok, so I know I've failed at taking over this for Sara! Sorry guys! But since we're all getting hit by the crazy weather I figure it's a good time to get back on the horse!

I was looking back at our old Trick of the weeks and was reminded how much fun everyone had working on stalls and things so I figured I would bring that back, in a sense (also because I'm working on those and I saw Adrianne is putting Malinois on her back again).

So, Perch! Which I'm also using to mean on people (IE Stalls, back, legs, feet, etc.) if you so want but also on anything else like a stool, chair, cat tree, fire hydrant, tree etc. This helps core strength, balance and confidence. Also lends itself so well into many other tricks and behaviors if you dogs aren't afraid to get on weird or unstable objects. And can be used to work on impulse control and stays for people who've failed at teaching them all other ways *cough* me *cough*

Pick an object and get them on it! You can start with a wider base and move to a smaller base, you can add in some instability to it, work on duration or being able to do sit pretty, spin or stand up on said object, be creative!

Just remember that if your dog isn't used to this (and even if they're a veteran) to keep the sessions short, fun and safe. It's very physically taxing on them so just play smart!



"Live long and stand on things."
 
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#6
Yay! I keep wanting to do a perch on a fire hydrant but I never have the energy to find one. I'm going to seek! Sloan and Phelan are game. :)
Yay!

The hardest part about it is that it's so hard so when they slip it's very unforgiving. But, I'm lucky and have one in my front yard, everyone deserves their own fire hydrant to have their dogs stand on.

Can't wait to see them on it!
 

yv0nne

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#7
Penn can do this ..so can Briar. Perhaps I'll get a photo of Briar perched on Penny while she's perched on something. I really like the word perch.
 

Babyblue5290

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#8
I really don't post video's, but I swear I do follow the trick of the week and have been working on them! It just takes so long to post video's :(

I'll try to get one this week, Talon's working on a foot stall and perching on smaller objects, so I'll keep doing those. :)
 
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#10
Ok, here's where my footstall is at:

[YOUTUBE]tW431cADVYk[/YOUTUBE]

Didgie is doing it! I'm tickled with her and she's holding it more times than not. She still has to work on self control and not launching haphazardly but overall she's doing great.

I've gotten down from hiking boots to my barefoot running shoes (which as you can see have much less to them than boots).

And, the parts where Didgie is screaming and Traveler is barking is because I've started working Traveler up during it sometimes so that he has to keep his head while way excited. His biggest weakness is overstimulation so we're working on him keeping his brain even then.
 

AliciaD

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#11
Linds, I watched your video with the volume halfway. I looked over the edge of my laptop to find Cameron and Duncan both intently staring my way. The second the video was over they both put their heads down and took a nap, :rofl1:
 
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#12
So, Maisy is the champion of the perch at our house so far. She's so adorable because she started out by very gingerly pawing at the stool, but then once she got clicked for that it took her about two minutes to figure the rest of it out. I couldn't get a good picture of her standing on it but here she is up there, anyway.



Unfortunately, I thought Squash was hopping his back legs up on to the stool when he was actually hopping OVER it, and accidentally click/treated the hop. So he kept getting his front legs up, then hopping over it. Over and over. And over.

So we switched to a chair, where he's quite pleased with himself. Again, by the time I got the camera he sat down, but we'll work on holding a stand up there.




Pip will get his front legs up, but then he gets so excited because I DID SOMETHING he just sort of loses his mind. So baby steps with him. :p
 
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#13
Yay!! I love how proud they both look too. When you find Squash sitting at your kitchen table, it's not my fault.

Do you have an end goal/plan of action? Is your main goal him comfortable enough to stand?
 
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#14
Ha! He's not even ALLOWED in the kitchen! But our kitchen is too small for a table, anyway.

Anyway, yes I'd like him to get comfortable standing, and ideally I'd like to get him standing on that little stool if I ever convince him to leave this "hop over this stool" feedback loop behind him. Anything that can help his balance and core strength is something I'd like to add to his little home workout routine.
 
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#15
Ha! He's not even ALLOWED in the kitchen! But our kitchen is too small for a table, anyway.

Anyway, yes I'd like him to get comfortable standing, and ideally I'd like to get him standing on that little stool if I ever convince him to leave this "hop over this stool" feedback loop behind him. Anything that can help his balance and core strength is something I'd like to add to his little home workout routine.
If you kitchen is too small for a table I'm not sure Squash could fit in there to begin with.

It'll be great for them! I have stools and a balance ball that I make mine do positions on all the time and you can see their self awareness and body control sky rocket.
 
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#16
My kitchen is basically a glorified hallway.

Anyway, progress! I don't think we'll ever live up to your footstalls, but they're not koolies :p.

Today the stool was suddenly no longer for hopping over. I love when they "sleep on it" and then come back the next day to something like they knew it all along. :D

IGNORE MY FRUMPY PJS AND BED HAIR, PLEASE. I don't care enough to gussy up and retake video. :p

[YOUTUBE]9p_keBSMMi4[/YOUTUBE]

And Maisy.

[YOUTUBE]S2pKwe3cC4A[/YOUTUBE]
 
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#17
Look at them! Squash looks super comfortable already! And I agree, I absolutely love when they don't get it and you come back later and they're like "I can do this in my sleep."

Also, I'm pretty sure PJ's are a requirement for training video's.

Outside Foot stall!

 

Kootenay

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#18
Linds I LOVE that footstall picture of Traveler! So epic.

Here's our perch-ish work lately! Just pics, no video.





Maybe someday we will be able to do a footstall...that block is about the size of my two feet, so there is hope!
 
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#19
I love that picture of Traveler so much. And Onyx looks amazing.

And I wish I was physically capable of doing stalls with Squash. He would love them so much. sigh
 
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#20
That picture of her on your back is just stunning.

I was thinking about you when I put this ToTW up because last time I don't think you had Onyx and instead you were doing overs with Yarrow. I was excited that you got a smaller dog to play with this time around!

I'm telling you too, cinder blocks are the most useful things ever for dog training :rofl1:

She looks pretty comfortable on your back! Was that your goal or are you taking it farther? I'm slowly working on a shoulder stall with both Didgie and Traveler. It's slow going though getting the foot placement consistent.
 

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