"Ah-ha" Moments...

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Postby TheRedQueen » February 10th, 2011, 9:16 am

Could we have a sticky for those little "Ah-ha" moments in training...kind of a training "random thoughts"...for those little moments that don't warrant a whole thread devoted to them. lol

Not big enough moments for brags, but just little training things that make us happy?

For instance, yesterday, Figment held still for nail trimming! He's usually pretty good, but there's always a bit of wiggling. He can't work the nail file board, because of the way his feet are shaped, so I still have to trim his nails. This was the first time there was little to no wiggling! :D
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby amalie79 » February 10th, 2011, 9:34 am

I love this idea!

Those little breakthroughs make it all worth it-- they sort of keep you going, especially when training seems to be at a standstill.

I actually had a similar one the other day. Robin is scared of the nail clippers, so I've been teaching her to target them with her paw. The other day, I got the clippers out and when she saw them she sat on the floor and gave me her paw. I was able to actually nick the ends off a few nails with zero fuss! :dance:
"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.
Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

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Postby TheRedQueen » February 10th, 2011, 9:58 am

Thanks for making it a sticky! :)

And YEA Robin! :)
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby FAB dogs » February 10th, 2011, 6:35 pm

Fenway's had a breakthrough, or rather it's like a switch has flipped in him. T

oday was the first morning he didn't start barking in the crate 10 minutes before my alarm goes off. I swear he does it because he knows I'm going to get up so he thinks barking=mom gets up=release from the crate. For the past month I've been increasingly late for work because I stay in bed longer waiting for him to stop barking.

Yesterday afternoon I took him to the vet and he didn't bark or act like a lunatic when he saw other dogs. Even when a labradoodle barked at him and a coonhound came right up and got into his face. He was a little fussy when the vet tried to look at his teeth, and he didn't like to be restrained for his blood draw, but overall he was good. Okay, so the vet suggested prozac for him but I think he was kidding. :) All I know is I almost ended up with a concussion because of his tail smacking me in the face while he was on the exam table.

Last night I took him to training class and for the first time since we started three weeks ago, he didn't bark or act like a lunatic in the building. We didn't have to stand behind the partition at all. He stayed focused on me during distractions, did some recalls and loose leash walking (okay, so one recall ended with him trying to make friends with a poodle), and was overall a totally different dog. The instructor even asked where Fenway was because he wasn't the same dog.

I have no idea what has clicked in his head. Other than actually having some stability in his life. I'm not doing anything different with him. But I'm so proud of him I can hardly stand it!
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 10th, 2011, 6:39 pm

Yea Fenway!
:clap:
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby Hundilein » February 10th, 2011, 10:11 pm

So, this isn't about my dog, but I'm posting it anyway. Tonight in my intermediate class, one of my students had a couple of great a-ha moments when we were messing around shaping his dog to stand in a hula hoop and nose a toy. He said he could really see the dog thinking and was pretty excited about it. And in my beginner class, one couple who was so worried about their dog barking last week that they were considering bringing a different dog next week got to see that the other dogs in class bark, too...even when their barky dog wasn't there (he was sick, so he stayed home this week). I am hopeful that they will continue to bring their little dog to class and will continue to make progress.
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Postby iluvk9 » February 11th, 2011, 6:47 am

Love this thread!

Lenny would not come in from the outdoors. Sat outside for HOURS and shivered. Unfortunately, I haven't mastered clicker training, which I KNOW he would do so well with because he really is the brightest bulb in my bunch.

I read and reread the training section here for more ideas. I finally found his motivational treat. :dance:

I give him verbal praise like he just learned how to use an iphone app! I hug him and then I RUB INSIDE HIS EARS. He melts all over! Now he runs in and pushes his head against me for ear rubbing.

Who knew?
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 11th, 2011, 9:14 am

:D Joyce: click/treat!

It's all about finding what motivates the dog! Good job! :clap:
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 11th, 2011, 9:43 am

My own Ah-ha moment...Galaxie pup has figured out how to work the system. She follows me around when I get up...and sits and waits for me to notice. This girl has to be adopted by a trainer! lol She's too cool to go to waste! :D
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby amalie79 » February 12th, 2011, 7:06 pm

I have a feeling this will jinx it all... but after 18 months of life with the River Dog, she and I had our first truly pleasurable walk. It was almost a lovely stroll. Ok, she's still walking on a no-pull harness (Yuppie Puppy), but there was a time when even that was hell. We walked to the coffee shop, I got a coffee, she was well-behaved, and walked back and it was, dare I say it... Enjoyable. :dance:
"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.
Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

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Postby amalie79 » February 13th, 2011, 10:57 am

River is on a roll. Her barking has gotten out of control. She is so food motivated, it's almost problematic. She barks and barks and barks when she wants her treat ball-- a squishy hollow ball that I put treats in. So I've been trying to teach her to bring it to me when she wants treats or to play with it, or whatever, instead of barking. Until this morning, I've had to remind her to go get the toy when she starts barking and getting frantic.

Well, this morning, she is reliably bringing me her toy for refills with no barking whatsoever. :dance: These snow days have been good for something! Now, to find a treat that lasts any length of time in the treat ball... I tried to get rid of my freezer-burned frozen mangoes and strawberries, but those are a no-go. She is NOT interested. What a diva. :rolleyes2:

And then I have to wean her off of expecting a refill every single time she shows up with the ball. That'll be harder. :neutral:

At any rate, maybe I'll finally have a peaceful Sunday morning to read the paper. Maybe.
"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.
Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

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Postby TheRedQueen » February 21st, 2011, 4:47 pm

My ah-ha moment this weekend...we were at a Suzanne Clothier seminar...and she think that Inara might be losing her eyesight. She asked if that made sense...and I said, "oh yes, that would potentially explain why she's suddenly bobbling on the flyball box and why she's become WAY more reactive in the past 4-6 months...she's just not seeing well anymore.
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby SisMorphine » February 22nd, 2011, 8:56 am

Awww poor Inara! But at least you have an explanation! Any idea what could be causing the sight problem?
"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 22nd, 2011, 10:06 am

SisMorphine wrote:Awww poor Inara! But at least you have an explanation! Any idea what could be causing the sight problem?


Nope...she wasn't tracking treats that were thrown on her right side...far away. She could kinda catch 'em up close, and the ones on her "crazy eye" side were tracked. Funny enough, it's in her brown eye, not the crazy one...but of course that's her flyball side (the side of her face that she has towards the box during her box turn). The trouble is, as Suzanne Clothier put it...there's no doggy eye chart, no way to ask them: what are you seeing, where is it bad? how bad is it?

So she'll probably be retiring from flyball here soon...sadness. We thought it was her hips...this explains why all the drugs in the world weren't helping her on the box.
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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I thought I lost my Wiener... but then I found him.
 
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Postby amalie79 » February 22nd, 2011, 10:43 pm

Not so much an "ah-ha" moment as a "Huzzah!!" moment. :mrgreen:

Robin and I went for a meet and greet with the trainer I've been corresponding with for the last year...and they had a love fest :dance: :dance:

Robin took a minute to warm up, but once she did, she was just in love and really responded well to her. And I think the feeling was mutual. The trainer would ask me a question and before I could even answer, she would go on about how pretty and sweet and great Robin is and how much she wanted to hug and snuggle her.

It was great and we decided that Robin's going to get to try regular dog classes. There's a barrier that we can go behind if we need to, and the space is huge.

All in all, I'm hopeful. :D
"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.
Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

--Amalie
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 22nd, 2011, 10:49 pm

Fantastic for Robin (and you Amalie!)

Can't wait to hear how it goes!
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby SisMorphine » February 22nd, 2011, 11:42 pm

Did some OB training at work today (I am bringing the dogs with me, which I hate, but mom is so sick she can't let them out). I would leave one locked behind the desk while I worked with the other in the hallway.

I left Blue in a down stay at one end of the hallway and walked to the other then recalled him to a heel. He has an issue with this, it's our biggest training block, and instead recalled to a crooked front. Then I hear paw-steps . . .

Teeny heard me say "au pied" and jumped the desk, blew past her brother, and recalled to a perfect heel.

At least one of these damn bulldogs gets it! LOL!
"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France
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Postby TinaMartin » February 23rd, 2011, 10:27 am

Thats because Teeny is a perfect princess!
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Postby SisMorphine » February 23rd, 2011, 10:36 am

TinaMartin wrote:Thats because Teeny is a perfect princess!

This is very true.
"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France
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Postby TinaMartin » February 23rd, 2011, 10:45 am

Speaking of which, Sorsha has now got an amazing focused sit when we get ready to go outside to potty. Its funny to watch her wiggle the tip of her tail for verbal praise as she is sitting there with that look on her face. Oh momma I am so not moving really I'm not and the tip of her tail wont stop.
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