Back Around!

I am very proud of this trick.  It took us quite a while, Sidney and I, to master it.  With a lot of help and suggestions from various folks and a few props (expen to start with to induce going backwards in a circle). 
Skills needed?

• dogs understanding of backing up, Sidney's very skilled at that!
• luring (around the front of me)
• a little physical guidance using the expen
• and believe it or not a "mat" for when we took the expen away.  It helped to keep her grounded and to remember that it was to occur in that space. 

it was great fun once we mastered it!  I added the coming thru my legs and going backwards from there after the basic skill was accomplished.

Put your Right Paw in, Put your Right Paw out,....

Well, something like that.  Turning in a circle to the right on a verbal signal.  Sidney also has it on a very slight hand signal (no verbal signal needed)  but since I am doing my own video taping I won't be able to show that!

And yes, she has Left also but have to say its not as strong on signal.  Sidney is definitely right oriented!  She will offer this up over and over.

Sidney "Scoot"

Okay, this is one of my favorite tricks that any of my dogs do currently.  And frankly, it was the easiest because it was a captured behavior, which is probably why Sidney to this day, after learning it over 5 years ago, still offers it up when she gets excited! 

How?  We were sitting in a lesson at a Clicker Expo.  I don't remember what it was about, it wasn't moving as fast as I would have liked I know that, and Sidney was waiting patiently staring at me intently.  All of a sudden she got frustrated I think from not doing anything and she gave a little scoot back,  I think she wanted to get up but did not.  After 1 or 2 of those and my laughing, not even clicking, she started to offer it up like crazy and was scooting to the middle of the room, much to everyone elses dismay.  By that night, after a little wine, we had it on que.

 Good Girl Sidney for showing the power of capturing.  And still does it with joy at the age of 11 1/2!

Zenny learning to weave,.. Take 1

Our first attempt at teaching Zenny to weave between legs.  Basic luring, this is not a natural movement for him, he has trouble turning his long body around corners, or at least thinks he does, so this requires a lot of thinking on his part

bowling

Lucy bowling,...............
luring, shaping, retrieving -

play ball!

this is Pip, my 8 1/2 yr old lab.  have taught "play ball" to both Pip and Lucy, the youngest of the crew.  Skills needed? 
catching
retrieving back to me
holding the ball
targeting (the basketball hoop)

Pip, she's my throw everything at you queen.  It did not take her long at all to figure this out.
throw the ball
retrieve the ball to hand
retrieve the ball to hand over hoop
retrieve the ball to hand under the hoop
take hand out of the picture

the hardest thing?  Once my hand was removed, ensuring that Pip understood that the ball had to go INTO the hoop, it was confusing since regardless of where she "dropped it", it would still fall down and roll away.  So,   thats why the plastic container inside the basketball hoop.  So she truly understood when she heard that "plunk" that the ball was where it was supposed to be. 
Check it out,...

in the beginning

as an instructor at Tails U Win in Manchester, CT I love talking about and showing folks some of the fun things that my dogs and I learn together.  I sometimes send out videos to them but have recently decided it would be much easier if I just started a blog to share with my classes. 

much of what we learn together, my dogs and I that is, is done with a variety of teaching methods and I think that its awesome to show that there isn't only one way of doing things nor is there only one way of teaching it.  many times I teach the same trick to 2 dogs but it must be approached very differently depending upon the dog I am working with.  when I say tricks I really mean anything, basic obedeince skills which will take me into the obedience ring, "true" tricks, like roll over, go to sleep, etc.  its a fantastic learning experience but I won't lie, its sometimes very frustrating also! 

so, this is the beginning of what will I hope continue to motivate me to train, teach, video and make movies!