Confirmation Training Tips
by Judy
QUESTION FROM CHELSEY: I want to look like the good guy, the one the pup wants to run to for comfort.
My first choice is to put the collar and lead on the pup and carry it off my property to an unfamiliar area that has some distractions. So I carry my pups out in my front street. They have the normal distractions of any neighborhood, people walking by, bicycles, mowing yards, an occasional car going by.
Now, if something really scary is coming by, like a car or someone walking a dog, I pick the pup up and hold it until the scare is gone.
But I do let it watch it as it passes.
When all seems fine, (make sure the street is not to cold or to hot for a young pups feet), I put the pup down and go to the end of the leash just talking to it. Usually they sit shivering a little, then start to walk a couple of steps, then scratch at their collar, then pull back and jump around having a temper tantrum. DO NOT give in to the direction they are pulling. Put a firm steady 6 inch pull your direction and slack it up one inch. Let them fight for 15 seconds and pull nicely but firmly another 6 inches and then slack one inch. Wait 15 seconds and then pull
8 to 10 inches and slack one inch. Wait 15 seconds. I repeat this by my slowly walking backward until the pup gets tired of fighting and gets calm. Then I remain at the end of the leash (usually squat down) and try to coax it to me by voice, but usually I will need to pull about 4 inches and wait 15 seconds while I am talking. Then pull another 4 inches and wait, until I have pulled the pup with in 3 feet. Usually at the 3 foot mark, the pup will be willing to walk the last 3 feet on its own to have me pick it up. I hug it for only about 30 seconds and put it down. I back up another 3 feet. I might have to tug a little but then it will run for the loving. Again the loving is only for 30 sec. and put it down and back up 4 feet. Then 5 , then 6 feet. Now once the pup starts running to me from the 6 foot distance, I will take a step or two backward as it it coming, so it will actually travel 8 feet to get to me. I keep repeating it till the pups is just plain walking on the leash following me and I stop to pet it or pick it up every two driveways, then every 4 driveways, etc. until I have walked a block from my house.
Then walking back home I only need to pick up the pup if a car or a dog is coming .
Once you get the pups walking. Do the one block practice each day for 3 days. You probably will have no trouble on the second day, but if so, you already know how to handle it.
DO NOT try to keep the pup on your left side in a show position!! FIRST a pup has to enjoy going for walks on a leash. So I let it run circles around me and let it stop to sniff things and chase leaves etc.
After at least a week of just fun leash walks I will start the show training on the way back home. So they get their fun walk for a block or two in the beginning and then as they are getting a little tired, I will turn to come home and we will practice show walking all the way back.
99% of the pups I work with will learn nicely the first day using this method.
Because I am a dog trainer and get other peoples dogs, especially ones that they or someone else have already unsuccessfully tried to train. It is not uncommon to find a pup that has fought and won. So then it takes two people.
I put myself on their pup and put one of my adults on leash with them. We let their pup make friends with my dog and then move my dog away by a foot. Their pup who hates a leash, is soooo busy being distracted by wanting to get to my dog, that it pulls me that one foot to my dog. We then move my dog 3 feet away and I let the pup put pressure on the leash and pull me to my dog. Then we move my dog 6 feet away and the pup pulls me for 6 feet.
Then 8 and 10 feet and all of a sudden we are just walking down the street with my dog leading and a gap of about 4 to 6 feet is their pup actually pulling me on the very same collar and lead that it used to think was killing it :-))
QUESTION: QUESTION:
QUESTION:
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are
incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
When you are lead breaking and the dog absolutely will not walk with you for a toy or treats...what do you do? I have tried following her around and then trying to entice her to me....no luck....She is just so stubborn she wants to go her way or no way!
ADVICE FROM JUDY COUNCIL:
I try a variety of things. All involve using a 6 foot long light weight leash with a light weight clip, and a snap-on or buckle on collar (absolutely make sure the collar will not slip off over the dogs head when it tries to argue its way out). I want the 6 foot leash so I can walk just far enough away to make the pup worry about being along. It may be more willing to walk to want to be near me. Also if I have to pull or the pup wants to thro a hissyfit I will be six feet away from it so obviously ITS problems can't be my fault :-))
Stand-Stay...as if I were trying to pull teeth out of the little bugger.
We go to class but he just doesn't want to stand there...(of course most of the
animals in class are either Samoyeds, Eskimos, the larger
breeds.) When should I start a new pup on stand stay? What kind of exercises
would be good to do at home?
ANSWER:
Stand-Stay starts
at whatever age you get your pup.
Table Training--I usually train and groom
while watching TV. Training the stand is started by putting the pup up on a
table. Holding it nicely in a stand, stacking and restacking. You can feed tiny
bits (fake bacon bits) of treats/bait after the pup starts allowing you to stack
it. Only feed when the pup is standing still and do not allow it to start
wiggling while chewing the bait. Hold it nicely in place. Eventually
you should have a hook-up like a grooming table has so you can put a show lead
on the pups neck and have it standing safely so you can take your hands off the
pup for a few seconds at a time while baiting it. Never, never feed bait when
the pup is moving nor allow it to stop doing the stand as you hand it the food.
When your pup has finally learned that being on the table is nice, and that he
can make you give him bait by standing still in a show stance and looking at
you, it is time to start training that behavior on the floor or ground.
Still practicing on the table a little each evening.
Floor/Ground Training--- With a show leash on and at a time your pup is tired
from playing, pick a half hour TV program and face the pup towards the TV so you
can see your program. During the program place the pup in a show stand and stand
over him between your legs and while watching the TV do a light all over body
massage. During the commercial allow the pup time to move and hold show
lead mildly tight and bring out the bait. Only when the pup chooses to
stand still and look at you will you give a bit of bait. Allow him to eat it but
with out enough freedom to get silly. During the program put him back into
a massage stand. Do these two practices during the half hour program.
This is to be pleasant and fun but not silly or exciting. While the pup is
standing still and I hand him a piece of bait I say the clue word "Stand".
I only attach the "Stand" word to when it is being done properly. Now
finally you will be ready for putting your training to use. While
practicing moving your dog in s show speed, as you come to a stop you will hold
up mildly on the lead and say stand. To the pup this should mean look at
mom, she has something to feed me. Because he has only been fed in the
proper show standing position he should start to produce that for you as you
will not hand him food until he does.
Another problem I'm having
is: He runs and plays at home with his ears erect about 98% of the time, (even
in class,) but when we go to a show as soon as he is on the table or in the ring
itself, he goes ......what I like to call "aerodynamic", he flips his ears back
and will keep them that way until the exact moment we walk out of the ring, how
can I convince him he is a pretty boy with them up?
ANSWER:
Practice, bait and ring experience !! Hand him bait only when the ears are up.
If they drop when you reach towards him, pull the bait back and try again when
the ears are up. When he learns to be excited and hold the ears up he will get
the bait. So now you are teaching the stand and ears to get bait.
Dogs need several fun matches for their first show experiences. If you do
not have many matches available to you, go to grocery stores. Once the
basics have been taught to my youngster, most of his training will be done in
front of the stores where lots of people are walking by. It produces lots of
sounds, activity, petters, etc. For People that are approaching me calmly
and nicely I usually hand them a small piece of bait and ask them to feed it to
my pup, but only if he has all four feet on the ground. I do let him walk
to them instead of doing a stand. I Wand my dogs interested in the judge and not
afraid, so these people are to represent the judge to him. These trips out
should become fun to the dog as he gets to visit with people. Sometimes I
pick him up and hand him to people to be held and loved. I am a fairly
heavy food trainer in the beginning as I want him to really enjoy being in
public. These outings should provide the noise and activity training for
the pup. Meanwhile you will also need a conformation training class as he
still has to get used to other dogs moving around him. Try to find a class that
has other small dogs. If not, then make sure you are always at the end of
the line of the big dogs. You do not want him to worry about some big dog
running up behind him. You want him to feel more like he is chasing them.
Be careful around large dogs. They may be friendly but they can still
teach him to be afraid as they come bouncing at him. You do not want him
to learn to be afraid in the ring because he has learned to be afraid in class,
or had reason to be afraid in class. When he can enjoy being in public
with his ears up and enjoy class with his ears up, he will be ready for the
show. After all that training, it will still take 4 or 5 shows for him to
feel more confident.
I have problems getting him to move along side of me in a straight line as is
needed in the ring movements.
ANSWER:
Training starts
with putting a show leash high and mildly tight on the neck. Then do a lot
of fast walking. Your hand should hold the lease 3 to 4 feet above the
pup. As he moves below you, you try to control his sway or movement by
angling your hand pull lightly on the lead. I practice straight lines, then
I practice zigzags lines and then I do circles to the left and circles to the
right. Your hand and leash are what controls the dogs movements. At
first they are wild and crazy, so I just keep moving and moving until they get
tired enough to appreciate a chance to stand still and get bait. First I
practice on the neighborhood street in front of my house. The street does
not have as many smelling distractions as grass does. As each car comes
by I pick up the pup as I step aside. But finally they get used to the
sound and I can just step aside and leave them on the ground beside me.
After they become good at moving around the street with me and seem to know it
is a job to be done, it is time to end each practice with 10 minutes of moving
across grass. It is very important to keep the head up and not allow
sniffing the ground when the collar is high (working time). Then all this
practice is taken to the grocery store and practiced out there with
distractions. When you are moving the dog, do not speak much or offer
food, as you do not want the dog looking at you. Talk and gain his
attention whenever you stop as that is the baiting time.
Sigmund Freud
What I have Learned Showing Dogs
written by Susi Szeremy of Makos Pulik
I've learned that if you wear gold lame shoes while showing your dog, no
one will remember the dog but they'll never forget your feet.
I've learned that everyone else looks like their dog, not me.
I've learned that the most attractive outfits, the ones that make you look
15 lbs. lighter and three inches taller, don't come with pockets.
I've learned that the words, "Congratulations, you have the better dog,"
doesn't sound anything like those words when you clench your teeth and
swallow your tongue as you say them.
I've learned that if the words, "Congratulations, you have the better dog,"
are said to you, they're never said loud enough.
I've learned that your dog's performance in the ring is directly related to
whether or not you have friends coming to watch you. Just how badly you and
your dog do has everything to do with how many witnesses are present to
watch you.
I've learned that there IS no graceful way to recover from a fall in the
ring when your dress flies over your head and catches on your front teeth.
I've learned that when you have a dog that's on a winning tear, you
suddenly have friends who are people you don't know.
I've learned that when you make a major mistake in the ring, clutching at
your chest and yelling, "It's the big one" doesn't fool anyone, least of all
your dog who only looks embarrassed.
I've learned that W.C. Fields had it right when he said to avoid working
next to children because they steal the show.
I've learned never to tell a judge they have food in their teeth,
particularly when they're examining your dog's bite.
I've learned that some judges have no sense of humor.
I've learned that large dogs make fools of people unused to showing a dog
of that size while toy dogs are quickly dispatched by people accustomed to
showing a far bigger dog.
I've learned that next to needlepoint stores, dog show vendors are the most
trusting when it comes to taking personal checks.
I've learned that picking up your own dog's waste with a skimpy paper towel
isn't as revolting as picking up someone else's dog waste with a front end
loader.
My dogs have learned that someone else's bait is always tastier than what I
give them.
I've learned that the very best parking spaces have orange cones saving
them for someone else.
I've learned that orange cones crush pretty easily.
I've found that the very best people - and the very worst - can be found in
our sport.