Training Games

[Vickydoo]

Thought it was about time I contributed a bit more to the forum, so here’s a wee post from me!

We have still be struggling with Heidi pulling on the lead (she is fine unless in a new place or with strangers around) and jumping up, so we called in a local trainer last week to help us out.

She has given us some games to play which she says will help us with the lead pulling and jumping up.  Collar grab, Call once, Crate Games, and Reinforcement Zone.

Recall is another thing that is a bit hit and miss.  We have taken her to the beach a few times, and she always comes back when we call her (we have yet to let her free run while there’s strangers about), but at the weekend she got out the garden and started running down the road. Thankfully we live in a very small, quiet village, but us going after her resulted in her thinking it was a game of chase!

She is so clever and seems to pick everything else up so quickly so I feel bad that we have let her down with these things. We just don’t seem to be able to find the right way to train them.

Fingers crossed the games will help though.  We have been keeping a journal so we can see how she progresses!

[*Lassie*]

collar grab??? explain please  –  grabbing the collar would be seen as a threat/ attack by a dog not the best way to train

[Vickydoo]

The way I understood it, it’s taking hold of the collar then treating so that in an emergency should you need to suddenly grab hold of the collar the dog wont see it as either a threat or in Heidi’s case, a game!

You start of just holding the collar then treating, eventually moving on to holding while moving the dog a couple of steps then treating, then holding the collar while shouting the dogs name.

[*Lassie*]

Ah that sounds better :ok: what is the Reinforcement Zone.??? sorry being nosy ;D
With Willow and Tam if they were slow in coming back I would run away from them or disappear :ok:  Or act as if I was totally mad but then you have to be careful someone doesn’t think you have totally lost the plot and call for the men in white coats 😉

[Vickydoo]

That’s ok! I did start explaining all the games in my original post but it started getting very long!

Reinforcement Zone I guess would be the same as  the “best place to be” post that Bev has posted.

This is one that should help with recall and jumping up. So as well as putting treats on the floor to encourage her not to jump (and using the clicker as she does, which I hope is ok), we are trying the tap of the leg to get her to sit at our side, and follow us if we move.

I know all this is all in the forum in some form or another already but it’s been a big help having someone explain it and to answer any questions!

She’s not too bad at recall, but I woudn’t say it was anywhere near fluent, and I’m convinced if she saw people walk past she would want to run up and say hello. Which I wouldn’t mind if I could be sure she wouldn’t jump up and floor the person!!

We weighed her last night and she’s 6 stone now. Big girl!

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