Confidence Building for Blueberry & Me
My trainer and I have been working on Blueberry for a while now with confidence issues. The issues are more leaving mom and being around men. In the beginning she was very scared of men, even though she had been around them since she was born. When we went for lessons, Blueberry went with Maggie's husband while we worked with the other two. Darren would lock her in his office with him while he worked and play with toys and give her treats. In the beginning he would have to drag he away, but now she loves him. I didn't fully realize how much she depends on me for confidence, so a couple weeks ago Maggie wanted us to start teaching her the dog walk and A-frame for confidence and to learn where her rear legs are. The first lesson with a lot of food and help from us Blueberry made her way several times back and forth over both pieces of equipment. We practiced at home on my mom's A-frame, but was not able to use her walk as it is rotten. She was doing good and then we headed back for the second lesson. Blueberry made it to the top of the walk and froze, she could not move her feet at all and stood there for several minutes. We finally got her to take a couple steps before freezing again, and did this until she was all the way off. So next we just went up one ramp, about 3/4 of the way and then let her jump off. We did this for several repetitions and jumping off either side. Maggie wanted her to understand that it wasn't that far to jump and to understand that she could land on her feet.
So, at this week's lesson we started on the agility equipment and just had her go up the ramp on either side, jumping off near the top. She was moving up it with speed, had her tail up and relaxed, so Maggie had one of her Border Collie's run across it ahead of her for several times. Maggie had me take Blueberry's leash off, because I tend to be dependent on their leashes:o) That is my confidence area to build. This time I kept moving ahead of Blueberry and dropping food about every foot and a half. Sometimes Blueberry bailed in the middle of the top and would jump up to find her treat, but quickly learned she only got it when on the walk. By the end Blueberry was walking steadily over the walk with a relaxed expression. Yeah for her!!! We the worked on the A-frame, but this time Maggie placed a table by one end(about even with the yellow area). I had Blueberry get up on the table and then step onto the bottom of the frame and walk down to get her treat at the bottom. We did this several times and she really loved this game. Then Maggie added a small jump on the other side, across from the jump, against the A-frame. I did the same as before, but with a jump first then onto the end of the A-frame to come down just that side. Blueberry really liked this one as once we were finished I turned to talk to Maggie and Blueberry did it on her own. Smarty pants dog!!! She the got to run through the baby tunnel for fun, she likes that part and we did a couple beginning chutes, with me holding the chute up for her to see out the end. I am really starting to see things click in her head about this, but still have a ways to go. She then got to go back in the truck to rest and get a drink while Chauncey had her lesson.
I have Chauncey entered in Wild Card Open in 2 weeks, so last night Maggie did a run through of the exercises with us. Her heeling and figure eight are looking lovely. The drop on recall is good, although she is slow on the drop and ends up closer to me. Maggie said in actual Open A some judges might call us on that exercise, but at her age and dealing with her injuries last year, we are not going to force or re-train the issue right now. I may just have to show until I find judges that let it slide. Her retrieve on flat was perfect and a lovely front and finish. We set up for the retrieve over the high jump and set the jump at 26 inches as that is what she will have to jump in the ring. I set her up and sent her, she did a great retrieve, but hit the jump with her feet on the way back. We changed sides and did it again, this time she knocked the top 2 boards off, but still finished her retrieve with a lovely front. I set her up again and sent her without the DB and she cleared the jump by at least 6 inches. So, this time I left her in a sit with the DB in her mouth, ran to the other side and just called her to come, front. She cleared it much better, so we are thinking because of the height change and carrying the DB it threw off her clearing the jump. So I will practice with the 26 inch height and a the DB once each session. The reason I have not had it at full height is due to her neck injuries last year, I am trying take it easy with her. We jumped the Broad jump at 52 inches, man that is a huge leap, but she clears it with ease each time. I have to work on her front after as she is not wanting to come in close to me. So, a great session and i am so happy with her retrieving. This is a dog that I didn't think would ever take the dumbbell much less retrieve with it:o)
Now it was Blueberry's turn for her obedience lesson. She is doing very good with her heeling, still working on straight sits as she wants to swing her butt some, but she showed good progress this week. We are not working on her comes right now as she is awesome at charging to me, but she has to learn to sit and hold it until i tell her otherwise. She can finally sit while I walk across the ring with Maggie holding her lead. I will stop halfway and reward the sit, then continue out. We do this several times before calling her to come. We have been working on her stand and not moving feet or swinging when I move around her. Right now, I have her do a pop up stand behind a bar with a treat on a target plate about 1 foot in front of her. I have been moving from left to right in front of her and applying pressure to the lead which is teaching her to brace against me. Last night I was able to move a whole circle around her without a foot moving. She really kept bracing against me and didn't budge when Maggie examined from both sides. I think the training is starting to click with her and I love watching this.
So plenty to work on this week and more fun to come.
So, at this week's lesson we started on the agility equipment and just had her go up the ramp on either side, jumping off near the top. She was moving up it with speed, had her tail up and relaxed, so Maggie had one of her Border Collie's run across it ahead of her for several times. Maggie had me take Blueberry's leash off, because I tend to be dependent on their leashes:o) That is my confidence area to build. This time I kept moving ahead of Blueberry and dropping food about every foot and a half. Sometimes Blueberry bailed in the middle of the top and would jump up to find her treat, but quickly learned she only got it when on the walk. By the end Blueberry was walking steadily over the walk with a relaxed expression. Yeah for her!!! We the worked on the A-frame, but this time Maggie placed a table by one end(about even with the yellow area). I had Blueberry get up on the table and then step onto the bottom of the frame and walk down to get her treat at the bottom. We did this several times and she really loved this game. Then Maggie added a small jump on the other side, across from the jump, against the A-frame. I did the same as before, but with a jump first then onto the end of the A-frame to come down just that side. Blueberry really liked this one as once we were finished I turned to talk to Maggie and Blueberry did it on her own. Smarty pants dog!!! She the got to run through the baby tunnel for fun, she likes that part and we did a couple beginning chutes, with me holding the chute up for her to see out the end. I am really starting to see things click in her head about this, but still have a ways to go. She then got to go back in the truck to rest and get a drink while Chauncey had her lesson.
I have Chauncey entered in Wild Card Open in 2 weeks, so last night Maggie did a run through of the exercises with us. Her heeling and figure eight are looking lovely. The drop on recall is good, although she is slow on the drop and ends up closer to me. Maggie said in actual Open A some judges might call us on that exercise, but at her age and dealing with her injuries last year, we are not going to force or re-train the issue right now. I may just have to show until I find judges that let it slide. Her retrieve on flat was perfect and a lovely front and finish. We set up for the retrieve over the high jump and set the jump at 26 inches as that is what she will have to jump in the ring. I set her up and sent her, she did a great retrieve, but hit the jump with her feet on the way back. We changed sides and did it again, this time she knocked the top 2 boards off, but still finished her retrieve with a lovely front. I set her up again and sent her without the DB and she cleared the jump by at least 6 inches. So, this time I left her in a sit with the DB in her mouth, ran to the other side and just called her to come, front. She cleared it much better, so we are thinking because of the height change and carrying the DB it threw off her clearing the jump. So I will practice with the 26 inch height and a the DB once each session. The reason I have not had it at full height is due to her neck injuries last year, I am trying take it easy with her. We jumped the Broad jump at 52 inches, man that is a huge leap, but she clears it with ease each time. I have to work on her front after as she is not wanting to come in close to me. So, a great session and i am so happy with her retrieving. This is a dog that I didn't think would ever take the dumbbell much less retrieve with it:o)
Now it was Blueberry's turn for her obedience lesson. She is doing very good with her heeling, still working on straight sits as she wants to swing her butt some, but she showed good progress this week. We are not working on her comes right now as she is awesome at charging to me, but she has to learn to sit and hold it until i tell her otherwise. She can finally sit while I walk across the ring with Maggie holding her lead. I will stop halfway and reward the sit, then continue out. We do this several times before calling her to come. We have been working on her stand and not moving feet or swinging when I move around her. Right now, I have her do a pop up stand behind a bar with a treat on a target plate about 1 foot in front of her. I have been moving from left to right in front of her and applying pressure to the lead which is teaching her to brace against me. Last night I was able to move a whole circle around her without a foot moving. She really kept bracing against me and didn't budge when Maggie examined from both sides. I think the training is starting to click with her and I love watching this.
So plenty to work on this week and more fun to come.
posted by Kim at 10:34 AM
1 Comments:
I also love Standards and have an Apricot one named Chloe.. She is also skiddish around men that she doesn't know well.. I also have some issues with he socialization.. She is not very good with other dogs even though she lives with another one.. Izzy my Wheaten Terrier.. they love each other just not other dogs.. She was fine when she was a pup and now she just doesn't want anything to do with them like she is afraid of them.. Anyways Other than that she is a perfect little angel.. I love Poodles and training so will continue to read any new post you have!!
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