(VICT) Retrieve
- From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:35:50 -0800
Hi Ridge,
Are you on OCAD at all? They would be a good place for retrieve work in
general but I know they don't understand the blindness issues. Can you use a
GL on him? I mean is he comfortable in one? If so I might consider attaching
a short leash to the GL so you can feel the rotation in his head when he
looks at an item. I also might consider something smaller in diameter. I use
a spare dowel keychain length piece that I made from a bird perch (never
used) years ago when training Met. I made two of them. One for training and
one for my keys. Its about 4 inches long I guess, maybe a tad longer. I used
it for training but then found how much easier it was for me so left my keys
on it. I also have a small plastic bird target stick- never used with the
birds but came with a Clicker Training for Birds book. Then I have two
dumbells for training dogs- one wood, the other plastic. You can use a
variety of things I am sure that are not toys- those were just things I
found great success early on with Met. I used all kinds of things once Met
got the idea: a shoe, a potholder, a small towel, a wash cloth, leash, you
name it....
That said: I am not training retrieve yet. I have opted to deal with what
seems more instinctual at the moment but to not overdo how many different
things we are doing. Because of that I have limited it to hearing dog
training and guide dog training as far as individual skill training
dependent upon the weather. Part of this is for Thane's sake and part for
myself so I don't get too overwhelmed and try and move too fast.
Ridge do you have Teamwork 2 in alternative format? Write me off list about
this.
When I trained Met, not only were my needs progressive but I had two service
dogs show Met how its done on things he just was not getting- one was
retrieve, the other was closing the door. So I will be rather green in
completely training these tasks as well so hopefully I will figure a way to
make it make sense by the time I get there.
Have you looked at the articles on
http://www.clickersolutions.com
As for where Thane and I are on training- every individual is different.
Thane has been here 2 1/2 months and I have worked on things slowly but
methodically rather than exposing him to everything at once. When I did
begin community access with Met, I did do everything at once and in hindsite
I see that I created problems for us as a team early on because I took him
places he was not quite ready for and then wondered why it was so much work.
For Thane I chose to work just a couple things at a time. In the beginning
all I did was basic obedience, manners and using guide terminology in
everyday life. I did not have any expectations, but wanted him to be a puppy
and enjoy life. Now I obviously have a bit higher expectations in things we
do.
We hit a milestone today with jumping. He has been a jumper and I have tried
hard to make him understand on me it is OK but on others it is not. For the
first time today he did not try to jump on my mom when she came. I was
elated. He was obviously allowed to jump before so I am working slowly with
this. I need it in some situations so chose to not totally eliminate it.
Progress often comes in babysteps but when it does it just totally rocks!
Smile
Karyn and Thane
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