On the Road ..... again

The Level II CRO signs, description and courses are ready to go (rearranged re: Sue and Jan).  The large jump is out and easily packed alone.  My new cones are bagged.  We began this morning incorporating Distance "Go By"/"Away" using various targets - a single cone, a mat, one of the Treibballs.

So just with the behaviors in this new CRO Level, we will utilize Jump, Distance, Down, Sit, Change, Tuck, Side, Target.  In new and different contexts.

Now that I have reorganized equipment, Lily and I can easily return to train at the Marina.  We can go to Tidelands.  I want to walk through these new courses (5 and 4).  Jan is coming down next Wednesday to "play CRO" with us.


Adverbs


When watching an excellent training video on Treibball by PawState U, I was struck how this exercise with the Treibball as the target is really the same Go Out/There (Sit or Down) behavior that we began working on with Sue.  So this morning we worked a little more on going out to a target, stopping on cue and performing either Sit or Down or remain standing.

Then I changed targets, from the Treibball to a cone.

Then I removed the target altogether.  But Lily looks for a target and goes to the mat.  I was standing behind the camera and directing with my left arm.  When that didn't move her, she listened to what I was asking ... and moved.

Next I used the same cue, There with Down, and instead of sending out, I used it for a Drop on Recall. Lily still prefers downing on carpet instead of tile!  (Who can blame her?)

Now I have to decide just exactly how precise I want her response to the There cue to be and train for it.  For Treibball is would be very important.  For Rally, not so much.  Would there be a reason for more precision in every day life?

CRO: L II Distance Work

It's a beautiful day and we have been indoors all weekend.  So a trip to the Marina seemed in order for  pure "dog pleasure" - running and sniffing - and then, some distance work on CRO L II behaviors.

It's just Levels Distance work with a twist.

Instead of hauling a jump along in the car, I took 2 of our new cones and one of Jan's poles.

First, Figure 8s over a jump.  Just doing multiples because she will!  And seems to enjoy it.....

Then send Lily out over a jump to retrieve an object and return over the jump.  For CRO she will have to return to either heel or side position, but for today over and back is the criteria.  Have never done this before, either direction.

Finally, go out to a target 6 to 10'  from the handler and down.  New location, new surface, new target.  So many new variables, so  I cut back on the distance.  By now, Lily is tired and we decide to call it a day.  I want to do more work at home on "There" without any forward motion.  It's a Drop on Recall with the addition of a target,  but I have changed the cue from Wait to There.  Eventually it will be "ThereDown", "ThereSit", or just plain "There" (and remain standing).

Perch Training

The Drop on Recall has shown me the importance of a Down that is a Drop ... down with no forward movement.  Whether beside me, in front of me or at a distance.

There has been discussion on the TL list about Sit and the "drop back" sit ... which is the way Lily sits.  That has led me to think about using a target or a perch to retrain Lily's Sit, teaching her to keep her front paws in position and bringing her back end forward into a sit.

By using a perch target for the Sit I can also use it to strengthen her Down.  Marge has two good videos demonstrating this form of "perch" training.  Sheila uses it also.

Drop on Recall

p 249 Steps to Service
COME: Level Six


You call the dog from 20' away and when she's halfway to you, ask her for Down.  The cue should be quiet and relatively discreet.  The cues for this behavior are COME and DOWN.




When Lily was first learning the Come behavior, I taught her to recall to a whistle because I take her to the beach and to the park and didn't want to have to shout in order to recall her.  For the same reason, I have taught her to Stop while coming using a hand signal - my palm raised up into the air.  In training this in the house and in the yard, I use a combination of hand signal and the verbal Down cue to have her Down in place, or Drop on Recall.

In the first Flip Lily is at the patio door in the Family Room and I am standing in front of the windows in the Living Room.  The camera is placed half way between.  Notice that Lily screeches to a stop on signal, but moves to the rug to lie down.  Clever girl!

Then we move outside.   Lily begins at the front gate and I am standing in front of the back gate.  Again, the camera is placed half way between.

When we were first training this behavior, we were close enough that a hand signal wasn't necessary and Lily first learned the Down behavior (as in Come: L6: Steps to Service)

Here are Marge Rogers and Pride practicing Stand, Down and Sit on Recall.  Marge uses the same hand signal for stopping Pride.