Monday, July 9, 2012

Clicker training - panda

Clicker training continues. This time aiming for a desired behavior. First behavior I ask for is "on". First session didn't go to well. Hour and a half and only two paws up. Second session she was almost straight up and we even tried a frisbee game including the behaviour. She did awesome







PB and J and the first signs of valve for RZ!'good work little panda.... We are getting there!


Sunday, July 1, 2012

Panda crate training continued

Continued crate training today. She was so enthusiastic to start and even before I had the video set up, rod was unfolding the crate and she was trying to get in. "she loves her crate!". Today I wanted to see more from her and wanting to be at the back of the crate rather than eager to get out and sitting right at the front of the door. She got the idea really quickly and by the end was moving towards the back every time I went to open the door. 35 min session in total so video I cut out the middle the just show the start and end. Can't give away all my secrets of training either!
Finished the session with high distractions (treats thrown, entire bag of food on the floor, and her dinner). Superstar!
Added bonus to give panda her dinner, she had to do a recall straight to me (ignoring her food that she had to run straight past) before I let her eat it. She had three goes at it and got it on the third.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Panda door training

Door training

Panda being a dork

Panda clicker

Second session with the clicker. First session was simply a charging the clicker session with no criteria set. Today's session I was aiming for understand of behavior offering. She needed to be able to jump into a sit, stand or drop on order to get a reward - in this case her highest value steak. We had a long don't wanna don't hafta moment I between but by the end we were getting change of positions. True understand was tested at the end when I did not reward a move into a drop... She only was there for a couple of seconds before standing up... Hurray! She offered a behavior that did not work so she thought about it and tried something else.


Thursday, June 21, 2012

21st training

Big day today. Rod took the kids for a massive walk. I came home from work and they hardly wanted to play they were so exhausted! Was awesome. We played hide and seek tonight with panda. She did really well. Started with simple hiding spots than got more difficult. Hardest one was in the kitchen cupboard. Took her about 4 mins to find me. She did well!

Stand off with rod at the door today for 1 1/2hrs over sitting to come in.... Needless to say rod won. The first real "don't wanna don't hafta" moment she has had.

Put at the end of the video Keeda stacking it whilst doing her left and right turns... Hilarious pup!!




Dinner madness in our house (sorry I didn't get Harlie on the video - image a sheltie doing the same as Keeda on his bed). Three dogs, three dinners, Rodney with a toothbrush in mouth (and Harlie understanding toothbrush talk!), cat outside, everyone has to hold their position.... Certainly getting there!! Sorry about rods dancing at the end.... He made me leave it in!!!

Recalls panda - 20th June

We worked recalls today. She honestly did better than I expected. Good reaction every time we called. Only the once she got distracted by the food on the table there fore only got a pat.

No walks today.

We have started asking more for sits at the door before she comes in. Way to big to keep pushing past us.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

RZ

Fairly simple two days of training. We have just been building value for RZ, mainly on the left side (only for obedience training reasons).

Yesterday I asked for a sit than moved into rZ but today I was able to almost be at her side and ask for a sit. Great progress!

Moment of brilliance this morning when rod was letting them out of the crates. She tried to escape when he opened the door. He quickly closed the door, reopened it than she waited a good ten seconds before given a release word. Awesome work pup!

No walk today as I was spreading poison around, but yesterday we were doing some great recalls up to the arena. She even went for a quick swim with Keeda in the dam at the end which was great.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Whatever works!!!

We are always striving to find our dogs highest value reward. So far the two best things Panda just adores is running in the paddock... And ... Wait for it... pEGS!! There was a spare peg on the floor which she stole and was having a great time destroying. Two choices... Take it off her so she doesn't make a mess of plastic and destroys a number of plastic pegs... Or use it! I spent the next five minutes just throwing a peg around! Great fun!
Will use it tomorrow morning in training.

Walk in the paddock today as well as asking for a sit and wait at the gate to the paddock. Manners are starting to happen! Tomorrow I'll be starting on sits before going outside... She is too fat to be pushing past me!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Panda call once



Was at work today so only two small training sessions today.

RZ sits we worked on for a couple of mins and call once. RZ I have only been doing little bits and tomorrow might be time to start introducing the game properly. Her sits are getting faster though.

Call once went well even with Harlie being let in as a distraction there were only a handful of non-rewarded responses. Not exactly a fast response but still good.

I noted today she is a little more confident outside in the front yard. I would love to introduce this game outside later in the week. I'm not 100% confident she won't run off by a distraction though so well will see.

No walks as I was a at work.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Panda 12th June

Interesting day today.
We had a couple of sessions of crate games. She is going well but is challenged by the door being open. I worked to keep the value in the crate and used some different beef stix which she seemed to enjoy. I challenged her with a lead on than leaning away from the crate and actually moving away. After a couple of attempts she got there. Yay! Also noted that in three occasions she willingly went into the crate and sat down which is a great sign for value. Desperately need her own crate though cause as soon a she gets in their Keeda decides that she wants her crate back.... A one point I had all three dogs in the one tiny crate! Wasn't fast enough to get a photo!

We also had a game of IYC. Our session was only 11 mins in length (probably to long for this stage and not enough balance breaks) however she coped well. We ended the session with a great controlled down with 5 treats on her paw. Again I used the beef stix for this session.



A more confident puppy in the paddock today and I dare say a little fitter? She was pouncing up and down the hills today with Keeda for about 45 mins.

Also asked for the first time for panda a sit and wait till I give a release word with her dinner. She did this in under 4 mins. On watching the video I need to give the release and wait for her choice and stop prompting her... Crate games will help more with that as well.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Motivation and Thinking

Panda showed me today that there is a puppy in there who can think!

Day started with another unwelcome visitor on the bed.... hhhmmm...

I did another small luring session this morning working on sit. I am at mixed thoughts on why I did this. Later today I told myself that it was completely wrong of me. I don't train by using any sort of luring and I really think I was after a quick fix. On the other hand when I started crate games tonight I realised that we do lure the puppy into a sit right at the start.... so I think in a bad way I justified it. Anyway... simple session this morning went well. Faster into sits with the lure.

Only a quick 20min run in the paddock due to rain.

I pulled out the squeaky toy again later today to see how we went. Success! Miss panda started to leap after it which was awesome but stole the toy back to the bed. Great start to toy motivation and arousal. No interest what so ever in anything else really - however she does seem to like anything she can chase after. The ropey and balls had interest but she didn't really want to pick them up.




Great session of crate games - levels 1-3 within an hr (Susan Garrett's Crate Games). She coped really well and even made some awesome choices. In the last 15 mins the hand on the crate was starting to cue to sit without further prompting and the door could stay open without any movements for a couple of seconds. She had 3 goes at "YoYi" and although took her time made it back in. Again I only used cheese as her high value treat. Bacon and biscuits were not as exciting. Great start.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Paddock Puppies

This morning started with a much better and happy puppy. Let her out of the crate and she went for a nice run in the house yard with Keeda. Everyone came back inside and panda helped herself to our bed..... Ops. She was highly disgusted when I put her back on the floor. 

Took the kids out for their run in the paddock. Panda didn't go more than roughly 10 meters away from me at a time but did spend most of it trotting along behind me.... I think most of that was actually a fitness thing! 

Front stairs still an issue.... But she is getting a nice leap going on as she pounces up them.

We had a small training session. It started with attempt crate games.... However struggled with the concept of sit. I tried a couple of different methods and lots of different treats and for a puppy who is still a little nervous and is not showing much enthusiasm for toys I did resort to luring. Cheese was working rather well as high value. (bernie what did she absolutely love and go crazy for at home??). I will as quickly as possible though start her games when she understands that she can put her butt on the ground! Plan for tomorrow is to wait for a response of sitting and get her thinking.

Bed games also started with some value being shown for the round beds. 




Saturday, June 9, 2012

Panda trying to climb front stairs.

Panda Arrives Home

Big day today for the lovely miss Panda.

I drove to Durack to meet with Bernadette from Kilcoy kennels to pick up Panda. We had a quick stop over at my sisters (Sam) on the way home for lunch. Panda showed some signs of stress and became rather nervous when the kids jumped on the swings. She has not been around to many children prior. She stayed by my side for the rest of the visit to Sams. Back in the car and another 1 1/2 hr home. Poor darling stood for most of the way.

We arrived home and we introduced Keeda and Harlie. Both dogs welcomed Panda and had a quick play outside. We than went for a run around the house yard where Panda part fell into one of the drainage tracks. Super agile dog obviously!

We had a small training session where I was just building value for a soft crate and having a small play with toys. I tipped the toy box out and was encouraging play hoping to see some interest. The red squeaky toy was getting some interest (still tail between her legs but the ears were pricked and some pouncing after it when I threw). Obviously all too much for her and way to early to be trying anything as she got too scared and weed on the floor. I was aiming to create some fun and to hopefully relax her, as well as taking her mind off the stress.... Too much too fast. We will try again tomorrow if she is coping a bit better.

Today I have noticed a fairly timed girl who needs confidence building and work on her thought processes. She tends to just follow Keeda which at this stage is not a hugely bad thing, however we are working to create a dog who can independently think to aid her own learning. It all comes through games so we hope to create drive for toys as we go.

She does also struggle with stairs. At this stage is just taking a massive jump up the three front stairs. Funny to watch but she will hurt herself. I let them out tonight and about 15 mins later heard a thump at the door. Poor Panda had tried to jump up the stairs but with the door closed went head first into it.... Not the smartest girl!!

Fingers crossed for a more relaxed puppy tomorrow.


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Panda is on her way

On the 8th of June we welcome to our house the lovely Panda (Kilcoy my steps R impressive). Panda is coming to visit us for some serious obedience, herding, and family training. We would like to thank Bernadette lines for the opportunity to train this lovely collie rough. We are very excited and welcome panda to our crazy life!!