Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:41 pm Post subject: New Year's Resolution: Keep Training!
The Corbster has selective hearing on walks most of the time. His heel walking is not as good as it used to be, although he does know what 'heel' means.
Of course, it's all my own fault for not keeping at it constantly.
I got the book 'The Dog Listener' by Jan Fennell for Christmas which I'm really finding interesting to read, especially as I had heard things about her techniques which I wasn't really sure about. So I've been putting some of them into practice.
On today's walk I made Corbie walk to heel along the river (no easy task I can tell you!), and whenever he walked by my side I treated him with a piece of cheese. As soon as he pulled, I stopped. He would whinge but eventually came close and either sat down or came to my side and looked up at me! And then we'd carry on.
I took him into a field and let him off. He didn't wander too far and when he did I called him back and he returned. I kept him off-lead for a bit by the river and although he got selective hearing again at one point, he did eventually come back after a sniff.
We then had a nice heel walk back. We didn't meet any other dogs (or people) though, so that will be a challenge to try and keep him clam when he sees anyone else.
I must keep at it this time, as he picks things up so quickly... I know he can do it, just hope I can too.
Karen, I was only thinking the other day that I need to do some more training with my chaps - Charlie and Izzie are on the whole very good and both have brilliant recalls and because they are both so focused on their ball I have 100% of their attention if I have a ball in my hand.
The we have Paddy who frequently totally and utterly ignores me, he has become a teenager so its back to basics with him
Interesting what you say about the book as well, might have to get myself a copy
Also found her programme on one of the Animal planet channels on sky this week, but didn't find them very good as they don't show enough (called 'Dog Listener Down Under').
Well, today is Day 2 of the regime, and I'm going to take Corbie on his walk with his normal short lead instead of his extending lead, so I won't be tempted to let him go ahead of me.
I took a tennis ball with me today as I could pop it in my pocket a lot easier than a fribee lol
We walked along the main road, making Corbie heel everytime he strayed ahead. Also stopped if he started to pull me.
When we got to the field I kept him on-lead until I was ready to play ball. Then I let him off and he sat waiting, bless!
I threw the ball and he ran after it and to my amazement, came straight back and dropped it at my feet He continued to do this and only once laid down with it and started to chew at it, but he came as soon as I called him.
I had such a great time and Corbie did too. I put him back onlead once I'd finished throwing the ball and made him sit when I opened the other gate by the river. Then I let him off and he came back to heel when called and walked nicely when on lead!
I'm so pleased with him, and me for sticking at it. Still not met any dogs though, but there was a red deer in the field next to river and he didn't pull too much for it.
Taken Jansen out for a walk is like a battle of wills !
It really hard work ensuring he wlsk to heel, but i know its worth it as I dont like having my arm yanke d& looking likean idiot getting dragged down the road.
He does excellent heel work at school so it putting it to practise on the walks !
His recall is ok, but if there is a dog he has run off to it takes a couple of stern words !
I'm being good and I'm still sticking to the training
Saturday went out with OH to the field with frisbee and ball. Big mistake as Corbie only wanted to play with one or the other, but eventually we stuck with the frisbee and I was trying to train OH with the right commands (to give Corbie not for him lol). Corbie was coming back everytime and most of the time with his frisbee.
He saw another lab the other side of the fence by the river as we were walking down to the gate, so off he went. My calls fell on deaf ears But after a few moments of wagging tails and looking at the other dog through the fence he went running back to where we were!
Yesterday I spent most of it heel walking and today I took him to a local hill and he came back everytime to the heel position when I shouted Heel to him when he was off lead and ahead of me!
Just a couple of weeks ago he would've ignored those commands.
I'm still really engrossed in Jan Fennell's book. The big test will be when OH's parents next visit as he always jumps up and goes hyper when they come around, so I have to get them to do what I want them to do and completely ignore Corbie until he's settled.
Reading the book I can now see the Alpha behaviour in Bailey (in-laws dog) and how Corbie behaves around him and can see how we can wrongly put the leadership on our dog's shoulders without even realising we are doing it.
oohh can I join - we took Ruby into town yesterday and she never ever walks in people places and she was leaping around like she had never ever been out of the front door before pulling like a steam train you getthe idea. Soooo we are back to training again tooo - its sooo easy to let it slip isnt it
We were walking on Sunday along a very small hardly used road, and I was making Corbie walk to heel - OH had a go with him too but got bored It was just over a kilometer to walk until we got where I could let him off his lead, so was hard work, especially when he's like a coiled spring when he gets out of the car
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so its back to basics with him 
He continued to do this and only once laid down with it and started to chew at it, but he came as soon as I called him.
But after a few moments of wagging tails and looking at the other dog through the fence he went running back to where we were!
pulling like a steam train you getthe idea. Soooo we are back to training again tooo - its sooo easy to let it slip isnt it
