Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 3:24 pm Post subject: Puppy test next week - Help please????
Hi
I have been going to Puppy classes for the last 7 weeks and next sunday we have our test!!!
The past couple of weeks Poppy has been a pickle but I have been doing lots of training at home and can see a massive change at class yesterday
I'm really desperate for advice on how I am meant to get Poppy to stay for 30 seconds before I go back to her!!! So far we made it to 15 secs before she runs over. Any tips and advice would be so welcome.
30 seconds?!?! That's along time for a pup!!!
Have you taught her a hand signal for stay? Each time you ask for a stay, do a hand sign like showing her your palm. I find this works with Sacher because she knows when my hand is like that she has to stay. Maybe Practice before feeding her by putting the food on the floor (but so you can grab it easily ) and get her to stay before using the release command and let her eat it.
Alot of dogs at our intermediate training class still struggle with 15 seconds so you are doing very well!!!
Good luck for Sunday and let us know how you do!
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:11 pm Post subject: stay
I am assuming if you are entering a test that Poppy is over six months old?
You probably already know that one important key to getting a puppy to stay, is never ever to call the puppy up from the stay, always return to her and praise. An occasional treat for a long stay is always welcome
The second key is to add one factor at a time. There are several factors involved in a simple stay - the first is time, the second is distance. Other factors are what you the handler are doing during the stay, and then of course there are the many distractions which may take place around the dog - try to minimise these whilst you are increasing either time or distance. Inrease only one factor at a time ie work on duration, then add a little distance, then a bit more duration How far do you have to move from the dog in the test?
Another tip is to 'hide' the longer stays in amongst some shorter ones. So, if you know she can manage 12 seconds, start with a couple of 8 second stays, then a 4 second stay, then slip in a 15 second stay, and finish with several 3 or 4 second stays. This helps her to start and finish on a high. And if she does make a mistake in the middle she probably won't remember it. You can then repeat next time with slightly longer stays. If she does get up and come to you, take her quietlly back to the spot where you left her and give her an easy stay that you know she can do, then praise her well and finish the session. Remember that she didn't make a mistake, you did. You overestimated how long she could cope with.
Don't increase the number of seconds until she is reliable at the level you are at, this will damage her confidence. Work up slowly. If you rush just to make the test deadline, you risk teaching her to fail. If you have not reached a reliable 40 second stay before the test I would withdraw as in this case, asking her to do 30 seconds in a test situation would be setting her (and you) up to fail.
To give your self a chance of meeting your target you will need to do several sessions each day - leave a couple of hours between each session and stop each one after a few minutes.
Poppy is only 5 mths old and doing the basic training. I'm not sure what the exam is or how important it is to pass. I'm up to 15 sec at the mo which I thought was very good for such a young puppy.
with bailey we did the beginner course for 6 weeks, followed by the kc puppy foundation course for 6 weeks. neither of these had a test, but were assessed throughout. We are now doing the kc bronze, which does have a test at the end. However no dog is entered for the tests until they are ready
.... Something else to remember when teaching stays are NEVER end them with a recall. ALWAYS ALWAYS return to your puppy, so when a stay is broken they have NEVER been taught or allowed to gallop to you.
A puppy never taught to come in after a stay when young will have a far more rock solid stay command.
On recalls, where, of course, the POINT is for them to learn to come to you, never hold them long at ALL before calling them in and make sure you NEVER call them in with your hand still up.
For myself I call in a puppy whilst turning and walking away, calling them to me but then immediately walking off to heel when they reach me to differentiate between staying and recalling strongly as the exercises are so completely different.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
) and get her to stay before using the release command and let her eat it.
