Does your dog enjoy being petted? Great video!

This video is really great. It's helps people learn whether or not a dog is actually happy to be stroked or petted.



It usefully breaks down some stress signals so you can learn to watch out for them.

Project Grey's Nails - positively training to have his nails clipped

I decided to start videoing my sessions with Grey working on him feeling comfortable having his nails handled. The video is titled session 1, but I realise this might make people think it is the first ever session in this training. Sorry! Its actually it's been a few weeks of me teaching him paw and accepting casual touches of his nails. He's also been shown clippers and the dremel and had them out near him and near food.

His nails on his front paws are really are very long now and they simply do not wear down. It seems Slovak nails being dark are very hard. This hardness makes cutting them a harder task. Hard to see the quick and more pressure to actually clip the nail.

Grey gets very stressed if I go to clip his nails. He doesn't growl he jerks away and struggles really strongly. This makes it impossible to safely cut his nails. So I'm trying to condition him to accept me gradually working towards having his nails cut. In this video Grey is not restrained and is free to leave at any moment. When he flinches I go back a step to an area of his body away from from the paw and to work again towards the paw. Have to remember to take it slow.

This first session went on too long and you'll see at the end, he gave up and didn't want to do it anymore. I'll keep future sessions shorter. It's easy to get carried away with this kind of training and to take things forward. But the best and only way really is to go at the dog's pace. I'm not aiming for him to love getting his nails done. Do we love going to the dentist? The aim is for him to be as relaxed so I can get that unpleasant clipping action over and done with minimal stress and without him having a strong pre-emptive fear of the process. This might take a very long while.

 

Too hot, let's swim!

I took Grey down to the river today in the marshes. It was hot and I thought he'd love a swim. After a bit of nervousness initially, he got the hang of having to jump into deep water.  It's amazing to think he couldn't swim until last summer. Very quickly he was jumping in with a big splash and would have kept going and going. He had a mad charge about when the train went by in the distance. It would be great if I could work out a way to stop him doing that. He goes full pelt along a path out of sight and has a look of madness for a few minutes.

Here's a video of hairy boy doing water retrieves.

 

Look at this clever girlie slovak do some lovely water retrieves

I don't think my Grey and I will ever have the patience or dedication to achieve this. But so lovely to see a gundog like the girlie Grey clearly enjoying retrieves and having ham as a lovely treat. Positive gundog training can and does work.

Videos: Just messing around on the beach

We're enjoying the warmer weather. Well I am, grey probably doesn't mind it at the moment. Soon it will get too hot.

Messing around at the harbour from Grey the Slovak on Vimeo.

Grey at Minnis Bay April 2011 from Grey the Slovak on Vimeo.

Some videos I forgot to post

Out at Minnis on November 22nd 2010

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Minnis walk 22nd Nov 2010 from Grey the Slovak on Vimeo.

Minnis 22nd November 2010 from Grey the Slovak on Vimeo.

Clicker retrieve 1

Having a go at a more structured approach to shaping the clicker retrieve. I'm using Helen Phillips tip of using a box or basket to begin with. It seems to work. On previous attempts to shape a pick up, he doesn't move on to the clean lift off the ground as fast or clearly. I still have a problem of Grey freezing (2.29) and there seems no way to get him going again other than to go right back to the beginning.

Blind Retrieve 16/11/10

We're no experts at retrieving! But Grey enjoys it and it keeps him busy and out of mischief. It has to be fun though. So if mistakes are made, no chastisement. I'm very lazy and unstructured, but mainly we hang out and do stuff.

A poodle came to say hello

Grey was on the beach and a little mini poodle ran over to say hello. I think he quickly realised that Grey was too much and a bit big and bouncy for him. Grey really is uncool sometimes.

Sitting down and connectedness

A little video of me sitting down on a bench after a walk and run offlead on the beach. Not asking him to do anything, but rewarding him for voluntarily checking in. This bit of ground is heavily walked on by dogs and isn't that remote or quiet. It's also an area Grey has been walked in almost daily since he was a little pup. The camera is also a cue for training I think as usually a predictor of something exciting coming like sausage! So you see a bit where he sits in front of me. And cheeky monkey lets me know when he thinks we've sat long enough, than you!

I'll try and do more of this in different environments to see if there is any difference.

So in thinking about connectedness, a bond is really important. Choosing to come back rather than being forced or even asked to come back. Probably worth more than a bit of sausage.

The importance of being...

Have had a few really nice trips out recently where Grey and I just hang out. It's something that we really benefit from. Just getting out into the sunshine (or not!) and fresh air and just be together. No goals other than each other's company. It's come up in the LADS course I'm doing. The value of connectedness has been a major discussion coupled with approaching learning when a dog is in the frame of mind to learn. Where freedom of choice is of upmost importance. Quality time is worth a million times than stressful time.

More cautious in the woods

This is a video I shot on my phone last month. Grey doesn't range very far in the woods. He seems to be very cautious. He did come across some walkers in the middle of this and he barked at them and was setting most of his weight backwards.

Mooching on the beach video

I'm working through some videos I shot of Grey the last month. Not had time to edit and upload anywhere. After all the time he was ill this summer, it's just lovely to see him messing around.

Building Confidence - Thinking About Different Surfaces

I've not found time to post much these last few weeks. Probably owing to the fact that Grey and I have been out more since his recovery from the shoulder injury seems to be going really well. Yeah, well, that's my excuse! We've been following the virtual course still with Learning About Dogs with Kay Laurence on building confidence and working with reactive dogs. It's been good helping me look at the finer details of behaviour and how he interacts with the environment.

I put the crate back in the car and covered it so he can't see out the back or side windows. He can still look forward and at me. Instant improvement in stress levels for both of us. No more barking and lunging at the windows at anyone who comes near the car on the outward journey. So he's no longer practising this unwanted behaviour and not building up more of a habit of it. He also at our walk in a much calmer state. Quicker to settle down before he gets out of the car and so much more connected when he's let out, My own stress levels are much improved no longer having the hound of the baskervilles in the back seat!

It's a simple solution and doesn't involve yelling, antibark collars and keeps him safer in the car.

Here's some video homework looking at different surfaces.

Work inside on a polished concrete floor with the target stick



The varied surfaces Grey runs on in our walk. Just video I shot on my phone of him. It's great to see him so relaxed and happy.





I was interested in the choices Grey makes about which surface to walk/run on. On our grassy field top beginning of the walk he actively chooses grass over the harder paths of gravel, compacted sand or asphalt. On the field top he will pee lots and mark up frequently. He doesn't ever mark up on sand or if we are out in the woods.

On the sand he will immediately look for an object like a rock to carry and will also frequently dig. He never digs or carries objects on the grassy areas.

He will happily canter and trot on grass and slow down very suddenly on asphalt. On sand he will frequently gallop.

New start - Back to school!

It's been a busy week this last week. Grey is settling back in to going on offlead walks. So far so good. No limping and he seems really happy. I've readjusted to getting out all my kit that I've not had out of the cupboard for 6 months: wellies, whistle, anorak etc.

Our new routine for the winter months will be up and out for the toilet. Back in for breakfast in his tug-a-jug in our bedroom, while I get on with breakfasts for guests. Breakfast service finished, I go out with Grey for the main walk of the day. The afternoons will be training walks. This seems to be the routine that will fit best with me having early morning starts at work and dark mornings and early evenings. I have to wait in for guests arriving from late afternoon so late walks are not always possible and in the winter it's dark by 4pm anyway.

He's been super good on our walks. We've been up Botany Bay and Minnis Bay. He's been very connected and hasn't run off. He's had his first interactions with other dogs and I'm happy to say he hasn't been too OTT, which had worried me. Today he came away from playing with a golden to come and find the sock as a blind retrieve.

Botany Bay

I started the LADS virtual course: 'COLLAR Building the Skilled and Confident Dog' with Kay Laurence this week. I'm not sure how well I'll do at it! I think everyone else gets the idea more than me! But we'll see. It will be interesting to see how I respond to a little, no a lot of structure for once! I signed up to see if I can improve Grey's reactivity around traffic and things that he considers out of the ordinary. Just to see if he can learn to handle himself and have some coping strategies. This week's homework is to work on the three gaits of walking, trotting and cantering and also stillness.

I shot this of the three gaits yesterday.



And today I was working on capturing stillness. This stillness is intense and in anticipation of further movement. I was thinking about the fact that if I raise my hand above my head he freezes in anticipation of a throw. I'll also work on capturing calm stillness.

Nice clicker retrieve videos with a lovely girlie slovak too!

I've looked at some nice clicker retrieve videos and one series in particular is a favourite. also because it features a lovely girlie slovak! Just goes to show that gundogs can learn well from positive methods.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brKu26LlMTU

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy8UgCivPrs

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V14RcOWeR6w

Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avv51UpXPCA

Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avv51UpXPCA

Part 5b: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkQ0iLNFHmc

I also liked these videos from the lovely Jessie and her Canadian trainer, which starts the process in reverse. i.e. with a hold first. I seem to have better success with this method.

Tips on using a headcollar with a reactive dog that pulls

I had a bit of a rethink yesterday about Grey's walking on any kind of headcollar. I came to the sad realisation that for him it's been an instrument of torture as he didn't just settle into it and self correct when the tension was applied through him pulling. He requires as much close training as a flat collar but with the bonus that I have control over him if he lunges at things he reacts to in the everyday environment. So I'm slapping myself on the wrist for allowing him to have far too much tension on the collar which hinders him learning and giving relief. He's been so hard to hang on to on a flat collar if he does rear up, that this safety belt aspect of the headcollar took over in function. It's a stark reminder that equipment is no quick fix for training.

I heard a saying yesterday which was 'train the dog you have, not the dog you'd like to have'. I would have loved Grey to have been the dog that went into instant calm on a head collar, but he isn't. He pulls less on a headcollar, but he still pulls.

So I had a revisory look through some videos and learned a few little changes that will help change the headcollar into a more benevolent management tool. I've posted some of these before, but in case it is useful to have them all in one place.

Two videos on introducing the Gentle Leader. The first Jean Donaldson creates an conditioned emotional response:

The second is a nice guide on fitting the Gentle Leader correctly by Becky Schultz. Note:

- the very snug back strap and loose nose strap.

- The snap of the lead should be hanging down and the lead should be a 'J' shape. i.e. a nice loose lead at all times.

- Reaching down the lead to take it very close to the dog's muzzle to gently turn the dog round as you would lead a horse round close to the bit.

- Pulling the dog sideways and round not back.

- A no no on backwards pulling and jerking.

http://abrionline.org/player.php?id=194&height=450&width=710

Jean Donaldson demonstrating backing up which turns the reactive dog away from the focus of distraction. Again no pulling back:

http://abrionline.org/player.php?id=95&height=450&width=710

http://abrionline.org/player.php?id=102&height=450&width=710

I've looked at these videos purely for tips on better use of a headcollar and not the general situations that have been set up. Our walk this morning was much better. He had more relief and was brought more to focus on me by being turned to face me for a sit and watch which interrupted his constant strong pulling to sniff.

Back in action

Happy, funny running boy Grey after 1 month of house arrest.



I had thought he might be more of a bugger to get back. But actually his month attached has improved things. We're working on more proactive lead training than I did before. His recall is good (not perfect by all means!).

Welcome back hairy boy!

Working on headcollar desensitization

While we're still at home... Yup! Still under house arrest here. Although he seems really well, we're decreasing the Metacam 5kg dose every two days and he's totally off the Tramadol painkiller. So we've been doing a little headcollar desesitization training to try and turn the headcollar a less scary experience for Grey.

Session 1

Home training while recouperating - Impulse Control

We did our own bit of training today taking inspiration from the Susan Garrett 'It's Yer Choice' video that a friend sent us as something to do while Grey is under house arrest not exercising. I probably made quite a few mistakes with not having enough room to back up. We managed to get to the point where we're practising on lead walking close to food on the floor.



We've had a few walks round town and the upside from this enforced free running ban is that we're doing lots and lots of positive experiences around his usual trigger points: kids, prams, motorbikes, vans, lorries, shouting people etc. No lunging today which is great.

I had an update on Gunner today. He's gone in for his MRI tomorrow. So hope they come up with a diagnosis to help him. Also heard that another young slovak is up for possible rehoming. It really is a shame with such few numbers in the breed in total that they come up for rehoming because people can't cope. They're difficult dogs to manage, especially the boys. There are strong grounds I believe for adapting the official breed description to underline the fact that they're working dogs, need loads of stimulation and exercise and are not couch potatoes.