Sunday, April 10, 2011

Teaching Get Out and Go

I started Sunny on a jump grid a couple weeks ago and of course she caught on quickly to the game.  I started with a toy, but she was too wild driving to it.  I wanted her to think about where her feet were and how to negotiate the bumps.  That wasn't happening with the toy!  She was wildly blasting and twisting through the grid instead of being thoughtful.  So I put the table there and a couple cookies on it.  That worked perfect and she started thinking about what she was doing then.  This exercise is so good for a puppy.  It teaches them how to regulate their stride and develop rhythm in their stride also.  It also teaches them to drive ahead and GO.  As she matures and gets confidence with her body I will make the grid more challenging.

The out around a barrel I started just a few days ago.  I am still using a clicker with her on this project, but when she gets really good  and is sending a good distance,  I will start to use a toy reward.  This is a good exercise to get the pup to think about staying on either one hand or the other - not crossing in front of me to go another direction.  The next step will be to add another barrel.  When I get her figure eighting with another barrel I will get another video. This is also a great way to exercise dogs and warm them up at a trial.  Once they learn to get out around an object then you can send them around trees, bushes, chairs - just about anything you can find.  I use this exercise to teach OUT - lateral movement away from me.