Hi all.
I have a 3 year old cocker that I have had for 18 months now.Since November 09 I have gone back to basics with the aim of hopefully one day being able to get full control of her ( snowy ) wherever I may be with her and then possibly trying her in gundog awards or who knows maybe trials?
I have started going to obedience classes ( not gundog based) where we are working towards a 'good citiziens award' which is going quite well, she can do most commands, and then I am training her at home and out n about just working on basic sit and stay commands, downs, recalls and retrieves of tennis balls.
She does all this very well in a open playing field environment and so after around 15- 20 minutes of this training I feel that it gets really boring for both me and snowy.
So what can I do to make things more enjoyable and above all progress
p.s. When we are in and around woodlands she is not so good but I am continuing with the basics and hoping that eventually when major distraction are there she will listen to me 100%
what to do?
Re: what to do?
Hello Wuggy,
Welcome to the forum.
It's great that you want to get the best out of your dog and taking the time to seek help is the first step to getting there.
I wonder if your dog's breeding is working or show lines. I get the impression (and please don't take offence) that you are new to gundog training. It doesn't matter, what does is that you want to fulfill her.
A Cocker Spaniel is usually a happy dog who is full of beans and will take as much or as little exercise as you can throw at them. As for training, you are doing 15-20 minutes and both of you are getting bored - cut it down to 10-12 minutes and make it really count. You can do this a couple of times a day and she will look forward to it (because you will) and as a result your relationship will improve, therefore her 'growth' will do also.
You say:
p.s. When we are in and around woodlands she is not so good but I am continuing with the basics and hoping that eventually when major distraction are there she will listen to me 100%
Compare this to you sitting in your comfy chair, on a sunday afternoon, and settling down to the 20 minute sudoku in the paper, that you know you can do in 10. All of a sudden someone walks in and puts the telly on, then someone else puts on Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, your mobile rings and the smoke alarm goes off because somebody is burning some sausages.
Suddenly, what you found really easy to do without any distractions, is now quite difficult. In fact you are probably ready to scream 'Shut the **** up'.
Now think of your little dog with all of those scents out there in the woods and if something should move in the undergrowth..... 'Wow!!'
You are not alone with this behaviour, we all have to manage distractions with our dogs until they get what we want.
Increase the distraction level - reduce the complexity of the task (in order to get the task done satisfactorily).
It's as difficult for a dog as it is for us, and given the keenness of a dog's nose, probably 1000's of times more difficult. So I would say that; dogs are exercising tremendous restraint when they resist a distraction.
J2
Welcome to the forum.
It's great that you want to get the best out of your dog and taking the time to seek help is the first step to getting there.
I wonder if your dog's breeding is working or show lines. I get the impression (and please don't take offence) that you are new to gundog training. It doesn't matter, what does is that you want to fulfill her.
A Cocker Spaniel is usually a happy dog who is full of beans and will take as much or as little exercise as you can throw at them. As for training, you are doing 15-20 minutes and both of you are getting bored - cut it down to 10-12 minutes and make it really count. You can do this a couple of times a day and she will look forward to it (because you will) and as a result your relationship will improve, therefore her 'growth' will do also.
You say:
p.s. When we are in and around woodlands she is not so good but I am continuing with the basics and hoping that eventually when major distraction are there she will listen to me 100%
Compare this to you sitting in your comfy chair, on a sunday afternoon, and settling down to the 20 minute sudoku in the paper, that you know you can do in 10. All of a sudden someone walks in and puts the telly on, then someone else puts on Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, your mobile rings and the smoke alarm goes off because somebody is burning some sausages.
Suddenly, what you found really easy to do without any distractions, is now quite difficult. In fact you are probably ready to scream 'Shut the **** up'.
Now think of your little dog with all of those scents out there in the woods and if something should move in the undergrowth..... 'Wow!!'
You are not alone with this behaviour, we all have to manage distractions with our dogs until they get what we want.
Increase the distraction level - reduce the complexity of the task (in order to get the task done satisfactorily).
It's as difficult for a dog as it is for us, and given the keenness of a dog's nose, probably 1000's of times more difficult. So I would say that; dogs are exercising tremendous restraint when they resist a distraction.
J2
The less you say, the more you don't have to apologise.
Re: what to do?
What a fantastic reply, to a novice thats clearly interested,and eager to get the best from thier dog!,well donej2gundogs wrote:Hello Wuggy,
Welcome to the forum.
It's great that you want to get the best out of your dog and taking the time to seek help is the first step to getting there.
I wonder if your dog's breeding is working or show lines. I get the impression (and please don't take offence) that you are new to gundog training. It doesn't matter, what does is that you want to fulfill her.
A Cocker Spaniel is usually a happy dog who is full of beans and will take as much or as little exercise as you can throw at them. As for training, you are doing 15-20 minutes and both of you are getting bored - cut it down to 10-12 minutes and make it really count. You can do this a couple of times a day and she will look forward to it (because you will) and as a result your relationship will improve, therefore her 'growth' will do also.
You say:
p.s. When we are in and around woodlands she is not so good but I am continuing with the basics and hoping that eventually when major distraction are there she will listen to me 100%
Compare this to you sitting in your comfy chair, on a sunday afternoon, and settling down to the 20 minute sudoku in the paper, that you know you can do in 10. All of a sudden someone walks in and puts the telly on, then someone else puts on Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, your mobile rings and the smoke alarm goes off because somebody is burning some sausages.
Suddenly, what you found really easy to do without any distractions, is now quite difficult. In fact you are probably ready to scream 'Shut the **** up'.
Now think of your little dog with all of those scents out there in the woods and if something should move in the undergrowth..... 'Wow!!'
You are not alone with this behaviour, we all have to manage distractions with our dogs until they get what we want.
Increase the distraction level - reduce the complexity of the task (in order to get the task done satisfactorily).
It's as difficult for a dog as it is for us, and given the keenness of a dog's nose, probably 1000's of times more difficult. So I would say that; dogs are exercising tremendous restraint when they resist a distraction.
J2
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wuggy
Re: what to do?
J2
What a great reply. Thankyou for your time and thought.
Will take all advice on board. Thanks again.
What a great reply. Thankyou for your time and thought.
Will take all advice on board. Thanks again.
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wuggy
Re: what to do?
Sorry forgot to mention that she is from working line.I dont want to work her but do want her to fulfil her instincts.
Does the type of training I am currently doing sound too simple or too complex at the moment? And when do I move onto other things.
Does the type of training I am currently doing sound too simple or too complex at the moment? And when do I move onto other things.
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arwesa
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Re: what to do?
memory retrieves would probably be good...let the dog see you drop a ball and then walk a distance away and then send the dog to fetch it...gradually icrease the time before fetching and the distance....you might also want to try and introduce some hunting/find it type games into your training at some point.... still the tennis ball but drop it without the dog noticing then let her 'find' it...lots of variation you can introduce with hunting games.
http://www.facebook.com/arwesa
As a handler, its impossible to make your dog perform better than it is, but very easy to make it perform far worse.
As a handler, its impossible to make your dog perform better than it is, but very easy to make it perform far worse.
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Snicklefritz
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- Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 10:53 pm
Re: what to do?
j2's post is most excellent. There are three 'D's' to dog training. Distance, Duration, Distractions. Basically, when you increase one, you must decrease the other. In your case, you are increasing distance and distractions - something to be avoided when possible. Work on one 'D', then the other. If your're going from the yard to the field, shorten the distance, and work back up to it. If you're working on steadiness, and you are increasing duration, shorten the distance and work back up to it.
Good Luck - Snick
Once again, nice post J2.
Good Luck - Snick
Once again, nice post J2.