Balance Disc

Anneke

Anneke

Honored Member
I bought two balance discs, the other day. These are soft rubber discs, filled with air. When you step on it, it feels soft and wobbly. There is a whole range of balance products for sale, but most of them are pretty expensive, for me anyway.
But these were cheap and they are really meant for humans to sit on(on a chair, to help strengthen your core and for a better posture). they are also used in rehabilitaion for humans and dogs.
I thought it might also help in some rearend awareness and maybe strenghten a few muscles. And they looked like fun to play around with.
I found a video explaining how to work with this disc
Now, this dog makes it look easy!
When I introduced the disc to my dogs, they disliked the side with the soft spikes immidiately...And wow, this thing is unstable, are you sure we can stand on it????
I did a short introduction session with them a few days ago. And Cooper especcially finds this a strange thing:D But I bought it with him in mind, as it could help him strengthen his core muscles, his backlegs and his back.
I have found someone who gives workshops with these balance things, so maybe later this year I can go there.
But for now, I am fooling around with it at home.

My vid is a long one, about 12 minutes, but I didn't want to cut anything out, so I can see how they progress in using it.
Jinx will step on it confidently now, but Cooper isn't too sure about it yet:rolleyes:
 
orpheum

orpheum

Well-Known Member
I also use a balance disc. But I learned my dogs to stand with four paws on one disc.
By offering the treats left/right/up/down I make the excercise more difficult depending on the dogs training level/balance.
Not the best example, but I wanted to show her "stressin" if I don't click to make a bridge in this excercise to someone else.

 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
Ok had them all have a go and this is Bella and Jennys video of them trying it

am uploading Zaras ontoo youtube so will share that once it has, she was manic lol
After they have gotten use to the front paws being on how do you go about getting then to add the back feet. Because I have no clue.
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
It looks like they like it!!!!! Especially Bella, LOL:ROFLMAO: I have no idea how to add back feet, but maybe...
Try teaching them to put all 4 paws in a box. Then maybe (?) it will work with the balance disk????:)
 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
Might be worth a shot, Bella knows paws up so she's use to putting her front paws on to something, wait till you see zaras go its hilarious
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
OMG!!!!! WOW!!!!!:eek::D Did you walk her today???O_o That is ONE energetic border collie!!!! More on topic, she really seemed to be "getting it" towards the end of the video... she actually STAYED on top of it for more than 5 seconds, LOL:ROFLMAO:
 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
shes like that 24/7 even if you are out with her for hours she still has tons of energy. thats why shes so hard to train because no matter what shes hyper. Before, during and after exercise lol
 
Anneke

Anneke

Honored Member
Sooo funny to see how all three of them work differently. Jenny being the slow one, trying to figure out what you want her to do with this thing. And Bella catching on really quick!
Well and then Zara... She cracked me up!!! That dog really is manic!!!:ROFLMAO: But it is so beautifull to see her start to think. At first just bouncing all over the place and then calming down and doing it. My god does that dog want to work:eek::D
 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
Jennys the old dog learning a new trick shes 12 in July lol she's use to just waving her paw to get a treat. Bella knows Paws up so she caught on to what I wanted her to do quickly as for zara. Her sitting and lying down are just as manic its like shes doing press ups lol. That was Zara working for her dinner.
 
tigerlily46514

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
Zara is an effin brilliant dog. At one point, you click her for having bent arms, and Zara immediately offers bent arms, and then, a laying down on disc, soon as you click her bent arms.

At another point, you click one paw on the disc, and immediately, Zara begins to offer only one paw on the disc. Later, Zara combines her previous click for bent arm, and a click for one arm, and offers 1 bent arm.

Zara totally notices, instantly, whatever you click, and begins to offer THAT.


Zara is one brilliant dog.

wow........ Tif, you might want to consider waiting just a moment to click, to see what it IS that you are clicking......i do same thing, sometimes i click so fast, before i've even assessed what the dog is actually doing.
 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
tigerlily46514 said:
Zara is an effin brilliant dog. At one point, you click her for having bent arms, and Zara immediately offers bent arms, and then, a laying down on disc, soon as you click her bent arms.

At another point, you click one paw on the disc, and immediately, Zara begins to offer only one paw on the disc. Later, Zara combines her previous click for bent arm, and a click for one arm, and offers one bent arm.

Zara totally notices, instantly, whatever you click, and begins to offer THAT.


Zara is one brilliant dog.

wow........ Tif, you might want to consider waiting just a moment to click, to see what it IS that you are clicking......i do same thing, sometimes i click so fast, before i've even assessed what the dog is actually doing.
Click to expand...

Since this was her first go with the disc I was just clicking for her touching it what ever way.
 
Anneke

Anneke

Honored Member
tigerlily46514 said:
Zara is an effin brilliant dog. At one point, you click her for having bent arms, and Zara immediately offers bent arms, and then, a laying down on disc, soon as you click her bent arms.

At another point, you click one paw on the disc, and immediately, Zara begins to offer only one paw on the disc. Later, Zara combines her previous click for bent arm, and a click for one arm, and offers one bent arm.

Zara totally notices, instantly, whatever you click, and begins to offer THAT.


Zara is one brilliant dog.

wow........ Tif, you might want to consider waiting just a moment to click, to see what it IS that you are clicking......i do same thing, sometimes i click so fast, before i've even assessed what the dog is actually doing.
Click to expand...
I noticed that too, Tigerlily! She continuously offers behaviour and because she is so quick, it is really hard to click at the right moment.
I was thinking of a way to get her to slow down and be a little calmer before having her do that what you want her to do.
It looks like she is chaotic, but what she does makes very much sense. But I think it is easier to see when you look at the vid, than when you are in front of her;)

I think Tigerlily has a point there, when she says to wait with the click, untill she clearly offers the behaviour you want.
I think I would stop tossing food on this trick, because it causes her to be excited. That's ok for a dog like Bella, who works with selfcontrol, but for Zara...:rolleyes:
Maybe you could try treating her from your hand, in the behaviour you want. This should cause her to slow down a bit.
So if you want one paw on the target, click and treat(almost simultaneously at first) while she still has her paw on the target.
I hope this makes sense to you, Tif?
Because she is so quick, that she will offer a different behaviour immidiately if the click does not come fast enough.


I love dogs like that:cool: She is so smart, almost too smart for her own good:D And she is soooo willing to work.
 
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