Hello From New England

JazzyandVeronica

JazzyandVeronica

Honored Member
Hello all,

My name is Johnna and I live with Miss. Veronica-Lynn, an almost 6 year old pit bull.

I have had dogs all my life; but never an interest in training until we got Veronica. Veronica is reactive and has fear issues, so I have had her in classes most of her 6 years. We have done up to intermediate obedience, rally, took a control unleashed class, and we did agility until she hurt her CCL last year.

I am constantly learning as I go, have been on forums (mostly pit bull forums), doing a ton of reading and loving bowwow flix.

I have some limited knowlege of and have futzed around with B&T and clicker training.

Recently on another forum we had a trick training contest and some great trainers walked me through training some more complicated (for us) tricks such as put the toy in the box and open the cupboard, get me something, put it back and close the door.

It was allot of fun and I got hooked on continuing to try to teach V. new things and to improve our ability to communicate with each other.

I'm hoping to poke around here and get tips on new things to teach and how to go about it.
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
Hi and WELCOME!!!!:D glad you love to do more with your dog, like the rest of us here at DTA. LOVE yor pittie, beautiful dog!!!!! You don't see them around here much, unfortunately:( What tricks do you need tips on???? We'll be happy to help!!!!(y) There are many AMAZING trainers on this site!!! We hope to see you and Veronica-Lynn around here a lot!!!!!

I love her name by the way!!!!! How'd you come up with it????:D
 
JazzyandVeronica

JazzyandVeronica

Honored Member
Thank you for the welcome!

Recently I decided it would be fun to teach her "say your prayers". So I have been following instructions from a video on youtube. Unfortunately we ran into a little snafu in that my amazingly lazy and unathletic pit bull can't figure out how to shift her weight to get into the "beg" position.

I thought I had taught her to beg/sit pretty; but I really didn't, I just lured her with a treat or my hand; but she never really "got it"; so we are now working on that too because I think it will help her with the prayers trick.

I would love some tips on training say your prayers!!!

As for her name...I just thought Veronica was pretty; and the Lynn was an after thought because I tend to give dogs first and middle names. :D
 
southerngirl

southerngirl

Honored Member
Welcome to DTA!
Beautiful dog, glad to see a pit owner sadly we don't have a lot on the forum. For say your prayers are you having her use an object such as a bed or your arm? Please do stick around and feel free to jump in on discussions.DTA has a great community of dog lovers. Are you using a clicker? If not it will make things a lot easier. Enjoy.
 
JazzyandVeronica

JazzyandVeronica

Honored Member
Thank you all; and thank you southerngirl for the link.

Right now I am using my arm (haven't moved on to an object yet) and a clicker.

I have been getting stuck on body position. I had it in my head that she had to be sitting in the beg positon and I guess it feels unnatural for her because she wants to get up on her feet. I can see this being even more of an issue when we move to an object unless I can find one that is just the perfect height to encourage her to remain in the seated positon.

But in the video I noticed that dog when it moved to an object did not remain seated...so maybe I am just stuck on an extraneous detail and if it is more comfortable for Veronica to stand maybe I should fixate less on the sitting. :cool:
 
TiflovesBCs

TiflovesBCs

Experienced Member
When i started teaching this to Bella even knowing beg she tended to put more weight on my arms as you can tell by the video she wasn't sitting up proper at first (I have the scratces on my arms to prove it lol). Bella knew both paws on my arms which may help.
Yeah I didn't want Bella to fixed on just doing it whilst she was sitting so i have been having her put her paws up on objects and then say her prayers.
For me its easier to teach her in paws on my arm because its easier to lure with your hand. You could maybe sit on a chair have her do paws up so shes standing and then try luring her into the prayer position??
 
sara

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Mouse (my Dachshund) learned this on an object, from a mostly prone position. Here's a video of a bunch of her tricks, but pray is 30 seconds in.


Oliver my big guy learned this on my arm, standing up. as I want to stand up too :) I haven't videoed it though :) Course, Oliver is only 40lbs :)
 
tigerlily46514

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
WELCOME!!! I love New England, and raised my children there, on Cape Cod, love that place, love that whole part of the country!

I love pitties, feel free to post some more photos of your dog!!

The "put toys away" trick, is super easy, too, let us know if/when you need any help on that trick.
 
JazzyandVeronica

JazzyandVeronica

Honored Member
Tiflove - the first time I tried say your prayers w/ V. she had just gotten her nails clipped. As we're practicing I'm thinking "Wow, her paws feel like sandpaper!" Then afterwards I looked down at my arm and it looked like I'd been in a cat fight. :eek:

Sara - Mouse is quite possibly the cutest little thing EVA! And very talented! Her beg is hysterical; she looks like she's in a hold up. :p

Tigerlily - I am in RI; but I love the Cape; such a beautiful place! I have TONS of pictures of V.; be careful what you ask for. :LOL:
B&T is bridge and target. I have only scratched the surface but it involves using a sound "X" as a terminal bridge/marker - like you would a clicker and using another sound "xxxxx" as an intermediate bridge which communicate "yes, you are on the right track but you aren't done yet, keep doing what you're doing". It also involves teaching body parts and targeting body parts to different targets (hand, extension, stationary). As I said I have only a rudimentary understanding. I will post a link to the B&T site; actually the official name is SATS - developed by Kaycee Cover:
http://synalia.com/

I first used B&T to teach the toys in the box trick. Here is a video:
Lesson 5 - means week 5 of daily practice

Here is a video of our playing around with learning body parts and some targeting:

Dogster - I love your video!! I've seen it before on youtube! I thought the song sounded familiar, then when I saw her walking on your feet, I was like I've seen that!! I want to teach V. to cover herself with a blanket too! I am going to work on V. getting off my arm and onto an object once she learns the verbal command.

I took some video of our say your prayer efforts and will try to post it later. I love feedback, constructive criticism, suggestions for other ways to do things...general disclaimer: I am clutzy, I have no grace, my timing sucks and I frequently traumatize my fearful dog by stepping on her and dropping things on her head. You would think by now she would have learned to take it in stride. :oops:
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
LOVE those videos!!!!!:love: And thanks for the compliment!!!! (By the way, the other dog, Carmel, is Dogcrazy's dog, another member on DTA:))
<------ Subscribed!!!!:D
Good luck with say your prayers!!!!
 
Snuggles

Snuggles

Well-Known Member
Welcome to DTA!! Your dog is amazing!! Glad to know someone that owns a pit bull. Around here they are considered aggressive. They won't be if you train them with positive reinforcement and treat them with love. I am glad you realize that.:)
 
JazzyandVeronica

JazzyandVeronica

Honored Member
Dogster - I am still trying to navigate my way around the forum. All the "likes" and "subsrcibing" is making my head spin! This place is high tech. (or I am very low tech). :D

Thank you Snuggles!! V. has yet to meet a person who wasn't her long lost friend. I really think a big part of the problem w/ pit bulls is people who fail to properly train, socialize and contain their dogs.

Here is our video from tonight's practice of where we are with our sit pretty and say your prayers:

 
Snuggles

Snuggles

Well-Known Member
JazzyandVeronica said:
Dogster - I am still trying to navigate my way around the forum. All the "likes" and "subsrcibing" is making my head spin! This place is high tech. (or I am very low tech). :D

Thank you Snuggles!! V. has yet to meet a person who wasn't her long lost friend. I really think a big part of the problem w/ pit bulls is people who fail to properly train, socialize and contain their dogs.

Here is our video from tonight's practice of where we are with our sit pretty and say your prayers:

Click to expand...
She was amazing!!! Keep up the good work!! :)
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
JazzyandVeronica said:
Dogster - I am still trying to navigate my way around the forum. All the "likes" and "subsrcibing" is making my head spin! This place is high tech. (or I am very low tech). :D

Thank you Snuggles!! V. has yet to meet a person who wasn't her long lost friend. I really think a big part of the problem w/ pit bulls is people who fail to properly train, socialize and contain their dogs.

Here is our video from tonight's practice of where we are with our sit pretty and say your prayers:

Click to expand...
Wow!!!!! She's getting it REALLY fast!!!!!:D That's awesome!!!

Haha, don't worry, it's not just you.:) It took me a while to learn how to navigate the site (I discovered the "what's new" section three weeks after I joined:rolleyes:) As you begin to become addicted to this site (who doesn't, LOL:ROFLMAO:) You'll know how every part of DTA works.:ROFLMAO:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top