Introduction

[soca2]

Hi! My name is Cheryl and my dogs are Molly an 8 year old English cocker spaniel who has her CD in obedience, her Expert Trick Dog title and we are learning nose work. We also play around with freestyle. I find it difficult. I am so not musically inclined! But we have fun. Molly is recovering from a soft tissue injury in her shoulder, a repetitive use type injury so we can only go for leash walks. We are both sad about that! Jersey Girl is also an English cocker. She is estimated to be at least 16!! We adopted her over 4 1/2 years ago as a senior who was not in the greatest of shape. She ha amazed us and her veterinarian. She is living the life of a princess now and is not giving it up just because she is old! She had her eyes removed after we got her because of multiple issues but that does not slow her down. She has caught a bird and rabbit :-(. I taught her to step in a box, sit and wave and turn in a circle. Willow is a Labrador retriever. She is 2 1/2 years old. I too her at just over 3 months to foster but she has so many genetic issues, health and behavior that she ended up staying. She is also deaf. She is a handful but very smart. She loves doing any activity and knows obedience, a lot of agility, has her Expert Trick Dog title and we play in nose work and freestyle.
I train using Progressive Reinforcement. For Willow I mark with a thumbs up. I found it easier then a hand flash which is also common but harder to do with a handful of treats, leash and a difficult dog! I also use a finger touch to her hip as a marker so that she can do some behaviors without looking at me. I have also instructed my own classes and privates and assisted with reactive dog classes. I have owned dogs my whole life, took my first classes over 30 years ago and have had many different breeds.
Cheryl from MA

 

[bekah1001]

Wow impressive!!! You got some smart dogs there!!! And way to go for progressive reinforcement!!!! Oh and WELCOME! Awe poor Molly I hope she gets well!!!

 

[tigerlily46514]

WELCOME!!
I/we would love to see some more pictures of your incredible dogs !!! This site has large amt of ppl who so enjoy seeing photos of all the dogs!


//"We adopted her over 4 1/2 years ago as a senior who was not in the greatest of shape/"/

I like you already!! GOOD ON YOU for rescuing a dog, and for rescuing an older dog, and for rescuing a dog not in great shape! Wish we had millions more like you! And for training an older dog!! (lots of ppl think older dogs can't learn new tricks, but it's just not true)

And a deaf dog, too? There are some avid deaf-dog lovers around here!!

It sounds like you are very excellent dog trainer, i sure hope you will be posting a lot!!

 

[tigerlily46514]

also, there are few threads with tips for doggie dancing, if you are interested, if Molly is healed enough for that. I can link the threads, if you are interested in learning more about it.
i'm just learning it myself, learned a lot from the threads, but, i was starting from zero knowledge, though!

 

[soca2]

Thank you both! We don't have lots of impressive titles we are more interested in having fun. I love obedience but it gets too competitive for me and I do not like the part of leaving Molly on the out of sight stays. It is too bad because she know all of the CDX and UD exercises. We have really been having fun with tricks though. There is a freestyle group in my area (kind of) that I occasionally go to. We have the moves it is putting it to music that is the problem. Judy Gamets new Dogs Can Dance Challenge is inspiring us to do more though. The Entry Level is broken down into steps that are much less over whleming then having to come up with a routine. I would like to look through the threads because I sure have a lot to learn in the freestyle area :-)
Where do I post pictures of the dogs? I love to do that!!
Oh and I love Emily Larlham. Not only the Progressive Reinforcement but the casual, fun way she trains. You don't have to be perfect but it should always be fun!!
Cheryl

 

[southerngirl]

To insert pictures make a photobucket account on photobucket.com you upload the pictures to your account than left click on the picture you want to post and click copy image url
than on the posting a reply here on DTA their is a picture of a tree click on it and left click and press paste,
lastly press the insert button and wala

 

[tigerlily46514]

EASIER WAY TO INSERT PHOTOS:
YOU DON'T NEED PHOTOBUCKET TO INSERT A PHOTO
I never ever ever use photobucket to post photos here.

CLICK ON "UPLOAD A FILE" grey button under a comment box. I really really wish the "Upload a file" button read "Upload a file OR A PHOTO" but, it just reads "upload a file", so you just have to remember, a file is a photo.

then
Select "pictures" in your computer, Select photo you want.

When photo uploads to the comment,
you have two options, (hold on)
"thumbnail" OR "full image"

(i had to upload a photo to remember what the words said). this photo, i will choose "full image".
can't wait to see your dogs' photos! Post as many as you want to!!!!

 

[tigerlily46514]

Here's some thread to look over, and please do share your links, too! I am all wide open to learn all tips! i am very very much a beginner, just on my first ever song ever!!


Here is a thread i posted, trying to egg others on to try it: (reply #4 from Tamara, was especially good, i thought)
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/doggie-dancing-is-fun.4713/
so far as i know, i was mostly ineffective at enticing others to give it a go, so i'm glad you are here, but there are some members here who work on doggie dancing! they can probably help you more than i can.

Here is thread, which you probably do not need, on heelwork for doggie dancing:
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/easy-cheesy-way-to-teach-heelwork.4339/


Here is a thread, chockful of great tips, which you might find helpful, especially reply #11, from Szecuani, might help you with the music ideas:
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/canine-freestyle-info.3226/#post-25225

There are a few other threads, as well, on doggie dancing, i'll have to find them.


I started by picking out a song first. I made list of songs, that have lyrics which sort of could fit for a dog.. I choose a slow enough song, so i wouldn't have to worry about keeping real fast beat.

I made a list of the lyrics of a song,
and under each line, i wrote out what dog tricks or heelwork, etc, that i wanted to do for that line/lines.........but
When i actually began doing it to music, i realized, some tricks i'd pictured took either longer or shorter, than i'd imagined, so the moves were sort of out of beat,
so overtime, i've had to tweak/rewrite my list of moves that go with each line timewise and all.

I am "back-chaining" several tricks in a row, here and there, throughout the song, but not entire song. I'm nowhere near done with the song, and have not even finalized my written wish list of tricks i want for certain parts of song yet.
Also, one of the tricks i want to use, my dog can not do yet, and maybe he never will be able to do.
I'm not particularly following any "rules" though. I am just matching up tricks to go with various lines of the song and doing lots of heelwork.

but, i LOVE LOVE LOVE this, and it's really given ME a boost, cuz i was getting just a tad bored with tricks, and running out of ideas, so this is good change-up for me anyway.

 

[bekah1001]

EASIER WAY TO INSERT PHOTOS:
YOU DON'T NEED PHOTOBUCKET TO INSERT A PHOTO
I never ever ever use photobucket to post photos here.

CLICK ON "UPLOAD A FILE" grey button under a comment box. I really really wish the "Upload a file" button read "Upload a file OR A PHOTO" but, it just reads "upload a file", so you just have to remember, a file is a photo.

then
Select "pictures" in your computer, Select photo you want.

When photo uploads to the comment,
you have two options, (hold on)
"thumbnail" OR "full image"

(i had to upload a photo to remember what the words said). this photo, i will choose "full image".
can't wait to see your dogs' photos! Post as many as you want to!!!!View attachment 901

Thank you!!!! I hated using a link for uploading pics and they would never work!!!

 

[Dogster]

Welcome!!!!! WOW, you are doing A LOT with your dogs!!!! AWESOME!!!! That is AWESOME that you're taking in dogs that would have never been given a home, and good on you for rescuing!!!! Do you have youtube videos of your dogs??? Shivon also has an Expert Trick Dog Title. We hope to see you around here a lot!!!