Zeke's NEW Class--Day 6

[tx_cowgirl]

So, last night was trick week....I had the hardest time picking a trick! But I finally ended up going with sidestepping, and a few others. We did lots of random stuff last night. We attempted shaping, which was more or less a total failure. I've tried before with no luck and last night was no different. I'm at a loss.

Also, with Zeke's recent love of ALL tennis balls, we tried a different ball today...a Kong squeaker ball. He LOOOOOOVES squeakers but has never ever taken any interest in playing with one. He's also always liked soft toys, and fell in love with a little fleece pig the trainer had. Lol. My silly Zekers. He went crazy for the squeaker ball. He was crazy hyper to begin with, and that just made it worse...oops, lol! So he was kinda worthless for the large majority of the class. So, onto tricks...

The trainer and I were astonished that he had the sidestep down perfect after only 2-3 tries. I could just lean one way and he was smoothly sidestepping away from me. Whoo!!! We also attempted jumping into my arms, which needs lots of work. The trainer snuggled him and got kisses and Zeke was happy to give them. ^^ He's improved so much. SO, we worked on a lot of random stuff. Zeke's heel was actually perfect towards the end of class--we circled the entire ring at heel and he was GREAT!!! Completely unintentional, lol. All in all, a good day, and Zeke really had fun.

So, for the sidestep....some cues the trainer came up with...
-Drunk dog
-Dizzy
-Just a hand cue
She had lots....going to have to ask her again.

 

[tx_cowgirl]

Dern. No class next week. Trainer out of town. Good time for a park day, I guess!!

 

[fickla]

Oh yay! Zeke is overcoming all sorts of things recently! Sidestepping is really good hind end awareness too!

 

[tx_cowgirl]

He is. ^^ Seems like all of a sudden he's on a roll. I'm really surprised at how much he's improved since the first day of class. So proud of him.

 

[szecsuani]

Wow that is great!

 

[tigerlily46514]

Awesome!! I'm so proud of Zekers!! I can just picture it all!!
Ey, how does one teach that sidestep to their dog? Is there a thread on this somewhere on this awesome website?

 

[tx_cowgirl]

The way Sara taught me was to stand with dog facing the opposite direction as you with him on whichever side you want, treat in hand to their nose. Then just step into them. I'm going to get a video camera either tomorrow or Friday so maybe I'll just post a vid!!!

 

[snooks]

YAY Zekers and TXCG! Please do post the vid when you shoot the side step. That is also one I would love to teach.

 

[tx_cowgirl]

I will. ^^ Right now I'm a bit under-the-weather....got a root canal today. :dogdry: So rest rest rest and painkillers. Hmph.

Which also means I won't be making class tonight. Grr. We've got 2 weeks left, including today, and we'll just be making it up sometime I suppose. My trainer is actually leaving Petsmart coincidentally and I'll be following her with both Zeke and Mudflap for further training. In Texas, Petsmart's noncompete policy is not legally recognized. But anyway, we'll be doing much more training. I'm rather thrilled with Zeke's amazing progress as well as what I'm learning with him.

He had a test about 2 weekends ago for a photo shoot. With Mudflap's good influence, lol, he had to do several stand-stays, sit-stays, and down-stays, plus some random stuff, all in a brand new place with weird equipment and new scary people. He was a velcro-dog as usual, but he did fantastic!!! I was so proud of him. Only once did he break a stay to check out the place. He wasn't nervous at all, his normal boisterous self. I was so happy that he wasn't timid or scared by any means. Very proud of my shy boy. ^^ Tomorrow I get to go pick out my pictures and order prints.

 

[snooks]

owwww very much id with the root canal. no fun. i'm sure zeke and mud will lick it for you if only you'll let them. :dogtongue:

take it easy and rest...


do please tell me about drunk dog....sounds hysterical...I wanna train it!!

 

[tx_cowgirl]

Well until I get a vid up, basically this is what trainer taught me...

Treat in hand, hand even with dog's nose. Imagine your treat hand and dog's nose being magnets, that's the easiest way I can put it. You should be faced one way and dog the other way, if that makes sense. Move hand out while stepping sideways towards dog. And of course, start with just the smallest attempt. Eventually you can just lean one way or wave your hand out and have your dog smoothly sidestepping. I've never taught it before, but according to trainer, Zeke caught on amazingly fast. After only 3 tries he was sidestepping quite easily for several steps even with me just barely leaning. Yay Zeke!

You may have to use the other hand to keep their rear end moving in sync with their front end. Another way to try is to stand again with nose-hand magnet but this time stand perpendicular to your dog. Dog is standing sideways while you are facing his side. Hand near rear helps keep them in line and you gently step into them. (Of course, not kneeing them or tripping over them, just making contact with their side until they move away from the pressure.)

Once I tape it it'll make more sense.

 

[snooks]

ohh sounds like fun. i'll have to give it a go. at least there would be some def entertainment value. :dogbiggrin:

 

[fickla]

if anyone's looking to teach side stepping, I always find it easier to first teach pivoting. I have the dogs put their front feet on a book and learn to move their hind feet around it. THEN I start working on sidestepping once the dog knows that they have a rear end

Edit: that's not directed at anyone in particular, just a hint for people wanting to try it for the first time!

Edit again!: I also have found that my dogs have been much better side stepping from a heel position once they know "heel" then sidestepping from a front position. Either way, take it slow with one step at a time

 

[tx_cowgirl]

I think I'm going to have to use something like that for Mud. Z got it perfect with the way I mentioned, but for Mud she's not quite as savvy with that. Think she could easily sidestep from heel though.

 

[snooks]

OK so we're working on the pivot. Got both dogs up on an overturned microwave plate cover. they'll pivot around it if I sort of step around and into them-nudge nudge with my leg. they won't really pivot either way w/o the nudge. both know spin right and left so I thought about trying to incorporate that. what so you guys do next to get them to pivot both directions? We have the idea, just not the entire picture. :msntongue:

 

[fickla]

I really just think it's just practice. It's hard for dogs to realize that they actually have back feet and then learning how to move them without moving their front is even harder

I think you have the right idea with your dogs. I personally didn't need to actually touch my dogs but they might have been more sensitive to my pressure than yours. I basically just shaped it one foot at a time, always looking at the back legs for the movement. With Lance I completely free shaped it, although that took a lot longer. With Vito I still shaped it one foot movement at a time, but I helped by pressuring him with my movement. I found that once they realized I was actually clicking the movement of the back leg that's when progress started to move much much faster.

They both have one direction that is much easier for them to go then the other.

 

[snooks]

Thanks VERY much. Free shaping might be the way to go--at least a NEW approach might help if they already have the idea. We'll sure give it a go. They are finally figuring out they have back paws tho.. YAY!!