tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79405114120341234762024-03-12T18:03:00.574-05:00Little red ranch dog livin' in the cityHere I'll gather my ramblings on our progress working stock and training in agility, sprinkled with blogs on canine nutrition, training, ag & pet related legislation, and the agriculture industry.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-17018859350263685942010-08-04T00:09:00.002-05:002010-08-04T00:09:34.977-05:00Very short update :)1. I'm fostering a dog.. probably an Aussie-BC mix. She is heartworm positive and begins treatment this weekend.<br />
2. Keiko and I haven't worked stock in a while but we have some new training goals, like teaching her to shed and doing some round pen work.<br />
3. Agility is going GREAT! More on OB/agility training with Keiko later!<br />
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God bless!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-59374538843717060612010-07-16T01:22:00.000-05:002010-07-16T01:22:41.277-05:00GraceToday I was feeling frustrated and distant. I was not confident in my appearance and extremely self-conscious. I took a moment to pray aloud while walking across campus, asking God to help me.. to lift my spirits and help me to deal gracefully with others. I arrived at my destination with a smile on my face. Before the end of the day, I helped a girl with an assignment we'd been working on and my day was made. Never have I felt such joy from helping another.. I don't know exactly what made this special, but it made my day. And thinking about it even now brings a smile to my face. Thank you Lord, for answering my prayer. Good night.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-86799546110285896862010-07-01T14:23:00.000-05:002010-07-01T14:23:43.554-05:00Training Goals for 7/2/2010Keiko and I should be going out to train tomorrow, weather permitting. I've been reflecting on our adventure last weekend and now have some concrete goals for training tomorrow:<br />
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1. I consider this one to be the most important right now, since Keiko has really picked up the idea of driving and is kind of blowing me off when I want her to get to head (at least she did on Saturday). I need to reinforce the 'get around' command in the round pen, sending Keiko to head and then changing the directions. Initially, I will not use a directional command. Later I *may* work on directions.<br />
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2. Continue reinforcing the grip command. No, I don't want Keiko turning into a gripping machine but in instances where she needs to reinforce herself with a grip, I want her to hit when told. So far I've just been using a "sssskitum, HIT onnnne." I drop my voice when I say the word "one".. this was working when I was trying to help build her confidence back up after the good kick she got. I may not actually need to practice this though, as Keiko showed initiative to grip again when it was necessary last weekend.<br />
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3. Continue working on a down/sit/stay while on stock. In fact, I may have her hold the stock off of the gate, starting for about 30 seconds and then sending her to head to re-pen them. This would be arena/pasture work.<br />
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4. I also need to start working on pushing her wide as she has been cutting corners lately. It is nice that we have a lighter group of calves now so she doesn't have to move in as close to lift them.<br />
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I'd like to take another adventure through the 10 acre pasture but will save that for the next time we work. I'm thinking I'll let the calves loose, allow them to settle, then go out with her to find them and re-pen them. This would also give me the opportunity to work on her actively searching for the stock when they are not in sight. It would be great if we could do this on horseback :) But we haven't talked about that yet so I'm not banking on it.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-52865709255495043412010-06-26T21:16:00.001-05:002010-06-26T21:29:05.892-05:00It's a good day of training when you lose the stockSo, I wanted to do something new for training with Keiko today. She is a quick learner which is a good thing! But there are times when it's a bad thing. She has picked up the driving thing pretty well but she's also kind of figuring out where we usually go when we work on things in the arena so I decided I've gotta keep her on her toes more. So, I asked Russ if we could go ahead and try taking the calves out in the 10 acre pasture for a little romp and back. He said sure, with a smile. I should have known...LOL! As a precursor to the rest of the post, I must say THANK GOD we worked on the go by/way to (directions) commands last week and a little on the stay in the round pen before we called it quits.<br />
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Let me begin by saying one of the positive things that came out of today is that I am 100% certain that Keiko kinda gets the idea of driving now. :) When did I confirm this? When she lifted the calves out of the round pen and then drove them allll the way to the back of the pasture (past the tree line)...without me. LOL. So as I was shutting the pen, I'm thinking "crap". A minute or so later Keiko returned...alone and with no calves in sight. And so the search began! I headed back in the direction of where I'd last seen Keiko and the calves and sent her searching for them with a "go find 'em" command. While I'm certain she was not searching the entire time, I know that she was attempting to scent them out because I could see her body language change when she was "in scent" and then she led me to them. That was dandy, except that she proceeded to drive them further away from me! So we succeeded in losing the calves a second time. (Note: Keiko has some foundation in "finding it" as I often have her search for toys and treats in the house and out in the backyard when the grass needs cutting.)<br />
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I called Keiko back to me this time and put her on a leash, putting her back to work with a "get back to work" and a "go find 'em". This time I could see her more actively searching for the calves. One of the huge bonuses about today, and I must make a point of this, is that even though it was getting hot and Keiko was winded, I believe that little red dog enjoyed working today more than any other day. Even when she was the most winded and hot, she seemed like she was truly enjoying herself and this whole game had become real fun. So anyway, we made it out of the brush in the back of the pasture and saw the calves up ahead, walking down the fence line. I started to go wide to the left and once I was in an opportune place, I put Keiko in a sit-stay. I went a few paces towards the calves, then sent Keiko on an "away to me" "get around" so that she would lift the calves and fetch them to me. This went beautifully! We then proceeded at a nice pace towards the pen, where I was planning on putting the calves back up. Well, Keiko got distracted for a moment and seeing as these are fresh calves which are not fully dog broke, they took advantage and headed for the hills again! Keiko wouldn't get to head so I finally called her off, hoping they would settle before they disappeared behind the tree line. ...they didn't ;-; .<br />
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So off we went on a search. This search was probably the longest. I wasn't really sure which way the calves had gone and of course, they were quiet.. it seems that cattle won't "moo" when you're looking for them haha! I put Keiko on a leash and after a bit more time searching and jogging to try to cover ground faster, we happened upon them. This time I left Keiko on the leash and drove them around the back fence, then headed for the pen. We were out in the open again when I decided to try letting Keiko off the leash so that she could help me drive them back to the pen. Yeah.. bad move. At first she was a help.. then she stopped listening, pushed them too hard, and they headed for the hills again.. ugh!<br />
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This set the stage for our final search. This one took a bit more time as I went against my instinct and ended up way away from where the calves had actually gone. But I still gave Keiko the opportunity to "go find them" and let her take the lead (still on a leash though). We found the calves and I proceeded to drive them across the open pasture towards the pen they belonged in. Having Keiko on a leash was nice because it gave me a chance to work on a "steady", "stay", and "there" command. These are all things we haven't worked much on - partially because we didn't exactly need them when we worked the last group of calves. Those calves were a bit heavier though. I'm glad we've got a flightier group of calves this time - it keeps Keiko on her toes. She's also really regained confidence and will go in for a heel *if necessary*. So we got the calves back up to the pen and just as they were all in, I let Keiko off of her leash to finish penning them, then put her in a down-stay to hold them while I latched the panels back together.<br />
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While we spent roughly 45 minutes traipsing around the back pasture in the heat and humidity, I have to say that little red dog and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Even though she was hot and winded, Keiko seemed to really be enjoying herself. I don't think I've ever seen her look <em>so</em> happy while working. I also realized some things I need to work on, probably a bit in the round pen:<br />
1. We will continue directionals just to make sure those are solid but she did them beautifully today.<br />
2. I need to reinforce the "get out" (go wide) on cattle. She had this down on sheep but I haven't used it on cattle and after working with another dog once she really started cutting corners.<br />
3. We'll back off of driving just a bit. She gets it.. now I need to change the game up some so that she doesn't forget that "get around" means I want her to get to head and bring the calves back to me.<br />
4. General OB around the calves - down means down, stay means stay. Neither of those mean sit up and inch towards me. That'll do means we're done - not make another go around the calves.<br />
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All in all I'm very happy with the training opportunity presented to us today. :) We closed on something positive - we drove the calves up the middle of the arena and put them through one of the panels and then the y-chute. Then I had her re-pen but this time I had her lay down by the gate to keep the calves back off of it. I'm really happy with how her down-stay is coming along. I was also able to use the "there" and the "stay" a little more while she was helping me put the calves through the obstacles. I've never used those on cattle so it was nice to see her figure out what I wanted and comply. I can't wait 'til next week!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-71489689313486846642010-05-21T23:56:00.001-05:002010-05-22T00:02:06.517-05:00A good day's work makes the lightbulb turn onToday was our last chance to work cattle for a couple of weeks or so. The next time we work, there will be fresh, non dog-broke calves so that should be exciting! :) I think the day went wonderfully! Keiko and I worked three-ish times.<br />
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The first time, I tried something different. I like the flexibility that the folks I train with give me...if I want to try something new -- so long as it isn't absolutely crazy -- they let me give it a try. So I let the calves out of the round pen (as opposed to sending Keiko in to get them out of the pen) and waited for them to settle at random in the arena. They settled in the upper right hand side of the arena, furthest away from us. Here is a picture to give you an idea of the setup:<br />
[rudimentary picture coming!]<br />
I walked up the outside fence, then sent Keiko to fetch the stock to me. After she fetched them to me, we worked them up the fence and around, then made an attempt at one of the obstacles. The first time we just got two or three calves through but the second time we got all of the calves through. Yay! Then we drove the calves back up the center of the arena and penned them. This all went very smoothly!<br />
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The second time, I got a little bolder. One guy had taken his older dog who already has his WTCH (Working Trial Champion) title and penned the calves in a much smaller pen out in his pasture. I decided I wanted to try it, but wanted to take only three calves as opposed to all six. Well that was a fine and dandy idea but I quickly realized that Keiko and I have not quite developed the tools to take calves off of the fence and move them away from the other calves that are still in the pen -- which is of course where they wanted to stay. I won't say this idea was a failure, though, because it gave me an opportunity to see what my dog can and cannot do. I ended up having her re-pen the three calves (after trying to do this with all six calves. That didn't work because by then she was very hot) and then finished that session.<br />
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The third time, we moved the calves out of the pen and then took them down to the water troughs where we settled them. What I liked about this exercise is that it was a practical task and I got to work on calling Keiko off of the stock without having re-penned them. This gives me a chance to show my dog that there is a practical method to this madness. It also gave me a chance to practice the "that'll do" without having a pen separating Keiko from the calves. After a little trouble, Keiko called off nicely and walked back to the gate with me.<br />
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Today we struggled a little with obedience. Keiko was very stubborn and willful. While it was a bit of a pain, I can't complain too much.. I like her spirit. :) Lol. We'll keep working at it. And we'll go through some obedience boot camp to help freshen up her obedience over the next couple of weeks. I've also started asking her to mind while we go to work -- really asking her to give me a solid sit-stay before she gets to go in to work or before she gets to go back to work (i.e. while I close a gate).<br />
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So now for the most important part of the update - the lightbulb moment! I have been mulling over why Keiko doesn't want to fully grip the calves when necessary and why I can see her grip the air but she won't always actually close on the foot and it hit me! I started my dog on sheep where you don't want the dog to grip because (some) dogs could damage the sheep. So every time she went in to grip, she was told to "get out" which is a term telling her to go wide and/or she was corrected. This <i>obviously</i> discourages the dog from gripping. I'm sure this is the biggest reason why she will "grip air" so to speak and while I can see her wanting to grip a calf to speed it up, she will choose not to at the last moment. I need to think about how I can fix the mess I've made but for now I will continue to encourage her when it's necessary. My roommate suggested that (while clicker training is not practical for stockdog work) I could <i>try</i> marking for the gripping behavior and see what happens. I think I may actually try this and see if I can spark the lightbulb in Keiko's head. :)<br />
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Alright, I'm exhausted. Goodnight!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-89630533302682326862010-05-19T11:43:00.004-05:002010-05-19T12:16:40.145-05:00What is PETA?If I were to ask random passers-by on the street, most would tell me that PETA is an animal rights organization which works to attain better treatment for animals. If I were to ask those same passers-by what animal rights is, they would probably tell me something similar...something along the lines of it being the desire to have animals treated well. Neither of those statements is entirely correct. What I'll lay out for you are the facts about what PETA is. I'll take some of these points into more detail in a later entry after I choose which I'd like to elaborate on first and maybe get some feedback from readers.<br />
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For the sake of time, I will give very curt definitions but have linked you to a better, more in-depth definition below:<br />
<b>Animal rights</b> advocates are driven by the idea that humans have no right to use animals for any purpose.<br />
<b>Animal welfare</b> advocates are driven by the idea that humans have a right to <i>humanely</i> use animals for various purposes.<br />
For more, see <a href="http://www.furcommission.com/debate/">animal rights vs. animal welfare</a>.<br />
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So, what is PETA? PETA is an animal rights organization. But what does that mean?<br />
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1. PETA is against the use of animals for human consumption<br />
Not only are they against the use of animals for human consumption, but they actively promote a vegan lifestyle.<br />
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2. PETA is against the use of animals for testing in labs<br />
No matter whether the testing is being done in humane conditions (sanitary environment, adequate housing, consideration given to their innate needs) or what the testing is being done for (i.e. no matter whether it's for cosmetics or for cancer), PETA is against it. They are also against the use of animals in dissection for educational purposes.<br />
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3. PETA is against the use of animals for clothing<br />
This is not just in relation to furs, but also the use of wool and leather for clothing.<br />
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4. PETA is against the use of animals for entertainment<br />
This means they are against circuses, Sea World, and even rodeos.<br />
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5. PETA supports legislation considered to be anti-pet<br />
PETA advocates for legislation which appears to help animals but that when examined, is considered to be anti-pet by many people. For example:<br />
<ul><li>PETA is anti-crate (against using crates to contain your dog when you leave the house, or to contain a puppy when you can't watch it)</li>
<li>PETA supports mandatory spay/neuter laws - not only is this controversial because they take away the owner's right to decide when and whether or not to sterilize their pets, but these laws also completely disregard new research suggesting that the hormones produced by the gonads are essential for the healthy life of the animal (fancy that?). On top of all that, mandatory spay/neuter laws have <b>not</b> been proven to decrease euthanasia rates. In fact, in some cases, euthanasia rates have <i>increased</i> as a result of this type of legislation. See: <a href="http://www.aspca.org/about-us/policy-positions/mandatory-spay-neuter-laws.html">ASPCA's Position on Mandatory S/N Laws</a></li>
<li>PETA has been known to support the idea that our pets should be afforded the right to sue their "guardian" (they don't use the term "owner") in court</li>
<li>PETA supports controversial breed bans</li>
<li>PETA is against the idea of no-kill shelters</li>
</ul><br />
At first glance some of these stances on the various issues may seem reasonable. But take a moment to think about the implications of legislation which makes any of these five points illegal or at very least, difficult to do legally. What will happen? I'm not going to voice much of my opinion on these points until a later date. For now, this is just a run-down of what PETA is really all about. I've simply taken the points explicitly stated on their website and discussed them here. All of these facts can be verified throughout PETA's website.<br />
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Please, if you get a chance to read - post questions and viewpoints. It will help give me some material to work with as I go more in-depth on this topic.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-77265228784419678352010-05-17T01:17:00.005-05:002010-05-17T20:02:57.331-05:00Day 6 (?), an Evaluation of Keiko's AbilityI'd just like to discuss the way I believe Keiko works. This will give me a point of reference for where she's at right now, which I can reflect on as we move forward. It also gives me a place to explain some of the stockdog terms and try to build my ability to communicate using proper stockdog jargon. :) Disclaimer: I am a novice and may misuse terms, please correct me if I do! Also, I may leave some things out but that's OK because I will build on this later.<br />
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Keiko seems to have a natural sense of balance and rate. This means that she can find the proper place she needs to be in to move the stock, and controls her speed well - she doesn't move the stock too fast or too slow and can adjust her speed to keep them in line.<br />
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Keiko is a strong fetch dog. This means she has a strong desire to go get the stock, bring them to me, and balance them to me. She likes to stop movement and hold the stock to me. I think this is part of her natural working style and I think it was reinforced by working on fetching sheep to me in the round pen.<br />
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I'm not certain if this is related to Keiko's fetching strength or not, but she seems to be very willing to hit the heads. She is much more confident and willing to hit the heads than she is the heels on cattle. I think she's a little more hesitant to heel a calf because of getting kicked but her confidence builds as she learns to pay attention, get out of the way, and heel low on the foot of the calf. Hitting a heel or a head simply means giving the calf a nip <b>only</b> when necessary to get the animal back in line or to turn it around. (Note: Excessive gripping is undesirable and shouldn't be allowed.)<br />
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Keiko needs work on driving. Of course, this is something you teach to the dog but some dogs' natural working instinct is to drive. Driving is where the dog is pushing the stock from behind to a point where you want them to go.<br />
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While biddable, Keiko also needs some work obeying on stock. Two of the times she got kicked, it was because she broke a sit or down or wouldn't call off of the stock when I told her too. While you don't want to holler and crank on the dog for wanting to get back to work, you also have to teach them to mind you. So, we'll just continue working slowly but surely on listening while working on stock.<br />
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If interested, <a href="http://www.workingaussiesource.com/stockdoglibrary/herdingglossary.htm">click here</a> for a link to a list of stockdog terms as defined by the Working Aussie course.<br />
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Also, <a href="http://s790.photobucket.com/albums/yy184/acanarysun/Working%20Photos/">some photos of Keiko's first day working cattle</a>.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-25726587758061546042010-05-17T00:50:00.002-05:002010-05-17T00:54:55.761-05:00Stockdogs and Road TripsWe've worked calves a couple of times since the last time I posted. Russ helped me out a lot the time after last. He basically provided some more pushing power from behind so that I could focus on keeping Keiko from circling around to stop the calves, which is what she REALLY wants to do. I think it's safe to say that Keiko is a very strong fetch dog, so I'm glad we're starting some driving work now. We ended up moving out of the round pen and instead worked around the arena. We basically worked <a href="http://www.asca.org/linkclick.aspx?fileticket=KZymB2awzRY%3d&tabid=13365#page=48">ASCA's Course A</a>. That wasn't the real goal though - the goal was to take the stock around the fenceline and back, working on building Keiko's ability to drive the stock.<br />
What we ended up doing was something like a cross-drive, where I was on one side of the stock and Keiko was on the other and we were moving them together. The last time I worked before I left for Kansas on Friday morning, I ended up working Keiko by myself. Things went <b>very</b> smoothly. I took Keiko in to take the calves from the pen, then worked them clockwise around the pen, then re-penned. Then after a water break and a few minutes of rest, we worked them again - the take pen, then moving the calves counterclockwise around the arena, and then re-penning. On the way back to the take pen one of those times, we were working off of the fence...I was <i>really</i> pleased with how this went. I am going to remember, especially in these times of peace & harmony, to thank God for sending me this dog.<br />
On Friday, I drove to Kansas to pick my brother up from school. I got in pretty late. Saturday morning we loaded up the car, visited with his bible study leaders for a bit (they both graduated ~ congratulations!), and then drove back to TX. So as you can imagine...I'm exhausted! I'm going to get some sleep...I've gotta drive back to school tomorrow and Keiko and I have agility in the evening.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-7420907524072607892010-05-12T11:27:00.000-05:002010-05-12T11:27:13.957-05:00Working stock, day 4Keiko and I worked cattle for the first time last Wednesday. Yesterday was our fourth time working cattle and was probably the hardest day (for me), by far. The first day on cattle went extremely well. The second day working stock, Keiko got roughed up a bit which made a ding in her confidence. The third time we just worked on building up her confidence again and showing her that working stock was still fun.<br />
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We took a break over the weekend and went back to work yesterday. Keiko showed much more confidence but we still decided to let her run once with another dog to try and help her get some of her grip back. This worked wonders! I would talk more on Keiko's performacne but I want to reflect on my handling skills since that's what made yesterday particularly frustrating and I want to be sure I remember the lessons I learned from it.<br />
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I have been around stock a bit and have worked cattle <i>some</i> but not extensively and especially not for long periods of time or on horseback or anything like that. So I need to improve my stockmanship. One training tip that is always given to me by one of the guys I'm training with is "work the stock, not the dog!" I have to keep this in mind because it's easy to pay attention to what my dog is doing and try to move her into position instead of just moving the stock and letting her figure out how to help me do it. So when the calves have stopped or when they're moving slowly, I need to work on finding the proper position to be in more quickly and moving my arms/making more noise to get them going. When the stock are stopped and balanced to me, technically Keiko's job is done. I need to keep that in mind - she's not going to lift them off of me so I've gotta get them moving so that she has something to do.<br />
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I wasn't really frustrated until our third go-round yesterday. We brought the calves out of the pen and down the fence-line. Keiko has a very intense desire to fetch stock. I think this is naturally her working style and has been reinforced by her training on sheep - all we've done up til this point is have her round the sheep up and bring them to me. I think in that sense, she has figured out how she can help me. Now we need to teach her how she can help me drive the stock to any given destination. This causes problems for me because if I am pushing the calves forward and Keiko sees one starting to break off in front she'll start going around to the heads to push it back in - this is counterproductive for me because I'm trying to drive them forward and running around to their heads will turn the stock completely around. What is frustrating about this is that we get stuck in one spot. When we're stuck in one spot and Keiko can't figure out what I want her to do, she gets to a point where she's like "screw it!" This is where my handler error comes in. The calf in front is breaking off from the group because of where I'm standing. So I need to learn to position myself where I will keep the calves moving forward <i>without</i> splitting them and I need to do that <i>before</i> one starts to go off.<br />
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What I've also found frustrating is that I'm having a hard time adjusting to work through the situation. Of course the people I train with help me work through this but some of this I have to figure out for myself. I need to remember to relax, breathe, and to "work the stock, not the dog!" The frustration is only going to make my dog say "forget it!" That being said, I need to remember to praise when my dog she's right to let her know that she's doing what I want her to do.<br />
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We'll be back out today. I am going to see if we can stay out of the round pen...I know the round pen is helpful for teaching directions and such, but I'm a little concerned about Keiko getting rolled/kicked or anything else anymore. I think we're at a delicate point with her confidence and I <i>really</i> don't want to ruin both her confidence in herself and her trust in me by letting her get roughed up too much as a young dog, here in the beginning.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-72047683998483462922010-05-12T01:08:00.001-05:002010-05-12T01:27:12.997-05:00Empty Promises...I'm sad to say that I've been full of them on this blog. I'm seriously going to try and pick this thing back up.<br />
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Keiko and I worked cattle again today for the fourth time. There are a few things I want to write about, both to share with whatever followers I may have left (I doubt any) as well as to keep a record of how I felt about the session, what I learned, and what I wanted to improve on for next time. It's late but I want to hit these points when I do come back to write again:<br />
1. I need to learn where to be to keep movement forward<br />
2. Relax. The dog is interested, she has the instinct, now show her what to do with it. Frustration will only turn her off, not on and make you lose sight of your goal.<br />
3. WORK THE CALVES, NOT THE DOG! The dog will figure out what you're doing and how she can help you!<br />
4. Start teaching a "that'll do" for calling off the stock<br />
5. Praise her when she's right!!<br />
6. WORK THE CALVES, NOT THE DOG!!!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-48342193868616790262010-01-05T11:17:00.003-06:002010-01-11T11:29:05.281-06:00New post in the makingI'm officially working on a post on vaccinosis/overvaccination in dogs. I hope to have it up on the blog within the next week. Stay tuned! :)<br />
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edit: I've amended the topic to be on minimal vaccination itself. I'll expand the topic from there in future posts!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-33611246951942542472010-01-03T14:38:00.002-06:002010-01-03T14:38:36.355-06:00Happy New Year!Happy New Year, to anyone who actually still checks in from time to time...<br />
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I need to get back into the habit of updating this. There are so many topics I research but without an outlet to discuss them the facts and details get all jumbled in my mind. I'll work on updating this blog more regularly.<br />
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Hope everyone had a wonderful time over the holidays!<br />
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As an aside, I may change the URL to truly start afresh with the blog. We'll see.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-10814084818490362642009-08-31T16:12:00.001-05:002009-08-31T16:12:40.753-05:00With meWell, I'm finally back at school which means I'll be getting back into something of a rhythm as far as training schedules go. While at home, I worked pretty exclusively on the "with me" command, which I've defined as a loose leash walk which requires that the dog stay beside or behind me and not pull on the lead. I don't mind if the dog sniffs around or wanders a little further away from me at times but I want <b>no</b> tension on the lead and no forging ahead. This training has been going well so I'm beginning to ask for the "with me" under increasing distractions and in different environments. So far Keiko can hold the command up and down the street. If she sees a person, she will break the command but yesterday I was able to get her attention back by simply heading in a different direction. She's not <em>quite</em> ready to maintain a "with me" while going head on towards another person but we're working on it. She did very well yesterday coming down the hall to see the officers after our club meeting. I had to stop a couple of times when she pulled on the lead in an attempt to forge ahead but after the second stop, she understood. That didn't stop her body from wriggling with excitement, though.<br />
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It took a while for this pup to wear on me...I was constantly worrying about whether or not she would be what I wanted. But every week, every day even I realize how much she <b>is</b> what I wanted and may be even more than I wanted. It seems that during our training sessions or even when just lounging about she does something small that makes me excited to have her. She is also beginning to show me more attention (with age, of course) and has surprised me more than once when I've tried to call her off of a distraction. Yesterday for instance, my roommate was holding her dogs by the collar while I brought Keiko in from the backyard. I expected her to pull and pull towards them. She did go towards them but a simple "eh-eh" followed by the slight direction turn towards my room and a "with me" had her immediately focused on me! She did a similar thing when one of the officers arrived in our driveway for the meeting while we were working the "with me" outside yesterday. It seems that if I communicate to her that I would rather she didn't pay attention to something I know she considers high value (i.e. another person or dog) she is becoming more and more willing to say "okay, whatever you want!" I suppose I am beginning to see the "willingness to please" in the breed which is what I was seeking when I decided I wanted a herding breed dog in the first place. If you can't tell, I'm happy with her! I'll try to get some new photos within the next few weeks or so once things have settled down and I'm completely moved into my house.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-84745153918235791062009-08-24T23:22:00.005-05:002009-08-31T16:13:40.206-05:00A Sample DinnerWhile I don't have any video of Keiko eating dinner, I decided to share a picture of what her meal for tonight looked like.<br />
<img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Raw%20Feeding/photo2.jpg" border="0"><br />
Pictured is a 1/2 lb chicken leg quarter which has been cut into two. The glob on the right hand side is a teaspoon of veggies. I just bought vitamin C so once her stomach gets used to digesting veggies which are separate from the meat (not mixed in like they are in the premix) I will begin adding it to her food. Vitamin C addition has to be meticulous and slow, as it can very quickly cause a dog to have a loose stool. Within the next month, I plan to have also obtained salmon oil (or some other form of omega 3's) and vitamin E to supplement with.<br />
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On another note, the family dog, Rhasta, has been having some digestive issues. A few weeks ago he got into a rotting rabbit carcass. (Note: Rhasta is not raw fed - not to say that even a raw fed dog wouldn't have had a problem with a rotting carcass) His stomach went haywire. It took him a couple of weeks to get right but I really don't think his digestive system has been right since. Amongst the medications he was on was an antibiotic. The Vet prescribed a probiotic that was supposed to replenish the good bacteria in the stomach that is depleted by antibiotics but I just don't think it was enough. Tomorrow I am going to get a different probiotic and get him started on it, and I'm also going to search for a formula for sensitive stomachs to try out with him. I am going to chat with my parents about trying him on <a href="http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/thrive.shtml">The Honest Kitchen's Thrive formula</a> and go from there. I wish I had him with me at school because then I could just start him on a raw diet and be in complete control of everything he was eating. Then I would know precisely what was causing his digestive upsets. In the meantime, I'll skip his morning meal (aside from giving him the probiotic) and then begin working up to his full ration again in painstakingly slow fashion. Poor little dude.<br />
<img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Rhasta/1-2.jpg" border="0">happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-54112316466479625282009-08-24T14:02:00.003-05:002009-08-24T14:08:46.428-05:00IntentI wanted to take a moment to establish the intent of this blog. It has changed so much in the past few months and it will help me post more regularly and with more direction if I state the purpose (so please bare with me :: grin :: ). My intent in maintaining this blog is to discuss dog related subjects as they come to mind. These subjects are usually brought to mind by whatever I happen to be doing with my new puppy and first working dog, Keiko (an Australian Shepherd). I predict that this most common subjects discussed on this blog will be raw feeding and dog training. I will try and get more pictures and videos posted as I get organized and get started with fall semester. Until the next post, happy living! :)happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-71633782609519860122009-08-20T22:57:00.001-05:002009-08-20T22:58:58.149-05:00Question - do I need to make a separate blog for Keiko and dog training, and reserve this one for discussion regarding raw feeding/holistic treatment for pets/biking? (I haven't talked about biking in QUITE a while and it's part of the web address for this site!)happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-28523393526322832712009-08-14T21:14:00.005-05:002009-08-14T21:32:43.273-05:00RMBs<u>Raw Feeding Dictionary</u><br /><br /><b>RMB</b> - "raw meaty bone"<br /><dir>Common RMBs:<br />chicken leg quarters, chicken/turkey necks, chicken backs, and many many more...</dir><br />Raw meaty bones are commonly referred to as the "dessert" although really they hold the prime nutrition a dog receives when feeding a raw diet. They are referred to as dessert because many dogs will skip all other ingredients (veggies if you feed them, supplements, yogurt/probiotics, etc) in their bowls and only eat the tasty RMBs! Many raw feeders withhold the RMB until the dog has finished the rest of the meal, then place the RMB down for eating.<br /><br />Keiko has eaten chicken legs, thighs, and turkey necks. The turkey necks have had mixed success for us (I've only tried them twice; once she ate it, the other time she didn't) but I've decided to put them on hold and save them as a "novel" protein - one Keiko has never really had before and something I can fall back on if I ever need to stop feeding protein sources she's had for whatever reason. I've posted a couple of photos below of Keiko eating a ~1/4 lb chicken leg. Sorry for the poor quality, I took them on my cell phone in poor lighting.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Blog/IMG_0358-1-1.jpg"> <a href="http://s618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Blog/?action=view¤t=IMG_0361-1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Blog/IMG_0361-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br /><br />At this point in time, I'm beginning to introduce Keiko to beef through a beef premix made by the same woman who made the chicken premix I started her out on. Once her stomach settles on beef, I will be able to add small amounts of hamburger to her meals (of course with bone added) and that will serve as an additional protein source. If I save turkey for emergencies, then I plan on introducing Keiko to fish next and then rabbit. Stay tuned for photos and blog updates!<br /><br /><b><u>Disclaimer:</b></u> At this point in time I am a "newb" to raw feeding. I have been feeding raw for almost three weeks and this is my first raw fed dog/puppy. As such, I should not be a prime source of information for someone looking to begin feeding a raw diet. I also post information as I understand it. I will do my best to be sure that the information I relay is 100% correct, and will also remain diligent in correcting what errors may be posted.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-34480108623272525492009-08-14T01:33:00.007-05:002009-08-14T19:34:50.124-05:00My decision to go rawI have been in a constant quest towards improving the quality of care I provide to my animals ever since I first started owning them. I didn't make a real push towards pursuing more natural nutrition for my dogs until about three years ago when it was brought to my attention that certain commercial dog food brands were not the nutritional powerhouses they advertised themselves to be. I did some research and discovered (mostly through <a href="http://www.dogfoodproject.com/">this</a> site in the beginning) that the problem with these foods is largely in the excessive use of grains as sources for proteins and other nutrients, along with the preservatives used to give the kibble shelf life.<br /><br />I have since learned that things such as <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=vaccinosis&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10">vaccination protocols</a> and <a href="http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf">spaying & neutering</a> are also areas of pet care that can be approached from a more natural and healthier standpoint for our pets. But that is for another post.<br /><br />After doing some research, I switched my dog at the time (a Jack Russell Terrier) over to a holistic, grain-free kibble (<a href="http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1491">EVO</a>). It had higher meat contents, no grains, and overall better quality ingredient content. I observed a change in the brightness of his coloring, his coat was softer, and he produced less stools which broke down quicker than he did on the previous diet he was on. He also had more energy.<br /><br />I started looking into a raw diet when I joined an online training forum manned by a well-known dog trainer: <a href="http://www.leerburg.com">Ed Frawley</a>. After some online research, purchasing a couple of books, a few conversations with people who fed raw, and a gentle push from a friend I made the leap to raw feeding. I decided to change because I have come to the conclusion that feeding a species-appropriate diet (raw food) provides our dogs with the most readily available nutrients for them, as the nutrients are in their most natural sources. Keiko has been on a raw diet for two and a half weeks now which means the changes often noted when switching from kibble to raw are beginning to show. Previously, Keiko was on <a href="http://www.innovapet.com/product_line.asp?id=502">Innova Puppy</a> - a high quality low grain (they also have no grain formulas) kibble with specific meat sources and <b>no</b> corn. Also, there are no byproducts!! I want to give things a few more days before I blog about them but a few visible changes have been noted to me by my family: her coat has an even healthier and shinier look to it without the "oily" feeling, her teeth are very clean (although she is a puppy so they shouldn't be very dirty anyway), and she is more excited about meal time than I have ever seen a dog be. This means that breakfast and dinner have become training sessions during which she gets a <b>very</b> high value reward.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-30655605878104943862009-08-03T23:49:00.001-05:002009-08-03T23:51:23.763-05:00Grr, technology.Well, I typed a post about raw feeding and my first days doing so with Keiko on the LJ app on my iPhone. Somewhere between typing and pushing "send" (at least I'm 99.9% certain I pushed send) and driving to grab something to eat with my sister, my message disappeared. While a bit upsetting, I will simply retype and post the message only this time I'll try to have some pictures to share.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-25403259358221855242009-07-24T02:21:00.000-05:002009-07-24T02:23:21.209-05:00Raw feeding...looks like it will be a reality for my pup sooner than later. Details on a species-appropriate diet for my dog will be coming in the next couple of weeks. :) I'll try to get it up asap.happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-45753513682412395932009-07-19T18:51:00.004-05:002009-07-19T19:03:58.725-05:00Keiko's First ThunderstormYesterday I went down to the World Series of Dog Shows in Houston, the last BIG dog show before Westminster. I had a great time! I was going to bring the puppy (usually you can't bring personal pets to dog shows) as this show made an exception but was told at the last minute that they weren't allowing personal pets. That bit of information turned out to be false so I was a little bummed that I hadn't brought the puppy along but by the same token I was kind of glad that I got to experience the show without having to worry about what my puppy was doing. I bought some more Zuke's Natural Minis (this time the peanut butter flavor) and a tan british slip lead (like this: <a href="http://leerburg.com/mendota.htm#883">http://leerburg.com/mendota.htm#883</a>) I like the tan color...it's perfect for my little red stockdog. :) I also got some sample packets of THK (The Honest Kitchen Dog Food) which means I will probably start feeding that in the next month or so. /grin/ I'm not sure if I've mentioned it in a previous post, but I'm considering the prospect of moving to feeding a raw diet along with the natural kibble Keiko is on or feeding THK along with a raw diet. While feeding raw is comparable to what I pay for Innova, I think as a college student there may be times when I forget or run out of time to always have the proper ingredients stocked in the fridge. So for now I will feed a combination that offers me a little more flexibility. I'll update with the research as I get on with it.<br /><br />So I originally started this post to talk about the progress Keiko is made and to point out how pleased I am with her. But then a thunderstorm started (whoop for the first serious rain in this area all summer!!) as I began typing so I got distracted. It is raining pretty hard and thundering fairly loud too. Herding breeds (like the Collie, BC, and Aussie) tend to be a little more sensitive to loud noises than your average dog. I don't think Aussies are as bad as BCs but I think they are a little more sensitive than others. Keiko looked a little bewildered but I ignored her behavior (as opposed to petting and "comforting" her which would actually enable the fear) and made her wire crate more "den-like". I covered the side of it with a thick, large bathroom rug which she usually lays on and put the box it came in over the top of it. That will help it seem more enclosed and also helps block some of the sound. However, I didn't lock her inside of it. I left the door open for her to retreat and come out as she pleases. I also set up a little comfort spot in the closet for her to check out in case that made her feel more comfortable. Right now she is laying down on the floor in front of my bed, checking out her rawhide bone. She seems to be a bit more at ease. Looks like all is going well during our first thunderstorm. :)<br /><br />Update: Keiko is now laying down on the floor beside my bed (now next to me) and is not looking up when the thunder sounds. Yay!happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-25369136908512409932009-07-13T00:38:00.003-05:002009-07-13T01:08:32.530-05:00Jotting down some training ideasI'm supposed to be typing up lab reports for organic lab which are due tomorrow so naturally I decided to blog about some ideas of what I want to begin tackling in my training this week.<div><br /></div><div>1. Stand</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- I think I will start this by capturing the stand when I groom Keiko, which I do twice a day</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>(after her morning walk and after our last outdoor activity of the night). I make her stand still <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>when I do that so I will start marking for her just standing still while grooming. Making the <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>transition from this to standing from a sit/down I haven't quite planned out yet but that's <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>something for me to ponder.</div><div>2. Down</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- I want to put a command to this by the end of the week, but I want her to do it from a <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>standing position as opposed to having to sit first. I think I will first teach it by luring, <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>because <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am aiming for a competition obedience style down, not a down with her hips <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>flopped to one side or the other. (The obedience style is with all four legs facing forward)</div><div>3. Hand touch</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- I want to clean up the hand touch. By next Sunday, I hope to be getting real nose punches <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>out of the hand touch which means I will have to work fairly intensively with her #1 reward <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>(which to date is a lick out of a frozen can of baby food). This reward sends her fairly high <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>into drive so I'm looking forward to making the hand touch concrete with her.</div><div>4. Come</div><div>- Up until now I've only worked on an "informal" recall. I say "c'mere" and Keiko has to come back to me. At some point in the next few weeks, I want to teach a more formal "Come" where she is required to actually come TO ME.</div><div>5. Here</div><div>- Here means come to me and sit right in front of me, looking up at me. I will work on here after I have the recall come down, as I think here is a bit more specific and difficult a task.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also have seen a lot more toy drive out of Keiko lately. She has always been more interested in her soft/fuzzy toys so I'm considering purchasing another "Lambiedoodle" for the purpose of drive building...we'll see. Maybe I'll get something smaller but still soft and attach it to some sort of line to do some drive building with.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also still about 5% undecided about SAR. I have been going to the practices all summer and have become a little SAR sponge, but for some reason I can't say that I'm 100% sure I want to do SAR with my pup. In fact in some ways, I see all of the herding instinct she has (and she came from an old working line breeder, so if I didn't have her she would most likely be off on some ranch working) and I almost feel like I would be wasting it if I didn't trial her (or work her...which I can't do now because I don't have cattle, sheep, or ducks lol). We'll see...I've still got time to decide whether I want to work her in SAR for certain and I plan to get her instinct tested sometime in the next few months. I know things will work out for the best in the end though.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had something else I wanted to jot here but I forgot what it was and I'm getting tired so I'm going to finish my lab reports and call it a night. I'll update later!</div>happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-24309317700986531752009-07-06T01:51:00.003-05:002009-07-06T02:10:27.023-05:00Taking the next stepI need to jot down these thoughts before I lose them in the swarm of organic chemistry reactions I'm currently trying to memorize for tomorrow's test.. /grin/<div><br /></div><div>First, the sit - Keiko can perform it 8/10 times with a verbal command but I have found two flaws in it which I need to fix. The first and most simple is that she doesn't hold it sometimes; she'll immediately go into offering the down (which I have marked for but have not put a command to yet) if I don't reward quickly enough. So now I will mark for her HOLDING the sit after being told to do so. It will go like this.. "Sit... (pause one second, two seconds) Yes!" and reward. We will work our way up to five, then ten, but will start at two seconds.</div><div>The second thing about the sit is that I need to put a signal to it. A little backwards, I know, but since I have made her sit before going in/out of every door since the very first day I got her, she's heard enough repetitions of the word "sit" to know what it means without receiving a signal first.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second, the down - she offers this readily in our training sessions. I need to do a few sessions where I select only for the down. Then I will put a signal to it, then a command. I imagine this should be complete (not with distractions) within the next couple of days. I need to be careful how I select for this. I would like for her to do an obedience style down (all four legs facing forward, not with her hips flopped over to one side) but am not sure if I want to teach that yet. I could have an alternate command (platz - german for down) but it may be confusing to allow her to do the more leisurely down now and then try to select for the more correct down (platz) later. I need to ponder on that before I start marking for it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also need to decide exactly what I want my hand signals to be. Never have I given this much thought to what hand signals I want to use for various commands...that's proof that newfound freedom goes to people's heads. Haha!</div><div><br /></div><div>Training aside, a figured a little update on Keiko was due. I'm not sure how much she weighs but I estimate her being between 20 and 25 lbs now. I'd like to get her height measured as well. E seems to think she's small, but she <i>is</i> supposed to be at the smaller end of the standard so I imagine she's on track. I'll have to ask her about it tomorrow. She's also earned more "big girl responsibilities" and gets to sleep in her "big girl crate" (her 36" wire crate) now. :) I had no choice but to put her in the wire crate after she got sick last week (I was <b><i>not</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> about to clean out her plastic crate at 5:45 AM after she threw up in it) and she was well behaved so she has been sleeping and staying in it ever since.</span></b></div><div>She also gets more free time in the house. I used to confine her to the kitchen while I was there, but now I leave her 15' lead on with her collar and let her roam. I gave her a knuckle bone which she happily took into the living room and gnawed on while I made my dinner. I was able to keep an eye on her over the bar counter. She behaved well so she also stayed out while I ate and she left me completely alone. :) I was very proud of her today!</div><div>We went home for July 4th and she also got more free time there, including some of the time loose in my room there (no leash, no collar even). It's fun to see her mature but I'm also already missing the little red puppy she came to me as.</div><div><br /></div><div>We went to a NADAC agility trial in town today and that went great. She was very alert when we went in (in case you've never been to an agility trial - they're very loud between the radio playing, the people there, and the dogs barking) but settled quickly and then just wanted attention from everyone. It reminded me that we need to work on not jumping on people, which needs to be done by that person telling her to sit before giving her any excited or happy attention...which is a real problem because everyone sees her and goes "ohh!! Hey there cutie!" which is enough to send her butt a'wigglin'. We'll have to be sure to take a few extra trips to PetSmart this next month or so as well as out to some of the kids sports games over the summer so we can work on all of this.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another positive note, I think we're getting closer to the point where I can actually bring her to search & rescue practice. I'm about 90% sure that I'm going to go ahead and actually make the commitment to the team, thus submitting my taskbook for review. I really like the idea of it and think both I and Keiko are cut out for it. I just need to make sure that I can make the time commitment to the team. I also want to be sure that my mind will be in it as well. The good thing is that the team would rather have someone be honest and tell them they can't handle the load anymore than have someone keep showing up to practice but their heart and mind not really be there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wow, I rambled much more than I was expecting to! I really should get some sleep. I'll have more updates later this week though.</div>happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-32152391407283186262009-06-27T13:20:00.004-05:002009-07-20T07:19:32.536-05:00The Hand TouchSo now that the mark is charged, the real fun begins. I feel like a kid in a candy shop with the opportunities I've got to begin laying the foundation for Keiko as a working dog. As of the past 24 hours, I've been marking for "go to bed" (her wire crate) and "go in your kennel" (her plastic crate where she is actually kept when I can't supervise). It made going in the kennel more pleasant, as over the past couple of days she'd decided she no longer wanted to go in there on command. She wanted to go in her bed instead (I don't shut the door on her in that one yet lol). So I've been marking for the kennel and have seen an immediate difference. What I like about marker training is that I can use a food reward, but I can also use anything she wants as a reward! For example if it's dinner time, she is hungry and she wants to eat. I want her to go in her kennel so I can feed her. So I tell her "go in your kennel" (she knows what this command means) and when she does, I mark "yes!" and place her food down for her to eat. There are other everyday applications but I started this post to talk about teaching Keiko the hand touch so the rest of my everyday applications will have to wait for a later post.<br /><br />I began teaching the hand touch today. I believe I said I was going to start with the down but of course since that's how I planned it, things went differently. Normally you have to break the hand touch down into a small series of steps (dog looks at it, steps towards it, sniffs it, touches it) but Keiko immediately touched my hand when I stuck it out so I marked it. She quickly caught onto this touching game. I have done two small sessions of hand touch with her. In the second, she'd layed down. When I put my hand out for her to touch it, she stretched her neck out to touch it. I marked. We did this three times, then I told her to go to her kennel and marked that. It seems that she is catching on to the hand touch game. So my training plan has changed a bit. [<b>Note:</b> I will try and get a picture of the hand touch uploaded sometime in the next couple of weeks. We're due for some pictures but it'll be another week before I see my photographer :D (my sister, lol)]<br /><br /><dir>1. Continue marking and rewarding the hand touch at close range.<br /><br />2. When Keiko can do this reliably 8/10 times, move the hand further away so that she must take 1-2 steps to reach the hand. (The distance to be moved away will be judged in training, depending on what she demonstrates she's ready for)<br /><br />3. Put the command "hand touch" on the action.<br /><br />4. When she can reliably perform the hand touch after being commanded to do so, wait until she is across the room, command the hand touch, and present the hand as a target.</dir><br /><br />Of course these steps could change at any given point in time as I learn more and as I actually work with Keiko. You can put lots of things on paper but no one thing works for every dog and it's best to see what works best for your dog in a situation and work from there. Anyway, I'm really enjoying my puppy. :) Times were a bit frustrating there for a while but I'm finally coming to the realization that this puppy is actually <i>mine</i> and I am the only person in charge of what I do with her and when. It's a neat realization and has allowed me to relax a little and just enjoy her. I also came to the realization that I'm not going to do <i>everything</i> perfect and that's OK! I think that is the biggest, most important issue I have come to terms with and is also what has allowed me to make less mistakes. Imagine that! /giggle/happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7940511412034123476.post-63063998648277051612009-06-25T23:33:00.006-05:002009-06-26T00:28:03.808-05:00Marker TrainingWow, a lot has happened in the long while since I posted last. I got serious about marker training and have introduced Keiko to the pool. I will save the pool experience for a future post.<div><br /></div><div>I am proud to say that the mark has officially been charged! Keiko confirmed this for me today after a long walk on campus. I was in my room and wandering about, waiting for her to lose interest in me. When she did, I said "yes" and her head snapped in my direction looking for her treat! To be sure this concept is clear, I will probably charge the mark in the living room in two short sessions before her breakfast and dinner tomorrow and again outside the following day. For the time being, any new behaviors taught will be done in my room. Currently I am marking her entrance to the kennel. Previously I was just praising for going into the crate which was working well. I will transition it to marker training...simply because I can, lol. Once I am sure that she understands the command "go in your kennel" then I will wean off of the mark and onto pure praise with the occasional reward - such as getting to come right back out or getting a tasty treat or a special toy (i.e. her peanut butter filled kong).</div><div><br /></div><div>To charge the mark in marker (also known as clicker) training, you must give your mark and immediately follow with a high value reward. Many people have heard of clicker training, which is a form of marker training in which a clicker is used to mark a desired behavior. For a number of reasons which I will discuss in a later post, I prefer to use a verbal marker. Specifically - the word "yes!". The point of this training method is to teach the dog that whatever they were doing when you gave their mark was correct and their reward is coming. The theory is that this style of training makes up for the 2-3 second delay that may come in rewarding a dog for a desired behavior (say, for example, you're doing a down-stay at a distance.)</div><div><br /></div><div>When I originally started charging the mark, I would say "yes", pause, and then reward. During the pause, Keiko was sometimes able to sit or down. (Both commands which I had previously taught her) I decided after a few days of this that I didn't think this was the response I was looking for. I did a bit of problem solving and consulted the Leerburg forums and decided that the pause I was giving between the yes and the reward was too long. So I went back to square one. To charge the mark I held an even number of treats in both hands, gave the mark and then immediately gave the reward. Now that Keiko looks at me expecting a treat when she hears the word "yes", I will probably give a couple of seconds pause between the yes and the reward so that she knows that it may take a second, but the reward is coming. After a brief session of this, I will move on to actually using the mark to train new behaviors. Once I apply this to training new behaviors, there will be NO MORE charging the mark! Unless I decide to add an additional mark (i.e. the word "good" or using the clicker).</div><div><br /></div><div>I also watched a video by a dog trainer that reminded me of why I was previously opposed to the idea of marker (specifically clicker) training. That I may discuss at another time or add an amendment to this post which explains why. While at first I was a bit confused as to what I wanted to do, I'm glad that I watched the video because it reminded me of my purpose for using MT and the direction I wanted to go with it - the idea is to use MT to teach the new behaviors, then to phase the food reward out save for on random occasion. At this point in time, I also prefer to us MT to train commands which don't come naturally to the dog - i.e. tricks and behaviors required for working dog (specifically SAR at this point in time) training. I also want to use it to train a few games that you can play with a dog that is marker trained. I previously was not going to use it to train behaviors such as sit, down, etc. but I may try it on the down and see how I feel about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I need to get some pictures of Keiko in the pool. I've attached a photo at the bottom of this post which isn't great, but it is recent - I snapped it on my iPhone two days ago. I hope to post more often but between class, work, and puppy I can't always find time to blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have a great night!</div><div><br /><br /><p><center><img src="http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt265/hrdndog/Keiko/keiko5mths.jpg" border="0" alt="Keiko @ 5 mths" /></center></p></div>happydoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02987276747332737865noreply@blogger.com0