Monday, September 10, 2012

Training Levels Session with Dolce - 1 & 2, Zenzi

We worked on Sue Ailsby's Training Levels tonight for Dolce's dinner.  I think I'm going to switch his meals up a bit, and give him a raw chicken wing or leg when I don't have time to train, and kibble when I do have time.

We did the following from Level 1 (which is all of the exercises from that level)

  • Zen - dog moves off a treat in your hand while you are seated, dog stays off a treat in your closed fist for 5 seconds, dog stays away from your open hand for 5 seconds, dog moves away from a treat in a dog dish held in your hand.
  • Target - dog touches your hand with her nose, dog reaches high and low to touch your hand with her nose, dog takes 3 steps to touch your hand, dog touches your hand twice to get 1 click, move the dog with your hand target.
  • Sit - Dog sits with leash off, dog sits with hand signal only, dog sits with leash on, dog sits by an open door, dog works with no treats on trainer.
  • Come - Dog looks for dropped treats at your feet, dog runs from person to person (in this case from a stay) 10' apart, dog plays come game between 2 people 10' apart, dog plays come game between two people 20' apart. (We've done this before, but I couldn't do the games tonight as I'm alone.)  Play hide and seek -- Dolce LOVES this game!
  • Down - dog downs with leash off, dog downs on a hand signal only, change your position (turn away, kneel, stand on couch), dog downs with leash on, dog downs to earn a different desired reward.
And this from Level 2 before running out of meal
  • Zen - dog moves off uncovered treat on floor, dog stays off treat on floor for 10 seconds, dog stays off treat on floor for 30 seconds, dog stays off a dropping treat and gets a different treat, use "find it" to get the treat.
  • Focus - Dog finds your eyes, dog holds eye contact for 2 seconds, then 6 seconds, then 10 seconds, use the cue before doing something else <--- This was genius!
There's a bit more detail to it than that, but that's the basic summary of the first official training sessions. We used her handy dandy flash cards (scroll down to the bottom, they're free) having read the how-to in her ebook.  I am seriously hooked.  This is the best training book/how-to/regimen EVER.  It's already helping Dolce's reactivity since we're focusing more.

I literally can't wait to get future border collie puppy and start it with her. :) Her name will be Zenzi, which is German, and means to grow and thrive.  I'm probably going to be getting her from this future litter.  Her mama will be Ann Croft's dog, Kit.


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