Focus Fun September Week 3

Links you will want. Focus Fun A-Z Welcome Page Focus Fun A-Z Weekly Links Facebook Group Link Questions? Ask DebbyQ

STARTING TO TRAIN FOR SHOWS?   Think before sending in the Entry!

Resist the temptation or pressure to enter your dog before he is truly ready.

Entering a show with the hope your dog will perfect an exercise in a given amount of time may only result in frustration and disappointment. Set your goals and decide what level of performance you expect from your dog. Stick to your goals and resist the temptations to bow to pressure from others or compare your dog to what others might be doing with their dogs. When your dog performs the exercises in a confident, reliable, accurate manner in a variety of circumstances and situations when training, it is time to send in the entry fees!

THINK BEFORE ENTERING A SHOW!

Entering a show before your dog is ready, will gain you nothing. It may even have negative effects on your dog. Possibly putting your team-mate in a bad situation where he will not be successful will demotivate and diminish his confidence. Much worse it might even teach him not to trust you. When you enter a show, you are telling your dog, the show committee, and your instructor, that you feel you are ready and have thoroughly trained your dog in all skills needed to be successful at the level you are entering.

Training your dog is a wonderful way to spend time with him. Make all training sessions fun and enjoyable for your dog and he will be eager to learn all you would like to teach him! Set attainable goals and work towards those goals on a daily basis. When he is ready, proof all the skills he needs to know in order to show confidently. You are a teammate with your dog. So, train consistently, fairly and most of all have fun!

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

Just like any athlete, your dog needs both a physical and mental 

WARM-UP before training or showing. There are many ways to warm-up your dog, and each dog will need his or her own personalized way to prepare to go into the ring.
Warm-up routines should address both a dog’s body and mind. When I get ready to train or show, my warm-up begins when I take my dog from his crate.

Your Task for this September Week 3

Have you developed a Warm-Up plan?

Now is the time to TEST your warm-up plan to see if it meets your needs.

• Plan and identify what you will do to GET to the ring.  Will you heel the entire way?  Play and interact with your dog?  Do some heeling and then have your dog walk backwards in front of you?
• What transitions, heeling, loose leash walking, etc. you will use?  Transitions, such as spin or twirl, are great body warm-ups.  Which will you use and where will you use them in your warm-up?   Will you walk your dog and engage a bit, do a few spins and twirls, and then go into another skill?
• Does your dog need self-control?  If so, add control exercises.  Which will you add?  Sit and down stays?  Slow Hand rewards?  Drop a treat on the floor and your dog cannot get it until released or you pick it up?
• Your dog needs motivation and speed?   What surprise games will you add and when?   While moving toward the ring, surprise your dog with a hidden toy that you pull out of nowhere and play OR as you wait to go into the ring you work on the Revv/Settle game.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Practicing in an open area that does not supply any challenge to your dog.  While starting in an open area is fine, it is important to progress to tighter locations to test your dog’s skills.
• Using visible treats or toys to keep your dog’s focus and mind.  Ideally, once to this level, all rewards are hidden and skills are RANDOMLY rewarded.
• Helping their dog focus rather than applying a consequence.  The Warm-Up needs to tune in your dogs skills and focus.  Non-verbal consequences are always best for lack of effort.
• Reverting back to luring when the dog will not focus.   Keep the rewards hidden and give in a surprising manner.
• Letting their dog go inattentive.  This will become a slippery slope.  If your dog is out, he needs to be focused on the task at hand.  Letting him do anything other than that will become a “grey” area for your dog.
• Overworking a dog during a warm-up.  Each dog needs a different length of warm-up.  The “instant on” taught in this class will help teach your dog to turn on quickly. Rehearsing your warm-up is a great way to develop duration in working/training.

Testing your PLAN!

• How did you test your plan?
  
• Where did you test your warm-up?
• Are there any changes or additions you feel are needed?

Post your list On the Facebook group!

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

Line-Ups in new locations.   Areas to look for can be anywhere from a different room in your house, to the ballpark, or pet shop.  When you go to a new location, be sure to start off in an area that is not very distracting, so that your dog can be successful.

Your Task for this September Week 3

Once you have built desire in your line-up, it is time to start adding new locations.

• Have your dog at your right or left side.
• Move forward with your dog toward your line-up spot.
• As you move, randomly use transition games.
• If your dog looks away from you, push your dog away, or play the U-Missed-It Game as a consequence for lack of attention.
• Once your dog is successful lining up, try to line-up near an object and repeat the process.
• Remember, anytime you increase the difficulty for your dog, decrease time or distance.  A difficulty could be adding more distraction.
• Practice lining up from different angles and turns such as right, left, and about turn.  Think of all the ways you may need to line up in the future.  :>)

COMMON ERRORS – Handler Make

• Your dog loses focus or goes “inactive.” Inactive is when your dog is there, but your dog’s mind is somewhere else.  :>0  Try simplifying either the duration or the distraction.  Progressing to rapidly has been just as bad as not progressing at all.
• Your dog doesn’t seem interested in training with you.  Add more games, make sure your dog is hungry and crate your dog before training.  Keep training sessions short and keep your dog wanting more fun!
• Your dog is not giving effort to stay focused on you.  Did you start teaching in a non-distracting location?  Or did you increase the time duration too rapidly?  Building on SUCCESS and keeping your training sessions short is the best way to building confidence in your dog.
• When going to a new location, your dog seems very distracted or nervous.  Try going to a less distracting location.  Your dog needs to know HOW to be successful a bit at a time.

Video

 

 

Video Notes:

 

 

 

BEFORE PROGRESSING, REVIEW YOUR CHECK LIST.

PDF

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

This week we are adding on to the Ring-A-Ling skill.  The Rapid Fire drill is a fun way to build your dog’s focus and desire going into a ring.   

Your Task for this September Week 3

• Once your dog has the general concept of the ring is FUN, bump it up by doing the “Rapid Fire” drill.
• Play outside the ring with your dog, then use a transition to move into the ring.  Reminder go inside with focus, play, and leave again.  Your dog is always focused!
• Next, play outside with your dog, use a transition to move into the ring, line-Up your dog and then release and play, and leave again with focus.
• Lastly, play outside with your dog, go inside with focus using a transition game.  Do a leash o/o and play, and leave again with focus.
• REMEMBER inside the ring should be kept fun!
• This “rapid fire” drill is a great way to build desire and have fun when in the ring.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Asking for too many skills before the desire is built on the activity of entering the ring.  Gradually increase the number of skills you train always keeping in mind desire is the priority.
• Accepting a lack of focus in order to get into the ring.  NEVER accept less than criteria on the first skill, going into the ring, for the second skill.
• Training too long.  Keep your sessions short and sweet.  Build the fun and focus BEFORE building duration or sequencing.

 

Video

 

Video Notes:

 

 

BEFORE PROGRESSING, REVIEW YOUR CHECK LIST.

PDF

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

Are you using RSG anytime you are leaving your dog?

RSG Games (Ready, Set, Go) in your training will increase your dog’s “active” state and focus when in a stationary position or coming toward you and will greatly enhance your dog’s focus.  Use a verity of games at a high percentage.  That is, play games 50-75% of the time when you are leaving or turning toward your dog.

RSG Game Reminders

• Do NOT advertise that you are going to play a game or that your dog is going to get a treat or toy!  When leaving your dog, your treats need to be hidden from your dog.
• INSIST your dog return to you FAST anytime you toss a treat!   This is a MUST!
• Make it FUN and rewarding to get back to you.  This will increase your dog’s desire to RUN when coming back to you.
• Work with your dog on your right side if you do a sport that requires your dog to line up on your right side.
• Add a consequence if your dog looks away from you or becomes “inactive” such as the U-Missed It Game.

Post how and where you are using RSG games on the FaceBook Page.

Questions? Ask DebbyQ

PDF Files useful for this week

 

 

Questions? Ask DebbyQ