Anticipating the command

[elisabeth_00117]

I have been going through the BH pattern as of late with Stark because our trial date is fast approaching (early spring).

The last two or three sessions he has been downing on the stand and sometimes the sit. It's like he's not really paying attention to the command and just "going with his gut".

He knows the commands (obviously!) and performs them when asked in other situations (like running around I will randomly call out commands or when we do them in a stationary position) but when in heel he seems to revert to the down.

I have tried to trick him up a bit by changing things up. Asking for a stand instead of sit, not downing him for two whole sessions, etc. I have also made a right/left turn where the down/sit/stand OFM should be.

Just looking for some more advice. Going to training tomorrow so will get some advice there. Wish I had video to share.

Thanks all.

[Liesje]

Usually if my dog downs and it's not because I've over-trained the pattern it's from stress. Could he be feeling stress/pressure from you?

[elisabeth_00117]

I don't think so Lies.

Like, for an example.. today I had him at the park. Just him and I. No e-collar, no prong, just his fursaver with a tab attached.

Had his favorite ball out, he was JUMPING all around me, kicking up like a stallion... LOL.. totally pouncy, happy boy.

His heeling was FANTASTIC!!!!

Totally engaged with me, I had my "let's just play" voice and attitude, no "real formal" stuff, just wanted to throw in some obedience amoungst the play time. No corrections, no "mommy voice" nothing, just fun.

We are heeling along, I give the command in a neutral tone, "sits" and he happily drops. Tail wagging, ears perked, mouth open, tongue flopping in the wind, excited to jump up into heel and everything. I come over to him, say, "oops, sits" and he jumps into a sit as I continue to walk away.

I go back, pick him up and he is bouncing beside me. I release and play.

He did this two more times, one when I gave the stand command and another when I said sits during the OFM stuff.

He seemed very relaxed and happy and excited to be out and working. I've been sick for a week (in and out of the dr.'s office) so he hasn't gotten out much and was happy to be out!

[lhczth]

He doesn't understand the exercise yet. You are also rewarding him for doing the exercise incorrectly. He is learning to down, then mom tells him to sit, then she leaves, comes back and plays. I would take several steps back and help him with the sit so he can be correct. I would also reward for the sit and not worry about moving away from him right now.

[Castlemaid]

What Lisa said. I would just ask for sit for a few days, help him out, stop, make sure he sits, walk on (you are allowed to do this with the new IPO rules). Check that he still has a down a few days before the bh, and leave it at that. If I over-drill something, Gryff starts worrying that he is doing it wrong (even if he is doing it right and is being rewarded for it), and will start throwing in his own variations, either from stress, from boredom, or just to see my reaction. So two or three good practice exercises with correct exercises, and we leave it at that. No need to drill it to death if it's solid to start with.

[elisabeth_00117]

Thanks guys, I will definitely do this!

[Karla]

Like, for an example.. today I had him at the park. Just him and I. No e-collar, no prong, just his fursaver with a tab attached.

Had his favorite ball out, he was JUMPING all around me, kicking up like a stallion... LOL.. totally pouncy, happy boy.

His heeling was FANTASTIC!!!!

Totally engaged with me, I had my "let's just play" voice and attitude, no "real formal" stuff, just wanted to throw in some obedience amoungst the play time. No corrections, no "mommy voice" nothing, just fun.

Lisa gave you some good advice! I would agree that Stark does not understand the exercise.

I just had a discussion with my trainer about my training methods because Timber just doesn't have the same enthusiasm when we go through the CDX routine at her place as he does when we practice.

Timber is used to the "fun mom" when we practice and then when I go to my trainer, I get serious, as I would in the ring for the CDX routine, and he doesn't work as well.

So, when I read what you wrote, I thought this might be something to think about.

We also did something out of the ordinary. She had me pick a nonsense word. A nonsense word has several syllables, but has no meaning to the dog, i.e. strawberry.

She had me set him up to do a down on recall, but instead of giving a down command, I was to say strawberry. So, here comes Timber on the recall and I say strawberry. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me quite puzzled. I then called him in to me.

In all actuality, he should have kept coming in for the recall; but he didn't.
My trainer said a lot of dogs will just down when they hear the owners voice, so they aren't listening to the word.

I'm going to try it again in a few days to see if he learned to pay attention.