Teaching Blinds - Video

[BritneyP]

Just a silly little video of my girl, Indi.. I watch it and am almost in disbelief at how much I've been able to accomplish with her since I've had her. She is generally speaking, a VERY high drive, out of control, reckless dog (the broken teeth dog!) with very little respect for anyone or anything.

This was her 3rd session ever of being introduced to the blinds and I could NOT be happer.

Indi - 3rd session w/ blinds - 2.06.12 - YouTube

Indi - 3rd session w/ blinds - 2.06.12 - YouTube

[GSDBESTK9]

Very good. GREAT song, my favorite.

[Jason L]

Looks good! Indi is coming along very nicely! So so glad to see that!

[hunterisgreat]

Looks good. Quick question. Did you already know what size she favors or did you pick it for her? Another thing to do: Clothespin her toy inside the blind on the far edge from the side she comes around. This will encourage her to always look into a blind rather than just run around it.

[BritneyP]

Thanks Guys!

Jason - she's hoping to make her big, goofy brother proud, lol.

Hunter - I will definitely try that with her toy, great tip! I don't normally "teach" blinds this way, but she is such a hectic dog that I figured trying to get her to understand the basic concept of it in a low stimulation environment would be to her benefit. I theoretically plan to start introducing a helper in them/fly outs as soon as she's confidently going around them in a much larger area (in regards to actually checking the blinds.. a big pet peeve is dogs who very obviously have just been taught to run around things, they aren't actually looking for anyone).

Also, to answer your question, she hasn't really shown that she wanted to go to one side or the other, I just pick the left side because it's what I'm used to and what all my other dogs do.

[hunterisgreat]

Throw her toy at the base of a fence or wall or something. Send her straight in to do it. Record what side she turns. Do it 10 times or so and a preference should emerge. Thats her side.

I wouldn't have a helper in there until the concept is really understood by her. One way I realized my dogs really understood the concept of going around the blinds, is when we are doing OB or protection work and they get their reward and are released, they go run the nearest blind anyway.

The other thing I'd do early on, is when she comes around the first blind, call her all the way to a front position, and then send again to the next blind. My pet peeves are dogs that don't look in the blinds, and dogs that don't give a crap what the handler is doing after the initial command. I want my dogs to recall all the way to me if I so choose. So long as they look at me on the recall and begin diverting towards me instead of the next blind, I resume the blind search.

[Jason L]

Ike was taught how to run the blinds with helpers. Never ever any toy in the blind, hanging or otherwise. Interesting thing about Ike is once he believes that there is going to be a helper in the blind, he will believe it ALWAYS. He is not a dog that will try to second guess you or play the "I wonder where you hid the helper" game with you. So if he doesn't find a helper in blind #1, then he thinks "the helper MUST be blind #2", etc. etc.

Just something to keep in mind with his sister.

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by Jason L

Ike was taught how to run the blinds with helpers. Never ever any toy in the blind, hanging or otherwise. Interesting thing about Ike is once he believes that there is going to be a helper in the blind, he will believe it ALWAYS. He is not a dog that will try to second guess you or play the "I wonder where you hid the helper" game with you. So if he doesn't find a helper in blind #1, then he thinks "the helper MUST be blind #2", etc. etc.

Just something to keep in mind with his sister.

The only trouble with that method, is you gotta have a helper on hand

[Liesje]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

The other thing I'd do early on, is when she comes around the first blind, call her all the way to a front position, and then send again to the next blind. My pet peeves are dogs that don't look in the blinds, and dogs that don't give a crap what the handler is doing after the initial command. I want my dogs to recall all the way to me if I so choose. So long as they look at me on the recall and begin diverting towards me instead of the next blind, I resume the blind search.

I agree, though I don't care as much about looking in the blind (I like it but don't spend forever trying to get it if my dog's not doing it). I want to be able to send my dog to *any* blind, not just run the zig-zag on autopilot. I do introduce as an obedience game with a toy but never put the toy in the blind. The toy only ever comes from *me*. If they want to play with the toy they have to go around that blind and come back to me. I just start at the blind and then back up further and further. The default is that they return to me and platz unless I direct them to another blind.

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by Liesje

I agree, though I don't care as much about looking in the blind (I like it but don't spend forever trying to get it if my dog's not doing it). I want to be able to send my dog to *any* blind, not just run the zig-zag on autopilot. I do introduce as an obedience game with a toy but never put the toy in the blind. The toy only ever comes from *me*. If they want to play with the toy they have to go around that blind and come back to me. I just start at the blind and then back up further and further. The default is that they return to me and platz unless I direct them to another blind.

I should elaborate... I put a toy in the blind initially, but I also have a second toy when they recall. Later the toy becomes random, and then very rarely in the blind... but I always have a toy. And I give the toy I have with my hand in the same motion and position as it would be for the next blind search... so whether I give a toy, or send to the next blind, I look the same