Please critique my heeling vid!

[chelle]

This was from tonight.

As I review it, I'm surprised! I didn't realize how much my timing was off at times! I mean, really... OFF!

I was also rewarding back/wide/sideways sits. Sure didn't seem they were that bad at the time? (scratches head.)

I could be wrong, but I think Bails did fine considering his handler apparently sucks kinda bad. ??

One issue you'll see is Bailey drops when I don't want him to. Did I handle it right when he dropped when I wanted a sit?

I was working on a nice tight turn. Also working on changing my pace from a jog to a slow walk. Am I trying for too much at once?

All feedback welcome and appreciated! TIA!

Bailey-1/1 - YouTube

Bailey-1/1 - YouTube

[qbchottu]

First, forgive me for not actually critiquing but I need to watch the video closer to give a good critique. I just wanted to say that I flipped through the vid and your Shiba is just too adorable running around trying to get in on the action. "I want to train too!"

[BlackthornGSD]

I haven't got great internet, so I only watched the first 30 seconds or so, but I thought I'd mention that when you reward, offer the food higher up and let the dog come to your hand instead of you pushing your hand down to the dog.

Your boy looks very happy and engaged--that's fun to watch.

[Mrs.K]

Yes, you can hold your arm right above your hip and have him push into your hand while heeling. That way you can work on better positioning, collection and that he gets closer to your leg. It would look like that:

Fruit Loop Futtertreiben - YouTube

Fruit Loop Futtertreiben - YouTube

[GatorDog]

Are you trying to do any sort of competition with him? You've got some nice groundwork for it!

I think overall, he looks good. He's focused, which is nice. The one thing that I did notice is that as you walk forward, after a few steps he seems to start walking a few steps ahead of you and turns sideways a bit. "Forging" ahead. This is because you are cupping the treats in your right hand (where he can see them) and he is trying to turn himself so he can get a better view and be closer to the reward. I'd suggest getting a treat bag or just putting them in your pocket and not producing the reward until after it is marked "yes". Might help keep him in a better position and stop looking for the source of the reward. If you do get a treat bag, keep it behind you.

As for the turns, I would just bait him around my body and reward him immediately for being in position on the other side of the turn, so that he learns not to swing so wide.

And as Blakthorn said, have him push for the reward rather than you pushing it into him.

But in general, he seems like a great pup. You're doing a nice job with him.

[chelle]

Originally Posted by Mrs.K

Yes, you can hold your arm right above your hip and have him push into your hand while heeling. That way you can work on better positioning, collection and that he gets closer to your leg. It would look like that: Fruit Loop Futtertreiben - YouTube

Ok, thank you for that vid -- we will work on that. I've had comments on my hand positioning before. Just a weakness of mine I need to really be aware of/work on.

Originally Posted by GatorDog

Are you trying to do any sort of competition with him? You've got some nice groundwork for it!

I think overall, he looks good. He's focused, which is nice. The one thing that I did notice is that as you walk forward, after a few steps he seems to start walking a few steps ahead of you and turns sideways a bit. "Forging" ahead. This is because you are cupping the treats in your right hand (where he can see them) and he is trying to turn himself so he can get a better view and be closer to the reward. I'd suggest getting a treat bag or just putting them in your pocket and not producing the reward until after it is marked "yes". Might help keep him in a better position and stop looking for the source of the reward. If you do get a treat bag, keep it behind you.

As for the turns, I would just bait him around my body and reward him immediately for being in position on the other side of the turn, so that he learns not to swing so wide.

And as Blakthorn said, have him push for the reward rather than you pushing it into him.

But in general, he seems like a great pup. You're doing a nice job with him.

Competition -- I have no idea. I'm such a novice, I can't imagine ever competing, but I wouldn't rule out anything. So far, I am just having a good time with him and figuring out what we both like and do the best with, if that makes sense. I've really enjoyed the small bit of Obedience we've done and he seems to like it, too. I'm very interested in Agility. He loves Frisbee, and that might be my first sport choice, but watching the jumping the disc dogs do worries me about a heavier dog doing the same.

Thanks for the other tips. It all makes sense. I'm glad I had the bf take the vid -- I was really surprised at the difference in what things "seemed" like as we did them VS seeing them later on the vid. And the things you folks saw that I didn't realize as well.

One last thing -- is my timing off (too late) with my "yes" ? As I watched back, I thought I was pretty delayed with it at times. Dumb question: If I DO get my "yes" more "on time" -- will it be understandable to him if it takes me longer to get to the treat that is hidden or behind my back? This is basically the same as clicker training, isn't it? You mark for the behavior and the dog knows the good thing is coming? Geesh I hope that makes sense; I sure know what I mean, but I dunno if it will make sense to anyone trying to figure me out!

[GatorDog]

Originally Posted by chelle

Ok, thank you for that vid -- we will work on that. I've had comments on my hand positioning before. Just a weakness of mine I need to really be aware of/work on.



Competition -- I have no idea. I'm such a novice, I can't imagine ever competing, but I wouldn't rule out anything. So far, I am just having a good time with him and figuring out what we both like and do the best with, if that makes sense. I've really enjoyed the small bit of Obedience we've done and he seems to like it, too. I'm very interested in Agility. He loves Frisbee, and that might be my first sport choice, but watching the jumping the disc dogs do worries me about a heavier dog doing the same.

Thanks for the other tips. It all makes sense. I'm glad I had the bf take the vid -- I was really surprised at the difference in what things "seemed" like as we did them VS seeing them later on the vid. And the things you folks saw that I didn't realize as well.

One last thing -- is my timing off (too late) with my "yes" ? As I watched back, I thought I was pretty delayed with it at times. Dumb question: If I DO get my "yes" more "on time" -- will it be understandable to him if it takes me longer to get to the treat that is hidden or behind my back? This is basically the same as clicker training, isn't it? You mark for the behavior and the dog knows the good thing is coming? Geesh I hope that makes sense; I sure know what I mean, but I dunno if it will make sense to anyone trying to figure me out!

Makes sense to me! I don't think you are too delayed. You're definitely right on the fact that it's the same concept as clicker training, and once you say yes, you can pretty much take your time getting out your reward because the dog knows its coming. Not a dumb question at all.

I started taking videos a few weeks into SchH training because I was being told that I was rewarding and saying yes at the same time, and Aiden didn't really understand the concept of the word and only looked for the reward. It's amazing to see what you really look like when you're training rather than what you think you're doing. I find video taping extremely helpful to handlers. It's also really fun to look back on older videos and see how far you've both come!

[x0emiroxy0x]

Wow. I don't think Rocky will ever get to this level I love his attention on you and his eagerness to work! Can you get him to do it outside yet?

[PaddyD]

Nice video and nice work. I think you should not give treats every time, maybe every other time. Also you were only turning to the right, which is easier for him. I didn't see any left turns.

[GatorDog]

Originally Posted by PaddyD

Nice video and nice work. I think you should not give treats every time, maybe every other time. Also you were only turning to the right, which is easier for him. I didn't see any left turns.

Why wouldn't you reward him for the correct behavior every time he does it?