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Could you give me your secrect training advise for the Focus or Watch command?? I know it was posted earlier but maybe I'm just dumb and can't find it.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/12_help.gif
Teaching Focus
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7 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Here is the latest post I made concerning teaching focus. My suggestion is to teach with food initially, but remember use whatever motivator works for your dog.
[ QUOTE ]
Here are some of my suggestions for teaching the watch command. I hold my hands to my side with a treat in each hand. I like to confront the problem of using food as a lure right away. Make sure your dog knows that both hands have a treat in them. The dog will probably nudge the hands. He may stare at your hands. However, eventually he will look up at you. When he does mark this behavior with a single word. This word is your secondary reinforcer. I use the word GOOD. I say it as soon as I get eye contact. At first the eye contact will be fast so be ready. Then reward him after the GOOD. This will take lots of repetitions, but it will get that focus on YOU not the food. Some people suggest luring with the food by moving it to your eyes, but then again you have to remove the food at some point and it becomes more difficult. I like to make the dog think and this way he has a choice and must use his brain. I attached some training photos below.
Teaching Focus
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More Teaching Focus. Notice my training partner holding her hands out to her side (her hands are full of Ham) and the dog is still focused on her.
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Here is a photo of generalizing the focus to everyday activities.
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Here are some heeling shots.
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Here is my daughter and training partner heeling with a toy.
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I hope this helps and if you have more questions you can PM me as well. Good Luck!!
One more thing about this exercise, after a week or so you should try this exercise with the food bowl, going outside, and also with toys. Generalize the command to any and everything. What you are really teaching is that if the dog looks at you good things happen. Basically you become the center of his universe.
[/ QUOTE ]
Here is the latest post I made concerning teaching focus. My suggestion is to teach with food initially, but remember use whatever motivator works for your dog.
[ QUOTE ]
Here are some of my suggestions for teaching the watch command. I hold my hands to my side with a treat in each hand. I like to confront the problem of using food as a lure right away. Make sure your dog knows that both hands have a treat in them. The dog will probably nudge the hands. He may stare at your hands. However, eventually he will look up at you. When he does mark this behavior with a single word. This word is your secondary reinforcer. I use the word GOOD. I say it as soon as I get eye contact. At first the eye contact will be fast so be ready. Then reward him after the GOOD. This will take lots of repetitions, but it will get that focus on YOU not the food. Some people suggest luring with the food by moving it to your eyes, but then again you have to remove the food at some point and it becomes more difficult. I like to make the dog think and this way he has a choice and must use his brain. I attached some training photos below.
Teaching Focus
More Teaching Focus. Notice my training partner holding her hands out to her side (her hands are full of Ham) and the dog is still focused on her.
Here is a photo of generalizing the focus to everyday activities.
Here are some heeling shots.
Here is my daughter and training partner heeling with a toy.
I hope this helps and if you have more questions you can PM me as well. Good Luck!!
One more thing about this exercise, after a week or so you should try this exercise with the food bowl, going outside, and also with toys. Generalize the command to any and everything. What you are really teaching is that if the dog looks at you good things happen. Basically you become the center of his universe.
[/ QUOTE ]
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7,234 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Had not heard from you in awhile bama!!! Hope all is well!
Had not heard from you in awhile bama!!! Hope all is well!
Joined
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3 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Hi Kathy!
Dad is working on his new kennel for his new dogs. He is not on the board much now. I tell him to post when I think someone needs his advice. I think he checks the board at work but not often. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/13_puppy.gif
Hi Kathy!
Dad is working on his new kennel for his new dogs. He is not on the board much now. I tell him to post when I think someone needs his advice. I think he checks the board at work but not often. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/13_puppy.gif
Joined
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Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Excellent! Thanks so much!! lol, how did you get such a great heel??
Excellent! Thanks so much!! lol, how did you get such a great heel??
Joined
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7,234 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Hey Gabby, I was wondering about him. You guys are some of my favorite people on here.
Hope the kennel turns out great and he will have to post pictures.
Hey Gabby, I was wondering about him. You guys are some of my favorite people on here.
Hope the kennel turns out great and he will have to post pictures.
Joined
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7,234 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Hey Gabby ask your dad to check out 2 posts I made up in chat. One is older and titled "Now I've Done It Big Vent" and the other I just put up tonight titled "I Don't Know What to Do." I actually could use his input.
Thanks!!
Hey Gabby ask your dad to check out 2 posts I made up in chat. One is older and titled "Now I've Done It Big Vent" and the other I just put up tonight titled "I Don't Know What to Do." I actually could use his input.
Thanks!!
Joined
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7 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
[ QUOTE ]
Excellent! Thanks so much!! lol, how did you get such a great heel??
[/ QUOTE ]
Gabby is a heck of a trainer!!! I just watch her most of the time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/05_biggrin.gif
We start with focus and then move to the heeling and other commands. Having the dog think you are the source of all good things makes teaching other commands easy. Good Luck!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/18_thumb.gif
[ QUOTE ]
Excellent! Thanks so much!! lol, how did you get such a great heel??
[/ QUOTE ]
Gabby is a heck of a trainer!!! I just watch her most of the time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/05_biggrin.gif
We start with focus and then move to the heeling and other commands. Having the dog think you are the source of all good things makes teaching other commands easy. Good Luck!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/18_thumb.gif
Joined
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4 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
You must be very proud of Gabby!! She looks like she's doing a wonderful job!!
You must be very proud of Gabby!! She looks like she's doing a wonderful job!!
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4 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
hmmm.. trying to figure out how to mark this as a favorite..
hmmm.. trying to figure out how to mark this as a favorite..
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12,476 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
What is most challenging, depending on the dog, is teaching focus when there are distractions. Initally, it won't take much to distract some dogs.
If the dog is a rescue, it's possible that this is the most difficult thing to teach because eye contact in their previous life may have brought on bad things. For example, "watch me" was one of the most difficult commands for my GSD to learn. I had to spit cashews from my mouth at him because he was the king of the "side glance", so he didn't have to look you in the eye.
Companion thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbthread...p;page=0#786290
What is most challenging, depending on the dog, is teaching focus when there are distractions. Initally, it won't take much to distract some dogs.
If the dog is a rescue, it's possible that this is the most difficult thing to teach because eye contact in their previous life may have brought on bad things. For example, "watch me" was one of the most difficult commands for my GSD to learn. I had to spit cashews from my mouth at him because he was the king of the "side glance", so he didn't have to look you in the eye.
Companion thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/ubbthread...p;page=0#786290
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20 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
I love it. I have been working on these Focus suggestions since the thread started. Now to put it to use tonight at class!
On a down/stay Buddy flops over to sniff the floor mat and is not watching me. When the instructor tells us to Sit our dog with or without voice command I have to wave my arms (behind the teacher's back and she usually catches me) to get Buddy's attention Yoo hoo LOL Very embarrassing, on our 3 yr of class! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/04_redface.gif
~Anne
I love it. I have been working on these Focus suggestions since the thread started. Now to put it to use tonight at class!
On a down/stay Buddy flops over to sniff the floor mat and is not watching me. When the instructor tells us to Sit our dog with or without voice command I have to wave my arms (behind the teacher's back and she usually catches me) to get Buddy's attention Yoo hoo LOL Very embarrassing, on our 3 yr of class! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/04_redface.gif
~Anne
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Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Bama, I love the pix. You have really captured the focus so well. Your dog is just oozing concentration on your daughter. You must be very proud of them both.
Bama, I love the pix. You have really captured the focus so well. Your dog is just oozing concentration on your daughter. You must be very proud of them both.
G
Guest
·Re: Hey Bama Lorne
[ QUOTE ]
Bama, I love the pix. You have really captured the focus so well. Your dog is just oozing concentration on your daughter. You must be very proud of them both.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'll second that! Good job! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/18_thumb.gif
[ QUOTE ]
Bama, I love the pix. You have really captured the focus so well. Your dog is just oozing concentration on your daughter. You must be very proud of them both.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'll second that! Good job! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/18_thumb.gif
Joined
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7 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Thank you all for the nice comments.
Check out the focus in this video.
This is my daughter during her BH routine at our club trial. She got a standing ovation as she came back for the critique. The judge and all the spectators were quite impressed. I think she is really doing well! (PROUD DAD /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/01_smile.gif)
Gabby & Olex BH
Thank you all for the nice comments.
Check out the focus in this video.
This is my daughter during her BH routine at our club trial. She got a standing ovation as she came back for the critique. The judge and all the spectators were quite impressed. I think she is really doing well! (PROUD DAD /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/01_smile.gif)
Gabby & Olex BH
Joined
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2,308 Posts
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
[ QUOTE ]
I think she is really doing well! (PROUD DAD )
[/ QUOTE ]
From the little bit of the video you posted.. She did a FANTASTIC job!! She looks like a pro.. better then some of the adult routines you see.
G-burg /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/01_smile.gif
[ QUOTE ]
I think she is really doing well! (PROUD DAD )
[/ QUOTE ]
From the little bit of the video you posted.. She did a FANTASTIC job!! She looks like a pro.. better then some of the adult routines you see.
G-burg /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/01_smile.gif
Re: Hey Bama Lorne
Wow, impressive, Good job Gaby!!!! Jayda (so far) really has amazing focus for being only 4 months old. She will just stare at me. I put her food down and she stares at me until she gets her release. I've gotten a quite a few compliments on her focus. Now the tough part to is continue and retain that with her. Any tips on retaining that as she gets older? She has to "watch" before she eats, to get a treat, before she goes outside. Any other suggestions?
Wow, impressive, Good job Gaby!!!! Jayda (so far) really has amazing focus for being only 4 months old. She will just stare at me. I put her food down and she stares at me until she gets her release. I've gotten a quite a few compliments on her focus. Now the tough part to is continue and retain that with her. Any tips on retaining that as she gets older? She has to "watch" before she eats, to get a treat, before she goes outside. Any other suggestions?
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