Kiora and Obedience Class

[Bettawhippet]

Week four:
This week Karen did her lecture on dog food and so that took up alot of the class…my food is in the clear,lol. Next we did heeling patterns adding the automatic sit in front, and the side command. Kiora did very well, since we have already been doing fronts this was easy for her,towards end of the heeling patterns she got very goofy and wanted to play instead of heel, I think the patterns go just a smidge too long in the clas to keep her attention.Next we worked on come, adding the automatic sits to that as well, agfian she did well as we were doing fronts from the getgo. The nect excersize was the sit stay...which she is O.K on we did it four times with ten second stays, she broke once out of the four. Good Girl! Last we worked on down, we have been working on it some but she is still a bit resistant to it, especially around all those other puppies, still she relaxed a bit and downed three times.:) Yay! Good girl Kiora!!

[carol]

Yes I am retraining a badly abused mix, she is too smart, learns fast, but has a very strong will about some things. GG We are on the sit/stay and etc. from beginning again as they were sick! I do not train when they are sick! Carol

[Duke]

We go for our 7th of 8 training class tonight. Last week, we were shown how to train for: Shake . . . Roll Over . . . Sit Pretty. Has anyone been successful with these tricks? Duke will Shake or rather he actually "Slaps me five!" But the Roll Over - forget it. He is very shakey with the Sit Pretty (Handsome) trick.

Bettawhippet / Carol - How is your training going? I bet it is difficult timewise to reflect on the classes. Are you done? I got motivation here. I need some more. Please?

[DebraDownSouth]

Sayblee does a lot of tricks, but roll over isn't one I have ever tried to teach her.

I am very motivational training oriented, be it food, clicker or simply ignore wrong until they get it right and give praise. I suspect that clicker training works well with most tricks and I did use it for Sayblee for teaching:
give me 5
pet me (strokes repeatedly)
rear
sit
down
say "I want some"

[jessi76]

I clicker trained my dog, and had great success with all of his commands, and a few tricks. we never learned "tricks" in class though, instead we were taught how to break everything down to steps to shape any behavior (commands or tricks).

[Duke]

Thanks for the motivation and encouragement here. I am curious . . . Is clicker training easier/faster to teach Basenji? I am happy we are almost done with our Beginner Obedience class. I think it would be wise to take another right off the bat. Would you suggest clicker or intermediate training? Any advice is appreciated.

[jessi76]

all the classes I took, from beginner to advanced OB were all clicker-based. so I'm not sure what you're asking. are you not using clicker training now? the clicker is to accurately MARK the desired behavior/response. for my dog's first year (starting with puppy socializing at 11wks old) I took classes once a week, only taking time off around the holidays. that first year of training we did, was worth every penny. (and even now, my dog remembers ALL of the things learned, and has even learned new things using the same techniques)

it was easy, and yes, fast, but his true basenji nature did show in class. he was, at times, the "class clown", but with constant positive training, we met all our training goals.

[Duke]

Hhmmm! No, we are not in clicker training now. It is Intro Obedience at Pet Smart. But they do offer Clicker training when there is enough sign-up interest - dates loose and TBD. I may be in the wrong place??? The class I am in is likely more for the general pet dog population. There are puppies and rescued adult dogs. They use positive reinforcement as is recomended here. So I thought it would be a great place to start. It isn't cheap, I know, but if I only had or knew the right resources here in MI, I might spend money more wisely. It is sooo frustrating sometimes figuring everything out. :o I'm beginning feel the Basenji is best suited for clicker training. I want to do right for him because it would be right for our family. Any suggestions as to how I might find good resources for Basenji in Michigan would be appreciated.:)

[ciarasmom]

Hi,
I didn't clicker train my first dog, I used MOSTLY positive reinforcement, but I also "molded" behaivor with her, pushing her to sit, pushing her to down, etc. and now she often only does it when I touch her, that has become her "cue."
Clickers are used to "mark" the behaivor, but the concept also gets the dogs to OFFER behaivors in order to make you click and dispense food. It's this aspect that I think works very well–let the Basenji think he controls the situation, he does something to make you provide food. Doesn't that sound like something a Basenji would like?
www.clickersolutions.com can help you find a clicker trainer. Or read the info on the site and incorporate the concept in your regular class. I do recommend continuing with a class, repeating the one you are in if necessary. I think it's important to keep training, and many of us (myself included) are too lazy to keep up with it on our own. :o)
I have a good Shake, Hi Five, one that will roll over, one that will wave, and instead of a sit pretty, I have one that stands on her hind legs and throws her front paws up over her head "stick 'em up!"

[Duke]

Thank you for this website Brenda. I found a very good resource for clicker training - and - I made arrangements with a gal at the school to meet her today. They happen to be distributors of the Black Dog head collar, so we will likely purchase one too. Looks like a great day to visit a pumpkin patch while we're out and about too. Have a great day!

[ciarasmom]

Oh, neat! Tell us how it goes!