Photos Taken Today

These photos were taken today.

Photos Attached -

Found that the latest internet browser made it difficult to add photos. So am using Firefox for this. The first picture is taken with my mum's Cavalier aged 11 months, the other one is with my daughter.

Treat N Train - Going out to a Target

Have been teaching Tia the Treat N Train. She goes out and touches a stationery target and then goes to the Treat N Train for the reward. Some of my clicks are a bit late and some times the machine doesn't dispense the treat but despite that she seems to be getting it.

Here is a link for more info about the Treat N Train.
http://landofpuregold.com/tat.htm

Obedience Training and Tug

Have just started Shirley Chongs Clicker Retrieve, we are up to step 5, I reward her for interacting with the dumbell.


I am also working on increasing her tug drive. In this video I am recalling her to the tug in the family room.


I am also working on having her touch a target stick with her nose, I keep the sessions short as she is easily distracted as food is not a high motivator for her. My husband is busy in the kitchen which provides a bit of distraction that she has to work through. I will wait for her to work out what gets rewarded. I take the target stick away when she is not interacting with it as I don't want to nag her with it.


Tia is following the target stick, I may use this to teach heeling, she seems quite interested in the moving target.


I am working on tug and getting her to drop the tug for another toy that I have. Hopefully she will learn that the tug is more interesting when I have it then when she has it.

Just Starting to Offer Behaviours

Have been working on sit at my side, this has been quite challenging. She is slowly picking it up.

Went to brush her the other day and got out the Treat N Train, a remote control device that dispenses treats making a beep sound. I operated this to get her mind of me brushing her seemed to work. Then I sat at a distance from the machine and set it to dispense a treat each time she gave eye contact. Then I waited for her to do something else, and she offerred a drop so rewarded that. In another session I got her to run to me to target my fingers then go back to the machine for a reward.

Took her to the Supermarket on Saturday, and stood outside whilst waiting for my husband. She saw many different people including people with thongs on. She also was quite close to the automatic doors and trolleys going past. She took it in her stride and fell asleep.

When I feed her in the morning she dives at her food bowl, and will try and help the other dogs eat their food as well.

At the moment my mums Cavalier who is 11 months old and slightly taller than her is at my place. The two of them play wrestling games all day.

Took her to Warrandyte last night to do some water training. I entice her to swim with a food lure. She also met an 18 month old German Shepherd who she enticed into playing with her. She would run up and play bow and then run away and then come back again. The shepherd would play bow back. It was quite funny to watch.

Tia More Confident Around My Other Dogs

Tia is starting to get more confident around Moses my Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and is trying to entice him into games. She runs up to him and then runs away so he will chase her, then she rolls on her back. He is very gentle with her. Then the game starts again. I am still at Bairnsdale.

Tia is getting more confident in water.

Have been taking Tia to the water with the other dogs just about every day. She is getting more confident. At the moment I am at Bairnsdale helping with the fires, I will be here until Friday. My husband took Tia to the lake, and she swam after some ducks and then came back, so that is a big step forward. My husband also crossed the creek, and she had a winge and then jumped in and swam across.

Here are photos of Tia taken this morning, on my front lawn.

Tia Getting Yet More Confident

Tia is getting more confident and more food obsessed. Showed her the agility tunnel today. Costs $10 from "The Warehouse". My daughter held her at one end, while I called her at the other end to the 'tug' in my hand, then I sent her back through the tunnel, to my daughter who rewarded her at the other end of the tunnel. Her ears are starting to prick up. Here are some updated photos. Have been starting to teach her rollover. Have also been getting her to spin in a circle in both directions have heard that it keeps them more supple. Watching her I see that she is naturally very pawry, tends to give paw whilst sitting. I like this. Also notice that she walks backwards naturally.

Tia Getting More Confident

She is starting to get more confident. Everyone who sees her likes to give her a pat. At Kintala Club she met lots of puppy's and older dogs. I have reduced her daily meals, with training treats to make up the difference. She is getting more food motivated now. Her ears are starting to prick up. She has learnt drop, stand, sit, and starting to do roll over. She also knows spin, and to target my fingers.

Little Breakthrough

Last night took Tia socialising, two people patted her and she pissed herself.

After listening to some advice I have started feeding her out of her food bowl. Tonight each time before I gave her some food, I clicked my clicker. She started responding to it a little. I then threw her kibble a few feet away and clicked when she turned her head and threw another piece the other way. She enjoyed this and started trying to turn quicker than what her body could do. Very funny to watch.

I then did another session of tug, and played two toys game with two tennis balls, she retrieved right to hand. Then took her outside with my daughter who held her and said "ready, set go" and released her to play with the tug.

Will continue feeding out of my hand. She was actually jumping up at me to get the food which I like.