Intensive Training

Have had the last two weeks off from work so have been doing a heap of training with Tia.

Toilet Training
While she has never dropped the heavy artillery inside she has widdled a bit. So the last 2 weeks while I watch TV at night, thats when she is in, I take her out every add break. We found that when I take her out, she just sits and looks at me, but when my husband takes her out she performs. In the last 2 weeks we haven't had an accident in the house. We use the word "toilet".

Stays
We have been working on stays, and seem to be making a bit of progress. I found that when I use a toy and then release her and let her play with the toy, I get much better response. A more steady stay. If I leave her in a stay and I have food on me she tends to sniff at the ground. I have to click the clicker before she goes to sniff, so that could mean every 1/4 of a second. I also found that I could hide the toy, and place it in my pocket, and come back and reward her with that. Then I tried alternating between a toy and some food.

Stands
From the moment I got Tia, sit is a default behaviour. So stands are a challenge have to hold my finger out for her to target, or have to keep rewarding the stand whilst bent over so she doesn't go into a sit. Works in progress. But on the other hand she already auto sits whilst heeling. I use the same footwork each time.

Drops & Sits
The other night she dropped from a distance of about 5 feet I then ran up to her and gave her a jack pot.

Herding
We did some more herding on Tuesday in a paddock. The trainer said she was a little "ripper",. She at one stage split the sheep but then worked out how to get them back again. Will probably do the herding instinct test as soon as we get her papers, still waiting. The only other way is to register her as an associate, but that would mean having to desex her early.

Tennis Ball Drive
Her drive for the tennis ball is not very high. In the mornings she doesn't get her meal till she retrieves the tennis ball. So I am working on the premack principle, if she does what I want she gets what she wants. It usually takes a couple of goes. Then she does it. Tonight she retrieved the tennis ball and I rewarded her with a game of tug. She still loves her tug.

Buster Cube,
Have been using a buster cube, and a food dispensing ball. To get her thinking and give her something to do a night. She loves it and the other dogs don't go near her, maybe she is boss???

Bubble Machine
We bought a bubble water pistol thingi, where it shoots out bacon flavoured bubbles, she quite enjoys this and even still looks for the bubbles whilst my other dog is wagging his tail in her face. Have updated my web page. Also added a counter to this blog and am surprised how many hits it gets.