Dachshund Training Class #3
I’m a little behind on my training class updates, but better late than never! Last Thursday was a pretty good session for the Dachshund. He’s really starting to association the DTCCC with something positive and he knows exactly what happens when we go there….he gets lots of treats!
(** Enjoy the photos of Ammo’s Easter Celebration scattered throughout this post)
We started off class with a recap of previously learned skills so that our classmates and instructor could see our progress. Ammo was pretty in tune, although as he’s getting more comfortable in this new place he has a renewed interest in the other dogs and people. Mainly he thinks everyone should be paying attention to him and gets a little jealous when the other dogs get treats and he doesn’t, his discontent is displayed by short playful barks/moans. That’s a Dachshund for you!
Ammo has mastered the sit and down with flying colors, and for those skills he’s at the top of his class (I have to say I’m a little bit surprised). His come has improved greatly as I’ve been recalling him randomly at the farm and am overjoyed when he now comes bounding to me every time. Carrying treats with me 24/7 has a lot to do with that, he knows his effort will be rewarded. I’ve also been rewarding him for just checking in with me. So if he opts to run up to me at the farm and make eye contact I reward him. I also try not to ever call him to do something. For example I never call him and pick him up and put him in the car, because I realized early on he would come when I called but immediately backed away after getting his treat – for fear of being snatched up. After 3 weeks of only calling an rewarding him (and just going to get him if I need him for something) he is now no longer backing away after I reward him.
His focus has improved, although he does still get distracted and his concentration breaks. During class we worked on a wait command – which required us to walk our dogs up to a gait opening ask our dogs to wait by placing a “stop” hand in front of them, then allowing ourselves to step through the opening. If the dog moves to follow we make a move towards them to get them to back up and ask them to wait again. Ammo picked this drill up pretty quickly as we have worked on stay (which is similar) before. Although with wait the difference is it doesn’t matter if your dog moves a little or gets out of place, you just want them to stay in the general area that they are. For example crossing a street, you might pause at the curb and ask them to wait until you say its ok to proceed.
We’ve been working on wait since last week and Ammo is doing pretty well with this one too. We also practiced more loose leash walking (or heeling) in class. Ammo had been doing exceptionally well with this at home and work, but when he was asked to do so solo in front of the class he had a little trouble. Walking to the front of the class meant new smells and he had a little distraction problem, and although he did walk pretty well next to me his nose was to the ground most of the time. I had a hard time getting him to check in with me. But that’s ok, the rest of the class had distraction problems too, and that’s why we are going to these classes – so Ammo can learn to focus in any situation. We’re getting there but he still has a long way to go.
I’m thrilled with his improvements, but I also know I have to keep it up. Training him isn’t just going to class once a week, its the constant work I do with him every time we interact. I admit its hard to think about training ALL the time, the classes are really about training me – and making me think about every interaction I have with Ammo as a learning experience for him.
All that we have learned can definitely be applied to the horse training too. Every interaction I have with the ponies is a learning experience for them as well. And reinforcing the behaviors I want them to learn ALL the time – not just when I feel like it – will solidify the them. And if that means I have to carry treats around with me everywhere, than that’s what it means. I’ve actually taken to wearing two treat belts while at the farm, one for the ponies and one for the dog. They’re weighing me down!
Hopefully I’ll be back later this week with a Training Class #4 update. We’re in the home stretch now!
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Ammo is so smart! I’m glad he’s doing so well and that you’re enjoying the class. I need to start carrying treats with me all the time too. I was grooming Chrome today after he’d already finished eating (normally groom while he’s eating) and he was doing great standing there. I wish I’d had the clicker and treats so I could have told him he was doing fantastic!! Oh well, live and learn. 🙂
I know what you mean. That always seems to happen! They do something great….except you have no treats on you! I usually use a tongue click now for that reason. Then atleast I can still click them and maybe reward with some grass or something else I can grab. Sometimes a good boy and scratches can still be a reward even if I have no food.