Browsing all posts in "Dog Training".
September DragonDogs Update
Wow a month since my last post. I guess I was on dog training overload. Andrea and I with the three dogs drove to Michigan for a disc dog camp with Ron Watson and then to Ancaster, Ontario for an agility skills camp with Susan Garrett. Since we got back we have been paying extra attention to our marketing clients after 14 days of limited communication.
Frisbee to Shape Contacts
When we first started training Lilli in agility it just sorta happened. We did obedience classes first and agility sounded fun so we took that class then kept going. We thought it would just be something fun to play with between frisbee trainings. In our advanced agility course, I brought the disc out once as a reward motivator while in class and Lilli went bonkers and wouldn’t work. I decided then that we needed to keep the two sports separate and never even brought discs to the field when we went to practice agility.
My Dog Can Do What?!
Since we’ve moved to our new house and have a huge yard to train the girls, Lilli has just blown up. Even her body is intense now – no fat at all – solid muscle and bones. Her endurance, even in the 95 degree Florida summer, is fantastic and she demands play at least 2x a day.
Jam Session with Lilli 6-13-09
Ok so I’ve been on a bit of a posting hiatus…the great news is that during the hiatus, we’ve been jamming every day, several times a day with Lilli!
Here’s a video we took today of a jam session with me and Lilli. She requests at least 2-3 of these a day and seems to have hit a new peak of endurance and energy. She’s also learned to swim and LOVES it! Photos of the swimming will be a whole other post…
Training on Purpose
We have a story for our dogs. Their careers and our lives plotted out over the next few years, ridiculous and unrealistic and inspiring. I get that friday feeling whenever I think about our future adventures. I can’t wait for the challenges and experiences. That can be part of the problem.
Juggling Aussies
The people in the world that say that 3 or 4 kids is the same as having 2 – they’re lying. They have a nanny or something. I’m amazed at how a 3rd aussie changes the dynamic of everything we do – training, feeding, pottying, operating in general during the day. For me, it’s similar to throwing a bowling ball into a set of pins. I’m typically pretty bad at analogies so I’ll leave it at that. 
Messy C.R.A.P. with Ribbons
Right to the good part…The C.R.A.P.
C.R.A.P. is inspired by Susan Garrett.
Last week, Susan wrote on her blog about C=Continually, R= Rewarding, A=Ambiguous, P=Performances. Since this was our first trial, there’s not a whole lot of “continually” going on, but that’s not the point.
Some Tricks
I’ve gotten back in the swing of training Lilli every night. She’s actually trained me I think – after a week or so of steady night training, she’s asking me for it.
When Lilli Flips…She Flies!
Since the last time we posted about Lilli’s flips, there has been significant improvement. I think, once again, all it took was time – consistent practice and tweaking technique. Flips – first of all – aren’t something that just anyone should do with their dog. Flipping itself can seriously injur the dog’s spine and hips and the landing takes a toll on the whole body of the dog. That said – it’s about the coolest thing you can teach. There’s nothing in the world like your dog 5 feet up in the air upside down with a disc in their mouth!
How to Train Freestyle Weaves
Freestyle is more than just toss and fetch these days. Participants invest years training the amazing behaviors you see on TV like vaults and flips and leg weaves. Here is a simple guide of how to train successful leg weaves. Even if you don’t plan to complete in freestyle disc – this is a real show stopper to anyone that sees it.
