Obedience Class

[lvoss]

You can't pop them in the US either and tight leash is also a deduction, I should know Nicky lost 17 points to tight leash deductions his first trial. He did squeaky by with a qualifying score of 72.

I know that I give a lot more treat rewards in practice then you feel comfortable doing but it really has worked for me. I do use variable reinforcment and they know they will not always get a treat but they also know that there is a high probability that there is a treat coming even if it may be delayed. I tell my camp kids that clicking and treating all those things you like during the week is money in the bank for the "big show" at the end of the week when they won't be doing all that click and treat and it will be highly distracting.

I think that is why I like the article about being "in the cookie zone" so much. I do see my dogs thinking about how they can be "in the cookie zone".

[tanza]

OK, so "pop" was the wrong word… but with Rally you have lots more opportunity to encourage your dog then in regular Obedience. But bottom line is... if you stick with it... Obedience can be fun... and for some, even if you never compete, just the training is rewarding

[JazzysMom]

@nomrbddgs:

Just remeber with a Basenji-patience, patience, patience! And they WILL do what they want when they want. They are not 100% reliable. Shadow can do fabulous one moment then the next he'll get this evil look in his eye, look at me, and kind of snort as if to say-'No, I don't think I could possibly do that!'.

Jazzy, who has been sitting on command w/no questions asked nor treat required for 2.5 yrs at least, has decided in the last two weeks that she has no idea what that word means even when a treat is dangling over her head.
She just stands there and looks at me like, "what? WHAT?"

All three of my dogs know that before they can enter the main house from "their room" - it's actually a little "mud room" entry to our back door – they have to sit. The room has just a half door, so I can look over it at them, they sit, the door opens. Easy, huh?
You'd think. Now the other two sit and stare {Gypsy also whines}, then they both jump up, pace, sit.... while Jazzy STANDS there wondering why I'm not opening the door -- even when I have a treat.:mad:

I think I need to start letting the other two in as soon as they sit, so they don't lose the connection, and block her from getting in until she sits.

Trainable? sure. And re-trainable, re-trainable, re-trainable. :rolleyes:

[lvoss]

Has your body language changed or the "picture" changed when you now ask for the sit before you enter the house? Dogs do not generalize well so when things change like maybe with warm winter clothes on a subtle body signal you were giving is now hidden by the clothes, the dog no longer knows what you are asking. My instructor is really good about cluing us in to the subtle body language cues we inadvertently give our dogs for various commands. When you start to become more aware of them it really is amazing how much information we give our dogs without realizing it, like a subtle lean in or a head tilt. Dogs are way more visual then we are so hand cues and body language tend to be what they rely on more than pure voice.

[JazzysMom]

@lvoss:

Has your body language changed or the "picture" changed when you now ask for the sit before you enter the house? Dogs do not generalize well so when things change like maybe with warm winter clothes on a subtle body signal you were giving is now hidden by the clothes, the dog no longer knows what you are asking. My instructor is really good about cluing us in to the subtle body language cues we inadvertently give our dogs for various commands. When you start to become more aware of them it really is amazing how much information we give our dogs without realizing it, like a subtle lean in or a head tilt. Dogs are way more visual then we are so hand cues and body language tend to be what they rely on more than pure voice.

Hmmm, I don't think so. She's always been really good about it no matter what.

One physical signal that has ALWAYS worked with her was for me to hold up one finger – I think it started because when she was a pup I tended to hold up her treat between my thumb and middle finger, leaving my forefinger kind of pointing up. Then I noticed that she sat when I held up one finger.
So, I typically do that, but she's not responding effectively to that either.

I'll have to give more thought to what subtle signals I'm giving or failing to give.
But I think that a couple of days of focused training may help a lot too. I've been very lazy about that cuz she was always so good and never "needed" it..... 'til now {but we know that is a people problem, not a Basenji problem :rolleyes:

[nomrbddgs]

Oh, I definitely like rally so much more than regular obedience for the basenji's. We have a scoring here out of 200-you have to get at least 170 for a pass. I love working with the B's because you just never know. That's why I just take it as it comes-I provide comic relief with Shadow. I hate to overload Shadow with treats because he has a tendency to gain weight quickly, but it looks like I might have to to get him to do what I want to. I'll try it out, thanks Lisa.

[lvoss]

The great thing about a treat like Natural Balance is that you can cut the treats really small and since it is a dog food, it just replaces a meal or part of a meal for days where I use a lot. When I use 300 peck method for building duration, I cut the treats up really, really small because I know I am going to be doing a lot of clicking and treating. So I just adjust treat size as needed.

[tanza]

That is what Ann uses too, the Natural Balance rolls cut into tiny pieces

[nomrbddgs]

Is that like a roll of stuff that looks like liver?

[tanza]

here is a link

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/DFRolls.html

[nomrbddgs]

Thanks, Pat. Is is the the same stuff. We have rollover too. Shadow loves it.

[ELERICKSON40]

What does it mean when everyone says the dog got snarky. I think our B Trixie does it but I'm not sure what it means. Please let me know. Thanks

[nomrbddgs]

Miserable and mouthy-very vocal. Shadow will go so far as to chew on Sugar's head and nip Damisi.

[BasenjiDiva]

Cory always sounds like she's using profanity when she gets that way.

Pat

[tanza]

@BasenjiDiva:

Cory always sounds like she's using profanity when she gets that way.

Pat

That would be Kristii but add in a little "spitting" with it…