Back to Home Page. Forward to Rooskie Press Back to Training Notes
In some ways this is a rather personal section. I want to be able to remember the most important things I have learned when training Rooskie. And I want to be quite sure that I shall not lose these notes. So that is why I have put a summary of Rooskie's most important training notes on this web site.
This can also be practised on the fenced in part of the drive at home. When he is in another part of the garden call him and get him into informal Heelwork. Vary it with food in hand and no food in hand. Vary the feeding from pocket, from windowsill, from kitchen.
Also vary the informal Heelwork with the formal start when taking lead off. This is important.
Better Alternative Start
In the ring Take Rooskie into the ring on the lead. Smile and acknowledge the judges while Rooskie is still on the lead. Give lead to ring steward and give Paws command and when he goes up on hind legs with paws on knees pat him and reassure him.
Then lower him to the ground and hold out hand and say Front -- No say Come and walk backwards with him following. Then say Back and get him walking backwards. This should get him To-ing and Fro-ing.
Important Note. The command Come works much better than Front.
At this point remember Kayce and Praise.
The minute he starts To-ing and Fro-ing raise arm as signal to DJ.
Keep him To-ing and fro-ing until he is really settled and paying attention. Then either give command Turn and send him between legs and into the Heel position or send him round me to the Heel position. Praise.
Aim for a safe start. If leg weaving then weaving with him backing through legs is safer than ordinary weaving. And the extended backwards leg weave is safer than an ordinary extended leg weave.
Pre-Routine Preparation. Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
(When handing in music at music desk, have sellotaped to CD a note for the DJ saying that Rooskie does not start from a pose but needs a moving start. Once I have him settled I shall raise my right arm as a signal that I am ready for the music).
Take Rooskie into ring on lead.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Give Rooskie the Paws command and he should go up on his hind legs and put his paws on my knees. At this point do NOT let go of his collar. Pat him and reassure him. Try to get him interested in my Fingers. Sniffing them or biting them.
Then gently lower him to the ground. Let him smell fingers -- and even chew them. Then give the Turn command and he should Back through my legs to the Heel position.
(If he is not paying attention then keep holding collar. Do not let go of collar if he is looking away or not paying attention. Hold it even if it takes some time to get his attention. Once he is paying attention get him to circle or to turn and back through legs.)
Start bridging de-de-de. He should Back round to the Heel position. (If he runs off get in the Touch command at once.)
Important. Add the Front command.
If he is going to run off then he is likely to do just after he has backed round to the Heel position. So add the Front command to bring him round and get his attention.
So after he has backed through my legs give the Front command and praise when he is looking at me.
Then give him plenty to do. If he even turns his head get in the Touch command.
Once he is settled raise right arm as signal to DJ that I am ready for the music.
NOTE. Do this as quickly as possible or could lose marks for Training in the ring.
The Start. Paws, Turn (and he backs through my legs), FRONT.
Then take a step backwards and repeat the command Turn -- and he backs through legs again.
Build this up to a short sequence until he is settled.
(This can also be the Start of opening sequence. Get him to come round to Right hand side as well as left and you have the beginnings of a weave sequence. Vary it to include an extended weave. Also Verses, Spins and rounds).
Work him with him facing me till he is settled.
Either step backwards and make him follow and then step forwards and give him the Back command and he walks backwards. Extend this into a to-ing and fro-ing sequence. (Good for a waltz tune).
And/or Step backwards amd make him follow and do a sequence of him tapping target stick (or prop), Paws on prop, spins etc
He has rather got into the habit of running off once he has backed through to the Heel position. So after he has reached the Heel position give the Front command and step backwards and give the Turn command and send him back through again.
Repeat stepping backwards and giving the Front command.
Alternatively give him plenty to do like Spins and Highs.
When he is backing through my legs keep left hand at left ankle to lure him into the Front position.
Another danger point for Rooskie running off is the weave. (The back weave excepted). Rooskie can go through my legs --- and keep going. To counteract this say T'ween and then follow with trhe Front command.
Practise Front command a lot. Also give a hand signal for it. Turn palm of left hand outwards and stretch arm down. Target whenever he sniffs palm.
Give the Paws command in the usual way and get him to stand on his hind legs and put his paws on my knees. Pat him and then pick up maracasm(or target stick).Then lower him to the ground. Keep holding his collar and give command Paw and try to get him to tap target. Then step back and keep encouraging him and try to get him to tap target again If he does raise arm as signal to DJ.
Then walk backwards and do sequence. Tap target, walk back and do a spin, walk back and tap target. Walk back and do a High. Walk back and tap target again. Then walk back and do a Bend or Bow.
Then-- once he is settled -- either send him round to Heel. Or get him to back through legs.
If he so much as turns his head and looks round get in a Touch at once. Or repeat the Paws command.
Keep remembering to Bridge. Dee-dee-dee.
Advantages. He is looking at me the whole time and that helps to keep his attention. Also the sequence is easy to remember and that means that I get in a number of moves at the very beginning. It also helps me to remember the routine as a whole.
Start with the Paws command with Rooskie on his hind legs with his paws on my knees. Stroke, praise and calm.
Then gently lower him to the ground and give the Back command. Then after a few steps give the Front command.
This should get him to-ing and fro-ing.
Watch him and see if he is giving his full attention.
If he is then either make him back between my legs to the command Turn or send him round to heel to the command Heel. (This command can also be used to get him to circle in the clockwise position).
Try Paws, Front and then To-ing and Fro-ing. Watch him carefully and try to keep his attention. When sure have his full attention then get him to Back and give the command Verse and get him to back towards me from a distance --- and go through my legs. (If he misses my legs just let him go round me either circling or versing).
Repeat this and then go into a weaving sequence.
Include forward weaves and also backing through my legs.
Take him in on lead and then give lead to ring steward.
Then the Paws command and he goes up on his hind legs and puts his front paws on my knees.
Then gently lower him to the ground and give the Turn command and he should back through my legs to the Heel position.
Then get in the Front command at once to bring him round to Front and get his attention.
When settled raise arm for DJ.
Then the Heel command to send him round behind me and get him into a weave sequence.
Alternatively walk backwards and get him to follow and do paw work etc.
Or give the command Back and get him to take a few steps backward and then give the command Front and get him to do a to-ing and fro-ing sequence.
Try Paws, Front and then To-ing and Fro-ing. Watch him carefully and try to keep his attention. When sure have his full attention then give the command Turn and get him to back between legs.
I found out on the golf course that a figure-of-eight or an extended leg weaving start tended to confuse him and he would run off. Remember John suggested that going on the sniff might be a form of displacement activity.
Rooskie definitely needs a Heelwork Start. Begin with Backing through my legs and then into Heelwork. Then lead him up to bucket, basket whatever and go right up to it and give command and hand signal A-round. Bend down and make hand signal very clear.Then when he goes round it give command Heel and he goes round behind me and into the Heel position and does the figure-of-eight quite confidently.
Leave basket, lighthouse in middle of ring and lead him back to it from time to time. Do extended weave in similar way. Go right up to basket and give hand signal and command A-round and start him off that way and then into extended weave.
Important. For figure of eight. Go right up to basket and bend down low and try to keep fingers at his nose as he goes right round it. Do this to start him off. Can straighten up later.
Similarly heelwork and lead him back to basket and get him to do the pose standing on hind legs and with paws on basket.
Pre-Routine Preparation. Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
(When handing in music at music desk, have sellotaped to CD a note for the DJ saying that Rooskie does not start from a pose but needs a moving start. Once I have him settled I shall raise my right arm as a signal that I am ready for the music).
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Give Rooskie the Paws command and he should go up on his hind legs and put his paws on my knees. At this point do NOT let go of his collar. Pat him and reassure him. Try to get him interested in my Fingers. Sniffing them or biting them.
Then gently lower him to the ground. Let him smell fingers -- and even chew them.
If he is not paying attention then keep holding collar. Do not let go of collar if he is looking away or not paying attention. Hold it even if it takes some time to get his attention. Once he is paying attention get him to circle or to turn and back through legs.
(This is the best start because I am in contact with him all the time. Alternatives like going round behind are only to be used if he goes off backing through legs.)
Start bridging de-de-de. He should come round to the Heel position. Start a short piece of Heelwork while continuing to bridge. If he runs off get in the Touch command at once.
Once he is settled raise right arm as signal to DJ that I am ready for the music.
Continue with the Paws command but the backing through my legs is the most important part. Try to keep contact with his nose as long as possible. Then a little bit of Heelwork. This is more reliable than going straight into figure-of-eights.
At Start it is very important to keep him Moving and Fast. I tried a Start with me moving backwards and Rooskie tapping a target stick. That did NOT work because it slowed him down.
Give him plenty of backing between my legs and Fast Heelwork to get him settled.
Get him to put Paws on Basket and hold pose. Go de-de-de. Makes a very effective start. The give the Heel command and get him into figures of eight.
Start with backing through legs. Then either into Heelwork Start or a backwards weave.
In a strange place figures of eight seem easier if get him to go round my legs and then use command Anti and use hand to get him to complete figure of eight in front of me. Keeps his attention better than if he goes round a prop.
Get him backing through legs and into Heelwork and then tell judges Ready.
Then get him to do Paws on basket Pose. Then back away from him and call him and get him into figures of eight.
Never, never start cold. Always do short warm up using food before Start.
Try the alternative Food and Front Start. This worked at the very beginning before everything started to go wrong.
Before going into ring do warm up on lead using food. Walk backwards and do recall and use the emergency Touch command. Also the Front command.
Then just before going into ring use food in confined place. For spins etc. Take off lead but let him see food. Hold a number of pieces in right hand and get him to do spins, highs. Let him see that left hand sometimes has food and sometimes not. Do this while announcer is introducing us.
Give the Paws command in the usual way and get him to stand on his hind legs and put his paws on my knees. Pat him and then pick up maracas. Then lower him to the ground. Keep holding his collar and give command Paw and try to get him to tap maracas. Then step back and keep encouraging him and try to get him to tap maracas again. If he does raise arm as signal to DJ.
Then walk backwards and do sequence. Tap maracas, walk back and do a spin, walk back and tap maracas again. Walk back and do a High. Walk back and tap maracas again. Then walk back and do a Bend or Bow. Then walk back again and send him round to Heel. Then into Heelwork interspersed with backing through legs and verses.
If he so much as turns his head and looks round get in a Touch at once.
Keep remembering to Bridge. Dee-dee-dee.
Advantages. He is looking at me the whole time and that helps to keep his attention. Also the sequence is easy to remember and that means that I get in a number of moves at the very beginning. It also helps me to remember the routine as a whole.
Never, never start cold. Always do short warm up using food before Start.
Try the alternative Food and Front Start. This worked at the very beginning before everything started to go wrong.
Before going into ring do warm up on lead using food. Walk backwards and do recall and use the emergency Touch command. Also the Front command.
Then just before going into ring use food in confined place. For spins etc. Take off lead but let him see food. Hold a number of pieces in right hand and get him to do spins, highs. Let him see that left hand sometimes has food and sometimes not. Do this while announcer is introducing us.
Get him really interested. And then heel him into ring and say Ready to the judges at once. Then start Heelwork round the ring.
This can be practised in the front drive. Take off lead and use food in confined space and then move into Heelwork. When doing Heelwork sometimes have food in right hand and sometimes not.
Can also be practised at dog class.
Also in house holding food and rolling hands and hiding them behind back and getting him to tap hand to see if food is there.
Practise the Front command. Walking backwards with Rooskie following. And treat frequently.
Then progress to walking backwards combined with Highs, Paw work etc. Give him plenty to do to keep his attention. And keep praising and encouraging and de-de-de.
Do this before going into ring and once in ring give Paws command. Then say Ready to the judges. That is the starting pose. But do not hold it. Move back and walk backwards with him following. Again give him plenty to do. Before moving into Heelwork try to progress round the ring with Rooskie doing circles around me. And versing through my legs is even better. Get him to verse through my legs and then take a few paces forward and get him to verse through my legs again.
See diary entry for May 2006. At Brentwood before going into ring I walked him all round the show. I kept him on lead but frequently gave the Front and Touch commands -- and he turned and came to me at once and I rewarded him.
When our turn came I got him into the ring all right but then he ran off. He came to me at once with the Touch command but ran off again. We progressed round the ring with him doing this and then suddenly he settled and worked beautifully.
I think he started to work when I got him to jump over the maracas. So in training combine the Front with plenty of activity.
And with regard to progressing round the ring, Circles round me might be more reliable than Heelwork. And reversing through my legs even better than circles. Get him to verse through my legs and then take a few paces forward and get him to verse through my legs again.
Opening moves. Do not go straight into figures-of-eight etc. Get him Settled first and then do them.
Consider the Novice Recall Start
Can be done either by heeling him into ring or by taking him into the ring on the lead and giving the lead to the steward.
Put Rooskie in the Sit and tell him to Stay and then back away from him. He has a tendency to anticipate. If he does anticipate then it does not matter. Just encourage him and call him enthusiastically. If he does not anticipate then use the Recall command -- Front or Come in practice but perhaps Touch in competition.
When he comes encourage him de -- de --de and get him to do circles round me and then perhaps into figure-of-eight and verses. The proceed round the ring doing circles.
Practise Front and Touch while walking around before routine.
For Start of Routine take him into ring on lead. Do a Front. Give lead to steward.
But keep looking at Rooskie and speaking to him. Use Hands and suggest to him that there might be food in them. Get him to do Highs, walking forward towards me, tapping wand, maracas or whatever, Paws, then backing between legs. And figures-of eight.
Only when sure he is Working say Ready to the judges.
And proceed round ring getting him to back through legs.
And keep Bridging. De-de-de.
And get in a Touch if he even looks away.
Then when he is heeling shout Ready to the judges and the routine should start officially.
(This buys time as, if he runs off before this, it should not count as the routine has not started officially -- and Rooskie is most likely to run off at the very beginning)
This the best start but alternatives are given below.
Pre-Routine Preparation
Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command. Also make him Sit and give the Paws and Front command from the sitting position.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Then make him Sit but stand right next to him. Then give the Paws command and he should go up on his hind legs with paws on my knees. Lower him to the ground at once and walk back and give the Front command and hold out target stick and say Paw. He should tap it. Walk back again and get him to tap target stick again.
By this time should have his attention so give the Paws command again and when he goes up on his hind legs this time say Ready to the judges. Then walk backwards again and get him to tap target stick. Then either get him to circle round me or back between my legs -- and hopefully he should be settled.
Pre-Routine Preparation
Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command. Also make him Sit and give the Paws and Front command from the sitting position.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Then give the Paws command and pat him and make a fuss of him. Let him nibble fingers.
Then step back and try to get him to follow still on his hind legs.
Then lower him to the ground and try to keep contact with fingers. Hopefully he will still be mouthing.
Then get him to back between legs or circle -- and hopefully he should be settled.
Warning. Watch that judges do not think that you are using food.
When training on golf course he is more reliable on trhe practice ground than on the tees. Perhaps there are more distractions on the tees so be very careful or will put him off. Try a round on a tee using food and then if he does it follow it up with a round without food. But be very careful.
For a KC competition round. Take him into ring on lead. Then give lead to ring steward. Let judges know just getting settled.
Then give Paws command and praise and reassure him. Then gently lower him to the ground and keep my fingers at his nose and use my fingers to lure him into the Heel position. Then start him doing Heelwork and when he is doing that say Ready to the judges. This means that if he does run off then the routine will not have actually started and I shall have time to get him back to me for the official start.
Also Rooskie needs a more fluid start. A pose can let him think too much and get distracted. Also a more fluid start gets his attention and gets him working.
A good start can be this. After have got him into heelwork then get him to do backwards weave through legs. Then when he is on the left give the signal with LEFT hand and get him to VERSE. This is one of the best ways to get him to Verse.
See diary entry for January 2006.
Rooskie goes better if can feed him just before the routine starts. Pre-routine warm-up. On lead walk backiwards and encourage him to walk forwards. Give the Paws command. Feed him from time to time. Also tuern into short stretches of Heelwork and then give either the Front or the Paws command. Also the occasional Touch.
Then when announcer is introducing us take lead off and encourage him towards me and feed. Do this a few times. Gradually use up all tit-bits. Then walk backwards into ring with(hopefully) Rooskie following. Say Ready to the judges and continue walking backwards interspersed with ordinary Heelwork. In Heelwork watch him all the time and be ready with Front, Paws or Touch.
Rooskie was going to need a lot more practice to become confident about the extended weave. But by accident I found a safer alternative -- and a very effective one.
Make him do circles round me to command Round. Then use right hand (left hand would confuse with verse) and give command Anti and he will do anti clockwise circles. Then get him to back through legs and then verse around me. Then step back and get him to do back spins.
See above. Can introduce a variation.He goes round object and then he verses round me still giving the figure of eight.
Get him to go Round me and extend that to going round the sash too. Then get him into a sequence of just circling the sash.
Only when he is settled doing that get him into figures-of-eight. And then into an extended weave sequence
In some ways this is a rather personal section. I want to be able to remember the most important things I have learned when training Rooskie. And I want to be quite sure that I shall not lose these notes. So that is why I have put a summary of Rooskie's most important training notes on this web site.
When I trained Dusty and Moff, the training class I attended did basic Obedience with the advanced class working on the pre-beginners schedule. But when I took Rooskie to the class everything had changed. The class was now doing 'pet-training' and the Kennel Club Good Citizen.
This meant that for the first year of his training Rooskie was hardly ever off the lead. He got his Bronze certificate and then moved on to another class. He was introduced to off-lead too quickly. The result immediate panic induced flight. I struggled with this and then found another class with an excellent instructor. But we went to her after the damage had been done.
Later we had private sessions with her where we went through our HTM routines and this helped a great deal.
Nevertheless I took him into Heelwork to Music. I started before the Kennel Club regulations were introduced with the result that I started off working him on the lead as the regulations for the Paws and Music said that a dog could be worked on lead in Starters. And as Rooskie's only problem was working off lead we started off quite well.
With the KC regulations we had a real problem. Rooskie could do the HTM rules but he tended to run off and sniff his way round the ring. The frustrating thing was that he would work beautifully with a lead just trailing along the floor. Then there was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
In brief, Rooskie was what trhe HTM people called 'a runner.'
No one magic answer. But below are a number of things which all helped
To start of with Rooskie's instructor said we would aim for a good recall. I had to have special titbits which were for the Recall and nothing but the Recall. I ended up using cooked sausages which I grilled so that they would keep. For the new recall command I ended up using Touch. (The original idea was that he would run and put his paws on my knee. It did not work out like that but I still used Touch.)
Gradually things began to improve. I was allowed to do a few not-for-competition or training rounds with the lead trailing and this helped a great deal. At the same time in training I realised that Rooskie would not work anywhere and I no longer expected so much of him in training. (In the past I had also made matters much worse by trying to get him to do Heel Free on Southerness beach where there were too many distracting smells -- and even barbeque debris).
Important. Do not try to work a dog where the distractions are too strong. Do not let him off the lead where he is likely to fail. If in doubt keep a lead or cord trailing and try to keep his attention.
I had made some bad mistakes in the past. I had been told that he should be able to work anywhere. With the result that I tried all over the place. I tried on Southerness beach one hot summer. And he would run off. I tried and tried and made things worse. And then I found that there were distractions like barbeque debris -- and on the caravan site -- the bit just above the path to the beach -- there were sheep droppings etc.
Eventually I learned not to let him off the lead where the distractions were too strong.
Then -- two years later -- after I had come back from the Bridge and Target course (See below) I was down at Southerness. I was going to just walk him to the end of the caravan site so I did not take any titbits but once out I decided to go down on the beach. It was a dull day and the beach was quiet. I kept him on the lead until I got to the part beyond the caravan site. I walked along beside the reeds and decided to let him off the lead. (I kept one lead trailing).
He did not run off. He just ran about investigating and kept coming back to me. I turned and walked back and when I got to the caravan site part of the beach I still let him run free. When he was too far away I called him and he came back to me at once -- although I did not have any titbits. It saeemed as if he was quite content to work for Praise. Then people with dogs started to appear and I put Rooskie back on the lead again.
And I had learned a great deal. When off the lead Rooskie should always be like that. And if he is not then put him back on the lead at once.
Another time. He was up on grass above beach and I wanted to put the lead on prior to going home. I called Touch but he paid no attention and went on sniffing. Then I went de-de-de and he turned at once and bounded towards me.
I was still going to the first class and things were now better. The advanced class was now doing fun agility. Not proper agility but indoors fun agility.
Eventually Rooskie began to get the idea that when he saw a jump he was expected to go over it and when he saw a tunnel he was supposed to go through it. I would take him round the ring witrh a short cord trailing. But when we were practising the various pieces of apparatus separately then I would work him off lead -- with very little problems.
I then wondered if I could try working Rooskie with props in the ring. I started off with a child's play tunnel from Argos. I used the song The Tunnel of Love sung by Doris Day. It seemed to help Rooskie to focus and he ran round it and through it.
I later had the idea of using a chair in the same way. Rooskie could go round it and through it and it was easier because it was shorter. (Tunes Trick or Treat, Through the Gates of Town, The Monster in Loch Ness). In the same way Rooskie likes things to go round.
Important. Props can help a dog to focus.
I went to a Bridge and Target course and it seemed to help. I was shown how to replace the click with a distinctive X and DE -- to let him know that he was doing the right thing -- say a continuous de-de-de. Rooskie seemed to like the sound of this and would perk up whenever I started de-de-de.
At rhe course I had a mini one-to-one session with one of the instructors. She told me to use praise instead of food and to finish with a Jackpot.
Also good for the Recall. Call Touch and then go de-de-de.
Rooskie is the kind of dog who needs constant reassurance that he is doing the right thing. Otherwise he will get disheartened and give up and go and do something else. For him there is the motivation of knowing that he is doing the right thing.
(See also notes below but this is the most important one about two leads.)
On the golf course I clipped on one lead and left it trailing. Then I clipped on the main lead and held it normally. Then I would let him SEE me taking off the main lead but I would still leave the secondary one on for security. Note. I was not trying to fool Rooskie and make him think he was off the lead completely. The idea was to let him see me taking off the main lead and realise that the taking off of the lead did not mean that he could stop working.
Also try not to use secondary lead. It is just there for security. If use it then he will soon realise that he is still on the lead.
And this worked because when I took off the main lead he ran off a couple of times -- showing that the main thing I still have to work on is his reaction to the taking-off of the main lead. But I can still have the secondary lead for security.
Distinctive Start -- Backing through my legs.
But I worked on this. I found that the best thing was to concentrate on him backing through my legs. I would give the Paws command and get him on his hind legs and unclip the main lead. When I did this I would often lose his attention. So I kept hold of the secondary lead and used my hand to get his attention again and got him to back through my legs. Then he would come naturally into the Heel position and I would start some Heelwork bridging all the time. Dee--dee--dee.
This worked quite well and I felt that I was making progress.
The second trailing lead is useful and important but still need to practise off lead completely. But be very careful that he does not get into bad habits.
Try a short routine using foods and follow this directly with a routine NOT using food.
When Rooskie running free on practice ground on golf course -- with lead trailing -- sometimes call him and when he comes hold food in hand and do ordinary Heelwork. This can be useful. Also try it and then follow it with a short formal session -- starting with Paws command and backing through legs -- WITHOUT food. This can work really well.
The informal Heelwork with food in hand can also be done, at a pinch, with Rooskie on lead.
This can also be practised on the fenced in part of the drive at home. When he is in another part of the garden call him and get him into informal Heelwork. Vary it with food in hand and no food in hand. Vary the feeding from pocket, from windowsill, from kitchen.
Also vary the informal Heelwork with the formal start when taking lead off. This is important.
Aim for a safe start. If leg weaving then weaving with him backing through legs is safer than ordinary weaving. And the extended backwards leg weave is safer than an ordinary extended leg weave.
I found out on the golf course that a figure-of-eight or an extended leg weaving start tended to confuse him and he would run off. Remember John suggested that going on the sniff might be a form of displacement activity.
Rooskie definitely needs a Heelwork Start. Begin with Backing through my legs and then into Heelwork. Then lead him up to bucket, basket whatever and go right up to it and give command and hand signal A-round. Bend down and make hand signal very clear.Then when he goes round it give command Heel and he goes round behind me and into the Heel position and does the figure-of-eight quite confidently.
Leave basket, lighthouse in middle of ring and lead him back to it from time to time. Do extended weave in similar way. Go right up to basket and give hand signal and command A-round and start him off that way and then into extended weave.
Important. For figure of eight. Go right up to basket and bend down low and try to keep fingers at his nose as he goes right round it. Do this to start him off. Can straighten up later.
Similarly heelwork and lead him back to basket and get him to do the pose standing on hind legs and with paws on basket.
Get him to put Paws on Basket and hold pose. Go de-de-de. Makes a very effective start. The give the Heel command and get him into figures of eight.
Start with backing through legs. Then either into Heelwork Start or a backwards weave.
In a strange place figures of eight seem easier if get him to go round my legs and then use command Anti and use hand to get him to complete figure of eight in front of me. Keeps his attention better than if he goes round a prop.
Get him backing through legs and into Heelwork and then tell judges Ready.
Then get him to do Paws on basket Pose. Then back away from him and call him and get him into figures of eight.
Never, never start cold. Always do short warm up using food before Start.
Try the alternative Food and Front Start. This worked at the very beginning before everything started to go wrong.
Before going into ring do warm up on lead using food. Walk backwards and do recall and use the emergency Touch command. Also the Front command.
Then just before going into ring use food in confined place. For spins etc. Take off lead but let him see food. Hold a number of pieces in right hand and get him to do spins, highs. Let him see that left hand sometimes has food and sometimes not. Do this while announcer is introducing us.
Get him really interested. And then heel him into ring and say Ready to the judges at once. Then start Heelwork round the ring.
This can be practised in the front drive. Take off lead and use food in confined space and then move into Heelwork. When doing Heelwork sometimes have food in right hand and sometimes not.
Can also be practised at dog class.
Also in house holding food and rolling hands and hiding them behind back and getting him to tap hand to see if food is there.
Practise the Front command. Walking backwards with Rooskie following. And treat frequently.
Then progress to walking backwards combined with Highs, Paw work etc. Give him plenty to do to keep his attention. And keep praising and encouraging and de-de-de.
Do this before going into ring and once in ring give Paws command. Then say Ready to the judges. That is the starting pose. But do not hold it. Move back and walk backwards with him following. Again give him plenty to do. Before moving into Heelwork try to progress round the ring with Rooskie doing circles around me. And versing through my legs is even better. Get him to verse through my legs and then take a few paces forward and get him to verse through my legs again.
See diary entry for May 2006. At Brentwood before going into ring I walked him all round the show. I kept him on lead but frequently gave the Front and Touch commands -- and he turned and came to me at once and I rewarded him.
When our turn came I got him into the ring all right but then he ran off. He came to me at once with the Touch command but ran off again. We progressed round the ring with him doing this and then suddenly he settled and worked beautifully.
I think he started to work when I got him to jump over the maracas. So in training combine the Front with plenty of activity.
And with regard to progressing round the ring, Circles round me might be more reliable than Heelwork. And reversing through my legs even better than circles. Get him to verse through my legs and then take a few paces forward and get him to verse through my legs again.
Opening moves. Do not go straight into figures-of-eight etc. Get him Settled first and then do them.
Consider the Novice Recall Start
Can be done either by heeling him into ring or by taking him into the ring on the lead and giving the lead to the steward.
Put Rooskie in the Sit and tell him to Stay and then back away from him. He has a tendency to anticipate. If he does anticipate then it does not matter. Just encourage him and call him enthusiastically. If he does not anticipate then use the Recall command -- Front or Come in practice but perhaps Touch in competition.
When he comes encourage him de -- de --de and get him to do circles round me and then perhaps into figure-of-eight and verses. The proceed round the ring doing circles.
Practise Front and Touch while walking around before routine.
For Start of Routine take him into ring on lead. Do a Front. Give lead to steward.
But keep looking at Rooskie and speaking to him. Use Hands and suggest to him that there might be food in them. Get him to do Highs, walking forward towards me, tapping wand, maracas or whatever, Paws, then backing between legs. And figures-of eight.
Only when sure he is Working say Ready to the judges.
And proceed round ring getting him to back through legs.
And keep Bridging. De-de-de.
And get in a Touch if he even looks away.
Consider getting him to do circles around me instead of heelwork. There are times when circles might be safer. And once he is settled he can go on to heelwork later.
And reversing through my legs even better than circles. Get him to verse through my legs and then take a few paces forward and get him to verse through my legs again.
Paws on basket. Weaving -- as long as it is backwards weaving. Round to Heel. Circles. If doing anti clockwise circles, do them from right hand side heelwork position and use command 'Anti.'
If doing anti clockwise circles, do them from right hand side heelwork position and use command 'Anti.'
Make sure that training sessions mirror what is going to be done in the ring. I had been practising starts on golf course but without the figure-of-eight props. The basket would have been too heravy to take to the golf but I got a child's seaside bucket which went into my backpack. Another advantage of using tyhe bucket was that I had to do it off the lead as the lead would catch on the bucket.
I tried using the figure-of-eight start which I had used in the house. And it did not work. He would take time getting into it and then he would run off.
I struggled and then I discovered that the Heelwork Start (see above) worked. Strat him off doing Heelwork and then lead him up to basket/bucket and then get him to do figure-of-eights.
Also practise using collar decoration which mean to use in the ring.
Can use actual basket and lighthouse at dog class.
The start is very important because Rooskie was always more likely to run off at the beginning. The start was the danger point. If I got him started there was a good chance he would complete the routine. Some points about starts.
Make sure have his attention.
Keep watching him the whole time to see that still have his attention.
Keep giving him things to do to keep his attention. Certain exercises are better than others for keeping his attention. For example the Verse is very good that way. Also if lose his attention step back and walk backwards and get him to follow.
Vary the Recalls
The Bridge and Target and de-de-de is good but it works best if I vary it. From time to time go back to the cooked sausage and the Touch command. And remember to DE after the de-de-de and only feed random and not too much. This last is very important.
The Touch command. See above. This should be practised separately from the HTM routines. For example when he is in the garden and begins to bark I can recall him. Touch. De-de-de.
The Touch command should be used when practising routines only very occasionally and then it will be more effective when used in trhe ring in a competition.
Starting. The Paws command.
I taught Rooskie the Paws command. When I said Paws he was to come and stand on his hind legs and put his front paws on my knees. Then I would pat him, praise him and occasionally give him a treat.
This helped the Start as I would be holding him and patting him. Then I would gently lower him to the floor and keep my fingers at his nose and say Heel and get him into the Heel position. Keep fingers in contact with his nose all the time he is going round behind.
Then start him doing Heelwork.
An alternative. After lowering him to the floor get him to verse through legs ansd then come round to the Heel position.
Very important. Once he is doing heelwork intersperse it with plenty of things to keep his attention.
This makes for a very distinctive start. Which is exactly what Rooskie needs. If use it all the time then he will begin to recognise that it is the start of a working session.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Give Rooskie the Paws command and he should go up on his hind legs and put his paws on my knees. At this point do NOT let go of his collar. Pat him and reassure him.
Then gently lower him to the ground. Let him smell fingers -- and even chew them. It could help if play Attention Game before going into ring. (See below).
Then keep holding collar and get him to turn and back through legs.
(This is the best start because I am in contact with him all the time. Alternatives like going round behind are only to be used if he goes off backing through legs.)
Start bridging de-de-de. He should come round to the Heel position. Start a short piece of Heelwork while continuing to bridge. If he runs off get in the Touch command at once.
Then when he is heeling shout Ready to the judges and the routine should start officially.
(This buys time as, if he runs off before this, it should not count as the routine has not started officially -- and Rooskie is most likely to run off at the very beginning)
This the best start but alternatives are given below.
Pre-Routine Preparation
Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command. Also make him Sit and give the Paws and Front command from the sitting position.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Then make him Sit but stand right next to him. Then give the Paws command and he should go up on his hind legs with paws on my knees. Lower him to the ground at once and walk back and give the Front command and hold out target stick and say Paw. He should tap it. Walk back again and get him to tap target stick again.
By this time should have his attention so give the Paws command again and when he goes up on his hind legs this time say Ready to the judges. Then walk backwards again and get him to tap target stick. Then either get him to circle round me or back between my legs -- and hopefully he should be settled.
Pre-Routine Preparation
Walk Rooskie about casually. Every so often give the Front command and also the Paws command. Reward frequently but not every time. Do not forget the Touch command. Also make him Sit and give the Paws and Front command from the sitting position.
Do NOT start Rooskie from a Pose. He needs a more fluid start.
Take Rooskie into ring on lead. Do Heelwork and start bridging de-de-de.
Then stop and give lead to steward. Then give the Paws command and pat him and make a fuss of him. Let him nibble fingers.
Then step back and try to get him to follow still on his hind legs.
Then lower him to the ground and try to keep contact with fingers. Hopefully he will still be mouthing.
Then get him to back between legs or circle -- and hopefully he should be settled.
Warning. Watch that judges do not think that you are using food.
Continue with the Paws command but the backing through my legs is the most important part. Try to keep contact with his nose as long as possible. Then a little bit of Heelwork. This is more reliable than going straight into figure-of-eights.
When training on golf course he is more reliable on trhe practice ground than on the tees. Perhaps there are more distractions on the tees so be very careful or will put him off. Try a round on a tee using food and then if he does it follow it up with a round without food. But be very careful.
In the training barn Lynn found that if I fed him at the very beginning of the routine then that got his attention and I did not need to feed again until the end of the routine.
So for a KC competition work him for a short time before the routine on the lead and praise and feed. Also turn and walk backwards and give the Touch command. (This is important to remind him as might need Touch for an emergency recall when he is in the ring.) Get him enthusiastic before going into ring.
I found out how to do this in the railway booking office. Work him for a short time on lead or with lead trailing and use food and voice and really get his attention. That is equivalent to short practice just before going into ring. Remember Touch.
Get a distinctive Start. See above.
For a KC competition round. Take him into ring on lead. Then give lead to ring steward. Let judges know just getting settled.
Then give Paws command and praise and reassure him. Then gently lower him to the ground and keep my fingers at his nose and use my fingers to lure him into the Heel position. Then start him doing Heelwork and when he is doing that say Ready to the judges. This means that if he does run off then the routine will not have actually started and I shall have time to get him back to me for the official start.
Also Rooskie needs a more fluid start. A pose can let him think too much and get distracted. Also a more fluid start gets his attention and gets him working.
A good start can be this. After have got him into heelwork then get him to do backwards weave through legs. Then when he is on the left give the signal with LEFT hand and get him to VERSE. This is one of the best ways to get him to Verse.
See diary entry for January 2006.
Rooskie goes better if can feed him just before the routine starts. Pre-routine warm-up. On lead walk backiwards and encourage him to walk forwards. Give the Paws command. Feed him from time to time. Also tuern into short stretches of Heelwork and then give either the Front or the Paws command. Also the occasional Touch.
Then when announcer is introducing us take lead off and encourage him towards me and feed. Do this a few times. Gradually use up all tit-bits. Then walk backwards into ring with(hopefully) Rooskie following. Say Ready to the judges and continue walking backwards interspersed with ordinary Heelwork. In Heelwork watch him all the time and be ready with Front, Paws or Touch.
Bridge and Target is a great help but Rooskie needs something in the middle of the routine. I ended up going de-de-de and then an excited Good Dog. (I don't know if this counts as a kind of second intermediate bridge.) The at then very end the final bridge DE and he knows the routine is finished and he is going to be fed.
Important. All through routine use voice. Bridge and Target. Also Good Dog and Clev-er.
(See diary entry for January 2006).
Practise individual moves
Practise individual moves frequently and by themselves. For example when he comes in from garden do a couple of moves.
Practise then emergency recal -- the Touch command separately from the HTM.
The Touch command. See above. This should be practised separately from the HTM routines. For example when he is in the garden and begins to bark I can recall him. Touch. De-de-de.
The Touch command should be used when practising routines only very occasionally and then it will be more effective when used in trhe ring in a competition.
Rooskie I think I am getting somewhere at last. I have worked out how to train him. With him and distraction it is mainly scent distraction. Which means that I do not know if there are distractions in the training area. I have now started this. I clip on a fairly heavy lead. Then I clip on a lighter lead and leave it trailing. I then go to the training area and let Rooskie see me taking off the heavy lead. That is important as, when the trouble started, Rooskie would run off the minute the lead was taken off. But this way he realizes he still has to work even when the lead is taken off.
I then work him with the light lead trailing. Important. The lead is just for security and emergencies. I try not to use it. If I did he would just learn to work with a lead trailing.
If he works well with the lead trailing and is attentive I reward him and then take the lead off and work him without it. But if he is distracted and runs off and I have to struggle to keep his attention then I keep the light lead on. And if the distractions are too much then I just give up and call it a day.
I finally worked it out. I cut down a lead and tied a knot at the end. I measured the cut-down lead. It was 20 inches. This was long enough to grab if he ran off and short enough to enable me to do leg weaving with no problems.
And the weight of the lead meant that it worked better than the light cord.
Once the railway booking office was busy. I knew it would be hopeless doing a normal training session. So I kept the normal lead on.
I found a quiet part and gave the Paws command and then lured him into the Heel position -- whereupon he promptly ran off. I went after him and caught the lead and took him back and started again. Eventually I discovered how to keep my fingers at his nose while luring him into the Heel position. From then on it was simply a case of keeping his attention.
Note. Keep Contact with him. Keep fingers at his nose when luring him into Heel position and keep contact with him afterwards.
Then something occurred to me. When the trouble started -- away back when Rooskie was a year old -- the problem was that Rooskie would bolt the very minute the lead was taken off. It was a case of panic-induced flight. Running off in heelwork only became a habit later. Indeed it was suggested to me by a behaviourist that the lead was to Rooskie what a sucky blanket was to a child.
When the trouble first started I would not have been able to work out a solution but later after working HTM and being exposed to the modern ideas about dog training I was in a position to work out a solution. And it was a case of remembering basic first principles.
The problem was that at the big dog class Rooskie was insecure. When the lead was taken off he was frightened and fled. What I should have been working on was to change the association of ideas when the lead was taken off. I should have changed the association of fear for one of something pleasant.
What I ought to have done then was to have clipped on the secondary lead for security, and then let him SEE me taking off the main lead. And feed him the very minute the lead was taken off. And praise.Then after a short time put the lead on again. Keep on doing this for some time. Do not be in a hurry. He has to learn to get used to the lead being taken off. Regard the removal of the lead as an exercise in itself.
Then, only after he has got used to the lead being taken off, move on gradually to heelwork.
(This would have the added effect that he would associate the removal of the lead with work as, when running free on the golf course, he would do so with a lead trailing).
This is what I should have done years ago. But I decided to try it. Better late than never.I held food in my hand as I took off the lead. And then when it was off I fed him. Thereby establishing the association that when the lead was removed he would be fed. Then, holding another piece of food in my hand between closed fingers I would say Close and Heel and move into heelwork. Then quickly feed him again. Then continue without food in my hand but still keeping my fingers closed and holding my hand in front of his nose.
And it worked. Sometimes he would run off near the beginning but he would come back to me with the Touch command. And if he began to work forwards then step back and walk backwards and give the Front command.
The beginning of Heelwork was the worst part -- the part where he was most likely to run off. Once I was safely past that he would generally settle.
I started off doing this with the short lead trailing then one day I forgot to take the short lead with me. I decided to see if he would do it without it -- and he did. He ran off a few times at the beginning but came back to me to the Touch command and then settled beautifully.
When taking off the lead hold the ring on his collar and keep his attention and get him to do something at once. It could be going round me in a circle. Good is walking backwards and getting him to follow and go up on his hind legs.
First make sure that I have his complete attention. Do not struggle on if he is only giving me 50%. In that case put the lead on again. And at the beginning -- when I feed him at the beginning of heelwork -- stand beside him while he is chewing. Do not move away and expect him to follow as that can cause him to run off.
Very important. Always make sure that the working area is safe. Rooskie had this hooligan habit of rushing up to another dog and barking at it. On Southerness golf course there are many little paths between the gorse bushes from which dog walkers can suddenly appear. Get into the habit of always working him in an area where I can see for a good distance and get him on the lead in plenty of time.
Alternatives
I aimed at breaking the connection between the removal of the lead and running off. In the Bank and at the Loreburn Hall class I would keep the short lead trailing the whole time. Then I would practise taking the main lead off --- Note I was not trying to fool Rooskie that the secondary lead was not there. The idea was that Rooskie would SEE the main lead being taken off and realise that he still had to work. The secondary lead was just for security.
Loreburn Hall. I did this in a quiet part when we were practising sending the dog to heel. Just removing the main lead and doing a few things and then putting it on again. And he seemed to get the idea.
Alternative Starts
Take him into ring on lead and give it to steward. Then give him the Paws command and pat him and put him down and start him off.
When put him down on the floor send him between my legs and bring him back to Heel position.
OR As soon as the steward has the lead send him to heel and put fingers to his nose and start him off. Keep fingers at his nose all the time he is going round behind.
If he runs off always remember the Touch command. And the minute he turns start to Bridge - de-de-de. And end with DE. (See Kayce Cover notes).
To go back a bit this running off problem whenever the lead was removed was also made worse by Rooskie's training for the Kennel Club Good Citizen.
The Good Citizen recall. It was an informal recall not like the obedience novice Recall. The dogs had to distance themselves from their handlers and then be recalled.
At one class Rooskie went to, dogs would be taken, one at a time, to the middle of the hall. The lead would be removed and the dog allowed to wander around and then it would be called. This reinforced the association Rooskie had with running off and the removal of the lead. For a time I practised always giving Rooskie a command whenever the lead was removed, Like Sit or Heel. And it began to work with the effect that when the lead was removed in the hall Rooskie would hesitate and look at me. It was then that I told the instructor that I wanted to do the novice Recall as Rooskie does not need any practise in running off.
Also the removal of the lead is so often a release signal. The dog is taken to the park and let off the lead. It regards the removal of the lead as a signal for play.
Similarly when taken for a walk on the lead. When it is taken home the lead is removed. Another release and it now knows that it can wander freely round the house and is no longer under close control.
So think deeply about what the dog associates the removal of the lead with.
It could also help if, when taking off the lead, to give a command before releasing the dog. For example give a short sit stay or a short piece of HW. And vary the command each time.
Start him off by going round me. Clockwise as if going to Heel. That way he will end up on my left hand side. Then send him anti-clockwise round the object A-round. If do it the other way and try to send him clockwise round object and anti-clockwise round me he will get confused as he will be starting round me from the left. And that is how he starts the verse.
Sideways is something which Rooskie does well --- once he gets started. Start with plain backwards. Then get him into sideways position. He does it moving away from me.
In originally taught this in a corner and making him reverse something on the floor in front of me. I would hold in front of him and make him go Back, Back. And as he was in a corner he just had to go round in a circle.
Later I got him to reverse around me.
But it took time to get it right. He had to be in the exact position and he could become worried. Eventually I always did a Verse from a sit. But still problems.
Then I thought about my hand signal. I introduced a sweeping backwards move of my hand. And always the left hand as his instructor pointed out that I used my other hand for the Spin.
Important. Stand beside him and start off by getting him to Verse behind me and then Turn and face him and keep giving hand signal and verbal command or he will suddenly stop versing.
I