Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

Rottweilers. Computers. Cameras. World Domination. Not necessarily in that order.

Rottweilers.
Computers. Cameras.
World Domination.
Not necessarily in that order.

Other things I’m learning as the dogs and I learn better recalls

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As we work through the games and lessons for Susan Garrett’s “Brilliant Recall” course, I’m learning other things not directly related to recalls, brilliant or otherwise.

First, I have been reminded daily as to why I’ve generally avoided using tugging as a training reward (other than not being an agility person and feeling forced into it, that is). Freya doesn’t like to play tug with me unless I spend a lot of time convincing her it will be fun. By that time, it doesn’t seem like big fun to me and it’s still less motivating to her than cheese. [Read more…]

Rewards: dog toys

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Yesterday, as part of the discussion on different things to use for rewards in dog training, I talked about our favorite food treats.

Now for toys. I haven’t had much success in the past using toys as either rewards or motivators. The human half of the team is supposed to control access to the toys. The canine half of my team is always a Rottweiler. If said Rottweiler is also male, he usually outweighs me. This makes toy selection pretty important if I expect to have any chance at all of getting the toy back.

This is a favorite toy of both dogs. It’s also very hard to retrieve from a dog that wants to keep it without dismembering the poor turtle.
[Read more…]

Rewards: favorite commercial dog training treats

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You read earlier this week about how I’m trying to switch off more between food, toy, activity, and praise rewards during dog training. Here are some more details about the food treats I’m using.

I’ve mentioned before that I usually prefer to use “people food” for my dog training treats. I am still using cut-up string cheese, SPAM, and frozen meatballs. But on really hot days, it’s nice to have something that doesn’t melt, squish, or disintegrate in your pocket. Sorry, once again I do not mean to gross you out!

The dogs have three favorite low-calorie natural commercial treats, and I’m currently using two of them for training. I reviewed the third type, Pet Botanics Healthy Omega treats earlier this year. Although they are still a favorite, I’m not using them for training right now simply because they are chewier and harder to break into smaller pieces, making them less suitable for rapid delivery of treats for some of the things we’re doing right now.

I have given up trying to keep Oliver Kittyweiler out of any dog treat home photo shoots. At least he adds some perspective, so you can see the small size of the treats.
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Total recall

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I had to think about whether I wanted to tell this story or not, because it is full of dog handler FAILs. Those would be my fails. So here it is, because the training WINs and dog WINs outweigh my fails.

As you know from some previous posts, I’m trying to improve both dogs’ recalls by taking Susan Garrett’s online “Brilliant Recall” course.

On Saturday morning, Axel and I were playing one of the pre-course recall games in the back yard. He did very well, especially considering that he’d just finished breakfast about an hour before. Handler FAIL: Since this game involved food rewards, we should have played before breakfast. After we were done, I released him to run around the back yard and “help” me pick up dog toys before the lawn maintenance crew arrived.

Unfortunately, while he was “helping” by grabbing a Jolly Ball and not bringing it to me, Axe spotted a jogger running past the front of the house and went to charge the gate. Handler FAIL: I know I shouldn’t let him do this, but I am always torn between wanting the dogs to ignore passers-by, or letting them go off on strangers in hopes that bad people will then bypass our property for one with no Rottweilers. I am right behind him, but a step too slow. He hit the gate, which shouldn’t have popped open, but it did. Homeowner FAIL: My husband and I try to remember to check the gates at least once a week to make sure the latches are closing and holding properly. Apparently neither of us did that recently enough.

Axe didn’t expect that either, but given the opportunity for freedom, he starts to go through the open gate. I call his name. He stops halfway through the gate and turns his head towards me. Just like he did for the game we’d just got done playing. Just like he was supposed to do.

I was not confident enough to wait to see if he’d keep coming back to me; I called “Axel, HIER” to make sure of it. And just like that, he was back where I could grab his collar, tell him he was a good boy, close the gate, and give him some play and love for not chasing the jogger and not turning into roadkill on the busy street we live on. Dog WIN. Susan Garrett recall course WIN. I honestly believe the reason he came back so quickly is because of the recall games we had just finished playing, and the games we had worked on during the week before.

(NaBloPoMo | August ’10: 2 of 31)