Hi ….Just wanted to let you know that Roman is doing very well with his herding lessons. We meet with Kelly every Tuesday. I’m the one that’s having issues…keeping my feet and legs and arms from getting tangled in the line. I’m sure I must look like a hot mess out there!
Last night we went back to Kelly’s for advanced obedience. We did utility training and it was really fun. Roman did great. She alternates what she does, so next Wed. we’ll do level 2 obedience. It’s only myself and two other people. Kelly is a great teacher and wants it to be fun for the handler and dog. She’s not super hard core and I like that. Roman didn’t really get into picking up the dumbells, but they use metal ones and I don’t think he’s used to having metal in his mouth…except for the dime he ate last week. Don’t worry..he pooped it out 🙂
He did well on his jumps and picking up the gloves for the retrieve. Here’s the funny part…Kelly said for me to watch the other dog and they were going to work on the “run” command. I guess the dog is told to run out somewhere and stop or something (this AKC is all new to me), anyway, this girl pulls out a can of cheese whiz from her back and sprays it on the fence post! I’m thinking “what kind of trickery is this???” I totally thought of cheese whiz in your hair with Kira, but Kelly said this command is trained with food and not toys. So, she gives the run command and the dog runs to the fence and licks the cheese whiz. Ok. Sure. Roman is up next and I put the stuff on the fence, give the command and point my finger at the cheese whiz. He wants nothing to do with it. Kelly is telling me to keep pointing at it, but Roman is more interested in a sheep turd on the ground than in the cheese whiz. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that cheese whiz won’t touch my lips and it certainly won’t touch Roman’s. He most likely would prefer a nice Stilton or an aged cheddar. Guess I need to find another food reward. Roman has never been very food motivated…he likes his ball, so we’ll see. Actually, Kelly thinks it’s better not to use food as a reward, but it works better with this command. By the way…..3 cans of cheese whiz were used last night…ugh. Roman did lick it once and went back to the turd.
Rita if you (or Roman) prefers a ball, you can get a ball on a string and then use a plant hanger with a chip clip on it and hang the ball on it (so it is visible to the dog at a distance).
Thanks, Lies…Roman has a major obsession with pieces of garden hose. It’s his form of crack, so that’s what I’m going to bring on Wed. night.
I want to know how you know he popped out the dime? No not really…
In schutzhund we always use a toy to teach the “go out” builds speed. I loved your training story!
I was going to ask the same question! ha ha
What dog could turn down a fresh turd!? LOL loved the story.
This was my laugh for the morning. Great training story!
Put the sheep turd on the fence post. Once a herding dog always a herding dog. Many dogs find sheep turds tastey. Here they think someone opened a bag of M&M’s and spread them all over the field and arenas for snacks.
There you go Rita, no Stilton needed.
Ha ha ha!!
I may have to re-think herding if I have to put sheep turd on anything.
Cheeze whiz?? I am glad to see Roman’s palate is as refined as his mothers !
OH GOSH YES!
Cheeze whiz? Yuck. Roman has good taste. I would do the ball, tug or hose to teach it if that is his motivation. You usually get a much faster send out with the toy.
I’m going to use his hose next time!!
I heard from Rita the garden hose worked perfectly…her instructor got a lesson from Rita in how to train in drive.