The Pushing posts - Natural K9 Dog Training progress reports - week 1

 Thursday, September 1, 2011 - Pushing day 7

As seems to be the case, the morning was ok, chicken treats helped though. Session was short and, as yesterday, I had both dogs. Evening was much better and fun. We had
visitors this evening ...  and even though Stormy barked on 3 separate occasions ...he could be distracted to come ...and he stopped. Things were not nearly as charged and we did not need to have him tied up.We're gonna have a lot of visitors this weekend, and I will make sure I have a few treats on my at all times -  for when I call him: ready storm .. for possible pushing.
The best response I get though is calling him with a certain voice when he is totally out of sight. (in this case he had run off after the visitors. We used to do that with Skye ...and they would all come running for their sardines. They loved it....and he came running back. The changes are subtle at this point. but after a week it appears that when under stress/charge, at least to a point, he is able to listen and willing to turn towards me and change what he is doing. Nice


Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - Pushing day 6

I think neither of us is a morning "person", though it did go pretty well considering I only had some dry treats. This does remind me though of the time and energy commitment necessary. Storm is an outside dog, 24/7, and it is different. He does get some action out there after all. Also, I have to work around his feeding times, which are not set my me....so we kinda had to rush it this morning, though he acted as if he was already fed.

The afternoon session was a delightful few minutes. It is a fun time now, our pushing times, and I really like that. That feat was not easy for a dog who will not play with anything, including any kind of tug of war. Before, he's sit, come , down for treats...and we made some progress. But it was not very exciting or fun.
Even if you only have a few minutes, it is worth to schedule it in. We also have a few more "massage" times together.

Too bust to read any more of the book, but this was my responce on facebook

Found out the dvd's got shipped today YAY :)

omg omg omg - this is an amazing read, concept or whatever you may say - it is way beyond conventional training methods. i have just read the intro and into part 1, loving it. i can see how there can be a lot of discussion about it, validity etc...but for who i am -- it feels right - it feels right....i am grateful: Your Dog Is Your Mirror - by Kevin Behan

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - Day 5 (latest post on top)

By the gate

This morning was a little "lame", I think it was me, - and it was hot. Still I noticed Storm was very eager - but nothing like just now, and that is after the person who feeds him had already given him his dinner. (yes, that is complicating working with him) Even so, he was literally jumping up and down and ran and pushed very excitedly. I did make him wait and walk about 10 meters away...he was a bit trembling to get the ok to run...:). It was fun - again. Not sure if that is ok to do at this stage, the letting him wait in anticipation. The video did not arrive yet, I hope it will be here by the end of the week, but won't bet on it. I need to find out soon how to work with 2 dogs....as well as one that has bone guarding and is deaf.

AND - the book arrived. "Your Dog is your Mirror", presently on sale here. Looking forward to it and seem to be resonating in sync.

Monday, August 29, 2011 - Day 3

Shadows on a training walk

Ok, this is day 4 of doing the pushing exercise with Stormy - and it was FUN. For me that is a cool thing. This is a dog who has no interest in any toys - none. If there is no food ...or a real life rodent to hunt, or a cat or barking at visitors ....then too bad. After being part of the Skye team walking the property, he will go for a round or 2, sniffing and such. But playing? No. Tug of war - could not be less interested. Only with Skye have I ever seen him play, want to play, ask for play. She taught him, and they roughhoused and chased each other. She did not need any food either :) So how, apart from wanting recall in charged situations, can I find a way to play with him?

So for this evening's session we went down by the gatehouse and had some chasing and pushing fun. I am not a jogger and got out of breath having him repeatedly chase me and then push. It worked well and it was fun.
The Australian shepherd practices waiting in front of the garden gate and periodically gets treats while I touch him. He is not ready for pushing....and, I am not sure yet if I should, since he was the one with severe bone guarding ...not so much food, bone guarding...and I remember reading a remark that you would not do this pushing excercise with a dog that has food guarding.

I can see how this, over time, will lead to Storm happily turning to me. He already got primed to come running when we worked together with Skye. But when there is something exiting going on ...he'll take off. So it is gonna be exciting to see how this will work. In the meantime - training has never been so much fun with him.The food treats do very well to teach him new behaviors - pushing does something else. Remember too, he was 2 years and 7 months before he got any training, and his behavior had gotten out of hand.

And it is way to early for me to wonder how one would deal with a dog labelled aggressive using this ^^.

That was the report for the day. I added a different image so the pics won't all be the same.

For those just joining here, check out the links on the sidebar. I am using the pushing exercise description as best I can as described here on Neil Sattin's Natural Dog Blog. I ordered the DVD. Will let you know after I watched it.