Thursday, March 31, 2011

Pictures and Video From First Lesson

Ok so we left at 9:30am and Tibby slept until 12 when we got there.
Then she slept all the way home from 2:30 to 6pm.
We went for a short walk and then Tibby curled up on the couch.  It is 10:30pm and she has been asleep the whole time.  Not a peep.  I like.
What is that?  Like 10 hours of sleep? 
I guess learning is tiring.
Our lesson was only an hour!




Pictures from our lesson.  Video is at the end.








The sleepy bum.

Really?  I drove!


And I had to take notes!
And no one gave me treats!



What is going on in the video. Teaching me to train Tibby to wrap a jump. Michelle teaching me how to play with Tibby and get her excited. See how Tibby likes Michelle? Restrained recalls. I use the wrong hand. And she just told me what hand to use! Silly me. At 3:37 I try to get Tibby to go to my right side. Nope. 2nd time? Nope. Oh well, something to work on!

Notes From First Private Lesson

This post is all notes from our first private lesson.  I will do another post with just pictures and the video of our lesson.  I know training posts don't make very interesting reading.

Anyway.  We left at 9:30am, drove to Canine On the Run and got there an hour early.  Good.  Plenty of time to have Tibby go potty and I didn't have to stress about being late.  Our instructor's name is Michelle.  My notes are kind of a mess (I was horrible at note taking in school!), so I'm trying to type everything out before I forget it.

  She gave us a lot of stuff to work on, but nothing that I don't think Tibby can get.  One thing - the main thing - she said I NEED to develop a better relationship with Tibby.  Where I am fun to work with and Tibby wants to work with me and not go off sniffing everything.  True and I knew it, but without someone actually saying it to me I don't think it would have ever occurred to me to do something - work on it!  Also, gotta work on recalls.  She suggested the Susan Garret online recall course.  I thought about it, but didn't sign up for it - too expensive, but I can afford some DVDs.  So that is on the list to work on too.

Also, I brought the wrong treats.  Last time we went to the Puppy Boot Camp and I brought steak, fish and bratwurst.  Tibby gets full very quickly and she got sick of these treats.  This time I brought her normal training treats - kibble mixed with hot dog.  I needed higher value treats.  Oops!
Good thing - Tibby LOVES to work for other people.  I have always been worried about this, because there isn't anyone around to train her besides me.  Whenever the opportunity is available I try to get other people to 'train' Tibby - ask her to do her tricks, but that has only happened a few times.  Tibby really liked Michelle.  A lot.  She was offering behaviors to Michelle all the time - doing her wave and peekaboo trick.  It was cute.

My scatter brained notes:

She showed me some jump grids I can set up at home.  And how I can get Tibby to wrap around the jump to a toy.  Also, I can throw out the treats and have Tibby go through the jump uprights to get the treat.  I treat when she looks forward.  Eventually - Want her to curve over jump, drop treat close to jump to get curve.  Jump height eventually 12".  Practice MAX of 5 times, 3 times a week.  Count out treats!
Recall work -  drag long line.  Recalls between legs one way - throw out treat - comes back between legs treat - throw out treat - repeat.  Eventually transfer to 2 toys. 
Do collar grabs.  pull = cookie

Above is my sad drawing.
Ideally using 5 jumps.  I can start out with them close together.  Tibby will learn to go through all the jump uprights and then get a treat.  Go around get a treat.  Go around get a treat.  Eventually - Spread them out into a square shape.  Note:  Need to buy more jumps.

Another sad drawing.  You might have to click on it to see what I drew (poorly).  This is a rear cross.  I'm pretty sure that's what she said.  Tibby wraps around the jump upright and I step behind and give her a treat.  So she gets used to going around and coming back into me?  I think.
Really wish I could have another lesson next week and ask about this one.

Next get a raised 12" max board and work on 2 on and 2off or a stair or anything raised.  Plunk her (Michelle's words hee hee) on the board in position.  Treat.  I need to be squared off  - straight forward.  NEED TO WORK ON THIS!!!  I tend to go in front of Tibby, because (I think) we have done so much trick training.  Eventually I should be able to move around and Tibby will stay in position on the plank until I release her. 

Another thing I (me, my problem!) need to work on is feed from the side straight down - not crossing over my body or letting my shoulder drop down or back.  Also I really need to work more on BOTH sides of the body.  Somehow (not through too much obedience training I know that for sure!) Tibby has started always going to my left side to be treated or get her toy.  She refused to go to the right during restrained recalls.  :(

This next part I will write exactly as it is in my notebook (hee hee) I was tired by this point.

Crate Games 
Drive building and relationship
Mat - give job
toy on string
short times
rum  (?!?!  What!?!) I think this is supposed to be run.  I can't remember why I wrote that.

Anyway.  Those were my notes.  Zoe's Mom was nice enough to go along with me today.  She wanted to see the facility.   *WARNING RANT AHEAD* 
She was super nice and video taped and took a few pics of us during our lesson.  However, she said a few things that really ticked me off.  We have been friends for a long time, however............  When we got to the facility for our lesson there was someone else having a lesson ahead of us.  The dog went through the weave poles a few times and Zoe's Mom said, "Wow, how do you get a dog to do that?"  She has never seen agility before.  I said, "If I keep training her, Tibby will do that someday - hopefully."  She said, "Ha, Tibby will never do that."  *grrrrrrrr*
 Later on the ride home she said, "I bet Zoe could do that whole agility stuff (jumps, contacts,tunnels) without any training.  She can jump pretty high.  She jumps up onto my bed." 
I said, "Well, there are rules to do the 'agility stuff'."
 She said, "Yeah, well once I knew the rules she could do the whole thing."
 I said, "Well, why don't you train her?" 
She said, "Well, she's not my dog!  She's my sister's dog.  I'm not going to waste my time on her dog!  When I get my German Shepard then I'll train it."
Agh!  I have been trying to get her to train Zoe since they bought her.  She's just a couple of months older than Tibby, but no one wants to train her!  She doesn't know anything - not sit, not down, not to bite people when they reach for their dog's tennis ball that she has stolen.
 She has tons of drive and she doesn't run away.
  Unlike Tibby.  Because I am a boring cookie.

First Video For Tricks Class



This is a video of what we have been working on for the Silvia Trkman class (More info here).

This is what Silvia said, "Hey, that frog is great! You make it look too easy! Great job also with the box and the plate, but do try to help a little bit less with your action and movement. To get more action from her, try throwing treats vs. making her move by your movements as it’s hard to get rid of those, the dog gets too dependent on them."

Good point. Hmmm, how can I keep Tibby excited and working, but without me moving around? Something to practice and work on.

Also, we just got back from our private lesson. I'm very tired. We left at 9:30am and got home at 6pm. I was wiped out after the class, but still had to drive home. Tibby slept. Ah, to be my dog! I'll write up a post as soon as my notes are rewritten. Lots to work on.........

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Dog Park - Part II The Zoomies

Dog park trip:  The Zoomie Edition

Zoe is telling Tibby a secret, "Want to see my sharp teeth?"

"Look ma!  Two legs!"

"Look ma!  NO legs!"


Scary eyes.

Tibby, Zoe and Zoe's Mom.  Tibby thought it was fun to get on and off the picnic table.

A picture of Zoe and her Mom. 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

First Time At the Dog Park - Part I

We went to the dog park today.  It was our first time!  We went with Zoe and her Mom.  A doggie playdate!
It costs $3 per dog to use the dog park.  How much do you pay to use a dog park in your area?

Tibby had fun!  Smiling!

Zoe is a Morkie - Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier  I think she got a little bit more Yorkie than Maltese.  She is intense!

And Zoe is a big resource guarder.  Big.  She growls and snaps.

She loves tennis balls.  Flying Zoe!

Tibby says, "Can I have the ball now?"  Zoe just laughs.


Zoe and her Mom.

Too late Tibby!

Can't catch me!

My ball!

Flying Tibby ears.  Still Zoe's ball.

"No, really this is my ball."

How Many Times?

This video is one of the funniest examples of Tibby and Catty playing. Catty thinks the tunnel is hers and Tibby doesn't agree. I counted Tibby going through the tunnel 16 times. How many times do you count?

Toy Sized


I think these pictures make Tibby look like a stuffed toy.
She was asleep.
Loves the carpet.


Sunday, March 27, 2011

Tibby the Valiant

Tibby and I just got back from our last walk of the day.  We just took a quick walk down the street and back. 
On the way down the street we passed a neighbor talking on his cell phone in his driveway.  On the way home we passed the same neighbor, but he stepped out from the shadows toward us, he was carrying a bag and some kind of stick thing to put in his garbage.
Tibby went NUTS.  Growl barking, lunging and howl barking.  It's hard to describe the way Tibetan Terriers bark - it's not like other dogs.
She was very scary. 
I didn't encourage her, but this is the sort of situation were I would want my dog to bark.  We just kept moving and I didn't say anything to her.  I said sorry to my neighbor, but really I wasn't sorry.  Who comes out of the shadows carrying a stick at 11:30pm!?!  Serves him right!
I usually complain that Tibby is too friendly with strangers.  She has always been especially friendly to men.

Beg and Box

Just a little video of Tibby's new trick 'beg'.

Don't Forget!


Don't forget to enter the How Big Will Tibby Be contest!

She has grown a lot in this last month.  It seems like every morning I look at her and she is bigger.  One of my Mom's friends saw us walking and told my Mom, " Tibby isn't a little dog at all!"  
I'm not sure if she is actually getting bigger or if it's just her hair growing out.
I have been collecting things for the prize winner these last 2 months, so it should be a pretty nice prize :)
Tibby has her vet appt., for the official weight and height, at the end of April.
Don't forget Tibby turns 1 on the 28th!
Please leave your guesses in the comments section on the official contest page - Click here

Spring Training


Training stuff.  I have been teaching Tibby Beg.  This trick has been hard!  It took her 5 sessions to get it.
My notes:
 3-25-11 1:30pm Crossed paws and beg for the first time.
~
3-25-11 12am  crossed paws - better
beg -better
box - good
Tibby wasn't interested in working at all.  She just wanted to play with Catty.
~
3-26-11  11:19am  Beg and back up.  Again Tibby wasn't interested.
~
3-26-11 1:45pm  Bang it - Awesome!
Beg - Awesome!
Leg wrap around pole - good
Me running around with the purple toy in between click/treat.
Great attitude from Tibby!
~
3-26-11 11:40 pm
Beg- she's got it!
Wave - going back and forth between beg and wave.  She knows the difference.
Peek-a-boo - great
right - great
left - needs work very hard for Tibby.

So, if you are still reading LOL!  The online Silvia Trkman tricks/puppy class that we are taking starts on Monday.  Yay!  I'm so excited!  I can't wait to see what our first assignment is like.  I just hope we can keep up with everyone else.
Other things.  We are taking a private lesson at On the Run on Thursday.  I have also been looking forward to that for about a month.  I hope it doesn't snow. 
What are private lessons like I wonder?

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Pink Princess Skateboard


I was trying to catch Tibby on the skateboard.
Treats, camera and clicker - I need more hands!
And another pair of eyes.


I think Tibby is saying, "You're not the princess, you can't ride the skateboard."