To read about Li'l Rocky's rescue and first-year success in the field, go to http://www.luckypets.net/Luckypets/Rocky.html
Li'lRocky
In August 2004, I adopted Li'l Rocky from Illinois Birddog Rescue. This blog is all about Li'l Rocky; his story, our adventures, our training, and our relationship.
- To read about Li'l Rocky's rescue and first-year s...
- Li'l Rocky On Point At Fermi's dog training groun...
- September 10, 2006 Doing Our Homework Pays Off in...
- What a lovely coincidence that my order from Amazo...
- August 2004. Li'l Rocky came home and joined ou...
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
September 10, 2006
Doing Our Homework Pays Off in the Field!
Before yesterday, the last time that I worked Li'l Rocky on birds was late last winter. At that point, it became apparent that Rocky was developing some bad habits and in order to correct those, and advance to the next level of performance for field trials/hunt tests, we needed to go back to basics. (Although Rocky had come a long way already and earned his Junior Hunter title -- that only proved that he had great potential. To advance further, he would need to be much more disciplined in the field).
To "get back to basics," I enrolled Rocky and I in a basic obediance class with Linda Case (Autumn Gold Dog Training Center in Mahomet, IL) and I developed a routine practice of training Rocky (and Daisy too) in the backyard several times a week. I also practiced the basics out at Pointer's Prairie on the weekends. I found that Rocky responded really well to clicker training. When we finished basic obediance, we enrolled in a 4-week advanced class ("tricks") which helped me to hone my clicker-skills. Throughout all the obediance and tricks work, I kept my mind on my goals for Rocky in the field -- the "trick" we worked hardest on was "stand-stay" -- which will eventually evolve into a "whoa" - the command used to require your birddog to hold his point until either the shot is fired or you release him with another verbal command. (We also (1) continued to work on the retrieve, and incorporated our stand-stay into our games of fetch so that Rocky would get used to the idea that the retrieve begins when I say so; and (2) incorporated a "whoa table" into our training - practicing the "stand stay" on the table and then on a platform just off the ground).
Yesterday we returned to bird work for the first time--here was my chance to see if doing all this homework would have a pay off. And the pay-off was HUGE. Last winter, when we tried to train Rocky in the field -- to hold his point, for example -- he became frustrated and confused. He sat or refused to Point. He couldn't take the pressure and didn't know what I was trying to get him to do. He also was very nervous about being approached or handled while on point.
Yesterday, he was a different dog!! Using the "stay" command that we had been working on for months, Rocky understood what I wanted. He allowed me to re-set him on point when he made the mistake of creeping forward. In repeated set-ups with birds, he learned to "stay" even as a bird flew off. By our 4th set-up, I was able to keep the cord loose as the bird took off and flew. And Rocky stayed on point. In general, throughout the day, Rocky was more responsive to my instructions than he has ever been in this type of highly charged environment.
There is still much more work to do -- more repetitions and adding more elements -- but this was a very successful day for us. I am so proud of Rocky and thrilled that all of our hard work on the basics has paid off in the field.
I am grateful to Linda Case--for the knowledge and inspiration I gained in her classes; Susan Helmink, Pam Wasson, and Allison Brudney--for their training advice and patience with my endless stream of questions, musings, etc.; Rob Walker, my bird-dog training mentor--for his guidance and assistance in the field without which I would be lost.
Doing Our Homework Pays Off in the Field!
Before yesterday, the last time that I worked Li'l Rocky on birds was late last winter. At that point, it became apparent that Rocky was developing some bad habits and in order to correct those, and advance to the next level of performance for field trials/hunt tests, we needed to go back to basics. (Although Rocky had come a long way already and earned his Junior Hunter title -- that only proved that he had great potential. To advance further, he would need to be much more disciplined in the field).
To "get back to basics," I enrolled Rocky and I in a basic obediance class with Linda Case (Autumn Gold Dog Training Center in Mahomet, IL) and I developed a routine practice of training Rocky (and Daisy too) in the backyard several times a week. I also practiced the basics out at Pointer's Prairie on the weekends. I found that Rocky responded really well to clicker training. When we finished basic obediance, we enrolled in a 4-week advanced class ("tricks") which helped me to hone my clicker-skills. Throughout all the obediance and tricks work, I kept my mind on my goals for Rocky in the field -- the "trick" we worked hardest on was "stand-stay" -- which will eventually evolve into a "whoa" - the command used to require your birddog to hold his point until either the shot is fired or you release him with another verbal command. (We also (1) continued to work on the retrieve, and incorporated our stand-stay into our games of fetch so that Rocky would get used to the idea that the retrieve begins when I say so; and (2) incorporated a "whoa table" into our training - practicing the "stand stay" on the table and then on a platform just off the ground).
Yesterday we returned to bird work for the first time--here was my chance to see if doing all this homework would have a pay off. And the pay-off was HUGE. Last winter, when we tried to train Rocky in the field -- to hold his point, for example -- he became frustrated and confused. He sat or refused to Point. He couldn't take the pressure and didn't know what I was trying to get him to do. He also was very nervous about being approached or handled while on point.
Yesterday, he was a different dog!! Using the "stay" command that we had been working on for months, Rocky understood what I wanted. He allowed me to re-set him on point when he made the mistake of creeping forward. In repeated set-ups with birds, he learned to "stay" even as a bird flew off. By our 4th set-up, I was able to keep the cord loose as the bird took off and flew. And Rocky stayed on point. In general, throughout the day, Rocky was more responsive to my instructions than he has ever been in this type of highly charged environment.
There is still much more work to do -- more repetitions and adding more elements -- but this was a very successful day for us. I am so proud of Rocky and thrilled that all of our hard work on the basics has paid off in the field.
I am grateful to Linda Case--for the knowledge and inspiration I gained in her classes; Susan Helmink, Pam Wasson, and Allison Brudney--for their training advice and patience with my endless stream of questions, musings, etc.; Rob Walker, my bird-dog training mentor--for his guidance and assistance in the field without which I would be lost.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
What a lovely coincidence that my order from Amazon.com arrived today, containing Suzanne Clothier's book, Bones Would Rain from the Sky. As an undercurrent to all my recent conversations with my dear friends (many of whom know much more about dog training and behavior than I) I have known in my heart that whatever success I have in training Li'l Rocky will come somehow out of our unique relationship. I have sought to learn how to use all the techniques that so many have mastered - when to praise, when to click, when to increase distance & time, when not to praise, etc. etc. And while I recognize that I have far to go before I am truly adept with these tools, I also know that even with adeptness, a breakthrough with Rocky is going to require something more. Tonight, after reading the first two chapters of Clothier's book, I have found an author and trainer who validates that belief. Now I pray that I might have the patience to listen to what Rocky is trying to tell me, the flexibility to respond in a productive way, and the strength to stand up to pressure when I know what is not right for him.
