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Subject: Progressing on "target"

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Lucy's Colleen

Bratty Ratty

06/04/2007 4:37 PM
Lucy is getting the idea of "target", touching a circle disk with her nose. This is of course for agility. She has got it when I'm holding it, and now is getting better at doing it when it's on the floor. She has stopped touching my finger that is holding it, which is caused by her command "touch" which is to touch my hand with her nose. "Target" is to touch her nose to the object. I'm not 100% sure of what the purpose of "target" will be used for, but she's starting to ge it down. She is a quick learner. I'm sure we will have it down perfectly before Thursday's class.

Colleen Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7797281@N05/

Lucy's Colleen

Bratty Ratty

06/04/2007 9:59 PM
She has actually gotten even better as the day goes, more accurate. We randomly practice throughout the day. She was getting carrots while I was making dinner as a reward. She is so bright.

Colleen Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7797281@N05/

rattytatty

Newbie

06/05/2007 8:11 AM
The "touch" command will become invaluable to you if you progress in the agility environment, Colleen. It is vital that the dog learn "follow" whichever finger (or hand) you are giving commands with.. so much is all about body language. It's easy for a dog to learn "touch" when you use the hand with a treat in it... but they have to learn to go to the hand that does not have the treat in it too. It was so hard for me to learn that whatever Bailey learned to do on the left.. he has to do just as well on the right. With obedience training... everything is trained to the left, and I've been doing that for 10 years and it was ENGRAINED in me. So I've had to be UNtrained and REtrained in a different way. It's been hard for me. I think people who have had NO or limited training experience do better with agility. Sounds like you are doing very well!

Lucy's Colleen

Bratty Ratty

06/05/2007 11:30 AM
We have also been working on what the trainer calls the "agility finger". Where the dogs follow your pointing finger, both right or left. Lucy has been doing very well with that too. I think that it probably does help that I am not stuck in my ways int he way I train her because I only have been through one training course, where I don't think that I even followed the training only on the left. I am almost completely right sided and am very uncoordinated on the left, probably the reason I am so accident prone. Lucy and I are having a lot of fun with this. She is doing very well too at it.

Colleen Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7797281@N05/

rattytatty

Newbie

06/06/2007 7:37 AM
A good exercise for you to do to teach her to follow your finger..... is to get a treat and lure her around in a circle. If you lure her around to the left... say "left" and once she completes the circle, reward with a treat. Same thing about luring her in a circle to the right... with the "right" command. The "left" and "right" commands will also become invaluable if you continue with agility training... so by doing this you are teaching two things (1) to follow your finger and (2) the "left" and "right" commands. I'm so glad you are having so much fun ! I'm enjoying reading about yours and Lucy's progress!

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