Our first training video

[Labradorks]

The working spot with Denise Fenzi in April was the first time I've ever seen a video or even a photo of me training. It was very interesting, informative and eye-opening to be able to watch my whole dog and I remember thinking that I didn't realize that's what he looked like while working! I had to get over myself first (who loves the way they look on video?), then I decided to start taping him more. So, I bought an iPad. Then I let it sit for a few months. Then, it was too hot. Then he got neutered.

Finally, last night he was healed enough and it was cool enough to train at the obedience club's facility. This is only my second time training by myself, not counting my yard or house. I'm typically at a lesson or class or match or at least with a friend. I watched the tape and what I see there and what I feel is different, so it's super useful to see the reality, and I recommend it to anyone, regardless of your hobby/sport. It was also helpful to see some of my habits and mistakes that I need to work on. I was also nervous to post it at first as I have not edited the bad parts out and some of the good parts are riddled with mistakes. But, I am human, so that kind of stuff is bound to happen!

On a side note, this was originally 26 minutes and my intention was to edit out the static. But then I started having fun with the iMovie software. It was so easy to use!

I'm truly blessed to have such a wonderful dog. He's all heart and love and he never stops trying for me. He puts up with my mistakes again and again, and comes back for more, happily I might add. We have so much fun together and I just can't imagine a better partner.

So, here it is. The good, the bad and the ugly. Turn on the sound if you can. And feel free to laugh along with me.

[arentspowell]

We don't do rally (? did i get it right) so I can't comment from a technical perspective but I really enjoyed watching the video (editing and commentary was great btw). He has a wonderful focus on you and just looks so happy, at one point he glimpsed right at the camera which was cute. I also laughed that you throw your arms up to praise him because we do the same thing with Daisy and she reacts the same way, jumping up and tail wagging. Keep up the good work!

[Maxx&Emma]

Linus was so much fun to watch! His tail never stopped wagging, watching him do everything so happy was the best part. He is a really nice looking boy as well.

[TuMicks]

HOW did you get his tail to wag metronomically exactly with the music. That was super. I enjoyed the video very much. Thanks for posting.

[zd262]

A great video! My favorite part when he was trying to do the lower jump in the beginning (don't know the technical terms) and the music perfectly corresponded with his first attempt which ended in some confusion. You both look great and his tail is going crazy.

[Gibbysmom]

That was fun to watch, thanks for sharing it. He is such a happy boy, looks like fun!

[Snowshoe]

That was fun, Linus looks so happy which is key in Rally. Judges like to see a happy dog. Also made me sad that we can no longer to that because of Oban's elbow.

[ZEKESMAN]

That was nice. Informative for me. Thanks. Wouldlove to see some video of him doing field work!

[Labradorks]

Thanks for the kind words. We have a lot of fun together.

We were training for obedience. He has his RN but I stopped working him in rally after that. He did well, but doesn't love it. In obedience the figure 8 is people not cones, but I was the only person in the building. The recall, retrieves and go-outs are obedience only (though rally does have very short recalls). We typically do not do a finish in training; we practice them separately and throw them into the exercises occasionally. It helps keep fronts straight and helps to avoid the dog finishing on his own. I did not practice them on this day. There are jumps in rally but they are not formal (more like a pass-by) and they are smaller.

The exercises we did in the video were training so are informal versus a trial and some are trained in pieces (the behavior chain concept). For the exercises he knows, I still make a game of it and keep it fun, but then I throw in a formal exercise if I feel he's ready or to test him and see where he's at, as well as to show him that just because I'm not being "fun", it doesn't mean he is wrong. I will never train a dog I hope to compete that way again (it's how I started out with him -- which was a big mistake)! Sometimes I'm quiet because it helps him to succeed, like when holding the dumb bell because he really would like to wiggle around and show me what he's got.

I want a happy dog in obedience. I want him to love being out there. Even if we trial and we screw up, as long as he is happy, that's OK. If you saw this dog in the ring at a trial, you would not see the same dog, which is pretty typical, though there are some dogs that are not as affected as others or (rarely) not affected at all. I will not trial him again until I see the dog in the video, or at least 75% of this dog in the video, in a trial ring. That said, even in a trial, between exercises you can do pretty much anything with your dog as long as it is "controlled". Jumping is OK, some people do spins, some play other physical games. It can be a type of reward, keeping the dog engaged, energizing them and providing some stress relief, depending on the dog.

I am beginning to teach him that silence during an exercise and when it is completed (before "exercise finished") is good and means praise is forthcoming so that we don't go from lots of praise in training to silence in the ring and then he's wondering why I am being weird and if he's doing something wrong. You can see in a few exercises where I was quiet, physically and vocally (though there is music so you can't tell). And you can see in some exercises where we start off all fun and games and then I do a formal exercise (the broad jump, for example). But the exercises where he and/or we are still working it out and gaining confidence, I try to make fun and encouraging every time to foster learning and enthusiasm.

I also reward for mistakes as long as there is effort (and with him, that's most of the time). You can see in the go outs where I rewarded him for effort which did not impair his level of effort the next two times. The only "discipline" I use is not letting him have the treat. For example, in the jumping I snag the treat before he can get to it when he goes around and what you cannot hear is me saying "Too bad you didn't take the jump so you could have this chicken!" which I do in a way that is not scolding. We hadn't worked jumps in quite a while and he's never been very confident past about 20 inches, even though he is very capable. It's something we need to work on more, and be we I mean me!

[Labradorks]

That was nice. Informative for me. Thanks. Wouldlove to see some video of him doing field work!

I will! But probably not until the fall. One trainer goes to Montana for the summer and the other one whelps puppies all summer as she is also a breeder.