doberkim

first, please ignore any funny noises I make. I woke up this morning with absolutely no voice, so I'm whispering to my dog for a reason, or not speaking at all, purely because that's all I can do.

And second, as someone else already pointed out, yes he's on an e-collar. namely because he's off leash in a field full of wild critters. and i have no voice. and he's a dog. the remote isn't even in my hands, but I still have it on him just in case- if he ran, there was no way i could give him an even remotely loud recall command that he could hear.

third, i also know these aren't official BH patterns, or even full regulation # of steps - im working in an unmowed field, and this was as short as the grass came (it was about 6 inches and it gets over 12 inches out where we do the about turn), so i had to work with what i had. I'm going to try the baseball field later this week, see how that works. I'm mostly trying to get the fundamentals down, since his brain often fries when he is outside. His heeling is very sloppy, he's forging, his butt is out, and his left about turn is very very ugly, so I know we need to work on these things. On the other hand, I think his attention is pretty good (for him!) outside, his sits are actually pretty nice and close and fairly straight (go figure??) and he DOESNT LEAVE ME AND HE IS OFF LEASH which is a big thing. I also think his DIM is very nice if I do say so myself. I also know I look back at him a bit when I give him the in motions, but I am going to have to stop that this week - right now since I am alone in training I don't have any way to know if he did it (any other ideas?).

CRitiques? any other input? anyone?

inmotions.avi

missingplatz.avi

straightheeling.avi

and two fun ones:

playing.avi


who couldnt be left out?? (i warn you, i have a scary voice at the end, i told you - my voice is gone, except for this really low version... )

berlinheeling.avi

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kais_mom

I love watching you work with Rah, while I can not give you any "critiques" as Kai and I are still way behind you, I love his focus, and I think you work amazing together. You give me hope that one day, Kai and I will get there.

Good Job!!!

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Jeri
~Kai~

doberkim

thanks jeri - we need more pictures of Kai! He reminds me so much of my first dobe, and kai is probably the only dobe that nears rah's size on this board shame you guys are out in AZ... I told Rah that Kai gets to go herding with the rotties and he was very very jealous. But he said Kai can keep the whole cart thing.

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ellenm

Kim-

Rah is such a cool dog! What motivation. He loves that toy, for sure.

I'm not sure where you are holding the toy when heeling, but I had to stop having food in my left hand because Rex would heel with a wide butt to look at the food. Now I keep the food in my left pocket and/or my mouth.

I am able to to take my left hand from the belly area, hold the lure above the dog's head for a perfect straight sit as you come to a halt. The food/toy/etc above their eye level brings them in alignment.

Rah's fronts look pretty good, and he does not really sit with a wide hip when heeling, so maybe try not having the toy in your hand but in a back pocket or something to have him travel straight?

Berlin is such a cutie!!

I envy all that tall grass. My horse would be in heaven.

The only way I know to work alone is to have some mirrors you can heel toward to check alignment. For AKC obedience, I also use hula hoops for the figure-8's...the two hoops are the "posts" and it really helps you work on circling around the post equally wide and in rhythm.

When are you showing?
I've never done a BH, so don't know what all is involved.

doberkim

Actually, there's no toy or food visible -- the toy is hidden behind me in my pants (watch when I take it out, I am taking it out of the back of my pants) - the only thing visible is a leash around my body, and the food is in a pocket or in my mouth - there's nothing out for him to look at - he's actually looking in my eyes.

Rah's heeling won't be marked as bad in Schutzhund, which is much less strict about heel position than the AKC - his forging is only bad outside Part of his positioning is the way he makes eye contact with me (being a little extra large in the top end he has to look around what god gave me!), but outside the other part of it is his excitement to be doing this, versus how slow I heel on 6 inch grass Shorter grass = less forging = mom heels faster I'm tempted to mow the field so I can heel faster, but I think the easier answer is to take him to the baseball fields tomorrow and try it there. I also work him on a double leash to control his back end, which is a constant problem that we have worked on for a year - something to do with working a dog almost 4 feet long, sometimes the last 12 inches just get a little hard to control

Thanks for the input!
I use trash cans for the figure 8 posts!

I envy the grass too - shame it's not my yard IF you notice, my yard has very little green growing it in, period, and lots of brown dirt. Thanks, dogs.

The BH is in june. Technically he's going for the TT, I'm not sure I will show him the second day and try for the BH too. The TT is the AKC version of the BH.

Either way, as Berlin's breeder pointed out, I have to fix my hand position anyway - I can't do the routine with my hand in heel position a la AKC Ob - I have to either do it like I am jogging or have it down at my side. Time to work that tomorrow... we shall see how that affects Rah's heel position!

Time to go do some scent articles... have to get off week 4!!!!

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ellenm

Are you doing "articles around the clock", a 7 week program? Rexy and I are on week 4 also of that program...taking away the food from some of them.

Rex is also tall (well, more long than tall) and crouches and peers around to look at my eyes when he stops in heel position. He does not sit totally erect, part of it his own conformation, part of it his desire to focus and watch. He looks at me heeling now without swinging wide, but I had the hardest time getting him to understand the "get close" command as he is so long (like Rah) that it was very difficult for him to learn to move his hind end separately from his front end. He would side pass right over the top of cones without a second thought. It was like his hind end was in another county or something!

Once we worked on fronts....move one big step right and have them front...move another big step and have them front...then do it to the left. It kind of made the light bulb go off for Rex, along with using the clicker. I know a lot of Golden people walk with a dowel rod to tap the hip over to reinforce get close, but I don't like that idea. I personally do not want to hit my dog with anything when doing obedience.

I don't know how old Rah was when you started with him, but Rex was 2 yrs old when rescued, 3 yrs old when he began formal obedience, so he had a lot of time to do nothing before his new life! Rexy is loving learning Utility skills, if we could just get through the Open sit stays.

AnneMarie

I loved your videos Kim !!! I have a ways to go before Xander will be like Rah.

AnneMarie

Oh by the way an example of Xander today.He sees someone walking a dog in my court and he is nuts !!! I hooked a leash on him at the window and i corrected him.The more i did the worse he got.Do you have any ideas for me before he breaks my window.Really would appreciate it.Thanks Kim

Burns

Nice videos I don't have any critiques because you know much about that stuff than I do, but I enjoyed watching you guys work.

Hope your voice feels better soon!

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Gorrmae's Fantasy Red XIII CGC
DOB 2/17/07
red/rust, male neutered Doberman

2RescuedDobies

Hi Kim,
Rah has beautiful focus. I did notice that he was forging a bit in the first video. Down in motion looks good. I know it's hard when you are working by yourself. One thing I learned this weekend. Is to ensure when you give the sit or down command while on your left foot so the dog has the opportunity to complete before you take off with your right. Both of my dogs are trialing for their bh's in June I completely understand. I would also heel around variuos obstacles such as chairs to simulate group. Good luck. Berlin is a cutie too