One of the things we having been working on with Freighter is the “here” command. A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that we would be collar conditioning “here”. Last night I took some video of him working on this. We do not train this in conjunction with any sort of retrieving. It is done as obedience work before retrieving. The idea is that for right now, we want to keep him happy and excited about retrieving and not put any pressure him. If he decides to pick up a bumper and run around the field, we would not use the collar to correct him. Once he is through formal basics he will receive a correction if he blows off the “here” command while retrieving. As you can see, he is doing pretty well coming when he is called. (Unfortunately the sound is quite low because of where I was standing, but each time Freighter changes direction to head toward his handler it is because he was told “here”.)
If the video doesn’t work, try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjbMFHWmCTg
Freighter’s retrieving is coming along. He is super excited going to the bumpers, but still may take a detour on the way back, although he is getting more consistent about bringing it close to his handler. Hopefully he is putting the obedience work together with the retrieving work in his own head.
I took a bunch of pictures of him retrieving last night:
He doesn’t get them often, but since we were working with Thunder on ducks, we let Freighter have a turn. They were frozen, so he had to figure out how to pick it up.
OK so Freighter goes a bit crazy over ducks.
LOVE that last photo! What a happy dog! Freighter’s doing so well with the “here” command, and I love seeing him figuring out how to pick up the frozen duck. You have one smart pup there! 🙂
I’m having trouble with the video so off to watch on youtube. Love the last photo, that boy gets some height!!
No luck on youtube, any suggestions?
Sorry. They load for me. I will check from another ip. Maybe wait a bit? I don’t know why it won’t work. Give me a bit to check it.
I checked from a different ip and signed out of both accounts and it played for me. I just do not know what the issue is. Maybe a youtube glitch? Sorry because I don’t know what else to do. 🙁
You know, this is a great idea to show a video of reinforcing “here” with an ecollar… can’t deny how happy and comfortable he is here, even with the “e-collar.” Why on earth have I not thought of sharing stuff like this? Maybe it would help negate some of the horror stories you always seem to hear about. Kudos to you for having the guts to share this too, as we know how controversial this tool is in the dog world. He is coming along nicely. I like the extra detail you gave about how you are keeping it separate from retrieving stuff, confirms what I have done with wyatt too, and any other dog for that matter. Keep up the good work!
Anna
http://www.akginspiration.com
Thanks Anna. I wish you would share some ecollar training video. I was vague on exact technique only because I think training with an ecollar is best done under supervision of someone with a lot of experience or a pro trainer. One of the reasons our older dogs are behind in their field training is because it took us about a year to find a pro who was nearby and could show us how to properly train upper level skills with it. We were hesitant to do much on our own because, as you know, corrections must be done precisely to be effective. Better to do too little than too much. As for keeping retrieving fun, that is the way our pro starts out pups. That will change in the not too distant future when Freighter goes through FF. That is not to say that it won’t still be fun, just that he will be expected to demonstrate the skills he has already been taught and won’t get as much slack because obedience will be tied to retrieving.
Freighter is quite the pup. I really like the last photo.
Blessings,
Goose
Freighter looks so great! (and big…how does that happen so quickly?!)
This is EXACTLY how we train “here” in the field. We always end with a single retrieve – a hat, bumper, bird, whatever to keep it fun, but I must say Freighter looks like he’s having a great times as it is :-). As you know, we reinforce here with other games like what I’ve described before:
http://wp.me/p1Tkad-3z
Yes I remember. Thanks for the link. I think I was skeered that my big dawgs would bowl me over. 😆
I love how gleeful he looks while he works!
Love the jump in the air pic!
I love watching how excited Freighter is about everything he does I think that’s great. and you can tell whatever he is doing he is having a lot of fun. Good job Freighter 🙂
That last picture is just fantastic!! Freighter is just such a happy guy!
I really enjoyed the pictures of Freighter. He’s sure got a lot of puppy energy.
Yay!! The video worked on my home computer!! It looks like Freighter is getting the hang of ‘here.’ I do notice his handler is doing the jumping rope thing I do with that dang long leash. 🙂
Did you notice that sometimes Freighter tries to “fetch” that lead? lol puppies!
Keep it up Freighter! That picture of him jumping for the duck is amazing! What a jump!
Bella and DiDi
Oh, my! Freighter has grown so much while we were away from blogging. And look at that sweet thing work….love that last picture. What a great job she is doing! Hugs and nose kisses
LOVE seeing all these photos and the videos 🙂 Freighter is such a big boy and so beautiful– look at that coat! And that last photo is just awesome!
Freighter is very enthuisiastic 🙂 Great pictures!
Hi Y’all!
Hey Freighter, you look good out there retrievin’…although you’re kinda hard on that poor bird.
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka Browndog
Man is that boy growing up fast (and handsome and talented!!).
Catching up again!!! 🙄 😀
That video was great – I think it’s really interesting (& brave!) of you to show the dogs’ training using a “controversial method” like the e-collar coz there is so little real info out there to show people what it’s really like (aside from the kneejerk emotional outbursts and scaremongering) and I think anyone can see, from the video, how happy & comfortable Freighter is during that training – not some abused, cowering dog. He looked like he was really enjoying himself! 😛 And so cute how he kept trying to carry the leash around!
Hsin-Yi
Oops! Think my comment has gone into Spam again! 😉