Monday, November 14, 2011

Performance Puppy #3

Thursday night Irie and I had Performance Puppy class. We walked into the training facility and what should we see?



Many different surfaces laid out for puppies to cavort on, with perches on the outer edges. Half of the class started working on their perch work while the other half introduced puppies to a variety of surfaces, including: obedience gating on its side, a pvc ladder, a ramp, a board with sandpaper on it, a crumpled up tarp, a sledding coaster (no idea what the correct term is for this – one was face down so it was like a little mound, the other was face up so it was tippy), an upside down trash lid (also tippy), an agility table top, and some big plastic playground pieces. I am probably forgetting some!

Irie had a great time exploring and had no fear of the tippy pieces. Yay!!

We also started working on back-up. Kathleen teaches back-up as a very independent skill. You do not walk into your dog, in order to have them back up out of your space. She set up two broad jump boards forming a narrow channel. We got the puppies comfortable walking between the boards. Once they were comfortable walking between the boards you stood at the end, with them directly in front of you and exerted body pressure into their space. Click for any rear foot movement. “Bowl” the treat, preferably between their front feet so they might back up again and get clicked once more for rear foot movement. The handler never moves from the end of the channel. If the puppy sits, ask them to stand with your body movement, click and treat and start again. Let me tell you, with a peanut of a dog it is tough to bowl treats between her legs! I was more successful than I expected though.

6 comments:

Red Dog Mom said...

The first time they offered the Performance Puppy class, Moira was a puppy (6 years ago). They had a hard time filling it and by the time the class was ready to start, I was going to miss several weeks of it so we never took it. I'm glad to see they are still offering and hope I can take something like it if I ever get another puppy.

Jules said...

It isn't offered on a regular basis, only when there are enough people interested. I was so lucky to get a spot and have the class starting right when Irie came home. The amount of resources Kathleen provides is awesome. I figure after this round of puppy k (started 2nd class Sunday) I will take a break and work on perfecting the skills at home.

K-Koira said...

That might be a good way for me to work on making my dog's have a more independent "back up" cue, since right now they are pretty reliant on, if not me moving, at least me being close to them.

Ellen said...

Timing of puppy classes didn't line up because of Tucker's shot timeline. We missed that by a week and then the next class offering he could go right into Beginner's Ob classes. That will be right in the beginning of Jan. I keep finding sounds and footing at home to get him use to. At least at Thanksgiving he will have had his third shots and we can go walking as well as be out about! Yipppeeeeee!

That class looks like so much fun!

Brenda said...

That sounds like such a fun class! Great variety of surfaces to explore. It's great to hear that Irie is doing so well. Smart puppy and great trainer! :-)

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

WOW, what a great class-I am going to have to remember to set up something like that when I have a puppy next time and sounds like you have a true super star on your hands.