After doing a track with Dino in Castro Valley, I looked for a spot to do a track with Dot. It was dark by then so I had to find a well lit parking somewhere without a lot of traffic. I found a nice parking lot in a strip mall. I put out the foot pieces about one foot apart. I did some rounded corners and some corners that were more closer to 90 degrees. I am slowly working to the 90 degree turns. We also went up and down curbs and planter boxes with concrete curbs. She was very focused the whole track.
At the beginning of the track with Dino's scent, I put down a scent pad with cut up rolled food treats. I bring her up to the start with the long line and harness and get her rev ed and pumped up. I let her go and say "take scent" and when she has finished the treats, I tell her "search" and guide her to start the track and then she is off! When she got about two feet from the end where there was another hidden scent pad with more rolled treats, she stopped and stared in the direction of the scent pad, even though she couldn't see it behind the curb. She didn't take the treats and more and went right for the area of the scent pad, which I think is fine. Since she couldn't see it, she was picking up its scent. What this tells me is that I can start to hide it more and that she is ready for a bit more advanced end. Maybe hiding it in bushes or something more substantial.
I am pretty happy. Since she is older and very focused and I now know what to look for, I think I can more her along a bit faster, though still in small increments. I don't think I need to do all the repetition I did with Dino.
Earlier that day I did some clicker training with Dot and did the first exercise of putting an article near her and getting her to move her head in the direction. I put a toy in front of her and, after several minutes I got her to move her head down in that direction. She was definitely getting that moving her head in the direction of the toy got her a treat. This is the first step, for her to understand that she can do somethings and control the click and treat. I think she will pick up pretty quick once she get the game.
Dot Lure Coursing in Hollister
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009 - First Day at the Beach
Today was Dot's first trip to the beach, and she had a blast.
We had gone to Fort Funston a couple of weeks ago, but it was too cold and late to make the run down to the beach. But today, the weather was better and we had bit of extra time.
She ran down the steep sand path down to the beach from the dog park, and then she ran up and down a couple of more times with Scout until I got down there. I saw her run out to the water and start drinking. It was funny. I'm sure she just saw water, not knowing it was salty. She probably realized it later. I bet the salt water was delicious as first, especially since she hadn't seen salt water before. She ran through the low waves kind of jumping up and down as she jumped the waves. I didn't want her to go out too far because there are places that may suck her down especially if she was not aware of them.
Both Dino and Scout chased her all over the place and she loved it. I think she really liked that there was so much space. She ran and ran and ran all over. She found a flock of birds in the water and went right after them. Unfortunately, she also ran after them as they flew down the beach. I called and called her but she kept chasing them. I had to run after her calling her name over and over and finally she came back. She was still running full force and barely breathing hard.
I did have some of the rolled food cut up and I was rewarding her for coming back so she would know she gets rewards for coming back.
I think she had a great time. I would love to get her back to the beach ASAP. I have to go back to SF again on Sunday. If I have time, I will take them back.
We had gone to Fort Funston a couple of weeks ago, but it was too cold and late to make the run down to the beach. But today, the weather was better and we had bit of extra time.
She ran down the steep sand path down to the beach from the dog park, and then she ran up and down a couple of more times with Scout until I got down there. I saw her run out to the water and start drinking. It was funny. I'm sure she just saw water, not knowing it was salty. She probably realized it later. I bet the salt water was delicious as first, especially since she hadn't seen salt water before. She ran through the low waves kind of jumping up and down as she jumped the waves. I didn't want her to go out too far because there are places that may suck her down especially if she was not aware of them.
Both Dino and Scout chased her all over the place and she loved it. I think she really liked that there was so much space. She ran and ran and ran all over. She found a flock of birds in the water and went right after them. Unfortunately, she also ran after them as they flew down the beach. I called and called her but she kept chasing them. I had to run after her calling her name over and over and finally she came back. She was still running full force and barely breathing hard.
I did have some of the rolled food cut up and I was rewarding her for coming back so she would know she gets rewards for coming back.
I think she had a great time. I would love to get her back to the beach ASAP. I have to go back to SF again on Sunday. If I have time, I will take them back.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 - Dot's training has been moving along pretty well
Dot's training has been moving along pretty well. Tonight we got her tracking harness from a pet store. Forest green to match her collar. I took her across the street to a park and did a single track with her. Now, I am doing some thing different than how I trained Dino. First, I am walking either Dino or Scout on the track with me, so Dot is being trained to follow an animal from the start, rather than with Dino, who was trained to follow my scent and then had to be switched over. I never understood that. I always thought, "Why not train on an animal scent first?" "Why then switch over?" I mentioned that to Donna but she never said anything. Just recently, she said different which is to start training on an animal from the beginning.
Also, I am using similar scent articles (old clothing pieces) that I am using on Dino. So, I put one of these at the beginning with several chucks of rolled food. That gives her some really good scent to work off of. Then we have the same thing at the end, also with food chunks. I tried that tonight at the beginning and end of a long track of kibble. She was really focused on the ground and looking for something.
I space the kibble pieces out about one foot step in between a few pieces of kibble. On the corners I decreased the space and increased the food. I am slowly making the turns 90 degrees from large rounded turns. This track had some turns, some curves, some straights and then ended onto grass about two feet from the concrete. This was at a busy park in Hayward at about 8 PM. We did the track twice with the same kibble, meaning I did not put down more kibble. She was very focused on the track the whole time. I did make sure she was also hungry to keep her focused. She didn't mind the harness.
Also, I am using similar scent articles (old clothing pieces) that I am using on Dino. So, I put one of these at the beginning with several chucks of rolled food. That gives her some really good scent to work off of. Then we have the same thing at the end, also with food chunks. I tried that tonight at the beginning and end of a long track of kibble. She was really focused on the ground and looking for something.
I space the kibble pieces out about one foot step in between a few pieces of kibble. On the corners I decreased the space and increased the food. I am slowly making the turns 90 degrees from large rounded turns. This track had some turns, some curves, some straights and then ended onto grass about two feet from the concrete. This was at a busy park in Hayward at about 8 PM. We did the track twice with the same kibble, meaning I did not put down more kibble. She was very focused on the track the whole time. I did make sure she was also hungry to keep her focused. She didn't mind the harness.
Friday, February 27, 2009
These are my first pictures of Dot. Two problems here. My camera has issues at the bottom of all the images. This is a fatal problem. This is why I can't shooting professionally with it anymore, why I need to by a new camera.
Second, Dot is very camera shy. I must have taken about 25 shots for her Mixed Breed Dog Club registration and this is the only one she is facing forward. She was turning around and away from the camera. I think she was afraid of the camera. This was a split second that I got this one before she turned away.
She is learning "Sit" and "Stay" and "Wait," which she is picking up quickly. She is getting better around strange dogs and is less growly. We can get closer to the dog before she gets anxious. Definitely much better around strange people. She practically doesn't bark at strange people anymore.
I did more tracks with her and cat food. The last track was with Dino's scent so we can now train using animal scent rather than transitioning her later one.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sunday, Feburary 8, 2009 - Working on Obedience Training
I have not taken her to a class yet for training. I would like to do that as soon as I have some regular money coming in. Maybe I can take her to one of Vicki's beginner classes because she is going to need some work on how she responds to other dogs. She is going to need to adjust that. And I am going to need to spend some time with her on that.
Sunday, February 8, 2009 - Today Dot had her first tracking lesson
Today Dot had her first tracking lesson. I was on my way back from taking Dino to a case for a lost cat in Davis. On the way back, I decided to stop on West Marina in one of the empty business park parking lots. I used the cat food I had in my truck. I did three straight tracks with small piles of food every 1/2 step and a small jackpot at the end. She was very eager and excited, especially by the third track once she had figured out what was going on. I think she will do really well as a tracker. Lots of enthusiasm.
Friday, November 28, 2008
November 28, 2008 - Today Dot got her spay sutures out
Today Dot got her spay sutures out. She was spayed last Tuesday. Because she had puppies, the tech explained that her stomach muscles were all stretched out and they had a wrap around her abdomen when I picked her up.
She has been doing really well in the last three weeks. She loves to sleep on the bed, but she also likes to sleep under the bed, and she likes to sleep in Dino's crate. Luckily Dino has not been possessive over his crate, and he has let her.
She loves to ride in the car and gets very excited when she thinks she is going for a ride. She bounces up and down and jumps right into the back. She goes right into the crate. She actually does something really funny. When she is trying to get into the crate, she runs to the outside of the crate and to the top and around thinking, I guess, that is the way into the crate door. She is getting better about going right into the crate.
We are still practicing having her wait inside the crate, with the door unlatched while I get out, get her leash ready and then I call her. In the beginning, since she didn't know "wait" she bolted right out, but now she has learned to "wait" until I call her. She is getting better about waiting. I have even had Dino come out first, put his leash on, and then call Dot and she stays, but that is more difficult for her.
She is a definite puller on the leash. She just goes right out to the end and pulls and pulls. I have contacted Lisa Bradford and ordered a red halter for a little dog. I also ordered a new leash.
I have not done any formal training with her yet. I will need to start on that. After I got her I started to check around for dog training classes, and I found out that there were not any in Weaverville. I was really surprised. I have never lived in an area where there were not a bunch of trainers to choose from. I asked at the shelter and the vet office and both said they were not aware of any trainers in Weaverville. I would be interested in starting some classes. However, I need to finish up on some other projects (book, uploading all these photos, Cafepress calendars) before I can take on another project.
I do think she will be a great tracking/trailing dog. She has a great nose and loves to follow smells on the road. She is very focus. She is also very courageous. She is not timid.
I have noticed her being barky and growly at people and dogs that are off in the distance. I do both: telling her "quiet" and then distracting her by calling her and doing something else. I think it is a part of her undersocialization. She is unclear what to do about these things, so she barks at them. I do believe that will go away with ongoing socialization.
She has been doing really well in the last three weeks. She loves to sleep on the bed, but she also likes to sleep under the bed, and she likes to sleep in Dino's crate. Luckily Dino has not been possessive over his crate, and he has let her.
She loves to ride in the car and gets very excited when she thinks she is going for a ride. She bounces up and down and jumps right into the back. She goes right into the crate. She actually does something really funny. When she is trying to get into the crate, she runs to the outside of the crate and to the top and around thinking, I guess, that is the way into the crate door. She is getting better about going right into the crate.
We are still practicing having her wait inside the crate, with the door unlatched while I get out, get her leash ready and then I call her. In the beginning, since she didn't know "wait" she bolted right out, but now she has learned to "wait" until I call her. She is getting better about waiting. I have even had Dino come out first, put his leash on, and then call Dot and she stays, but that is more difficult for her.
She is a definite puller on the leash. She just goes right out to the end and pulls and pulls. I have contacted Lisa Bradford and ordered a red halter for a little dog. I also ordered a new leash.
I have not done any formal training with her yet. I will need to start on that. After I got her I started to check around for dog training classes, and I found out that there were not any in Weaverville. I was really surprised. I have never lived in an area where there were not a bunch of trainers to choose from. I asked at the shelter and the vet office and both said they were not aware of any trainers in Weaverville. I would be interested in starting some classes. However, I need to finish up on some other projects (book, uploading all these photos, Cafepress calendars) before I can take on another project.
I do think she will be a great tracking/trailing dog. She has a great nose and loves to follow smells on the road. She is very focus. She is also very courageous. She is not timid.
I have noticed her being barky and growly at people and dogs that are off in the distance. I do both: telling her "quiet" and then distracting her by calling her and doing something else. I think it is a part of her undersocialization. She is unclear what to do about these things, so she barks at them. I do believe that will go away with ongoing socialization.
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