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Does Anyone HAve a Shock Collar I Can Borrow?


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For me! :rolleyes:

 

Robin pointed out to me (not for the first time), at my last lesson, that I use the dog's name as a correction when most dogs pretty much understand it to mean, "Closer." Like a tug on a rope.

 

I am a rope tuggin' fool. Tug, tug, tug. It is training crack to me. I can't stop. I've been working on this for a WEEK now.

 

I need someone to stand behind me with their finger on the button. *ZAP* I don't think anything else will stop it. My dogs are so confused. :D

 

Well, just needed to whimper somewhere. Thanks for the ear, guys!

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It was pointed out to me earlier this year that my correction was telling my dog to lie down. Never letting the dog know what was the issue. I couldn't understand why he'd jump up and continue right on doing what I didn't want him to do, after he'd give me a beautiful lie down of course!

 

DUH....

 

Maybe a shock collar for us would be a good idea. Give the dog the button!

 

I do love your term training crack! maybe some spackle with that crack?

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Robin pointed out to me (not for the first time), at my last lesson, that I use the dog's name as a correction when most dogs pretty much understand it to mean, "Closer." Like a tug on a rope.

 

Gak! I thought that was what you were supposed to do! Mentioning Celt's name quietly when he's attempting to drive and I know the urge to dash around and in front of the cattle is building, has really helped (I thought). Kind of like a reminder as to what he is supposed to be doing and that I am there and that he shouldn't rev up and go around.

 

I thought that was part of JK's method. No wonder I am confused and the dog is more confused and the more confused I get, the more confused he gets, ad nauseum. I threw in that little bit of Latin just for you, Rebecca.

 

I am trying to use "steady" instead of his name. It seems to work as long as I use the right tone of voice. My problem is that, unless I am right near him, I tend to say "STEADY" instead of "steeeaaadddyyyy" and get him cranked up instead of calmed down.

 

The dogs come programmed with the right stuff - reprogramming me is the hard part, as I certainly didn't come with anything approaching the right stuff.

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Gak! I thought that was what you were supposed to do! Mentioning Celt's name quietly when he's attempting to drive and I know the urge to dash around and in front of the cattle is building, has really helped (I thought). Kind of like a reminder as to what he is supposed to be doing and that I am there and that he shouldn't rev up and go around.

 

You'd be using his name exactly right in that situation then. Think of his name like a rope between you and him. By saying his name, you're giving him a gentle tug that says "don't slip around to the front of the sheep". At least in the way i train dogs - there are lots of different methods out there, for sure. Becca is trying to stop using Ted's name when the sheep are between her and him and she wants to slow him down. If you picture his name as a tug on the rope, she's actually wanting him to steady up but pulling him forward with his name. Some might do just fine with using the name that way. I just prefer to be consistent in the reaction i ask for across situations. Name = tug towards me.

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You'd be using his name exactly right in that situation then.

 

I can hardly get past the fact that you feel I'm doing something "exactly right". Well, "in that situation", at least.

 

Thanks for the great explanation. That probably explains why using his name when he is on the other side of the stock and/or running alongside the other side of them, is counterproductive. I didn't have a clue why, though, and have tended to continue doing that. Maybe I can share that "electronic training device" with Becca?

 

Do you give internet lessons? Price? Availability? That's a bit of a tease as I am very happy with my current instructor but only get to see her sporadically - it's that almost three hour drive each way thing, complicated with my job, the farm, my budget, and other things that get in the way of the important stuff.

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That's a really good example of how sometimes it takes someone who is really comfortable training or has a good natural knack for this, to go from one intructor to another and not get confused. I missed the fact that going from one person to another (my usual trainer at the time, to Jack Knox clinic's), I had picked up the name use in two mutually destructive ways. The key was in whether I used the name to call the dog. And my instructor who used the name as a check, was telling me not to use the name to call the dog, while Jack was ever so nicely pointing out that I was using it both ways. But I didn't understand it until now.

 

Robin is very good at explaining things in a very concrete manner, and that helps me sort out the different training I've been exposed to until now. So, I have two dogs that are very similar, and one dog that needs to be handled quite differently. I can take the things I learn now, because I have the explanation of why and wherefore, and say, "OK, we need to accomplish the same thing with Cord now, but he doesn't like any body pressure, so let's think of a different way to get that done!"

 

That was what made me realize how dense I am. Cord needs verbal reminders fairly frequently as he's got a strong eye. He's done great driving now, but I screwed up his outrun - now I know why - I'd call his name to correct him when he got the zoomies, or to correct him for not stopping when I asked - and Cord's a VERY literal dog. KABLOOEY.

 

When I do it right he's butter in my hands. When I screw up, he is a different dog entirely. And I can see what I am doing and it's so aggravating when I mess it up over and over. Which makes me nervous and self conscious. Which makes me mess up even more.

 

That's a personal problem I'm also working on though. One time, Jack pointed out to me that if I am nervous and self-conscious, then I'm thinking about myself and not the dog or the sheep - exactly wrong attitude to be training in. Wow, was that ever a huge wakeup call. It's very true and my biggest downfall doing this.

 

True confessions on a Sunday morning. OK, I'm off to church now! :rolleyes:

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Patrick sounds like McGruff the Crime Dog when he talks to his dogs, too. I'm like, "You know Gus can't actually hear you when you lower and roughen up your voice like that?" :rolleyes: Now that's curing him pretty fast!

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