Coopers Training

[mybcCooper]

Hello all! I am new to the BC boards I adopted a 5 month old border collie named Cooper, and now he is 1 yr, 2 months old. He is a really good boy but i am kinda stuck with him. I am having trouble introducing a frisbee to him he just seems not intrested in it. If anybody has any ideas that could help me out with cooper and his frisbee please let me know thanks.

[Abby & Coopers Parents]

Here are some things that you can try it as work very well with me and my pups. the other thing that you can is find a local disc dog club in your area they can help as well

 

(IMPORTANT PLEASE US A DOG SAFE DISC)

 

 

1. take the disc and feed him out

 

2. If you look at the game of Toss n Fetch (T/F) as not just one trick or behavior, but as a chain of smaller behaviors that are linked together, you can begin to break it into it's pieces and work on each piece. I think an ideal way to train T/F is through 'back-chaining". This is where the last piece of the chain is taught first, then each preceding piece is taught and added to the front of the ending piece.

 

In other words.......for a T/F retrieve, the normal chain is made up of:

1. Dog runs out and tracks disc.

2. Dog catches disc.

3. Dog returns holding disc.

4. Dog drops disc into player's hand.

 

So, to back-chain, you would teach the drop first. Then you would add a "hold" command whereby the dog holds the disc in his mouth until you request the drop. Then you request the dog to pick up the object, hold, and drop. Then go pick up the object, hold, and drop. And so on and so on. Only the final piece is the behavior that is ever actually marked and rewarded, and the dog begins to expect how the whole chain will end.

 

Or instead of back-chaining, you could work on each of the pieces separately, marking and rewarding these separate pieces until you can begin to link them together.

 

As far as rewards, when playing disc, I personally don't like to use food or another toy (other than a disc) as a reward. I want the dog to learn that the reward in bringing a disc back is more disc play. That's not to say that a dog with less drive would necessarily work this way - sometimes food is ok. I know that some trainers have had great success using food treats. But when playing disc, I like to find the one "disc trick" or type of disc play that my dog is nutty for and use that as the reward. For instance, Blade LOVES rollers! And also tug. So let's say I'm working on flips. He was not gripping the disc very well on a flip.....so we did some tug and flip- takes, then I'd throw the flip. If he made a nice twisty flip and really nailed the disc with a tough bite, I'd say "YES!" and immediately throw a roller that I had waiting in my other hand. Reward timing in disc is paramount. I think many times, dogs bring the disc back, ready to continue (they are in high drive mode), and the darn human praises and pets and takes so DARN LONG to throw the next one. Some dogs begin to lose interest. So immediately offer that reward. Five loves little low line-drive throws, so that is his reward.

 

Now, when I'm doing trick training inside, I like to vary my rewards......sometimes food, sometimes balls or tugs. Make yourself so incredibly interesting and cool that the dog is always engaged.

 

(courtsey of Tracy Custer director of southern OHIO flying K9s disc dog club)