# Training Zak



## vicki dickey (Jul 5, 2011)

Well Zak and I earned a leg in Rally Excellance and as I predicted he paid attention to me and not the mat on the second day of the trial and heeled very well. I have been thinking or rethinking the practice of baiting dogs with food when training. I think part of Zak's inattention in the ring could be that he knows there will not be a food reward. He will start off great and when nothing comes his way in the form of a tasty bit of cheese or chicken, his performance begins to diminish and his attention drifts in the ring. This week when we practice I am not giving him anything except praise until we walk out of our practice area. I have a show again this weekend and hope to see an improvement. I will let you know.
If not in a couple of weeks I have a show-n-go where I can correct him when and where he least expects me to. I have talked to many people at the shows that experience similar problems. The dog works beautifully at home, in class and get in the show ring and its who is that dog on the end of my leash. In fairness the dog could be thinking the same thing. I try to be calm and my normal self but nerves can get the best of you and your dog knows it. So Zak and I continue on as a team. I am proud of him. He is 15 months old and has earned his ASCA CD and his AKC CD and Rally Advanced title. In all the classes it took to get those 4 titles he only flunked one class when he reached back to bite an itch on his rear on a sit stay and fell over -at the last second I might add.LOL He knows all the open exercises and we are ready to compete in Open once we have a trial run at the show-n-go. This boy loves to learn and will follow me around until I take him to go to "work".


----------



## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

congratulations!

I have always been of the mindset that your dog will give you 100% at home or your training field but when at a different place rarely will they give you 100%(and dont expect it ) and this takes time and lots of practice with different distractions and different fields and your dog is young so im sure over time plenty of good things still to come for you.Be patient and keep up the good work.


----------



## Lisa Brazeau (May 6, 2010)

Those practice shows are the way to go! I would do as many of those as I can between entries. Not only can you correct in the ring, but you can reward. 

Is your dog on a random-reinforcement schedule? If you are still rewarding for every rep in practice, then that's probably why he is peetering out during the routine. I doubt switching to praise only will help motivate Zak, but let us know how it works out.

As you move up in classes, don't expect to train and show as fast as you did in CD, CDX, and Rally. Laya and I shot right through CDX, and got our Rally Excellent easily, but the transition to Utility has been very difficult! Laya is kind of going through burn-out. Since we trained so often, she lost some sparkle. I know now that I should have slowed down a little...

At 15 mos old, you have plenty of time to work with Zak. Enjoy the ride, and take it easy. Make sure the training is fun, and not a drudgery for either of you. That's my 2 cents.

Is your dog on a random-reinforcement schedule? If you are still rewarding for every rep in practice, then that's probably why he is peetering out. I doubt switching to praise only will help motivate Zak.


----------



## vicki dickey (Jul 5, 2011)

We were on random reenforcement. So far Zak is doing great without the occasonal treat, in fact, he doesnt seem to miss it at all. This makes me think we will not have any change in the ring this weekend. I too think the show-n-go will be the best training tool. I always keep training upbeat and we have a big play session afterward. I do worry I am pushing him too fast and yet he truly seems to enjoy going to the shows. And if I do not start the day working with him he bugs me until I do. I will update our progress.


----------

