# Reward for a good work session



## Jason Moore (May 3, 2009)

Here is a question that has been on my mind. I have a small problem that I am slowly correcting of my female that I am her fun and not the other puppy. I think what caused this is letting them play together for long periods of time in the evenings on days I didn't work them. And on my days off would let them run together all day. The thing is she used to come to me at the drop of a hat. Now I am having to work with her more in that once I have her to me she is all eager and loves the exercises we do. But she would rather wander around instead of come back to me I've got her on a long line and am working like this right now let her get out away from me and her mind off of me and then I will call her give the line a tug when she arrives I give her praise and a treat/reward. While this is fixing my problem. I still feel sorry for them in knowing that they still want to play. My question is. If after a good session that she has worked through really well do yall think it will set her back any in my other training. For this is when I noticed this behavior of basicaly ignoring me is when she is with the other pups playing. The others will listen and come running.She seems more independent which I kinda like. To add to all of this when she had the strangles type situation limph nodes swelling. I had to give her shots and I would usually call her to me then and give them to her which was painfull. I think that has imprinted in there some to. Plus she hates her flea spray and that I guess I could do in her pen that way she won't associate that with a here/come thing. Just some thoughts and any replies will as always be appreciated.


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

How old is the dog?

You are so correct about the shots! It was the exact opposite of what you should have done.:-k

You seem to be on the right track now though and really answered your own question. Don't feel bad about them NOT playing together. If you want to be top dog you are it's life, end of story.

How are you doing the retieve? (More details)


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## Jason Moore (May 3, 2009)

Right now I'm making her sit and stay while I get her focused by hanging it in front of her and just when I think she is about to loose her focus or go for the ball I toss it a small ways away from us and let her go get it right away. I before long I plan to hold her back for a second. I've only gotten basic ob your pup 8 weeks to 8 months and pack structure which I haven't whatched yet. I'm doing that this evening. Looks like it's going to be raining so I'll make use of the time that way. Oh and she's 5 months.


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

OK, well 5 months it's hard to get attention for very long.
I first taugh my dog the watch command. I did it with his feeding bowl. Stand with the bowl in your hands. Dog sits in front of you, as soon as the dog looks up at you = good watch and food delivered. After a while the marker "Watch" comes as the dog looks at you, then before the dog looks at you. The "Watch" time is very gradually increased. Food can be very powerful for dogs.
Then I transfered this to the field.
Then foos and watch commands, which leads to fading out the watch commands.
This is a contravertional method, as many believe you should just use foos and not the watch command. However I find it useful for other exercises as well. Sit in motion; on the return my dog looked around, so the watch command brought back his focus on me.
If you need further information/explaination please ask.


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## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

Dont feel bad like edward said you want the dog to work so use what motivator works for your dog i like food at that age and i like to make my pups work for there dinner and if he doesnt want to work skip a meal.Also crating the dog can help, teach the dog only good things come from the dog engaging you with eye contact when asked


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## Jason Moore (May 3, 2009)

I keep her in her kennel every day. Do our routine when I get through I go to the front porch and we set there or well I set there and she jumps all around me. And I pet her while she will set still. LOL Then I put her up and feed her, and thats where she stays until I get off work the next day.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

The dog is young and I am old school in many ways, but as the dog progresses, you should see a definite "work ethic" in a dog that enjoys the work. If it has it, it will take priority over everything....including playing with other dogs. If it doesn't, it is the wrong venue or simply not a working dog. That is why many get isolated but it still won't make it a working dog. I may be wrong according to many....but I wouldn't bother with a dog that wasn't into it and needed any kind of isolation to attain any level of focus. 
By kennel, do you mean an actual kennel or a carrying crate?


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## Jason Moore (May 3, 2009)

An actual 10x10 kennel. While I've got her sitting or doing a down she is intently focused. While I'm tugging which I havn't been the past couple of weeks because of teething. But then she is like zoned in. It's just when I let her settle and she starts to explore that she doesn't want to come back when I call she wants to keep looking around. But once she does come back it's all business again. She sets fast downs fast and is just whatching for me to tell her to do something else. Also got her standing some now. out of a set or down.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Sounds good for a 5 mo old to me. Personally I wouldn't worry about letting her be a dog as long as I see the focus when it is time to work. Shes young and may lose it on occasion but , personally I wouldn't worry. Then again, I don't do protection works so I am curious to see what else is said also.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Jason Moore said:


> It's just when I let her settle and she starts to explore that she doesn't want to come back when I call she wants to keep looking around. But once she does come back it's all business again. She sets fast downs fast and is just whatching for me to tell her to do something else. Also got her standing some now. out of a set or down.



when you're training you don't want down time. Always be doing something. If the dog starts to stand around then you need to put her back in drive - throw a ball, run away and let her chase you...something.

Maybe your sessions are too long. All of my sessions are just a couple of minutes. I do a few things then I put the dog up and get the other dog.

I also rarely do any serious training in the house. I always load up the dog and go to the field. They it's time to work and I don't let them piss and shit when I'm out there either because I don't enjoy picking it up and it's not allowed on the trial field. Work is work and they can shit on their own time.


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## Jason Moore (May 3, 2009)

Well the reason I let her settle is when I'm working on getting her to come here. Right at the end of the session. I whatched my basic ob leerburg video and I hadn't had a long lead before then. He said never work on the come/here comand unless your dog is on a leash so I can enforce it. And before when I had her lose on my day off running around the house I let her play in the pasture and such. Then is when she really don't want to come back as well. She usualy will with alot of coaxing and will come back. And I've had a couple close calls with vehicles.So there for I want to enforce it.


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