A place to learn a new language, the Koehler Method of Dog Training, which is an entire language of communication between owner(s) and their dog. Let the journey begin.
Hi. What am I doing wrong??? Sofie is fighting me as soon as I put my finger in her ear. I feel like I'm hurting her. And, she is so strong. I don't seem to be able to manage her with my left arm, had to use my right arm to help. Thanks for your feedback. Hugs, Nancy
I reread Lesson 2 in Foundation on OUT. So much good information. By me putting my finger inside her ear was a squeeze because as soon as I put my finger inside it, she started to throw her head back, that's when I put more pressure inside the ear, all the while trying to push her head forward to the dowel. Stephanie told me to lock my right arm with the dowel and have her head come to the dowel instead of my arm with the dowel coming to her. I'll try again now. Long day at work, dinner, and then a meeting about publishing Kaitlin's book. She has written some amazing poems with her class mates and the parents have decided to publish them. It's a real look into the beauty of these young adults. It will be sold on Amazon. I'm so excited!! N
Hi again. It's Wednesday night, 10/19. Wow! Another difficult practice. I really do think I hurt her inside ear. She's all red and very sore. We are stopping for the night. She just is not getting it. We will continue every night with low distractions for this week #1 and pray she gets better. The inside of her ear is quite slippery which makes it hard to do the correction. So, I outed her with Dratz, but also with a leash correction when she throws her head. Hope I did the right thing. Have a nice night. Nancy
Sounds like your timing on applying 'pressure' inside her ear is way off. For the Set - Up, do NOT apply any internal pressure inside the ear and then take your right hand (still doing the Set-Up with NO pressure with your left hand) and do Conditioned Relaxation instead. Once she relaxes, let go of Set-Up. Soft praise of "Easy" and a calm, quiet voice will help her relax. She needs to understand that just because you do the Set-Up does not always = pressure inside the ear.
So NO internal 'pressure' at all until you command "Fetch" , the dowel is presented, then when she doesn't move her head forward, THAT is the moment you squeeze the inside of the ear. The second her mouth is on dowel, release the swt-uo with left hand as you cage mouth with right hand. A soft " Yes" and Conditioned Relaxation will help her relax into the retrieve.
Yes, makes a LOT of sense. I could tell that was what was happening. I was unintentionally reinforcing the pressure inside the ear during set up, only because she was fighting me and in an effort to gain control and right her head with my left hand I was applying pressure inside her ear even before I commanded FETCH!! I still don't have all the strength I should have in my left arm, but I'm getting there. Thanks!! Have a nice night. We will try this tweak tomorrow. Hugs, Nancy
Hi. What am I doing wrong??? Sofie is fighting me as soon as I put my finger in her ear. I feel like I'm hurting her. And, she is so strong. I don't seem to be able to manage her with my left arm, had to use my right arm to help. Thanks for your feedback.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Nancy
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteGood set up. Now, did you put any pressure inside the ear, like a squeeze, before you presented dowel?
And did you put immediate pressure, a sharp squeeze inside her ear when you presented and said "Fetch" with dowel at her lips?
I reread Lesson 2 in Foundation on OUT. So much good information. By me putting my finger inside her ear was a squeeze because as soon as I put my finger inside it, she started to throw her head back, that's when I put more pressure inside the ear, all the while trying to push her head forward to the dowel. Stephanie told me to lock my right arm with the dowel and have her head come to the dowel instead of my arm with the dowel coming to her.
ReplyDeleteI'll try again now. Long day at work, dinner, and then a meeting about publishing Kaitlin's book. She has written some amazing poems with her class mates and the parents have decided to publish them. It's a real look into the beauty of these young adults. It will be sold on Amazon. I'm so excited!!
N
Hi again. It's Wednesday night, 10/19. Wow! Another difficult practice. I really do think I hurt her inside ear. She's all red and very sore. We are stopping for the night. She just is not getting it. We will continue every night with low distractions for this week #1 and pray she gets better. The inside of her ear is quite slippery which makes it hard to do the correction. So, I outed her with Dratz, but also with a leash correction when she throws her head. Hope I did the right thing.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice night.
Nancy
Do you have an empty shotgun shell?
ReplyDeleteSounds like your timing on applying 'pressure' inside her ear is way off. For the Set - Up, do NOT apply any internal pressure inside the ear and then take your right hand (still doing the Set-Up with NO pressure with your left hand) and do Conditioned Relaxation instead. Once she relaxes, let go of Set-Up. Soft praise of "Easy" and a calm, quiet voice will help her relax. She needs to understand that just because you do the Set-Up does not always = pressure inside the ear.
ReplyDeleteSo NO internal 'pressure' at all until you command "Fetch" , the dowel is presented, then when she doesn't move her head forward, THAT is the moment you squeeze the inside of the ear. The second her mouth is on dowel, release the swt-uo with left hand as you cage mouth with right hand. A soft " Yes" and Conditioned Relaxation will help her relax into the retrieve.
Make sense
Yes, makes a LOT of sense. I could tell that was what was happening. I was unintentionally reinforcing the pressure inside the ear during set up, only because she was fighting me and in an effort to gain control and right her head with my left hand I was applying pressure inside her ear even before I commanded FETCH!! I still don't have all the strength I should have in my left arm, but I'm getting there. Thanks!! Have a nice night. We will try this tweak tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Nancy