Tuesday 13 August 2013

MMA: Our First Walk

05/08/2013

So my friend A has just moved interstate for college with her dog Katie staying behind at the family home. In six months the family may be reunited again in a house in the new location. In the meantime, the family are feeding her and so on, of course, but they don’t have the time to walk her. So I’m doing it.


Yup, that’s right, me, Melon. (There was a suggestion originally for me to consider ‘fostering’ her for those six months at my house to save me the trip over to my friend’s house to walk her, and boy would I love to, but we decided against it because we don’t know what her prey drive would be like with Mister Cocoa.)
You may have heard of Katie as my demonstration animal when I learnt How To Bathe A Large Dog. She’s a 10 year old Labrador.


So how was my first walk yesterday? Well. I arrived at my friend’s place and Katie was so excited, jumping around and running in circles, that I didn’t think I’d ever get the harness on. I had been warned of this, but as I struggled I really thought for a moment I would have to turn right around and go back home again! Luckily, I managed it. In fact, I ended up so focused on trying to get the harness on the right way that I only belatedly realised that she had calmed down.


The other thing you need to know is that I had discovered, on a trial walk when my friend was still in town, that Katie hasn’t really been trained to follow commands. She’s asked to wait for her dinner and before leaving the gate, and she does the former well but not so much the latter. But my point is, she won’t do even a basic Sit. Now, I’m not so comfortable walking a dog that I can’t control with at least a Sit, Wait and Come.


Which is why I came to my first walk armed with a clicker I’d downloaded onto my phone and an oh-so-attractive bright orange bumbag full of bacon bits. First lesson would be simply to charge the clicker: click, treat, click, treat until she associates the sound with the reward. Sounds simple, right? WRONG. At a random place on the street I'd stop, get out my phone, press the clicker on the screen, then I'd fumble around for the bacon bits, dropping some in the process which Katie could happily lick up, and then in using both hands to try and pull out the bag of bits to get to them I'd accidentally press the clicker again... I think you get the picture! I did get Katie's attention with treats, but I doubt she even noticed the clicking noise. She even sat once or twice, all by herself, when she realised I had treats, but instead of rewarding that like I should have, I thought, wait! We're not up to that yet! I'm supposed to be charging the clicker! And proceed to initiate another click-treat-failure. Oops. And after the whole walk and a bagful of bacon bits I know for a fact that charging the clicker didn't work because after we got home I clicked it and she paid exactly zero attention to me.


So why am I bothering with the training? Well, I basically just want a way to communicate to her, when we’re out walking, when she’s doing something I like as opposed to when she’s doing something I don’t like. I think I need that to be comfortable with her on the street, knowing she’ll get off the road when I tell her to, knowing I can get her attention when there’s another dog around, and so on. I’m starting to realise, however, that she probably has 10 years of ignoring commands ingrained in her. Is there another way I can achieve this peace of mind, or should I keep trying with the clicker (in a quiet place this time)?
 

Thoughts and advice, as always, much appreciated.
Melon

10 comments:

  1. Good luck with the training. We never really bothered much with training so we are no real help. Have a marvellous Monday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Oh wow, okay, I had assumed you guys in Blogville must all have meticulously trained dogs! I guess it's a relief to know.
      Thanks Molly,
      Melon

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  2. Take a look at my Blog list there is one with a dog called joker and another called guru something I can't remember the rest of the top of my head but there are some good tips on those two blogs,xx Rachel
    And I would try a real clicker as it will be easier to use and yes somewhere quiet may be a garden where you have her full attention,xx rachel

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    1. Ah great I'll take a look when I get a chance.
      I bought a real clicker today. :)
      Melon

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  3. I know what you're experienceing. Labs are big, strong, and very enthusiastic so they need to be trained. I'd keep it up with a clicker and awesome treats in a quiet place. You have to start by teaching Katie that a click means a treat by simply clicking and quickly following it with a treat in a very quiet place. Later, you can actually use this to help teach her things.

    Also, if she learns that you are the source of yummy treats, you can teach her that you'll pop her a treat whenever she walks next to you without pulling.

    You might consider a "no pull" harness like the one made by Gentle Leader. That helps reduce the pulling and makes keeping a Lab under control much easier.

    I'm sure that Katie thanks you for making her life better!

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment KB, I'm gratified you stopped by and have read your comment over and over.

      I bought the clicker but as I mentioned in today's post I might wait 'til I'm a bit more accustomed to the whole procedure before I start using it.

      Believe it or not, she doesn't pull! She's great on leash, going at a fast enough pace for exercise but I can totally stop to take a photo at any time.

      She is wearing a harness, not of any special type, so that I can pull on it if I need to, I was told.

      So my biggest concern is really just her jumping up at people - I'm told she's knocked over a kid who wanted to pat the cute doggy before. Any tips on that?
      Thankyou!
      Melon

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  4. HI! We're Spanish meowfriends and we arrived to your blog, it's so good but where's the option for following you? Can you visit me please? Thank you so much
    rinrinflu.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Ririnflu! It's lovely you stopped to say hi! I've never had a meowfriend before... does this make me your wheekfriend? Just wondering where you came across my blog? I'll hop over to your blog with my hooman, Melon, right away.
      Cocoa

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  5. Oh Melon, I had no idea that so much is going on in your and Cocoas life. Im am busy these days and a bad blogger....
    How is the little cutie doing? Give him a lot of cuddles from me please!
    Taking care of the dog will be a win-win for both of you I am sure.
    Greetings from Geneva,
    Pia
    (Luna is fine and not longer alone. I miss my little friends here.)

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    1. Oh Pia, you are absolutely not a bad blogger! I too get caught up in things and disappear once in a while. It's fine as long as we always come back. :)
      Cocoa is doing well, he recovered very well from his surgery and I have not seen any new lumps so far. Thanks for the cuddles, Pia!
      It's great to have a friend in Geneva - the degree I am half-way through, it involves a year in Switzerland!
      Melon
      P.S. I am very glad you got a friend for Luna. It's my biggest regret about Cocoa that he has lived most of his life alone (after his cagemate passed away many years ago), and if I could go back in time I would have gotten him a buddy. Hope to meet Luna's new friend soon :)

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Thoughts? I'd love to hear them!