Bite Work with a Labrador?

Oh YES!!

Many people believe that sports such as canine protection and schutzhund increase the dogs level of aggression by "teaching the dog to bite". This is a HUGE misunderstanding. These sports use natural motivators such as prey and toy drive to teach, "the game" of biting.

In this video my goofy Labrador shows that aggression and vicious behavior have nothing to do with this sport!


For more info on this sport and this style of training check out:
Michael Ellis
Ivan Balabanov

Frisbee Jam

I have been training in freestyle frisbee for about 4 months now. I am being coached by Al Erikson, the current Skyhounz MicroDog World Champion and Todd Murnan, the current AWI World Champion.


I hope you enjoy the video!!

Sarah Cross, CPDT

AWESOME Dog Photos

Just thought I would share some cool pictures of my pups from some recent dock diving events!

 

  

  

  

  

  

Want great photos like these? Check out:

Photography by M 

Heart Dog Studios 

Frisbee Training

So recently my dogs and I started competing in Frisbee, one of the first tricks I taught my Belgian Malinois, Cricket, was a back stall. Today we are going to share with you how to teach it.

First, check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2917FWom-ik

Step 1:
Get your dog used to jumping up on a small surfaced object. I picked a laundry basket and used the word stall to cue the behavior. Below Cricket demonstrates.

 

Step 2: 

Kneel down and coerce your dog onto your back using the same cue word from step 1. I used a frisbee to coerce Cricket, but food will also work, and said the word stall.

Step 3: 

Add height, once your dog is doing it successfully with you kneeling try standing up, just make sure that your back is protected!!

Now add a few tricks, some cool throws, and awesome music and you have yourself a frisbee freestyle routine! Here is Cricket's first ever competition routine:

The Power of Motivation..

Did you know that you can teach any animal to do any behavior that they are physically capable of by simply motivating them with something that holds value to them and rewarding them with it?!?

Don't believe me?

Hmmmmmmmmm.....


Puakenikeni, is a Hawaiian brown stingray. She is trained to target to a paddle underwater and sustain target until released. She is not rewarded if she is biting the paddle, being pushy, or falling off the paddle. A dog clicker attached to the paddle communicates (bridges) the correct criteria to her and she is released with a tactile cue, a soft wing touch. An LRS, a 3 second ignore, and removal of the paddle is implemented if she is not meeting criteria when adequate time has been given to meet it. Time outs (step out of the water) are also used if she is not succeeding. She is rewarded with fish and squid pieces through a hole in underside of the paddle.



Still want more?!?!? Ok.


Rico, a yellowfin surgeon fish is trained to directionally (left to right) swim through hoops (up to 3). He was taught this process through shaping and luring. Pretty much the same way you would teach a dog!


:)
Sarah Cross, CPDT

Great Dog Trainers

Here are some A-mazing dog trainers you could really learn a lot from. Don't just follow one trainer, one style of training, or even one species of animal trainers.

Positive reinforcement trainers CAN learn from punishment trainers, you don't have to like or agree with someone to learn from them, watching mistakes is still a way to learn. Dolphin trainers can learn from dog trainers, horse trainers can learn from elephant trainers and so on and so on.

Karen Pryor, has trained many animals but started with dolphins and went to dogs.

Chris Bach, developed the "third way" a great way to have fast success with your dog. She is also the creator of many training "games" trainers and owners use. For example, the eye contact game!

Ivan Balabanov, has a great DVD called "The Game". It is a superb method for training toy motivated dogs. He is also one of the top protection dog trainers and competitors in the world.

Steve White, a great trainer but a wonderful positive protection trainer.

Sue Ailsby, very intelligent and creative, go to her website for information on teaching most behaviors.

Hope you get some good information!
Sarah Cross, CPDT

Dock Diving Practice

I took Crash and Cricket to a local boat dock to have some fun and to practice their dock diving techniques. The following are the videos of their practice sessions.

Crash uses the place and send technique. I throw the toy in the water a few inches further than he can jump. He then runs and jumps into the water trying his hardest to land directly on the toy. It is important that with this method that the dog lands right on or right in front of the toy so their efforts are rewarded! Crash uses this method because it is similar to his flyball training and because he is not confident enough to do the chase method.

Cricket uses the chase method. The idea with this method is that the dog runs toward the handler and as soon as they get to the end of the dock the handler tosses the toy up and out over the water giving the dog a nice "pop" off the end of the dock. Cricket is still in training and is new to this method (as am I) so she is not given much running distance. I want her just to focus on the toy and follow it properly before I giver her speed. As you can see from the video how well she jumps is in direct relation to how well I throw the toy. So we both have some practicing to do!


Interested in getting started in dock diving!? Check out:
Dock Dogs
Splash Dogs

Sarah Cross, CPDT