HULA DOGS: TRAINING SCHOOL

Holly's Training Diary

by Debbie Cannon

WEEK ONE

Holly is a lovely girl, but like a lot of terriers, she can be a bit bossy and likes to think she is in charge.

So, we began our first session, which was held at Hula, by teaching the dogs some basics, these were: sit, stay, down and touch (where Holly was called back to me and asked to touch my hand with her nose and then the clicker was used when she did what had been asked and she was rewarded with a small treat.

Holly responded very well to her first training class and soon got the hang of what was being asked of her. Hopefully the touch recall will help to distract her at times when her attention is focused elsewhere.

WEEK TWO

Week 2 training session was also held at Hula.

We began this week by briefly going over what we had done during our first class, we then went on to teach the dogs how to pass nicely through either gates or doorways by getting the dogs to sit, stay and wait at an imaginary gate /doorway until they were asked to pass through the gate/doorway, once through, then the dog was asked to sit, stay and wait whilst the gate/doorway was closed and then the handler and dog could continue on their way.

Throughout this second class, Holly was also regularly walked past people she doesn't know very well and other dogs, which she sometimes reacts to, if Holly did not react in a negative way and was good, then she was given lots of praise and rewarded with small treats. If Holly reacted in a negative way, I was asked to tell her 'No' or 'A-A' in a shocked voice and then walk away with Holly and try again, trying to keep Holly focused on me, her handler, rather than her getting worked up about either strangers or dogs passing by. Again another good training session with some positive results.

WEEK THREE

This week was the first week that we were all going to the training paddock to do the class and possibly have some of the dogs off the lead.

Holly and I began the session by doing a few basics, going over things we have already learned.

Then it was Holly's turn to try the agility tunnel, Angela, our trainer, took hold of Holly at one end of the tunnel and I went to the other end and called Holly to me, after a slight hesitation Holly came running through the tunnel to me, where I gave her lots of praise and a small, scrummy treat. We repeated the same routine from opposite ends of the tunnel and again Holly did very well and was given praise and a treat.

After the agility tunnel we did a bit of practice going through a gateway, using some of Angela's equipment specifically for the job, this made things much easier, than in previous weeks when we had to imagine we were going through the gate/doorway, a bit like roll-play! Also we practised with Holly being walked past strangers and other dogs again, but this week if she behaved negatively she was given a small amount of time-out, by being safely attached to a fence post and I had to turn my back to her for a short time, then go back to her and try the task again, giving her lots of praise and encouragement when she behaved positively and giving her a small amount of time-out when she behaved negatively. Holly seems to respond well to this as she does not like to be excluded and she likes to please her handler.

Then came the exciting part of the training session. I was asked to go into a smaller paddock with Holly, as the two big boys in the class, Luke and Nuggetts were about to have some free running time together in the paddock. Holly was going to have some free running time firstly with two of Angela's smaller dogs. We let the smaller dogs (Prozac and Harry) into the small paddock and I let Holly off her lead and we watched closely as they sniffed each other and had some fun following each other around. This was all going very well, as was Luke and Nuggetts' play time together next door, then it was decide that they should all go together into the big paddock.

Well it was amazing!

Lukey, Nuggs, little Holls, Harry and Prozac all running around having a great time together, I could not believe it. Holly especially was taken with Nuggetts and when he got a bit boisterous for her, she told him and he listened and backed off, before being invited by Holly to chase her again!

This was a great week at training class and Holly and I are looking forward to next week.

WEEK FOUR

by Heather Spragg

At last, after a couple of weeks, our training plan was able to continue due to finally getting a break in the wet weather. Between the sessions, I managed to keep up with Molly’s practice, which I am pleased to say resulted in her getting noticed and going to a new home!!

So I was asked to take Holly to this particular training session instead. Holly knows me quite well already, so was keen to follow me and go for her ride in the car. When we arrived, Angela asked me to walk round with her on the lead, while other trainers walked passed her. I clicked and treated her if she ignored them. She did this very well, so we progressed to letting her off the lead and walking passed her. I had to call her to me, she came straight away, sat and received her treat.

The next test was to get her to sit while on lead, I moved away slightly and she had to stay until I return to her. She took a little while to get the hang of this, as she thought she was not going to get the treat, so tended to lunge forward to try and let me know I should give her the treat. I ignored this and kept putting her back into position and moving away. She then understood and got a click and treat.

I then took her back to Hula and went into the caravan with her so we could get warm, as the wind was very cold. Once inside, Holly relaxed for a while before we did a little practice. I got her to sit and stay while I moved away for a minute, then went back to her and gave her the click and treat. This worked well as there were no distractions. So I then tried this again, but moved further away, made here wait then called her to me. Got her to sit, then click and treat.

This ended her on a very good point, which you should always do.

I really think she enjoyed herself.