Go Fetch!

     Every day my dogs and I have fun, bond, and learn.  Training is a regular occurrence at my house, as it should be in every dog owner's household!  I have found that many people get turned off by the notion of training every day, so I thought it was worth writing about.

     In an earlier blog, I mentioned that dogs are constantly learning, regardless of what environment they are in.  When I use the term "Training", it simply means I am taking care to be certain they are absorbing the information I want them to.  I don't drive across town to a facility.  I don't spend oodles of money on equipment, treats, toys or other trainers (yes, trainers need trainers too!).  I simply have a concept or two that I make sure to control the consequence of in order to encourage a particular behavior pattern.

     This may be more easily explained in an example.  Grace enjoys retrieving.  I will often take her outside alone, without Brutus, to train while playing fetch.  Fetch is not just a game, it can be used to solidify concepts that are critical to your household.  In Grace's case, I have structured our fetch game to re-enforce her impulse control, mouth control (we have conditioned for holding and bite control), recall, and recall options (front, heel, finish, drop on recall).  She heels with me (off-leash), and must sit when I stop.  I throw the bumper.  Grace must hold the sit position until I release her, then go straight for the bumper.  Once she picks it up, I expect her to come straight back to me, ready to down, come sit in front of me, return to heel on my left, or circle behind me from my right on command.  She must hold the bumper until I tell her to release it to me (hand deliver) regardless of which or how many commands I give her.  There are many other options I use to make the game more challenging for her.

     Grace has a blast retrieving her bumper (that thing she is holding in the picture is a bumper).  I love seeing her run full speed and turn on a dime (and sometimes wipe out!) while thinking and responding to my commands.  Lots of fun (or "play", or "burning energy") does NOT have to mean out-of-control and frenzied.