Bored during major storms? Don't be! Train - don't complain!

I mean, really, there is so much we can train our dogs to do. This made the rounds last week. For those who didn't see it here it is. LOVE Sylvia Trkman! My all time favorite dog trainer -




Today I started teaching the dogs to roll a jump bar. Spur has a real issue with knocking bars. He totally melts down and crumples into a worried mass of paussie fur. It's been a real issue with his agility training. We do a TON of jump work, single jumps, jump grids, all with his ball or frisbee. In high drive mode he is OK. Put jumps into a course and he worries and jumps too big. Sometimes it isn't an issue, but I can see a real pattern here and I want to fix it before it gets much worse. So, I thought perhaps I would focus on giving HIM control of the jump bars. Learning to roll it puts him in control. When he jumps and knocks the bar, he feels out of control. So, I want him in control. Rolling the bar, having it knock against chairs in the kitchen and such might help? I don't know, but I am going to give it a go.

I may even teach him to pick up the jump bar. I think I will have to wrap it in vet wrap to give him enough grip, but that's a later project. Right now I am starting with just rolling it on the ground. Funny, how the dogs all learned that differently this morning. Colby got it in about five tries. Got it so good she could roll it across the kitchen on command!! That good! In about 3 minutes!! Smartie pants! Roscoe is so frantic he is doing all sorts of his tricks near, around, over, and with the bar!! Kicking it, pouncing on it, nose touching, but only JUST barely rolling it and since he is SO quick I clicked for his feet rolling it. So, now I have Roscoe scooting it with his front feet, silly nutty Roscoe. Kind of cute, but not exactly what I was after, but it doesn't matter, which is why I love teaching tricks. Easy, no pressure, no need to be picky or demanding.

Spur, he's a little slower to get it. That worry. I have to be more patient. It took a couple of 5 minute sessions before he figured out I wanted it rolled with his nose. He's rolling it, but just a few inches. I quit there. No need to push him, I push him enough and that's part of our issue. I need to back off, so back off I did this morning. He's more thoughtful and concerned, so we go a little slower.

And I got the cutest little jump photo frame for Christmas I want to use. It's about 10" tall and 6" wide and looks like a tiny pvc jump but has slots to put in a photo. I am going to teach him to knock that over. I bet they don't teach THAT at Clean Run Camp. Knock the jump over? Probably not. LOL!!!