Random Pet Video of the Day - Share yours!

[remy]

@remy - you should think about an AD on Remy! It's a Schutzhund working title - You have to get a BH first, but it's a ~12 mile bike ride with the dog trotting next to you. This is part of an ultimate VS title for working GSDs but it's open to all breeds, just as most all SchH trials are. Very few Dobermans have that title, but I'll bet it would come pretty easily to you & Remy. If you go back to that club you worked with a few times, ask them about it! The "light obedience test" after, is basically to prove that the dog is not overly exhausted and that it is still coherent to listen to you.

Oh I haven’t thought about this! I’ve briefly heard of it before but I guess I assumed it was just for GSDs. Remy’s breeder actually co-owns a GSD that recently earned its AD. I’ll definitely need to work us up to that mileage. I think the longest trot/ride we did was slightly over 3 miles. Mostly because I get bored.

I’m still planning to go back to the club, it just never seems to work out. The trainer’s GSD earned its IGP 3 over a dozen times, so I’m betting they’ve likely done the AD as part of a breed survey. I will ask! I’m hoping to get a least a few sessions in before the year ends. I’d love to at least get his BH! I don’t know that we’d go further than that (title wise), especially because I likely won’t be able to train consistently (1 or 2x per week) and he’s almost 3 years old now. I will start my next dog much earlier lol.

 

[Ravenbird]

Remy’s breeder actually co-owns a GSD that recently earned its AD. I’ll definitely need to work us up to that mileage. I think the longest trot/ride we did was slightly over 3 miles.

From what I've read, and same with @LifeofRubie doing distance running and my past experience with Endurance Riding on horses, you rarely, if ever, train the distance of the race. With AD, it's not even a race, you just have to go at a steady pace and it's way easier to over train. Your breeder and club trainer will know way more than I do, so it's great that you've got them available for info! I wanted to do this so much, but my own limitations got in the way. You can get a BH with limited club visits, but I found out it's about impossible, especially as a first timer to go much further without regular & consistent club help. But AD? That doesn't take a club training.

 

[Ravenbird]

Rubie is cruising at a trot (with a poop bag in tow, nonetheless) and I'm fighting for my life at a 7:35m/m pace

She is bookin' it!!!

 

[remy]

From what I've read, and same with @LifeofRubie doing distance running and my past experience with Endurance Riding on horses, you rarely, if ever, train the distance of the race. With AD, it's not even a race, you just have to go at a steady pace and it's way easier to over train. Your breeder and club trainer will know way more than I do, so it's great that you've got them available for info! I wanted to do this so much, but my own limitations got in the way. You can get a BH with limited club visits, but I found out it's about impossible, especially as a first timer to go much further without regular & consistent club help. But AD? That doesn't take a club training.

I just started reading a little more and saw this. Sounds like it’s not as difficult as I thought. Of course we won’t be doing it in 8 weeks, but it’s good to know he’s already at a good starting point.

 

[LifeofRubie]

From what I've read, and same with @LifeofRubie doing distance running and my past experience with Endurance Riding on horses, you rarely, if ever, train the distance of the race.

This is true! Currently training for a faster half marathon and my longest run is 11 EASY miles. That said, my highest weekly milage will be 37 miles or so but that's combination of five runs a week: short boughts of speed work twice a week and then three easy runs before a taper (about two weeks out) to get all rested up. If you guys can work up to steady 9-10 miles and do some of that speed work in conjunction then give yourselves some time to recover before the full 12, seems totally achievable with some time and intentional planning! I would love to dissect a training plan

 

[Ravenbird]

Sounds like it’s not as difficult as I thought. Of course we won’t be doing it in 8 weeks, but it’s good to know he’s already at a good starting point.

Yes, when you said he does 3 miles, I thought of the AD. Since you have two people in your circle that could give you hands on conditioning advice I think you could easily accomplish it. Not sure how your obedience is, but it's just basically heeling with sits and downs and recall and the long down with you about 20 feet away. The traffic test is bicycles/vehicles going by and also being tied with you out of sight and a neutral dog being led by to make sure he's not dog aggressive or gets stupid if he can't see you.

I would love to dissect a training plan

The biggest difference is that active dogs get milage in regular training, like if they start working on obedience for the BH, especially if using a ball or tug for rewards intermittently or if he gets to do some bitey fun while at the club, there's lots of activity. I read the article that @remy posted the quote from, and it talked a bit about this. What is also amazing in @remy's favor is that dirt track! Sidewalks and road work for miles is so much harder on them, but if they can use that dirt path for training, that's so much easier on the joints.

When I conditioned for a 50 mile ride, I generally rode about 3 or 4 days a week, 6 to 12 miles each ride. Shorter rides at a faster clip, longer rides at an easier pace. as race day was coming up I'd do a 20 - 25 miler one day, maybe a month before and then two weeks before the 50. Then as you say, taper down to easy rides until the 50. I never did enough of them to stay in tiptop condition, but those that did 50's all year long didn't have to condition much at all, just maintain fitness with rides a couple time a week, they could do multi day rides (50 miles a day, 3 - 5 days in a row) several times a year. Most of those also did 75's and 100's. The 100 milers are given 24 hours to finish, so night riding is also a thing. Whoops, LOL.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Gave Zephyr a bath on Saturday. It was about 55° outside, so no problem. The hiney shimmy is hilarious.

 

[Ravenbird]

Gave Zephyr a bath on Saturday. It was about 55° outside, so no problem. The hiney shimmy is hilarious.

That's a super video!

 

[Oh Little Oji]

That's a super video!

Thank you! I asked our younger daughter to run in and ask our older daughter to come out and shoot a slo-mo of the ol' shakeroo.

 

[Two Dobes]

What a great video....and Z looks like he enjoys it!!!!

 

[remy]

My grandma was very kind and gifted me Meta glasses as an early Christmas gift! She said she was too excited to wait because she loves watching videos of him and knows I’ll put them to good use.

I tired them out earlier today while we played around with his new bite roll. We will definitely be using these a lot!

Me: “look at those teeth, they look silly”
The teeth in question:

 

[JanS]

I had to look up what Meta glasses were but it looks like they have a great camera!

 

[MyBuddy]

My grandma was very kind and gifted me Meta glasses

That's cool! I didn't think they were available to buy yet!

 

[Ravenbird]

He's loving his new bitey roll, that gives you a workout too! I was good until you started doing circles, I get the vertigo watching that on video.

 

[remy]

He's loving his new bitey roll, that gives you a workout too!

He does love it! And you’re right, it’s hard sometimes to move him side to side. He is like deadweight lol.

I was good until you started doing circles, I get the vertigo watching that on video.

That makes me dizzy too! I try to keep him on leash when we play because he has a habit of taking the toy and laying with it. Can’t figure out how to stop it, but at leash for now the leash prevents it from happening. That kinda leaves me to just circle around though lol. I tried dropping the leash but then I step on it .

That's cool! I didn't think they were available to buy yet!

I think these ones have been out for a little while since they are “Gen 2”, but I believe there is a more advanced type that is either coming out soon or just came out. I only wanted them to record so I don’t care about any other features lol.

I had to look up what Meta glasses were but it looks like they have a great camera!

I was surprised by the quality!

 

[Ravenbird]

I try to keep him on leash when we play because he has a habit of taking the toy and laying with it. Can’t figure out how to stop it, but at leash for now the leash prevents it from happening.

Just obedience! Is your yard fenced where you play with the tug? This video is somewhere on a thread here in 2022, but I can't find it... it had helpful input from DobermanGang and maybe others. But anyway, here's just the video: I was teaching Asha self control about the tug. Leaving it was always rewarded by getting it back. Also, teach commands for different things: the game is over, I use "No Mas", some people say "All Done" or something like that. I use that termination for ball playing or anything that she wants to continue but we have to stop. When she has the tug or ball in her mouth without me or a helper involved I say "put it down", if it's also in someone else's hands, like a sleeve on the helper or a tug with you holding it I say "Oust" or "Out". In the long run it makes it even more exciting for your dog because they know when they out, or put it down, they get it back with something more exciting like a toss & run get it or getting to tug with you on the other end. Almost always they prefer that to having to play with it on the ground by themselves!

 

[remy]

Is your yard fenced where you play with the tug?

It’s not. Hopefully soon though! We have that field behind the house so I also worry that if we play with toys off leash, it will become a fun game of “keep away” for him.

Leaving it was always rewarded by getting it back.

This is what I do (or at least try to do). He has a lot of toy possession and I think that is making things harder for me to figure out. “Outs” are difficult and sometimes he’ll even avoid high value treats if I “trade” for the toy.

I’ve also tried “2 ball” several times with varying results lol. He usually just wants whatever ball he already has in his mouth. I’ll run around and/or swing the ball around to make the new one more exciting than the “dead” one. Sometimes he’ll chase me but he still won’t drop the first ball… We’ve only had luck with that being successful a few times, but I guess it’s just something I need to do more often.

This was the best session we’ve had. I actually used 4 balls this time. I know it’s best if they’re all the same but I only have 1 set of matching ones, and of course this night I couldn’t find other one.

That yellow Starmark ball is his favorite. In the beginning of the video when he looks over he’s looking at it on the table. You’ll see he carried it for a second before finally dropping the ball (he’ll usually carry it much longer). I was actually shocked that he was playing with the other balls while that yellow one was on the ground. So I guess we had 2 wins that night!

Btw we did tug for a minute once he got the new ball, I just shortened the videos.

In the long run it makes it even more exciting for your dog because they know when they out, or put it down, they get it back with something more exciting like a toss & run get it or getting to tug with you on the other end. Almost always they prefer that to having to play with it on the ground by themselves!

Once I drop the toy for him to “win” is when he’ll want to lay with it. It’s hard to get him to re-engage himself. Except in this clip when he’s basically beating me up.

Nice work!

I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually! I just don’t have experience with these things, which is another reason why I really want to get back to the club. I know I probably make a lot of mistakes that I don’t realize. (Like in the video I should be marking “yes” when he drops the ball but I didn’t.) At this point I think it might be best to just break everything down into pieces and re-teach toy play lol.

Sorry for my rant

 

[Ravenbird]

He has a lot of toy possession and I think that is making things harder for me to figure out. “Outs” are difficult and sometimes he’ll even avoid high value treats if I “trade” for the toy.

I’ve also tried “2 ball” several times with varying results lol. He usually just wants whatever ball he already has in his mouth. I’ll run around and/or swing the ball around to make the new one more exciting than the “dead” one. Sometimes he’ll chase me but he still won’t drop the first ball… We’ve only had luck with that being successful a few times, but I guess it’s just something I need to do more often.

That's exactly how Asha was for a long time. two ball meant nothing to her, only the ball in her mouth and she wouldn't give it up. I tried using a long line to reel her in to give it to me and she'd spit it out halfway to me. Like "you can reel me in, but I'm still not going to bring you the ball".

She wouldn't retrieve anything because once she got it, she wanted to own it forever. So, yeah, I get it. I worked on it a lot though because I planned to do IGP and knew I had to fix it. I wish I had videos before she started behaving, but once the lightbulb came on, she realized it was just a more fun version of keep away, me keeping her away by command and then she gets it back with more action. @Rits might have some input on this, and your club trainer for sure if you get a chance to go to a club practice. Since I realized a few years ago that I'd be hard pressed to actually trial in IGP, we just play with tugs and do some bite work for Asha to have fun. But without "the out game" practice, she tries to sneak a dirty bite (grabbing the sleeve/tug again right after she outs) so I should work on the obedience around it again. Once they "get it" it really does become more fun than having it all the time. They start looking at you to make the tug fun rather than the tug itself being the fun.

It's interesting, Ashas favorite ball is also the yellow Starmark.

No apologies needed for ranting, I love seeing you work with Remy, good, bad, or ugly - we've all been there!

 

[Rits]

@Rits might have some input on this

“Outs” are difficult

We don't teach a command "out" at our club for a long long time because we want that possession to be VERY strong and don't want them spitting in anticipation early in the game... we eventually train that out means bark! Can't bark if they don't spit the sleeve. My trainer doesn't have us 2 ball either for the reason of keeping that possession strong. As long as he has a wide flat collar on or a harness, I'd pull his front feet off the ground for a bit until he lets go. Really doesn't take longer than 10 seconds. Then you can hold him back while you slowly go for the toy with your hand out. When he's staring at it the toy, tease him a little "you want it, yeah?!" he'll probably lunge for it, encourage that and quickly grab it while letting him go, moving it around for him to lunge and bite at to build drive. Once his drive is up, make the toy and you dead, and ask for a position. If he's not really fast on purely voice command only, you can use the toy to lure right from the end of the chase so he's at his highest level of drive straight into that sit. Using the toy to build drive and learning how to use that drive in obedience can make for some really lightning fast positions and attentive heeling. This will be great foundations for when he's in much higher drive during protection but still has to be obedient.

sometimes he’ll even avoid high value treats if I “trade” for the toy.

for bitesports, thats fantastic. Sounds like Remy's possession is really strong which is great if you know how to use it to your advantage!

Once I drop the toy for him to “win” is when he’ll want to lay with it. It’s hard to get him to re-engage himself.

Ideally you don't want to let him lay down to kill it, he needs to keep moving. I would keep him on a long line so you can keep him moving by pulling him into you while you jog backwards a little. Put a line on the tug too. When he comes to you mark with a yes and grab the tug and engage him. Let him win, run him around in circles then back up and call him into you to play tug again. Let him win more than not so he learns that he WANTS to come into you because thats how the game is picked back up again. Make sure to swing the tug side to side vs pulling in and out and let him win when he has a full grip.

I hope that helps! It'll be exciting to see you guys back at club again! Don't be worried about his age... males don't have to sit out for heat cycles or birthing litters so its never too late and he already has a lot of great traits that'll give him an advantage. Most don't trial their dogs for their 1 until they are ready for their BH too and about ready for their 2... so the dogs are typically 3-4 years old. People that compete at a national and international level their dogs are often very mature. So again, its never too late to train! Learn with Remy and you'll be ready for your puppy when its time.

 

[remy]

My trainer doesn't have us 2 ball either for the reason of keeping that possession strong.

I’m not 100% sure but I think I started playing that because I heard it would help with “outs”? I could be wrong though. What you said makes sense.

As long as he has a wide flat collar on or a harness, I'd pull his front feet off the ground for a bit until he lets go. Really doesn't take longer than 10 seconds.

Now that you said that, I remember that’s what the trainer was having us do at club. I’ll have to switch him to a flat collar at home and try it again. I’ve been having to do super short sessions because the game is basically done after he gets his mouth on the toy the first time lol.

Once his drive is up, make the toy and you dead, and ask for a position. If he's not really fast on purely voice command only, you can use the toy to lure right from the end of the chase so he's at his highest level of drive straight into that sit. Using the toy to build drive and learning how to use that drive in obedience can make for some really lightning fast positions and attentive heeling. This will be great foundations for when he's in much higher drive during protection but still has to be obedient.

I think I’ve been doing what you’re describing! I’ll add a video so you can see. It took me a second to realize that he slipped, otherwise I wouldn’t have asked for a sit right then lol. (Vertigo warning for @Ravenbird again, it’s just easier to “outrun” him in circles. )

for bitesports, thats fantastic. Sounds like Remy's possession is really strong which is great if you know how to use it to your advantage!

It is! I saw a video from one of the ring sports where they do food refusal (they were throwing down pieces of hamburger) and I was like “Remy can do that!”

Ideally you don't want to let him lay down to kill it, he needs to keep moving.

He doesn’t do that on leash but I’m pretty confident he would still try it if he was loose. If I were to stop moving and not do anything (while he’s leashed) he’d stand at the end of the leash and hold whatever he has. I can bring him back to me but it’s not something he offers on his own yet.

Exhibit A:

I would keep him on a long line so you can keep him moving by pulling him into you while you jog backwards a little.

I’ll try this next time! I’ve been using the leash to avoid the bad habit of laying down, but I think the longline would be a good transition. It would give him the opportunity to hopefully make the right choice, and if not I can reel him back in lol.

I hope that helps! It'll be exciting to see you guys back at club again!

It does, thank you! I always appreciate everyone here.

We will be back for sure, I just don’t know exactly when yet. As I say it’s always something… Unfortunately my cat is not doing well recently and I think it will be “his time” soon, so I’ve been trying to stay home and keep an eye on him.

Don't be worried about his age... males don't have to sit out for heat cycles or birthing litters so its never too late and he already has a lot of great traits that'll give him an advantage. Most don't trial their dogs for their 1 until they are ready for their BH too and about ready for their 2... so the dogs are typically 3-4 years old. People that compete at a national and international level their dogs are often very mature. So again, its never too late to train! Learn with Remy and you'll be ready for your puppy when its time.

This makes me feel a bit better! I’m hoping to at least get his BH one day. I know we won’t be able to get his 1 unless we can make it to club training consistently, but even if we can’t title I know he’ll have fun training!