Ozzy Training 03/03/12

[Marko1962]

Another day at the club, started out nice dry and warm but descended into the wet and miserable weather typical of a British soon to be spring day. First there was tracking to be done, Mark one of the helpers showed me how he does it, he explained all about how the wind affects the scent, how the wind direction can be different just off the floor and what to consider when laying the track amongst other interesting stuff, they sure do know their stuff these guys. After laying my track I brought Ozzy to it and gave him the command 'FIND'. He set off fast and accurate hoovering the chicken pieces up as he tracked to be rewarded by a mini mountain of chicken at the end of the track. He did good but Mark noticed he was using his eyes more than his nose probably because it's easy to see white chicken meat on green grass lol, next week I will have to find something not so white...

Obedience was erm obedience but then came protection - the fun stuff. With Ozzy was sporting his new harness Mark ran out onto the field wailing like a banshee inviting Ozzy to follow which he did, very willingly and then we had fun...

At first Ozzy was going great with full bites...

But then he started to do this - biting with his front teeth

So it was back to basics and out with the rag...

Ohh if only we could dock n crop here...

Below - I'm using all my strength to hold him back...

Nice full bites again.

Today, Mark was ready to move him to the sleeve but he is very cautious with Ozzy taking it nice and steady. As Mark keeps saying, because Ozzy is so big for a 7.5 months it's easy to forget that he's still really a puppy and needs to treated with kid gloves so as to not spoil his development and if we have to take a step back so be it - I like that attitude

During the week I know what I have to work on, Mark has advised me how to work his bite plus I have the Leerburg DVD (thanks to Diva) that explains and demonstrates how to work a dog properly for a full bite so it's time to get that bite tug out yay.

Today I was joined by another Dobe, a 5 month docked Dobe imported from Ireland. A full 'Euro' with Russian and I think he said Serbian bloodlines, very nice very fixated young dog. Here he is being worked by Sebastian.

It was great having another Dobe 'person' to talk to amongst all those Rottie and GSD persons.

Thats it for today folks

 

[Marinegeekswife]

He's looking good. How big are the chicken bits? Making them really small will help with him sight tracking, too. I mean, as small or smaller than your pinky nail. If you want a really great book on Schutzhund I highly recommend Training the Behavior by Gary Patterson. Gary is so knowledgeable and the book is really easy to use and understand. http://www.siriustrainer.com/gear/books/trnbehaviorpg.htm
The harness looks really great on him. Not sure what the helpers were doing but something ours will do to help get a good deep bite is misses. It makes the dog want the sleeve that much more so they come in hard and strong resulting, usually, in a deeper bite and faster strike. But usually the helpers know what they're doing so trust them unless your gut tells you something isn't right. As far as holding him back it will help if you put the line behind your back and brace your right hand against the small of your back. It will look like this:

Or loop it around you and use yourself like a pulley system like this:

 

[JanS]

He's looking really good Marco!
I know nothing about protection sports, but while the set-backs can be disappointing, it's all a learning experience so it's great to keep at it. I was so sick for Albert's last class that we were a mess, but it's one of those things I pass on to gaining the know how under all circumstances. He sure knew what sort of energy I was passing on and he just followed through and acted like a "meat ball" as our trainer put it. LOL Or a hormone packed meat ball.

 

[My Mateese]

Looking good

 

[zmchristopher]

Wow Hes coming on isnt he! You do realise hes going to be a beast dont you !

 

[Teufelhund in AZ]

Ozzy is looking great Marko! I wish we had access to grass tracking! All we have is dirt... Not that I'm complaining, some folks don't even have access to that here in the states.

Keep up the great work!

 

[Dobs4ever]

Today, Mark was ready to move him to the sleeve but he is very cautious with Ozzy taking it nice and steady. As Mark keeps saying, because Ozzy is so big for a 7.5 months it's easy to forget that he's still really a puppy and needs to treated with kid gloves so as to not spoil his development and if we have to take a step back so be it - I like that attitude

Your trainer is right - we sometimes forget that they are still compared to babies ina BIG suit. Much harder to correct a problen than to avoid it competely. It does not hurt them to hold them back and take your time developing the drive. Push them too fast and you create your own set of problems.

He is looking great and good that you guys are having fun. On treats a good way to measure is if you took a hot dog and cut it lengthwise and then lengthwise again (into quarter then sliced it into small pieces that is how big your treat should be - then he can't see it. Tracking is about slow and steady not a rush to the end.

Do they hvae you start with a scent box??? You want the dog to spend time on the scent box to pick up a good strong scent before proceeding down the track. That is the start of developing a deep nose.

 

[Marko1962]

Jess, those chuck bits were pinky nail size but white on green is very obvious, I will probably go back to hot dogs...
Also I've seen that book recommended by yourself and others on a few occasions so I've fished the credit card out and ordered it. Not bad for the postage from the US to the UK at only $5 and that really puts Leerburg to shame. $60 for a lightweight DVD compared to $5 for a much heavier book, now I know Leerburg are very good at what they do but $60 postage for a DVD is just a plain rip-off imo... Mark was doing as you say, whipping the rag in front of him but just out of reach, lots of lunging dog and teeth snapping. Thanks for the suggestion regarding holding him back, it's a technique I need to master

Thanks Jan and Mateese, he really is looking the part now , regarding the setback, I'd mind more if the helpers carried on regardless and maybe ruin him, I'd much rather they take it easy and step by step, put some thought into his training, which they are doing. The helpers know much much more than I do and after his training they will recap what they saw with him, why they did this or why they did that. I'm being trained just as much as Ozzy is lol but it's great fun for both of us.

Zoe what u on about, him becoming a beast? he already is!!! 50 kg of dog lunging around the end of a lead is a real handful I can tell you lol, I what him to stop growing right NOW

Thanks Teufelhund, thats one of the good things about the UK, plenty of green green grass and where I live theres lots of it, I have a few fields within walking distance that I can use for tracking

 

[Marko1962]

Your trainer is right - we sometimes forget that they are still compared to babies ina BIG suit. Much harder to correct a problen than to avoid it competely. It does not hurt them to hold them back and take your time developing the drive. Push them too fast and you create your own set of problems.

He is looking great and good that you guys are having fun. On treats a good way to measure is if you took a hot dog and cut it lengthwise and then lengthwise again (into quarter then sliced it into small pieces that is how big your treat should be - then he can't see it. Tracking is about slow and steady not a rush to the end.

Do they hvae you start with a scent box??? You want the dog to spend time on the scent box to pick up a good strong scent before proceeding down the track. That is the start of developing a deep nose.

That's a good tip regarding the cutting up of hotdogs, I do cut them up to similarly sized small pieces... Yes we start with a scent box but Ozzys is fast when tracking, too fast atm so he sometimes misses a footstep. My aim is to slow him right down to slow deliberate precise tracking, I will do as you say and get him to spend some time in the scent box before setting off down the track, thanks for the advice

 

[zmchristopher]

You think hes a beast now Huh?! hes ONLY just turning 8 months!! Good luck Marko, GOOD LUCK haha!!!!

 

[Denissov43]

Mark: great photos in both threads you sent me too... SUCH great info and great detail about how the Ozz is doing! wonderful to see another Dobie in the mix and a Russian and Serbian import no less..
It will be interesting to see how that one matures and how they both do in this venue! I am wondering what the handlers are thinking about that big boy and how quick and agile he is at his size! I am excited to see how he does over the coming year! jealous too... Nothing close enough to us for me to work mine in the sport! can only resort to training at home for BH and hopefully being able to pass it when the time comes around where there is a trial somewhere in the state!
awesome photos! Keep em coming!