100 Day Trick Training Challenge

A few weeks ago I watched a movie called Wild Horse, Wild Ride about the Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge, an annual contest that dares 100 people to each tame a totally wild mustang in order to get it adopted into a better life beyond federal corrals.

This has branched off into an Extreme Mutt Makeover - 15 trainers - 56 days - annual event in Texas held every year in conjunction with the Mustang Makeover.

So we are doing our own version and you are invited to play along.

100 DAY TRICK TRAINING CHALLENGE
Utilizing Kyra Sundance's Trick Title system...

BASIC RULES:
All tricks must be new to the dog – ie. if your dog already knows Sit, you may not count it.
Handler will bring any props required for a trick.
A reward may be given after a trick is successfully performed, but food must remain in a pocket until completion.

SCORING:
All tricks should be performed on 1 command and/or signal.  Extra commands or signals will be a 1 point deduction.  Gestures, body movements, noises are all considered extra commands/signals.  Multi-part tricks are allowed 1 command and/or signal per part without deduction.

If a dog is unable to perform the trick after 3 extra commands and/or signals, they will receive 0 points for that trick.

[N] Novice Tricks are worth 3 points each.
[ I ] Intermediate Tricks are worth 4 points each.
[A] Advanced Tricks are worth 6 points each.
[E] Expert Tricks are worth 8 points each.
[C] Champion Tricks are worth 10 points each.

A full tricks list is available on request indicating the possible tricks and their difficulty level.

Anyone want to play?

New FREE Weekly TRAINING GROUP MEETUP

We are starting a local group to meet Monday nights at 6:30 in Durham for people who wish to work on any of the following:

Sue Ailsby's Training Levels - (great graduated scale for family pets, sport dogs or therapy/assistance dogs)

Dog Scouts of America - we will be working towards earning the basic DSOA badge and then people can pursue individual badges based on what they enjoy.

Trick Dog Titling - Earn a Novice, Intermediate, Advanced or Expert level title with your dog.

Rally-O Foundations - for anyone interested in pursuing a Rally Novice title

There is no cost to this group - just come along and work with your dog whatever level you are on.

There are currently several pups ranging from 9-16 weeks, a few adolescents and several adults. All sizes are permitted but any dog that displays reactive or aggressive tendencies will be asked to work outside the enclosure or leave. 

There will be a social time before the group starts from 6:00-6:30.

All dogs must be current on vaccinations including rabies and bordetella where applicable.

To register for the group - just let me know here or by email with details of yourself, your dog and what you would like to work on.

Showoff!

Ayla was showing off in class today!

Phoenix is coming along in leaps and bounds!

So Phoenix is definitely one smart cookie.  Just this week she passed her Novice Trick Dog Title and became on of the youngest to have ever done this - at 7 weeks!  To do this she needed to demonstrate she could do 15 tricks from the Easy list in front of a witness with no more than half needing to be lured still.

She did:

Sit
Down
Come
Stand
Touch (Hand)
Chase Lure
Puppy Push Ups
Follow Finger
Ramp
Thank You (Drop It)
Fetch
Head Tilt
Jump Over Bar
Kisses
Paws Up
Table (Pedestal)
Wobble Board


But she is also showing a more independent side now as well as a bit more of the Hound type personality comes through.

She is proving to be good with all sorts of dogs and people and training with her is a joy!  Plus she LOVES to play!

New Arrivals - Welcome Ivy, Fern & Willow

We have three new members of the Pawtential family.  Two hooded and one standard hairless rats!  This is a gene mutation that first occurred in lab rats and has now been selectively bred for like hairless cats and skinny pigs.

We saw a listing and drove out to Greensboro and picked up these girls from a lady who bought a pet shops remaining animals when they closed down.  I have worked with rats before and I find their intelligence exciting and I love working with other species.  

They were in a cage with 6 females and 1 male - which could mean trouble but they don't seem pregnant.  The plan is to hopefully work with them in rat agility - yes it exists and there are actually national competitions for it!  I also hope to have the first certified Novice Trick titled rat through Kyra Sundance's Do More With Your Dog program.  She just certified her first horse and all species are allowed to enter.  We'll see...

Cooooooookies...

Finding which treats work to really motivate your dogs can be a bit hit and miss...something that seems really good to us may be only mildly interesting for them.  

Take for example Gourmet Tails:

I thought for sure these would be a winner with my guys so when they went on sale I bought several containers.  During our nightly crate games - I rewarded with these new delicious treats and was met with blank stares.

"Really?  This is it?  Come on...where is the good stuff?"

*sniff, sniff*

*eye contact*

*Sit*

"Maybe if we look cute enough she will give us the REAL treat!"

Pretty to humans does NOT equal loved by dogs!  At least not my guys.

Over the years I have found several types of store bought treats that they DO like however:

HANDS DOWN FAVORITE:  

Natural Balance Roll

Coming in closely behind:

Marinades by Sergeants - hard to find and expensive but they love them!

Processed meat products - Hot Dogs, Vienna Sausages, SPAM - cheap, easy to find, great choice in moderation

Pet Greens Chicken & Beef Jerky by Bell Rock Growers

Moderately priced and can be hard to find - best ordered online.  

You notice there isn't any dry crunchy treats in there - that's because most dogs want something smelly - the stinkier the better.  This isn't to say my guys wouldn't eat a Milkbone - they certainly would...but would they work for it the same as a piece of hot dog?  No way.  

That would be like someone giving you 25¢ to wash their car vs $25.  If you saw 25¢ you would probably pick it up but spend time doing something that was important to someone else when you could be doing something you enjoyed for it - not going to happen.

The same applies to training treats - don't be stingy with the good stuff - especially for difficult behaviors for them.  You won't always carry hot dogs, but if it keeps your reactive dog focused, your barker quiet or your arm in it's socket - does it matter?