Magic Touch

Did anyone try the out the Magic Touch or buy the book over the weekend? Just wondering. I saw that the post was deleted so I don't know if anyone responded. thanks!

 

The book is on hold at the library. Hopefully I will be able to pick it up this afternoon. I really can't imagine it working for Nala, but you never know. The part about walking over and using the collar to move the dog to where you were when you gave the command evokes pictures of Nala dodging and me chasing, which I try never to do.


Jamiya

 

I know what you mean! I forgot to mention that he suggests blocking off a room, which we ended up doing after chasing Sarge a few times! I stood at one entrance of the room and we blocked off the other entrance and that was ALOT easier and less tiring!!!

 

They say you should never dart around waving your arms when trying to catch the dog. I have heard that rather than running after him, you should slowly stalk in a very calm and purposeful way after them. A menacing look on your face and looming helps, too. Eventually the dog gets meeker and meeker until it is slinking along and then you can grab - but you are not supposed to make a grab for it unless you are SURE you will win.

We have played many "games" of "catch me" and it never turns out well for any of us. :|

Our dogs are always blocked off in a room. They are confined to the family room, for destructive and cat-chasing reasons. Bonnie would be fine loose in the house, but Nala would not. I was hoping to have expanded their domain by now, but Nala's cat-chasing is not helping.


Jamiya

 

I think Nala may be a Puppy Reform School candidate!!! Do they have military school for wayward puppies? :lol:

 

I could send her to my agility trainer for 3-5 weeks for her to train. I don't think I could do that, though. I am still hoping if I just keep struggling along, she will eventually calm down with age.


Jamiya

 

I couldn't do it either. I believe that as long as you care about it, and stay consistent that you can do it. I guess I think that if I stay patient, and it matters to me that Sarge grows up happy, healthy and well mannered, that I will make it happen no matter what time table Sarge needs. Does that make sense?

 

It certainly does make sense. I'm just not very good at being consistent. I haven't worked with the dogs much at all lately. But that makes it MY fault and not theirs, and just means we have longer to wait until they "get it." Too bad my husband doesn't see it that way.


Jamiya

 

:roll: Oh do I feel your pain! My husband saw the amazing way Sarge learned those few commands and thinks that it is an across the board thing. "Why does he still want to bite all the time (whining tone)?" Gee, cause he's a dog?(sarcasm inserted) Or maybe it is his whining tone that's doing it!!! Makes me want to bite him too sometimes! :lol: You hang in there Jamiya! I suspectt hat your slacking off is not the same as alot of other peoples slacking off. And it is obvious that you love and care about your dogs. That's a lot more than alot of these babies get, unfortunately.

 

Nala was a little angel at agility last night. Of course, that's because I put a Halti on her.

I think we are going back to training and walks with a Halti, and hopefully I can get motivated to start using some of the TTouch techniques on her and Bonnie. I didn't make it to the library yesterday to get the book, but hopefully I can this afternoon.

I am also thinking that part of the cat chasing problem is that the cats are forbidden fruit, and the dogs have to wait for the cats to go through their room before they can chase them. It's like the highlight of their day. But I have noticed that the dogs leave the one cat alone when we are walking to the bedroom to go to bed at night. They look at her sitting in the middle of the floor and walk right by.

BUT if they see the other cat and he runs or hisses, it's all over. So, I am thinking I am going to leash Nala and let both dogs out of their room when I am home (I have to clean the living room before I can do this though - LOL!). Then I can use the leash to control Nala when she goes for the other cat. I am hoping that eventually the novelty will wear off when she realizes she can see the cats whenever she wants to, and maybe this will be the first step toward letting the dogs have the run of the whole house (except the basement where the cat food and litter box are - I'm thinking kittie door...).


Jamiya

 

I think you are right about the forbidden fruit thing. I agree that if you can take away the novelty of it she will probably not be that nutty about it. Of course, that means she will have to look for something new!

 

Lord, you're right!! I wonder what her "new" vice would be. #-o

Now I just have to clean and then gear up for a couple week's worth of struggle and extra supervising of the dogs. And hope Nala doesn't chew through too many leashes before we are done.


Jamiya

 

Okay, I'm reading the book and I really like this guy! His name (Paul Loeb) sounds familiar - perhaps I have read something else by him? I'll have to look into it.

Anyway, I have not tried it yet, but I will. I think I will try it on Bonnie first, since she has not already been drilled to death on "come."

I am wondering, though, about when I try this with Nala. I can see it now - I throw something at her and she says COOL and grabs it and starts dashing around the room, playing keepaway. Especially if I throw a sock at her. She loves to eat socks. In fact, ANYTHING I can think of to throw at her would be a normally forbidden item and I can see her going WOW! A GIFT! THANKS MOM!

And Bonnie - she will be afraid of anything I throw. And even if she does come to me inside (she usually does), when she's outside she just takes off and never comes back. We were shocked the first time we tried it, since she is normally such a clingy dog. But we let her off leash and that was that! It took a while to catch her.

But I'll still try it and hope for the best. The thing is, he says when the dog comes to you (or you make them come) then you praise them. Like this is going to make Nala want to do it in the future?! Nala does not work for praise alone. She really doesn't care whether you are happy with her or not. She would PREFER that you be happy with her, but she's not going to go out of her way to please you.

I hope it works. He makes it all sound so easy. Perhaps I have to go to NY and have a session with him.


Jamiya

 

Jamiya- I know exactly what you mean about the throwing somethin taken as an inviation to play. But, I think his real key lies in the holding of the collar and not letting go even when you are praising them. To show them that even though they are being "good" they are under your control. I talked to someone recently who said this is a good method for dominant dogs as it does not teach aggressive behavior. I certainly hope they are right! Sarge has been going through a little bit of a "sassy" stage the last 3 days and it is all I can do to keep being patient and not send him off to boarding school! :lol:

 

Yes, we were taught in our puppy class to hold on to the collar after the dog comes to you, and then praise. Really, Nala does not care a whit about praise. She wants you to let go and let her do her own thing. If your teenage son knew that if he obeyed you, you would hug and kiss him and tell him how good he is, would he do it? I didn't think so.

The author says not to bribe them to come, but that you can treat them AFTER they come to you. I take this to mean you should not yell "Come!" while waving a treat in the air, but if you pull one out of your hat AFTER the dog is with you and you are holding on, then it's okay?

I am going to try without treats. I am hoping to have my husband take Nala to the park and then I can work with Bonnie first and try to work the bugs out before tackling Nala.


Jamiya

 

We hid the treat on a few of the lessons. Some I didn't need the treat for, the praise was enough. some he wanted a reward! Then we hid and magically produced it when he was back at my feet. I like how the author said once they did what they were supposed to (or even forced to!) to go nuts on them, make them a steak, whatever you want! I think Sarge would like the steak, but he should not hold out hope for it! Good luck with Bonnie I will keep my fingers crossed! (I'll save fingers AND toes for when you try Nala!)

 

We just started Riley's (collie 1 1/2 years old) training this past week end and he is doing great should be done with the first steps by next weekend. He walks at my side and stays there in step with me.Next his sit and stay command. Some are so easy to teach should be done with him by summers end. On the other hand there is Sassy (JR) the I'll do it my way when I feel like doing anything dog. You know the one when you say sit lays down or down and then sits and smiles at you the whole time. Gota love her....

2pyrs

 

2pyrs- What training method or you using?

 

Some years back I was taught by a man who taught the Littlest hobo and old TV show, I now use David Dykmens training steps and have found them to work very well and very fast with out harm to the dog.
As I have posted in the past there are more ways out there then you can shack a stick at.
I am proud of the dogs I have trained over the years and the people I have worked with. My biggest enjoyment is retraining older dogs for seniors and placing dogs with them.

2pyrs

 

I am interested in getting a pets for seniors program started here. Does anyone have ides who I can contact to get it going? I know I can approach individual nursing homes, etc., but I wondered if there is any organized entity that is involved anywhere.