SocratesAdultOldEnglishSheepdog

  NOTE 1:   WE ARE WORKING SOCRATES ON LEASH AND TRAINING COLLAR, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS YOU CAN INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE.   Start working on goals outside in medium distraction (yard, dirt roads, quiet parks, quiet beach areas, and so forth). Work on distance gradually by working to the end of the 6' leash and then working to the end of the long line (inside and outside). Have him drag the leash inside after you have had good success with goals on leash on exercises. NOTE 2:  REMEMBER TO REALLY ANALYZE WHERE YOU ARE IN TRAINING.  IT IS OKAY TO GO BACK A STEP OR TWO IF REACHING YOUR GOAL BECOMES HARDER AND TAKES LONGER THAN 15 MINUTES FOR MOST EXERCISES.   THIS IS A SIGN YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAST, PICKED A BAD TIME TO TRAIN POSSIBLY (LIKE AFTER A LONG WALK WITH YOUR DOG OR TRAINING TOO LONG), DOG OR HANDLER ARE NOT FEELING 100% OR ARE ASKING TOO MUCH WITHOUT REACHING YOUR EARLIER GOALS.   THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOU AND YOUR DOG WO...

 Now it is time to start working on everything in increasing distractions.  These are videos of working Socrates outside in the yard (although we have done off property training on the dirt roads and quieter beach in November also: Heeling and Auto Sits Outside: Loose Leash with Food Reward Outside: Send to Place Outside: Recalls Outside:

  NOTE 1:  WHEN SENDING TO PLACE, DO NOT FORGET TO POINT TO THE PLACE OBJECT AS YOU SAY IT, AND IF HE DOES NOT GET ON CORRECT HIM  ON (BODY BUMP LEASH TUG) WITHIN ONE MISSIPPI (ONE SECOND). NOTE 2:  FOR AUTO SIT, REMEMBER TO KEEP YOU STOP IN A NORMAL (AS POSSIBLE IT TAKES PRACTICE) STRIDE.   YOU PLANT YOUR LEFT FOOT AND CLOSE UP WITH YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO STOP.  THIS IS THE BODY LANGUAGE SOCRATES IS BECOMING ACCUSTOMED TO FOR HIS AUTO SIT.  (IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE AT FIRST, YOU CAN START SAYING SIT WHEN YOUR LEFT FOOT STOPS TO HIT THE GROUND.  GIVE HIM A GOOD 1 MISSIPPI (LONG SECOND) TO BEGIN TO SIT.   HOWEVER, DO CORRECT HIM WHEN AND IF IT BECOMES OBVIOUS THAT HE TRIES NOT TO SIT. NOTE 3:  DURING YOUR HEEL AND AUTO SIT, DON'T FORGET TO HAVE SOCRATES IN GOOD HEEL POSITION BEFORE YOU START YOUR STOP FOR AUTO SIT.   HE NEEDS TO SEE YOU (AS BEST HE CAN), AND TO DO THAT HE NEEDS TO BE IN A GOOD POSITION. (Remains the same, ...

 Send to Place Increased Distance: Stay on Place with Increased Distractions (started as trying for long place with increased distractions, but turned out the ball was too much to start there LOL): Focusing on auto sits and position: In between the above video and the next video is where he pooped, because he did not take care of it in the rain before LOL. Finishing up auto sits after the poop:

 NOTE 1:   CHAIN COLLAR SHOULD NEVER BE ON WHEN NOT TRAINING.  CHAIN COLLAR CAN BE ON DURING A SUPERVISED WALK.  THE REASON FOR THIS IS THE CHAIN COLLAR CAN CATCH ON SOMETHING AND CHOKE YOUR DOG. NOTE 2:  WHEN TRAINING MAKE SURE YOUR CHAIN COLLAR IS CONFIGURED CORRECTLY AND YOUR LEASH IS HELD PROPERLY. NOTE 3: WHETHER SOCRATES IS INSIDE DRAGGING THE LEASH OR OUTSIDE ON A LEASH, TRAINING SHOULD ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN SOCRATES IS ON HIS TRAINING LEASH AND COLLAR. NOTE 4:  DO NOT USE COMMANDS UNLESS YOU PLAN ON FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE PROCESS (IE YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE HE DOES IT BY MOLDING HIM OR PUTTING HIM ON LEASH AND PUTTING HIM THROUGH HIS PACES). NOTE 5:  NEVER TRAIN WHEN FRUSTRATED, AND DON'T GET FRUSTRATED WHEN TRAINING (OR SHOW IT).  TRAINING REQUIRES CAREFUL STEPS AND PATIENCE. NOTE 6:  Except for Sit on The Dog, Long Place as behavioral exercise (30 minutes), and possibly Behavioral Down, I keep most training times at 15 minutes o...

 Send to Place from a Little Bit More Distance: Circle Place Leash Dropped: Long Place Leash Dropped: Random Sits in Distraction: Heeling and Auto Sits Outside:

The goal for this week will be to do 3 sets of four in a row without needing the correction (which means it is very important to use the well timed correction when it is needed).   You will want to do this (with the heeling) for a 15 minutes a day. NOTE:  YOU CAN DO SITS RANDOMLY WITHOUT ALSO PRACTICING HEEL IF YOU WANT.  SOMETIMES IN MORE DISTRACTIONS IT IS HARD TO CONCENTRATE ON BOTH THINGS.  I SOMETIMES WARM UP THE DOG ON RANDOM SITS FIRST UNTIL I GET 3 SETS OF FOUR IN A ROW WITHOUT CORRECTION, BEFORE STARTING MY HEEL WORK. STEP 1 :  Heel with your dog, but be sure that your dog is in good heel position before preparing for the sit command.. STEP 2:    When ready say "sit" as you plant your left foot (while standing you will also close this up with your right foot, but you want to say sit while your dog is in good heel position to catch them as soon as possible---they will later learn to read this body language to create an auto sit)....

   THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PLACE (STEP 1): STEP 1:   Position your place equipment in the middle of the room. STEP 2:  Start walking your dog around the room. STEP 3:   Walk  with your dog over the place area.   When all four paws are in the place, say "place". STEP 4:   Repeat step three from every angle of the place mat or bed (remember dogs can totally interpret something as "just from this direction", so help them to learn to generalize the command by doing this). STEP 5:  After several (15 or so) repeats of this, stop short of the mat, and see if the dog is ready to step on themselves.   SEND TO PLACE (STEP 2): STEP 1:   You still have a leash and collar on your dog.   The place (board, mat, dog bed) item is in the middle of the room so you can walk around it, and use all sides to place your dog (so that they do not generalize). STEP 2:    Now as you a...

  STEP 1:  Place flat leash on the ground. STEP 2:  Step on the leash, but you do not want the leash tight on the dog or puppy.    They should be able to stand if they want, but not get too far away from you.  ***Note unlike sit on the dog we are standing, and also we need to start in a really quiet non distracting area first, whereas on sit on the dog you can get away with being in a much more distracting area. STEP 3:  Wait not only for the puppy to go down, but also, you want their chin to rest on the ground.   Additionally, you want them totally relaxed and not sniffing or still actively seeking to check out their environment. STEP 4:  Time how long it takes to 1st Target behavior (total body relaxed and everything on the ground including their chin) and then how long the puppy or dog remains in target behavior. STEP 5:  Once the puppy or dog lifts their head up or engages in the environment again, wait until the second target b...