Training adventures at Hazel Run

[growler~GateKeeper]

Awesome job Pack Looks like everyone is liking the clicker

Macie she looks so very proud of herself in those pics

What a clever little girl Grace is showing her sit pretty

[hazelrunpack]

Grace is a little ham!

She was raised in a house with kids. They evidently dressed her up a lot (she loves her winter sweater), took her for leash walks, and taught her tricks. I can't fathom how anyone could give up a dog that was so much a part of their family. I hope the kids are tormenting their Dad for getting rid of her!

Makes me sad sometimes to think how terrible she must have felt to be sent away.

[growler~GateKeeper]

I remember her story & the pic you posted w/the pink sweater She would be the purrfect little house companion for anyone including a family w/kids why would anyone give her up She doesn't need to remember those days anymore

[Goldfields]

Your dogs are divine, Hazel. Smart too obviously. What is it with some dads that they are so insensitive to their children's feelings? Not only did my husband's father sell the little dog he had as a child, he actually made him take it down to put it on the train to go to its new owner. Hubby dawdled until he missed the train, but his father made him do it the next day. Cruel I reckon and it left a lifelong scar.
Hard on the dogs of course, and so sad for us to watch an unhappy dog.

I'll be interested in how you go with the clicker training. My sister uses it to teach new exercises to pups but doesn't in her pack situation.

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by growler

She doesn't need to remember those days anymore

I really, really hope she doesn't! Or at least I hope she doesn't ever wish she could go back there.

Originally Posted by Goldfields

I'll be interested in how you go with the clicker training. My sister uses it to teach new exercises to pups but doesn't in her pack situation.

So far I haven't done it with the Pack as a whole, just individuals. We'll see if it can translate to the group situation. I know Cole will be able to work with others. He'll be watching me work with a different dog and I see him out of the corner of my eye, demonstrating every command I give the one I'm working with

The rest of them will be more of a challenge

[edwina]

Such well behaved puppers. They do there training well.

[hazelrunpack]

Thanks, edwina. They're very well behaved in the presence of treats Otherwise, they have a bit of the in them!

[Dee-O-Gee]

Ms. Macie looks so confident shaking her paw. What an

How goes the clicker training? I need to learn more about this. Do you utilize treats with the training or are there certain patterns involved with the clicker and praise? It looks interesting.

[hazelrunpack]

It's not that complicated. First you get them to associate the sound of the clicker with a reward. Then you mark the behavior you want with the clicker. When they hear the click, they know they've done the right behavior and will be rewarded. You can then associate a verbal command with the behavior. Most of ours work for treats--Cass works for Kong tosses.

There's lots of stuff online and in the library about it You should check into it! The dogs love it!

[Dee-O-Gee]

I'm very intrigued by the clicker and will read up on it further. Thanks Hazel and LP!

[Tundra_Queen]

hazel I am so happy for Macie! That is great,,it brought tears to my eyes as I remember u telling me about her and how unsure she was of herself. Give her a big hug from me!

I remember reading something in my cat mag about how to clicker train cats..but the concept is still strange to me.

Maybe I should try it on Tegan cause the poor girl is not the sharpest pencil in the box at times!

[Goldfields]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

So far I haven't done it with the Pack as a whole, just individuals. We'll see if it can translate to the group situation. I know Cole will be able to work with others. He'll be watching me work with a different dog and I see him out of the corner of my eye, demonstrating every command I give the one I'm working with

The rest of them will be more of a challenge

My favorite cattle dog from the past, Shady, a conformation Champion, was a granddaughter of the first ACD here to gain the Australian Obedience Ch. title. I did not train her at all for anything but show work, however I had a very hyper bitch named Sweetie that had to be trained just so I could live with her. Well, I was doing retrieves over the jump in my back yard with Sweetie while Shady watched from her yard, and blow me down if , the next time Shady came into the house yard, she didn't go over the jump and back just to show what she'd learnt from a distance. Bravo Shady!! She also surprised me with some perfect drops outside the dog yard, where I had told Sweetie to drop, seeing how she'd perform with distractions. Shady would have been happier I feel following in her grandmother's footsteps. As you can imagine, Cole's behaviour made me laugh, obviously just like my Shady. Sort of, he'd been trained, she hadn't, but both sooo willing to please. You've got to love them for it.
My sister does most of her training with food and between her dogs there are something like 25 or 30 obedience titles now and any she has tracked seriously are Tracking Ch's, except for those she got through before the title was created here. Shady's AOC grandmother was also trained with food and she'd had two litters and gained that top title by 5 years of age. Greedy things, dogs, aren't they?

[hazelrunpack]

It's amazing how much they learn from each other! And how much of the overachiever they can become under the right stimului

Brier was a lot like Shady, too. Came from a situation of neglect, though, so no training at all. The first day we had him, we did a full groom--teeth, ears, nails, fur. Started out with Cole and ran through the others with Brier watching till the end. When it came to be Brier's turn, darned if he didn't let me do everything without a struggle or a whimper--even lifted his feet one-by-one like the others had done to let me trim his nails!

He didn't learn that from me, he learned it from his new Pack.

[ownedbycats]

Hmmm, maybe I could send Sunshine down for a visit so she can watch and learn from the Pack, and bring home a nice, calm dog.....then again, maybe Hazel would refuse to return her once she settled down, never mind.

[hazelrunpack]

I can guarantee to send home a tired dog...but a nice, calm dog?...well that's another story! We don't have a lot of calm here But thanks for the benefit of the doubt, ownedbycats!

Sunshine would definitely have fun at Camp Hazel Run, though!

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Most of ours work for treats--Cass works for Kong tosses.

ahhhh Cass I can afford , she should come here then !

[hazelrunpack]

How are your rotator cuffs? My shoulders are shot from all the Kong tossing.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

How are your rotator cuffs? My shoulders are shot from all the Kong tossing.

as long as she takes it back to me , I will be ok. The tossing isn't what gets me tired , it's the "mom I'm tired of retrieving , go get the Cuz yourself "

[hazelrunpack]

Oh, yes! A match made in heaven!!! She's our ace retriever.

[Goldfields]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Hmmm, maybe I could send Sunshine down for a visit so she can watch and learn from the Pack, and bring home a nice, calm dog.....then again, maybe Hazel would refuse to return her once she settled down, never mind.

Wish it did work with every dog. Bo watches every dog calmly allow me to scale its teeth, then he fights me every inch of the way when I try to do his.

Hazel, is Brier another English Setter? If so they must be a lot more intelligent than I thought they were. That is quite amazing that he co-operated so well. Brier is a good name for that sort of dog btw.

The obedience line Shady came from were wonderful. I owned her mother, Snoopy as well. Her mother an Obedience Ch, her grandmother got CD, CDX and 1 pass towards UD in 7 straight trials, (then unfortunately died of a ruptured diaphragm after chasing pigs), and her great granddam was CDX with very heart-hearted training. Anyway, I read where Snoopy's mum would be taken camping with John to guard his gear and that if anyone had to go walkabouts at night, she wouldn't let them back into camp. So, I thought I would see how good a guard Snoopy was. I think she was 10 months old. I put my handbag on the floor, told her to drop, put her paw on it and told her to look after it. She would NOT let my husband take it off her. I just love smart dogs. (Cuddles, sadly, is as thick as a plank.)

[hazelrunpack]

Yep, another ES. It's amazing how individual they are, though--ours run the gamut from brilliant to introverted to dim bulb. But we love them all.

[Frenchy]

Goldfields , I meant to ask .... I have a Kelpie (foster failure , I adopted her after one month ) And before I fostered her , I had never heard of that breed , actually , no one that I know , ever heard of that breed. Every time I tell people I have a Kelpie , they go : We don't have too many in Canada , and even less in Quebec ... do you know of many where you live ? Is this a rare breed or typical for Australia ?

sorry for the off topic Hazel

[hazelrunpack]

Hey, no problem, Frenchy Not much more to say on the original topic, anyway! So digress away...

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Not much more to say on the original topic, anyway!

soooo not true Hazel ! You have 8 of them so you can talk about them X8 times !!!

same goes for pics

[hazelrunpack]

Hence the 33,000+ posts?

[Goldfields]

Frenchy, you are talking to someone who lives in " Kelpie country". Farmers here won't use Border Collies because of the problem with grass seeds in their coats, so Kelpies are the working dog of choice for sheep. Everyone has them. I jokingly call it Kelpie country because not many people have my breed, the Australian Cattle Dog. Kelpies are charming. You can walk into any farm here and know a Kelpie will want to love you to death, but you don't get out of the car if there is a cattle dog and no owner in sight.

Here's what our Canine Council has to say about them.
About Australian Kelpie

Background
The Kelpie came into being last century because Australian sheep men needed a special type of dog that could work sheep on the vast outback properties, under variable and harsh conditions. This was a result of the various breeds of sheepdogs from Europe and the UK having proven too heavily coated to cope with the severe Australian climate and geography. This wonderful breed came from two black and tan short-coated prick eared Collies imported in the 1860s.

Other breeds also contributed to the evolution of the Kelpie, with some experts believing that there have been crosses to the Dingo. From these humble beginnings, the Australian Kelpie developed to the stage where it has now been exported to Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, USA, South America, South Africa, New Zealand, Germany and the Netherlands. These dogs have been successfully used to manage a variety of stock, including reindeer, goats, cattle and, of course, sheep. Kelpies in Sweden have gained police dog titles and pulled sleds.

Average Lifespan
When considering a dog, please realise that you are taking it on for its lifetime. Australian Kelpies live from between 12 to 16 years of age.

Breed Personality/Characteristics/Temperament
Kelpies have excelled in the areas of obedience, agility and tracking. They have participated in pet therapy programs and have even been utilised as fully trained Guide Dogs. The finest characteristic of the Kelpie, however, is its irresistible personality. The breed is extremely alert, eager and highly intelligent, with a mild, tractable disposition. The dogs show marked loyalty and real devotion to duty. Although bred primarily for working sheep, the purebred Australian Kelpie has proven itself to be a very adaptable and versatile dog.

Compatibility with other pets
Excellent.

Care Requirements
As a companion animal, the Kelpie has few equals. Loving, gentle and kind, its greatest joy is being on the receiving end of its owners tender loving care, while its greatest disappointment is inactivity and lack of attention. Obedience provides a great way of getting to know and share the needs of this highly intelligent breed of dog. The Kelpie is free from most inherited diseases and is a relatively low maintenance dog to care for. The breed is quickly house-trained and is an easy dog to feed - eating almost anything it is given.

The Kelpie needs about the same amount of exercise as other healthy young dogs. This can mean freedom to run in a very big yard or regular long walks. A smaller yard would obviously necessitate more frequent walks.

The Kelpie coat is relatively short and needs little maintenance. It is a double coat with a dense undercoat that will require additional combing when moulting. An occasional bath is also desirable.

Please Take Note
If you are thinking of buying a Kelpie pup, make sure that you are prepared to commit to the amount of time and degree of attention it deserves, as this breed will want to be your constant companion. Remember that the cheapest purchase often ends up being the most expensive in the long run, so be prepared to pay a fair price for your puppy. Take time to learn about the breed, in particular its care and training requirements. It is important to ensure that your yard is fully fenced.

Ideal Owner/s
Contrary to uninformed opinion, this breed adapts well to being a family pet, jogging companion, childrens mate and guardian. It craves companionship, making it among the most social of breeds.

[Goldfields]

Australian Kelpie
Group: Group 5 (Working Dogs)
History:
General Appearance: The general appearance shall be that of a lithe, active dog of great quality, showing hard muscular condition combined with great suppleness of limb and conveying the capability of untiring work. It must be free from any suggestion of weediness.
Characteristics: The Kelpie is extremely alert, eager and highly intelligent, with a mild, tractable disposition and an almost inexhaustible energy, with marked loyalty and devotion to duty. It has a natural instinct and aptitude in the working of sheep, both in open country and in the yard. Any defect of structure or temperament foreign to a working dog must be regarded as uncharacteristic.
Temperament: (See under characteristics)
Head And Skull: The head is in proportion to the size of the dog, the skull slightly rounded, and broad between the ears. The forehead running in a straight profile towards a pronounced stop. The cheeks are neither coarse nor prominent, but round to the foreface, which is cleanly chiselled and defined. The muzzle, preferably slightly shorter in length than the skull. Lips tight and clean and free from looseness. The nose colouring conforms to that of the body coat. The overall shape and contours produce a rather fox-like expression, which is softened by the almond-shaped eyes.
Eyes: The eyes are almond shaped, of medium size, clearly defined at the corners, and show an intelligent and eager expression. The colour of the eyes to be brown, harmonising with the colour of the coat. In the case of blue dogs a lighter coloured eye is permissible.
Ears: The ears are pricked and running to a fine point at the tips, the leather fine but strong at the base, set wide apart on the skull and inclining outwards, slightly curved on the outer edge and of moderate size. The inside of the ears is well furnished with hair.
Mouth: The teeth should be sound, strong and evenly spaced, the lower incisors just behind but touching the upper, that is a scissor bite.
Neck: The neck is of moderate length, strong, slightly arched, gradually moulding into the shoulders, free from throatiness and showing a fair amount of ruff.
Forequarters: The shoulders should be clean, muscular, well sloping with the shoulder blades close set at the withers. The upper arm should be at a right angle with the shoulder blade. Elbows neither in nor out. The forelegs should be muscular with strong but refined bone, straight and parallel when viewed from the front. When viewed from the side, the pasterns should show a slight slope to ensure flexibility of movement and the ability to turn quickly.
Body: The ribs are well sprung and the chest must be deep rather than wide, with a firm level topline, strong and well-muscled loins and good depth of flank. The length of the dog from the forechest in a straight line to the buttocks, is greater than the height at the withers as 10 is to 9.
Hindquarters: The hindquarters should show breadth and strength, with the croup rather long and sloping, the stifles well turned and the hocks fairly well let down. When viewed from behind, the hind legs, from the hocks to the feet, are straight and placed parallel, neither close nor too wide apart.
Feet: The feet should be round, strong, deep in pads, with close knit, well arched toes and strong short nails.
Tail: The tail during rest should hang in a very slight curve. During movement or excitement it may be raised, but under no circumstances should the tail be carried past a vertical line drawn through the root. It should be furnished with a good brush. Set on position to blend with sloping croup, and it should reach approximately to the hock.
Gait/Movement: To produce the almost limitless stamina demanded of a working sheepdog in wide open spaces the Kelpie must be perfectly sound, both in construction and movement. Any tendency to cow hocks, bow hocks, stiltiness, loose shoulders or restricted movement weaving or plaiting is a serious fault. Movement should be free and tireless and the dog must have the ability to turn suddenly at speed. When trotting the feet tend to come closer together at ground level as speed increases but when the dog comes to rest it stands four square.
Coat: The coat is a double coat with a short dense undercoat. The outercoat is close, each hair straight, hard, and lying flat, so that it is rain-resisting. Under the body, to behind the legs, the coat is longer and forms near the thigh a mild form of breeching. On the head (including the inside of the ears), to the front of the legs and feet, the hair is short. Along the neck it is longer and thicker forming a ruff. The tail should be furnished with a good brush. A coat either too long or too short is a fault. As an average, the hairs on the body should be from 2 to 3 cms (approx. 0.75 - 1.25 ins) in length.
Colour: Black, black and tan, red, red and tan, fawn, chocolate, and smoke blue.
Sizes: Height: Dogs 46-51 cms (approx. 18-20 ins) at withers
Bitches 43-48 cms (approx. 17-19 ins) at withers
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Notes: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

[Frenchy]

thanks so much Goldfields , I've read about them , as soon as I find out I was about to foster her. I always wondered if she was a good example of the breed , since her and her sister were kept in a barn for the first 2 years of their life , then got poisoned , the sister died and Sienna was left at the shelter for a month , she was up for euthanasia but a rescue picked her up got her spayed and gave her to me for fostering.

she was very emaciated and scared when I got her (was never socialized) but I fell in love with her. Like everyone that meets her. People don't know the breed here so ... people who would apply for her , didn't know what they were getting into (some lived in appartements , in the city etc ... I knew she couldn't be place in those family)

she's everything that the breed is .... loving , hyper , eager to work and to learn etc .... since she's here , my great dane stopped having separation anxiety but now Sienna does have it a bit She can do ANYTHING to any dogs here , they all let her do as she please !! I love her to bits

[Goldfields]

So you fostered her? Do you think you will keep her? The poor girl is so lucky to be alive after that terrible start, she really deserves a permanent home with someone kind like yourself.

[Tundra_Queen]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

How are your rotator cuffs? My shoulders are shot from all the Kong tossing.

I think u need to invent a Kong soccerball that u can kick!