Building Enthusiasm and Disc Drive
A week and a half ago, my wife and I brought home a 4 month old Aussie puppy "Sapphire" (now known simply as "Fire")to join our dog pack. It has been very eye opening for me going from working with my disc obsessed 2 1/2 year Aussie "Stanley" to starting from scratch with a puppy. I quickly realized that I needed to observe and adapt my game what motivated Fire rather than wondering why she wasn't doing what Stanley seemed to pick up so effortlessly. So, after 10 days of living with Fire and slowly getting her interested in playing with the disc, here are a few introductory tips:
1. Develop a positive working relationship with your dog that involves good eye contact, trust and a familiarity with the basic commands "This Way" and "Take It". In my opinion, nothing beats clicker training with a calm, patient and positive personal energy for establishing a good working relationship and leadership with your dog.
2. Notice what motivates your dog and use it to your advantage. Stanley was highly play motivated so the disc and playful interaction were his biggest motivators. Fire is very food driven, so the disc is used as her food dish. We have also been spreading either peanut butter or cream cheese on the rim of the disc and giving it to her as a treat when she is crated. This has made her increasingly attentive when we take the disc out for play time.
3. Keep play time short so that you finish playing and still have your dog's attention. This will build anticipation for the next session and expand your dog's drive.
4. Most importantly, set your expectations for play time so that your dog experiences success and feels your happiness when you play. They want to please us, so lets help them by going into our play sessions with the right attitude. Remember to end the game on a successful and positive note.
I'll send out more thoughts in a couple of weeks as my Aussie's and I keep learning from each other. See you all out on the fields.
~Angelo