Raising Ragnar 13th Instalment

30/10-5/11

Training has been a bit sparse also this week as my ribs are still sore.  I did manage some stop whistle training towards the end of the week and some retrieve training but not much else.  No lead work as it is my left side.

6/11

I have been working on teaching Ragnar to sit still while I walk all the way around him.  He was struggling to understand what I wanted so I taught him to sit on a low stool and he can now let me walk around him without moving on the stool.

I included putting out food and then a toy as distractions gradually working up to placing the toy behind him.  He struggled more with the toy than the food.

I have also started a bit of Stop whistle training and have created the reward zone, and moved on to getting him to offer to stand and look or sit and look at me as soon as he eats his treat.  Making good progress, he is coming back to me less frequently now.

I have also been working on heel position next to a wall and also automatic sits after one step forwards.  Also making good progress.

7/11

I did some training at the park today working on sit stay with me walking around Ragnar.  I managed 1/3 circle both ways with no foot movement which is a good improvement.

I also continued the work on sitting still whilst I throw a ball and not going until released.

We did some lead exercises walking away from and towards a ball on the ground.

We finished off with some hunting after some time spent parked and a bit of lead work to the hunting area.  Nice nose down hunting and two good finds.

8-15/11

Over this time we have been working on doing more training on a one to one basis on our morning walks.  I have been mainly concentrating on sit at heel, stay with distractions including me walking all the way around Ragnar so that eventually I can put out a toy behind him and then work to being able to throw a ball over his head to set up retrieve exercises.  I have also been working on walking on the lead and walking off the lead to heel along a fence line to help keep him straight.  I have also managed to do some hunting with him most days when we get out on a one to one basis.

We have also managed some training sessions at the barn where I have started training the stop whistle along with the heel work.

Now my ribs have healed again I have been able to get back to lead walking both dogs, they are doing well on a brace and Ragnar is managing to do some work on a flat collar but some days he can’t cope with that so has to go back to the head collar.  On the whole it is making steady forward progress.

On the walks that we do together I am trying to work on more training that is working towards being able to train both dogs when we are all out together.  I have mainly been working on stays with distractions and yesterday I did a bit with having one dog waiting and the other one working on heelwork with me.  I was able to leave Erik in a stay whilst working Ragnar on the lead about 10 paces out and back then rewarded Erik for staying and repeated.  Then I swapped and tied Ragnar to the fence and did some off lead heelwork with Erik, again not too far away and rewarded Ragnar as we came back to him.  This was a success, no noise from either dog when they were waiting and reasonable heelwork from both when they are working.

I am also doing some more one to one training with them at home.  Ragnar goes in his crate when it is not his turn and Erik goes on his raised bed when he is not working.  I am progressing with Ragnar’s clicker retrieve and working on Erik’s physio exercises and teaching him to sit and hold a dog lead in his mouth whilst I back away from him.  I need this for a photo shoot that is coming up.  On the whole they manage to observe without commenting and are happy to work with me even though the other dog is in the room.

Photo by Farlap Photography