Pushing and box work tips!

[TandOka]

Oka and i have been pushing for a couple of weeks now. I made a little video of us this morning;
Oka pushing and box work - YouTube

If you spot anything i'm doing wrong/could do better please tell me

I started box work this morning. I'm trying to do it without speaking too much, i wanted to start with /sits/ but for some reason Oka goes straight into a /down/ on my board (haven't made a proper box yet). So i rewarded for that but then got her into a /sit/ and worked from there. It seems bizarrely easy for her - i'm confused she will sit there whilst i run away/around like a nutter and comes to me when i call 'push', she /stays/ well. She /stays/ better in a /down/.

I think this is because it's in my garden and there is minimal destraction - i'm trying hard to work out how to do it in the village park as the area is pretty flat - i can't take a box as i can't drive!! No way i can carry a box for her to the park i guess i'm have to go there with NDt in mind and scope it out.

Anyway wthanks for watching - suggestions apprieciated!

[Chris]

Wow you two look like you are working really working well together. Don't be in to much of a rush to work in the park but once you get there, maybe a park bench or a stump of a tree could work as a box. Keep up the good work.

[TandOka]

Thanks Chris,

The crux of Oka's issue is over friendliness towards other dogs - i think that may be my next step in the garden... using my fosterdog as a 'stooge'.

I don't want to go too fast and mess it all up, but if she starts to think "yeah boring!" then that will be it!

Trying not to second guess myself is tricky, it's going well so i keep thinking i'm doing something wrong!

Your boys are gorgeous!

[Chris]

Totally understand, I don't think you need to worry about her getting bored with NDT or the exercises, just loads of play with exercises thrown in and you can't go wrong. We all second guess ourselves with this, it's very hard learning via a book and the internet and going through that change in how we thought things should be with our dog but as you continue it slowly becomes second nature and you quickly get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Keep on pushing

[TandOka]

Originally Posted by Chris

Totally understand, I don't think you need to worry about her getting bored with NDT or the exercises, just loads of play with exercises thrown in and you can't go wrong. We all second guess ourselves with this, it's very hard learning via a book and the internet and going through that change in how we thought things should be with our dog but as you continue it slowly becomes second nature and you quickly get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Keep on pushing

yes, It is tricky!

I think it fits really well with her personality so that makes it easier. In fact i'm sure she has been trying to tell me this all along and i was just blind to the fact!
The +R training has given her a great base (though what she'd be like now if we'd NDT from the start i'd love to know!) but it was never that obvious when we were out in public.
Now she is visibly improving when we use the energy outlets. This morning getting ready to go out Oka and the Foster were getting really excited. I asked her to "speak", which we've just been doing in the past 2 days, she let out this little "wuff" and she visably calmed down a bit.
My partner walked her past a fence and this dog started barking, he said she whipped her head to him, and jumped at him, then he got a toy out and push-tugged and she went back to walking nicely . NEVER happened before, that would have been 5 minutes of her pulling and jumping or us standing on the lead.

[Sang]

You guys are looking great Tasha! Great energy from Oka. She's really giving you lots of great energy.

I do have a suggestion for you. First thing I would do is get a taller box. Maybe use a stable table? It will get her to invest more energy into getting on the box, as well as staying on the box.

Quick question. Do you have a food pouch you can wear around your waist? If so, I would use that so you don't have to move back and forth to get the food for her. You want everything to be very fluid and organic, so having to go grab food creates an interruption in that flow.

Originally Posted by TandOka

My partner walked her past a fence and this dog started barking, he said she whipped her head to him, and jumped at him, then he got a toy out and push-tugged and she went back to walking nicely . NEVER happened before, that would have been 5 minutes of her pulling and jumping or us standing on the lead.

This is awesome. NDT is pretty cool huh?

[TandOka]

Hi Sang,
Thanks! Its hard to know i'm doing it right when i'm doing it by myself.

I will be making a box that is taller soon - I have a step stool in the house i used for pivots and it think the height of that is much more obvious to her. I've been using that to get her to bark, and it's worked really well; i can see her focusing her energy to stay on the step.

In other training sessions I've been using a plastic bag in my pocket for her food -it's raw mince btw - but it's messy and it drops out and blurgh... i'm going to see if i can find a nail bag or make a training bag. I've got to make some better bite toys anyway!