Why do you behave like that, Cinnamon? That's a question I repeated in my mind during the agility class yesterday.
From the beginning, she barked excessively and missed simple jumps. It seemed like she didn't find any interest in the practice. In the end, the instructor told me to keep her on leash, because she took off every time I let her off. She had never been like that.
When Cinnamon started to sniff the ground, ignoring my commands, the instructor asked me if I had fed her before the class. My answer was "Yes". I had always done so, knowing I shouldn't, because I didn't have too much trouble getting Cinnamon's attention even after dinner, with help of food reward. I was also told that I relied too much on food to get her attention.
Because of this experience, I have lost confidence in controlling Cinnamon. My husband says "Cinnamon is not a naughty girl at all. She is a dog after all. There are bad times". What a considerate word that is! But, what I need now is find a way to bring Cinnamon back under reasonable control...
This is how Cinnamon did agility at the last session of the beginners class.
This is how she behaved yesterday.
By the way, the whining voice you can hear in the background is Cookie's. He is a whiner. He often whines like this when he is left behind but still able to see me.
Oh dear....is she going through a "teenage" phase maybe? Sounds like you need encouragement not criticism :o) We don't do agility so I can't advise but I do follow a few Agility Beagle blogs....can send you the links if you'd like, you could swap tips! One is in South Africa, one in Finland and one in Slovenia, they are all in my Beagle Buddies list in my sidebar :D
ReplyDeleteAlfie is not so much a whiner as a barker, if we're at a show and i'm in the ring with another dog he sits in his crate and shouts at me as loud as he can....even if his crate's covered....spoiled brat! Good luck with the agi!
Slobbers xx
Oh what a shame! But I think every dog has good days and bad days...I have some days when I am so bad, my human wants to cry!! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy human says that maybe it is a good idea not to feed Cinnamon before your agility class, just to keep her more focused on you. The problem is that the other dogs are more exciting for her than you are - (especially if she is not very hungry!) so you need to work on her learning to focus on you, even where there are other distractions (like other dogs!) around. This is easier to say than to do! But having a hungry dog helps. Also - maybe you can practise some basic obedience exercises when you first arrive (eg. Sit, Heel, Down, Stay) before you start the course - so she is in a "working frame of mind" - and also so she has time to practise keeping her attention on you with other dogs there. You can do this with her leash on, so that she doesn't have a chance to run away. Then maybe when you take the leash off and do the agility, she will be more likely to listen to you.
Don't feel bad about other people criticising you - it is so easy to criticise when you have an "easy" breed - they don't know how much more effort it takes to train us!! My human also gets a lot of people saying nasty things to her - it makes her so angry sometimes because they all have collies and German Shepherds and other working breeds and they don't understand what it is like to work with a "difficult" breed. She says it is like going up a mountain in a 4x4 and laughing at somebody who is trying to go up the mountain on a bicycle!!!
I think you are amazing to be trying to do things with your Beagles so don't give up! Even if you don't do it perfectly - at least you are spending time with your dog! DOn't let other stupid, narrow-minded people hurt you - just keep on trying and enjoying your dog as much as you can!
Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane
Don't take it too seriously. That was what my first beagle thought me on agility and life. He is still alive and we compete in A3/J3 and our coal is to compete in national championships this year.
ReplyDeleteIn young days of Lenni's agility trainings if I was boring or just made the same thing too many times he protested by leaving the field.
Have you tryed starts without putting her to sit? Or just teasing her by pushing her around?
Leaving the food before trainings is one good tip. And what do you have as treat? Best treats for us are rosted chiken, meatballs and sausage. It needs to be strong smelling that it is more intersting than ground.
And for warning beagles know how to pull your nose by trick snif -> get treat, snif -> get treat so it is easier to get treat by sniffing not working.
These are the things I can think of.
Taru behind the leash of three agility beagles
P.s Honey we train with three Great Danes, great dogs
Wow....lots of great advice and some new friends! Another blog you might like is Jazz and Dixie, two beautiful Beagle girls living in Tokyo, they have a lovely blog and I think they dabble in a bit of agility too. (don't know if they compete though)
ReplyDeleteOh, and you're welcome back to ours for some light relief and silliness anytime ;o)
Slobbers, new buds xx
Dughallmor Beagles, Honey, and TWa76, thank you so much!! It's great to have new friends who I can learn a lot from. You are my stars!!
ReplyDeleteI will first avoid giving Cinnamon dinner before the agility class, and then do some simple obedience exercises with her once we arrive there.
I have never tried starting without her in the Sit position. It sounds worth trying to tease her by pushing her around before starts. I will try that too.
I use cheese as treat. I used to use dried treats available from the pet section of supermarkets. Then, a man at the agility class suggested using something that has stronger smell like sausages, but I don't usually buy sausages, so I chose cheese.
Also, thank you for telling me about your friend who lives in Tokyo with beagles. I will visit her/his blog later.
Love,
Cinnamon's mum