just a random life check-in

[deza]

There've been construction folks here this week. They altered the ramp for the side door so it's actually usable now and raised the level of the front porch to be even with the ramp there, so I can start doing fun things like turning around and closing the door.

Tomorrow they'll be working in my bathroom, replacing the dual-sink vanity with two pedestal sinks. I'll miss the counter space, but honestly? Trying to brush your teeth while seated and twisting sideways is Not Fun. Pedestal sinks will make that aspect of my life a little better. I don't use my chair as much as I should because the little things like that are such a pain.

While the guys are tromping through my bedroom to get to the bath, though, I think Guinness and I will go explore base some more. Now that we've made it past the bridge hurdle, I'm more confidant about getting to the store and whatnot. We don't have any money to spend--Andrew's latest conferene wiped us out until he gets reimbursed--but I'd like to go to the garden center and figure out what might stand a chance in a container garden, provided I can keep the deer away.

The kids are loving the new school. Walking there and back everyday, spending a few hours at the playground on the way home is doing both of them a world of good. I love that we live in an area where it's safe to let the kids just be kids! Rowan already has a boyfriend *sigh* but I guess that's just how it goes with that age. Right now I'm just going to keep being thrilled they're both spending more time outside playing than inside hooked up to video games.

I am having one serious problem with Guinness' training right now. He's so desperate to play with other dogs that he forgets he's working! Sadly the dog park is so hidden it's never used, so he can't get the urge out there. I think getting him a canine companion would settle the problem nicely; it would also give me a chance to get a dog who's happy with picking things up for me. Guinness loathes retrieving anything; it's just not in his nature. I really need help in that area though. It drives me bonkers to see random junk on the floor--dirty socks, crumpled paper, pop-tart wrappers--and I can't pick it up without a hell of a lot of pain. I've asked the kids to help, but the only way to get them to do ANY housework consistently involves the use of cattle prods. It's like they don't even see the mess. I don't like asking Andrew to pick up because I know he's working hard all day, and if I can get manual labor out of him I'd much prefer it to be bringing boxes in from the garage so we can unpack. And yes, I could use a grabber for the small things, but not the bigger stuff. A grabber also wouldn't have the psychological benefit for Guinness, either. Never say I'm not concerned with my dog's happiness.

I'm really upset about the situation with Jack the cat. The friend keeping him has been beyond patient. I'd like to get him home ASAP (so would Kyle; he asks when we're getting the cat back regularly), but Andrew's schedule has been so crazy he just hasn't had time to drive back to Atlanta to pick the cat up. I'm medicly (sp?) prohibited from driving, and even if I weren't I've no idea how to drive Andrew's stick shift car anyway. If anyone happens to be travelling from Atlanta to coastal NC and wouldn't mind a furry stowaway, please let me know! I'll find some way to help offset gas costs if it means getting the kitty home.

And that's all the news it's not fit to print. :)

Comments

[datista.livejournal.com]

Do you clicker train or use traditional methods? I can probably give you good ideas on how to train a retrieve with either method that will result in a reliable retrieve.

[deza.livejournal.com]

That's just it--he knows how to do it. He just hates it with a passion, even with treats involved!

[datista.livejournal.com]

Okay, how did you teach it? What part does he hate? Do treats usually motivate him most, or is there something he would work for more?

(dog training is a passion of mine)

[deza.livejournal.com]

He's definitely a treats-motivated dog. As far as I can tell, he doesn't like picking up random items, frequently will pick up an item only to drop it immediately, and once he has an item he'd much rather play "chase around the house" than obey the "give" command.

It's not just me, either. He spent a few weeks with a professional trainer while we were homeless, and they couldn't get him to fetch either.

[datista.livejournal.com]

I hope I'm not repeating what you've already heard. I find that a lot of people, even professional trainers, come at the retrieve in a manner I, as a bird dog trainer, would consider backwards. I don't teach dogs to chase after a toy, I don't click for going out to target an item, I start with "take" and we do "take" on many things before they ever pick things off the ground. It stops the "can't catch me" because you don't let go off the item for several weeks/months depending on the dog, and you're always praising for releasing the item as much or more as their taking the item.

One professional I know with Rottweilers withheld food for five days (always willing to use kibble as a reward for retrieving, dog would not retrieve) before her dog finally stopped resisting taking random items. Not saying you should take it that far, just mentioning it because you're not the only one hitting a wall on ways to motivate a dog that isn't naturally a motivated retriever.

With Duncan, I started with a wooden dowel, and rolled it into his mouth while saying "take". Didn't wait for him to open his mouth, just opened his mouth, rolled it in, then praised and fussed over him (praise driven dog). He wasn't sure what to make of it at first. We did 20 reps, three times a day, for a week. By the end of the week, he was happy to see the dowel because it meant happy fun time. Then I started putting it just in front of his mouth and waited, and when he reached for it (eventually, out of boredom) threw a party. Slowly, adding an inch every few days, I increased the reach. Once he was doing a foot long reach, I started adding in other items. Metal, leather, cloth, plastic, anything I could think of, one at a time, back at the "roll it into his mouth and reward" step. Things progressed quicker with each new category, and I was still extending the reach on the dowel until I could chuck it as far as I could and he'd race out and get it.

If you've already started with this end of things and he's still not bringing things back to hand for the "give" after thousands of reps (yes, over the weeks, it adds up), you might do a two-equal-toy method: You've always got what he's got, so once he has #1, you shake #2 so it's better, and he only gets #2 when he brings #1 close. Then you swap and make a fuss out of the "new" #1 you've got, which is now the Best Toy.

I've seen a lot of bird dogs, of all sorts of natural retrieving drive, go through a lot of different types of training, and I think most dogs can be taught to retrieve, if you break the steps down small enough. Too many people think of it as two parts- go get it, bring it back- when there's all sorts of steps in between (hence asking what part Guinness didn't like). Some dogs don't like picking it up off the floor, so you do a lot of jackpot work on that. Some don't like giving it up (which seems to be his issue), but that's a matter of going back to the take-hold-give where your hand is always also on the item (or you've got fishing line tied to it) so they can't do the "I'm IT, come get me!" game.

And if I'm being an overbearing bore on this or any other subject, tell me. I'm trying to be helpful, but sometimes my attempts at "helpful" end up being "rude steamroller". What I lack in social graces, I tend to make up for in knowledge.

[these-3-remain.livejournal.com]

I think getting a playmate for Guinness is a great idea! And man, you must be missing your kitty big time :-( I know I would.

[deza.livejournal.com]

I do. He's a very sweet little cat. I was afraid when we handed him over to an Atlanta friend that something like this would happen. Back then, I could still drive so I thought it would just be a matter of leaving the kids to take care of Andrew for a day or two and going to get him myself. If I'd known I wouldn't be allowed to drive, I'd have made different arrangements.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

*supportive hug*, thoughts and prayers.

I wish I had more.

[deza.livejournal.com]

Sometimes those are great. *hugs*

[supremegoddess1.livejournal.com]

where are you guys again? lejume?

[deza.livejournal.com]

Yep, we're one of the token Navy families in Marineland. ;)