I loved it! So I’m uploading another dogfrisbee training here – the description won’t be as detailed because I don’t feel the need. The video is longer, and aside from the fact that I need to start setting a timer for these workouts, I’m thrilled. We did really well! But for the sake of balance, I’m also throwing in the second session of this workout, which is one big mess and pointless. Let me explain!
A quick introduction – in a previous post, I described exactly how to read/watch these workout logs of mine, so I’ll just drop a link here, and I encourage you to check it out. ?
As last time, you can open the video in a separate window via YouTube. Below is the link to the video.
There won’t be a video in the content this time because something isn’t working. The audio is stubbornly desynchronizing with the video. Hopefully, YT will be enough!
Let’s start!
In the beginning, a few turns and slalom between my legs, almost a ritual already. I disappear from the frame – this will also be a tradition in a moment. I am telling you – it is not an easy thing to think about the width of a phone lens while training with a dog.
Some gentle floaters, a lot of rewarding – I have coded it in my head after previous training that the dog should be paid for this not always easy job. Bet lets go beautifully, cooperates, responds to my commands. He does all of it: both dropping from a distance („next”) and releasing the disc into my hand („puść”).
After a long tug (0:50), he stutters slightly. I ask Bet to let go of the disc, which I am holding in my hand, i.e. de facto return it to me. He chews the disk, thinks, and finally spits it out. As a reward, an immediate floater, but something doesn’t go right, and Bet doesn’t catch the disc (I wouldn’t catch a wobbly one either).
1:00
Rewarded with tugging, he is left alone for a moment. I let him win the disk, and I go for another one, abandoned somewhere on the way. I say „next”, and that’s a beautiful situation – he lets go immediately! He deserves a round of applause because earlier, he played with me with this disk for at least 20 seconds, I left him alone with this disc too, and still, he agreed to spit it out. He was rewarded with a tug and a throw. He’s back, and there’s more tugging – I tell you, it was all tugging and rewarding a brave dog.
After a while, I let Beethoven win again, and I reach for the disk on the ground. Bet, excited, jumped to this disc but didn’t try to pick it up. And believe me, he can easily fit two or three in his jaws ? And here’s where it gets interesting – I say „next”, and he dutifully lets go of the first one. But quickly after that, he rapturously threw himself at the second disk, so I took the disk to myself, and when he turned around, only a „catch” was made. I want to get to that over time. That „next” is a cue for being prepared for the second disk, not necessarily snatch it out of my hand.
I need to figure out what the exact criteria is. So that I don’t mess with the dog’s head ?
Later, tugging again, next throws – I said, there are lots of rewarding here!
2:00
The throw, then returning, releasing to hand, dropping off the disc to exchange, it all goes smoothly and enjoyably. I am proud of us! Bet cooperated beautifully, and I was thinking and rewarding. I am really delighted!
In the video at 2:34, something interesting happens again – Beethoven enthusiastically came back to me with the disc, and I wanted to go straight to the other disc – so I said „next”. Bet was in such a hurry that he stopped less than a meter away from me, but he still let go, even if he had to spit the disc out to grab the other one. These are not simple things! I must have noticed this because then there was playing again. Then it goes all over again, the throws, the letting go, everything works fluently, and we both enjoy this so much!
3:00
Well, this throw was outstandingly messy – Bet had no chance to catch up with it. But he bravely came back wagging his tail, played with me and continued working beautifully. I introduced a bit of variety – I tugged with him, let him win, then I asked him to turn with the disc in his mouth, to go between his legs. He handled it beautifully, so we played that way for a while.
Around 3:30, I ask Bet to let go of the disk in his hand, and he glitches a bit. He has a point in that – this session has been for over three minutes, he may be tired. I reward any even subtle loosening of his grip, and once he lets go, he gets a toss and a tugging. As if that’s not enough of a signal that Beth is getting tired, he shuts down after a while – meaning he’s moving away from me with the drive. I notice this, but still, I encourage him to come back to me. Then I play with him for a while, and I end the session.
Wasn’t that great?
A messed up training that I promised to mention
Well, as my brain started to fail after such a successful session, I came up with the idea of another session (that is 4 minutes, then a break of a few minutes, and again working with the dog). Only I didn’t take the dog’s fatigue into account, and for a few minutes, I’m recorded as not realizing that Bet is tired and that he doesn’t want to work at all. Fortunately, I don’t do any silly things (like getting angry at him). Nevertheless, this session was definitely a waste of effort because from the very beginning, Bet didn’t want any activity anymore. When I disappear from the frame, I go to Bet lying on the grass with a disc. He doesn’t want to go anywhere. You can hear my vigorous encouragement.
Don’t do this at home, don’t repeat my mistakes, look at your dog. Well, but at least (I hope) I will never do that again!
I’m attaching the video below, also on YT. WordPress isn’t cooperating today – or rather my laptop. Well, I’ve captioned the video significantly. I hope no one tries to do what I have done.
Well, that’s all. Feel free to share, learn, comment or text me. If I were to do this for me only, I would just rewatch these videos over and over again. but this way, you can benefit as well!