July 14 training

Today Olive worked on many things !
1. Teaching "To the boat"
    This is another exercise the target training helps.  Since she knows she is supposed to go where I  point, I started sending her to a row boat on beach.  She got distracted with smell on ground once, but did really well.  We first practiced without the line.
To the boat without line-on land
    Going to the boat without line was my today's goal, but I decided to use the line, too since she was doing well.
To the boat with line-on land

2. Teaching "Go out to a person" without line
    She is a very social dog, so I do not worry about her going out to people.  I think I need to work on calling her back to me more than sending her out.  But here is how I start in water (she goes to people on land no problem).  First parallel to shore.  I suggest to start much closer than I did with Olive.
To a person

3. Teaching "Swim out" with line
    This is something you can work without any other person.  Some dogs are reluctant to start swimming out when they need to hold something in their mouths.  That is why I practice only "start swimming" with line in mouth.  This will help her to bring the line to a person/a boat.
Swim out with line1

4. Teaching "Go out to a person" with line
    This was after #3 practice.  I put the line in Olive's mouth at the first try.  Then I drop the line in front of her for the second try, so she needs to pick it up, then starts swimming to the person.  I drop the line a little bit away from her and pointed to pick it up for the third try.  In this way, she learns she is "bringing" the line to the person, not just going to the person.
Swim out with line 2

In the end, she jumped off the boat a few times.  She was not comfortable getting on the boat (no way jumping off !) last month, so we are making a huge progress !!!


   

Swim with handler (a junior exercise)

    Swim with handler is the last exercise for NCA water test junior devision.  I think this is a good way to show a handler and a dog can work together.  I have not had any problem with this exercise.  I just train my dog to swim next to me in calm manner just like teaching to heel next to me.  At tests, some people dash out to go in front of their dogs, so their dogs cannot scratch or be on top of them.  I don't understand why they do that...as a working dog handler, I  want to see that dogs can work with their handlers without any harm to each other.
    I train my dog to swim next to me as soon as I introduce him to swimming.  I start from walking in water next to him just like heeling (walk parallel to shore).  He is on leash.  He learns to walk nicely next to me in water first.  Then I take him to his swimming depth (I still walk), still parallel to shore.  Since I am still walking, I have better control of his body in case he starts crowding, climbing up on me, or moving away from me.  If he bumps into me, I can gently push him away and guide with my left hand splashing water in front of him (if I use my right hand, he will probably come in front of me).  The key is I'm walking next to him to have good control.  Since it's likely I don't get scratched (or gets less scratched) when he is under my control, I can stay calm, too.  If I get frustrated or need to fight with my dog to gain control, it does not help my dog to learn.