Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Treadmill exercise for senior dog, part 2
I feel elated.
On our second dog training session Tete got on the treadmill on her own, just by the lure, with more confidence. We are more than halfway there.
Here is the brief story: Tete is a 6-year-old shepherd mix female dog that has been gaining weight since the family moved from California to Arizona; because of the heat and their busy life, they can't keep up with their habitual daily walks outside and asked me to teach Tete to walk on the treadmill so she can get more exercise and keep a normal weight.
On our first session I noticed that she was not only uncomfortable getting close to the treadmill while it is turned off, but the sound of her nails scraping on the mat unnerves her. We worked on giving her more confidence and she kinda sorta did, she could walk on the treadmill sideways, putting her back legs out of the machine and her two front legs walking for a couple of seconds.
Today I sat on the end of the treadmill with hot dogs and asked her to get on, "súbete" in Spanish, without touching or pushing her in any way so she could get on on her own time. She did, so I flooded her with rewards to create a powerful pleasant experience with this exercise on the machine.
Eventually she got so tired that sometimes couldn't lift her back legs to get on the treadmill, so I gave her a break and after 10 minutes, tried it one more time for success and rewarded her.
She still has some way to go, but it's a big advance, since we are working not on a trick (get on the treadmill) but on her confidence, losing fear, assessing her independence.
She is smart. She will get there.
This is a follow-up to "Treadmill exercise for senior dog".
On our second dog training session Tete got on the treadmill on her own, just by the lure, with more confidence. We are more than halfway there.
Here is the brief story: Tete is a 6-year-old shepherd mix female dog that has been gaining weight since the family moved from California to Arizona; because of the heat and their busy life, they can't keep up with their habitual daily walks outside and asked me to teach Tete to walk on the treadmill so she can get more exercise and keep a normal weight.
On our first session I noticed that she was not only uncomfortable getting close to the treadmill while it is turned off, but the sound of her nails scraping on the mat unnerves her. We worked on giving her more confidence and she kinda sorta did, she could walk on the treadmill sideways, putting her back legs out of the machine and her two front legs walking for a couple of seconds.
Today I sat on the end of the treadmill with hot dogs and asked her to get on, "súbete" in Spanish, without touching or pushing her in any way so she could get on on her own time. She did, so I flooded her with rewards to create a powerful pleasant experience with this exercise on the machine.
Eventually she got so tired that sometimes couldn't lift her back legs to get on the treadmill, so I gave her a break and after 10 minutes, tried it one more time for success and rewarded her.
She still has some way to go, but it's a big advance, since we are working not on a trick (get on the treadmill) but on her confidence, losing fear, assessing her independence.
She is smart. She will get there.
This is a follow-up to "Treadmill exercise for senior dog".
Labels:
behavior,
exercise,
modification,
senior dog
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Treadmill exercise for senior dog
This morning I started the training of a senior dog so she can take walks on the treadmill.
Since they moved to Arizona, her daily walks are virtually gone and she has gained some weight, which can affect her joints as she dips deeper into her senior years; she is six now and probably 40 pounds.
It was fun. She is very smart and tried everything to get her prizes (bits of hot dog) without jumping on the treadmill.
We are halfway there. Her nails are long and when she heard the sound of them scratching the treadmill got anxious, so I asked the owners to have her nails trimmed and we will try it next week.
Wish me luck.
Have you taught your dog to walk on a treadmill? Do you have any anecdotes of tips you want to share?
Since they moved to Arizona, her daily walks are virtually gone and she has gained some weight, which can affect her joints as she dips deeper into her senior years; she is six now and probably 40 pounds.
It was fun. She is very smart and tried everything to get her prizes (bits of hot dog) without jumping on the treadmill.
We are halfway there. Her nails are long and when she heard the sound of them scratching the treadmill got anxious, so I asked the owners to have her nails trimmed and we will try it next week.
Wish me luck.
Have you taught your dog to walk on a treadmill? Do you have any anecdotes of tips you want to share?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Prepare yourself and your dog for the summer walks on a leash
Read my article Leash Training your dog needs some prevention on Mesa Dog Training Examiner.
You can facebook-like it there or comment. If you have any questions, please ask them. I'll be happy to answer them.
Before you start leash training your dog, you could use some words of prevention.
The dog days of summer are almost here, and though average high temperatures float around 105ºF, Mesa has had record temperatures of 119ºF, according to the Weather Channel.
As the temperature starts to rise, it's time to remember that our pooches have special needs when it comes to preventing dehydration.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Leash Training your dog in the summer needs some prevention - Mesa Dog Training | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/dog-training-in-mesa/leash-training-your-dog-the-summer-needs-some-prevention#ixzz1OjCV9GPP
Labels:
Article,
Dog Training,
Examiner,
Leash Training
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