Training sessions at my house are split between all 3 dogs. This is how this weekends session looked:
Saturday: The 2x2's and the staight weaves made their way to the driveway (because we have had so much rain lately the back yard is soggy!)
Pyper's session was first, So I set the weaves to make a set of 12. I had her run these about 4 times, the first time I gave her a nice easy entry. Then I added a jump off to the left side, this proved to be a little hard for her as she entered backwards. So we tried again and BAM we got it. Then I moved the jump to the right. No problem. I then decided to work with some harder entries. I also decided to remove the second set of weaves, this set is made of pvc pipe and were sliding around on the cement so it was better to practice without them. We worked both sides of the weaves, by the end I had the jump beside the weaves, she would take the jump in the opposite direction of the weaves, then make a 180 approach to the weaves! Pyper loves this game. One of the key elements in Susan Garrett's 2x2 training is getting your dog to drive the line, to do this you need to throw a toy or something down that line to make them get after it! Because Pyper is such a food motivated dog and not very toy motivated we have become rather creative with our rewards. What we have found to work is very simple....I keep my treats (Frozen Bill Jack) in a zippy bag....all I do is throw the entire bag (sealed of course). She LOVES this!
Hallie's session was next. We worked on her entries to the 1 set of 2x2's. Since we were working in the driveway I could throw the treats directly down the drive line for her to get an instance reward! We worked the entire spectrum for entries, making them rather difficult @ times. Her success rate was about 60%. Pretty good for her 3rd session. I think she will need one more session like this before we move on.
Mia was patiently waiting her turn! First we practice her sit stays. She did really well. I had her sit @ the top of the driveway and stay. I then moved about 20 paces way and called her to me! She did fantastic! We also practiced some sits, downs, get in left and right! All of this in the front driveway off leash! Good girl.
Well that was no the end of the training session, keep in mind this only took about 1/2 hour, next we moved to the back yard to work on the teeter.
Pyper started things off, we did 2 perfect teeters were she stuck her touch while I ran fast past and forward! Good girl. I thought it was so good I went and got Crystal to show her, which of course jinxed us! She missed her next few. But then she figured out she was not getting the reward when she did this and got back on her game!
Hallie also got to practice teeter, her practice was simply take the teeter and touch, to target. She did great.
Mia was up, so she wasn't left out she go to go on the teeter to feel it move. She wasn't really sure about it, but she did it.
Sunday: We took Hallie and Mia to the PetFest in Old Town Spring. This was a training session all in itself. Both girls are very different; Hallie is a barker and a nipper and Mia is a scaredy cat (dog)! But to their credit they did very well! Mixing with all kinds of dogs, from 2 pound Yorkie's to 150 lb Hounds! They also recieved treats from all sorts of strangers, treats we gave them of course. On that note it is kind of funny, these people (the ones who got to give the treats) always thanked us for letting them interact with our dogs, and we always thanked them for doing it. I guess we both won!
Since Pyper didn't get to come along to the PetFest, I decided to give her a one on one training session. Just a quick/short teeter session. We did the same session as above, but this time we did it successfully all 5 or 6 times! I am really happy with her progress.
We discovered yesterday that we have not yet taught Mia how to shake a paw! So while Pyper was in a down stay and Hallie was in a time out (for not listening) Mia and I worked on Shake a paw. It took her several repetitions to understand what was going on, but once she figured it out she was on it!
Well that is what a couple of training sessions look like @ my house. My timing is very random and in the moment and the sessions are always short. All in all these sessions would totally about 1 hour of my weekend.