« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Mental stimulation!  (Read 434 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Birdie Wife

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 122
Mental stimulation!
« on: September 17, 2009, 11:24:35 AM »
Cari and I played a fun game yesterday when out on our walk called "Search and Rescue" - she runs off ahead, I hide in some rushes randomly and whistle her to come find me, then she uses her nose to find me and she gets a cuddle and a treat  :lol2: so I'm wondering, as she's getting more independent and active now, what other games could we play that will give her a bit more mental activity, on our walks or in the house? She's coming up to 6 months old and she's a working cocker, we live out in the sticks so the nearest agility training is about an hour and a half's drive.  There's retrieval training too but she doesn't like it when I take the dummy from her so she often just runs off with it  >:( and I'm not supposed to offer her a treat in reutn for the dummy, so any tips on getting her straight back to me?
Logged

Offline fifer

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 760
  • Gender: Female
Re: Mental stimulation!
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2009, 11:53:29 AM »
I'm rehabbing a springer at the moment - great retrieve but would not surrender the dummy!   >:(

How I've been getting round that is to always have a pile of dummies at my feet and when she recalls I get her to 'sit' and 'drop' and immediately throw another.  We are getting there and her drops are 'cleaner' right and usually at my feet now, but she is 8 or 9 years old so talk about teaching an old dog new tricks!!  :lol2:

Good luck
Logged
Spaniels In Need

Offline Karma

  • Site Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5330
  • Gender: Female
Re: Mental stimulation!
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2009, 12:36:39 PM »

I've been teaching Honey to retrieve using a hand target (using clicker and treats).

By establishing a really solid hand target (where Honey touches my hand with her nose) I have been able to introduce this while she is holding her retrieve item.... using the clicker reduces the risk of it developing into a "Throw it at you" as you click for the item still being held and touching your hand at the same time iyswim....

For her ball we don't use treats, as they are of lower value than the ball... what she gets is the ball thrown immediately for her (and she can chase it rather than waiting!!)...

Logged
Remembering Honey. Aug 2007-July 2020

Offline J

  • Donator
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 394
  • Gender: Male
  • Pass me another bottle of red dear
Re: Mental stimulation!
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2009, 12:56:40 PM »
I have 2 identicle dummies for Bayliss,, one get thrown left, the other to the right. Hours of fun teaching a dog left and right,,

And at night we do the Telegraph crossword :005:
Logged
Caution,  may contain nuts!!!
Pages: [1]
« previous next »