It has been too long since my last endurance mountain bike race. I am feeling like a fat, lazy, slob. I miss the constant tiredness in my legs.
So, off to Pomona for the 000 Emergency Services Charity 12 hour xc race. 8am to 8pm. Only a couple of dark hours of racing. But better than none!
I was very rude in 2009. As a guest rider at the Police Games (Ay Up put up a couple of bike light kits as prizes) in both the road race & xc race I stole first place in both races. I surrendered my places & didnt go near the podium.
Ay Up will have a small presence. We are putting up a couple of prizes in support of the local racing scene & the Emergency Services.
Saturdays race Mantra: "Smooth flowing lines Dog!"
Race Day nearly
Quote of the day
Tuesday Tip Day Naming a cue!
There are many different cues to teach your dog, names and/or hand signals for each individual cue are important!
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| Q1: What is this trick called? |
When you get into advanced obedience with your dog, as in competitions or CGC type certificates, they prefer if you use just words or just hand signals and that is another good reason to either train both making sure to practice on them separately or just stick to one.
You can also use a different language for your cues! A lot of k-9s respond to German cues or other languages so that only the handler is certain to have full control over their dog.
Use whatever cue names or hand signals that you want and will remember and stick to them!
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| Q2: What is this trick called? |
With deaf dogs things are obviously a little more complicated and hand signals are going to be your best bet for training just as blind dogs would be better to train using words. Let me add that deaf or blind dogs are definitely not impossible to train and shouldnt be treated any differently than any other dog!
I will have to do a whole separate post about training deaf and blind dogs just because they are so unique and intriguing to train!
Here is the key thing to remember! When you name a cue make sure you only use one word for that cue!
????Example: When a dog is jumping on you what do you say? Well a lot of people I know, or have hear, have the habit of telling the dog "down". If you are asking "well, whats wrong with that"? then this is for you. To me, "down" means "lay down". "Down" is the word that sticks out in this phrase so when I am teaching "down" as a cue I simply use "down" for lay down. If you were to say "down" as a command for "lay down" and "down" as in "get off me" it can be quite confusing to the dog. Im sure the thought is something like "why are you asking me to lay down I just want to see your face and greet you and love you". This is why I use a completely separate word making training different cues a breeze and less confusing!
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| Q3: Why is Rusty on a table? |
If you have kids make sure you are using a cue for your dog that you dont use for your kid, sounds silly but we actually do give our kids "cues" the same as we give our dogs, right?. "Get lay down" "sit", you know, those type of "cues". Well "no" is a good example. For dogs, I use "no" to mark a behavior I didnt ask for while training, for example if I were to say "down" and my dog simply sat still I would say "no" turn around for a few seconds and restart the behavior. For my son, I use to constantly tell him "no" but since he is older and comprehends more I usually use phrases like "stop doing insert obnoxious behavior" or "dont do insert equally obnoxious behavior" to keep the word "no" less confusing for both kids and dogs. Im sure many other parents can relate. If I were to just say "no" in a stern voice to my children and my dogs were around they may not know the difference and that can create a few problems. If they think that the cue was aimed towards them it could cause them to be afraid or feel as if they are in trouble! So first I would like to say that you should try to keep as even of a temper as you can around your children and dogs (in all seriousness as a mom I know how hard this can be but it is possible!). You can also teach your dogs to know when you are talking to your kids vs. talking to them, using the dogs name before a command is an excellent start. I will be making a children & dog blog soon for more information on training around your children and also how to "train" your children how to act around dogs!
Tuesday Tip Day Food Lure
A food lure is basically the Second step to begin dog training!
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| waiting for a treat! ;) |
Tuesday Tip Day Clicker
Pro tip: To train your dog to know the correlation of the click sound to a treat you will just click and give a treat at random moments throughout the day. Make sure your dog is doing normal things like laying around the house or sitting next to you and not barking or begging etc. or else you may end up with some undesirable habits.?If you dont have a clicker on hand and need to get right to training try using the top of a pen. The sounds is similar however you do not want to prolong the use of this because soon enough every time you sit down to use your pen you may end up with your dog watching you like it is time for some training and treats!
Doggie Day Camp Now Open!
Now Taking Day Campers!!
Contact us now for reservations, space is limited!!
Sorry, no drop-in campers.
Doggie Day Camp-Any age
Our Doggie Day Camp is not your typical Dog Day Care. Day Campers are given Private Dog Training Lessons specific to your training goals. Our Doggie Day Camp focuses on training, not dog-dog play. However, if your dog & our other Day Campers enjoy dog socialization, proper play sessions are available. All play sessions are being monitored for proper socialization to make sure every camper is enjoying playtime.
Each session of Doggie Day Camp is individualized to your training goals; which can include: Proper Manners, Basic Commands, Trick Training or even Confidence Building. Your dog will receive at least one hour of private training throughout their day at camp. After each day you will receive a detailed progress report, possible homework and training tips.
For only $25-35 a day, you and your dog will benefit greatly from our Doggie Day Camp! While you are out running your errands, your dog will receive quality time and training with an experienced dog trainer. What could be better than that?
Please note all dogs in Doggie Day Camp should feel comfortable around strangers, being handled & crated. If not, please contact us for private dog training lessons.
Contact us now for reservations, space is limited!!
Sorry, no drop-in campers.
Puppy Day Camp-Puppies 5 months & younger
Our Puppy Day Camp is not your typical Dog Day Care. Puppy Day Campers receive proper dog/puppy socialization & basic manners training. Puppy Day Campers enjoy romping & playing with one another while being closely monitored by an experienced dog trainer. All play sessions are closely watched for proper socialization to make sure every camper is enjoying playtime.
For only $25 a day, you and your puppy will benefit greatly from our Puppy Day Camp! While you are out running your errands, your puppy will receive quality time with other social puppies & learning manners. Our Puppy Day Camp is something every puppy needs!
Please note all puppies in Puppy Day Camp should feel comfortable around dogs, strangers, being handled & crated. If not, please contact us for private dog training lessons.
Contact us now for reservations, space is limited!!
Sorry, no drop-in campers.
By Appointment Only
Doggie Day Camp:- Any Age
Monday & Thursday Am Session
Drop Off 7-9am Pick Up 11-12pm $25/Session
Monday & Thursday PM Session
Drop Off 1-2pm Pick Up 5-6pm $25/Session
Monday & Thursday Full Day Session
Drop Off 7-9am Pick Up 5-6pm $35/Session
Puppy Day Camp:-5 months & younger
Wednesdays
Drop Off 7-9am Pick Up 12-1pm $25/Session
(Rescue discount not available for day camp)
Merida 24 hour Race day!
It is my belief that I am always ready to ride a 24 hour mountain bike race. Sometimes I am just more ready than others. Upon reflection, I dont know any race I have ever been as ready for as I wanted to be.
I work a 40-55 hour week, have the pleasure of having my two sons 1/2 the week every week, I get sick, occasionally sleep... & amongst that lot & much more I squeeze in between 10-20+ hours of training a week. I kind of figured a 24 hour race had me covered for a few days off the bike this week hehehe...
I arrived at Hiddenvale in SE Queensland on the Saturday morning. This is one of my favourite things about racing, I caught up with lots of really good people & met some new ones.
As I was wondering around I saw Tim Bennett. What a great surprise. Then Jo Bennett...Nick Both...Adrian Jackson...Paul Traynor. It was awesome to see these guys again. It is the same crew that I met & did a small amount of peloton time with on the 2008 Croc Trophy. A really good team of people. They were very supportive of me on the 2008 CT & continued this support on the track for the Merida 24 hour. Thanks everyone!
I am not too much into long winded, lap for lap race reports.
My 9 yr old son was my support person. My pre-race breifing to the dude was "Hand me a biddon & some different food each time. Here is some cash, be sure to get yourself some dinner, breakfast from the BBQ & as many hot chocloates as you like from the coffee van. Brush your teeth..." you guys know the rest.
I rolled through the transition at about 11pm & past my marquee. Ty was all tucked up asleep on a camp chair in the very cold, damp evening air. "Ty, wake up! go to the tent with the matress, sleeping bag, doona, pillow." Off he went. He toughted it out for 11 hours & was that committed he was still trackside! I didnt see him until the sun popped up the next day. Then he started his job again. He was a legend of a support person. Not one winghing word all weekend.
Needless to say, it was only natural he shared the second step of the podium with me. Proud Dad moment.
Tailwind Promotions Peter Creagh (aka Cranky) Hayden Brooks (Kiwi) & his lovely wife Fluer along with the others I dont know put on an awesome event. It had a really good feel about the event all weekend. Nice work everyone.
Race Day LunarC 8 hour
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Dear reader
I hope you are still out there, somewhere?
What is the LunarC?
- Well, the race starts at midnight on Friday night.
- 9.5km circuit.
- Do as many laps as you can in 8 hours (130 mudfest kms for me last year).
- Ride/race with good friends.
- Catch up on missed sleep with a couple of hours sleep on Saturday.
- Then head out for another training ride on Sunday.
Sounds like a near perfect weekend!
I am happy that I blogged this race last year. I was able to check out the mistakes I made. Most importantly, I have a slightly easier gear on my single speed. Only one gear easier, but this should make a race of difference.
New jersey, new team, same old legs. However, Jens Voigt is always an awesome source of race motivation...
Jens Voigt doesn’t complain about what suffering does to him… but suffering constantly complains about getting picked on by Jens Voigt.
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Toledo Dog Trainings Doggie Day Camp
Our Doggie Day Camp is not your typical Dog Day Care. Day Campers are given one on one attention from a qualified dog trainer ensuring proper behavior & focusing on your specific training goals. Our Doggie Day Camp focuses on training & manners, not dog-dog play. However, if your dog & our other Day Campers enjoy dog socialization, proper play sessions will be integrated into their day at camp. All play sessions will be closely monitored for proper socialization to make sure every camper is enjoying playtime.
Contact us now if youre interested, we will only allow 4 day campers a day for optimal learning & attention. Sorry, no drop-in campers. Thursdays 8-Noon
Toledo Dog Training is committed to helping each dog training team that walks through its doors. Toledo Dog Training’s motto ‘We do more than training; we build relationships,’ rings true with the training philosophy employed with each dog and owner team. We provide convenient & professional dog training & dog behavior modification solutions in the Toledo Metro Area.
Day 3 of 28
Today is day 3 of 28 days in a row. Why? because I read somewhere it takes 28 days to learn a new habit. I have been so slack & out of routine in the past 2 months I am disappointed in myself.
It is time to "get back in the saddle in many areas of my day.
Day 1 of 28 Huh what happened
Well, this one is really quick & easy to explain. I fell off the wagon.
So, today was Day 1 of 28 again. A quick hit out this morning. It included 2 mountains, rain, thick fog, a little sunshine, rain, one tosser driver & 198kms later I was home.
My favourite cafe, on the top of Mount Nebo, is closing down for 2 months over June & July. The two owners are traveling overseas. They had a management team organised for the 2 months but this just fell through a few days ago.
No decent excuse to stop for a rest on top of this mountain now :-(
Oh, while I type about my not so important day there are many in SE Queensland & Northern NSW that are getting smashed with a huge amount of flooding due to rain, strong wind damage & to top it off there is a very serious warning of a huge tidal surge that will more than likely cause much more damage & flooding along the coast. Keep safe everyone!
Tuesday Tip Day Training with Food Treats
Minggu, 21 Februari 2016
0 komentar Label: day, Dog Training, food, tip, training, treats, tuesday, with
The second reason, to my understanding, is that some people feel as if their dog is only responding to your cues to receive that tasty treat your holding. Let me get into the dogs learning theory real quick. Dogs learn by association, when a dog responds to a cue or lure using a treat or piece of food then they are rewarded with the treat for doing as they were asked. Since dogs love food using them for rewards during training makes training become a more enjoyable experience! The more you practice certain cues your dog will be conditioned to understand what you are asking without having to use a food reward every time. Let me say this again, Yes, you start by training a dog with treats but when done properly, and overtime, you will wean your dog off responding to cues solely for treats and he will start responding to you because he understands that this is something good and that it is something you had asked of him. Should I say it one more time?
Lets look at two different motivators to train loose leash walking. Now these are only two examples to put both sides into perspective for you and you can decide which way of training is right for your own use. First is positive reinforcement which instills a good correlation into training and the second is positive punishment which instills avoidance and fear into training. There are many variations to train loose leash walking, again, these are just two examples.
Positive Reinforcement with food treats - Start in your house or in your backyard with limited distractions, then move to the front of your house and repeat session gradually increasing distractions. When you start training you will have your hand or pocket full of treats. Start with your dog next to you and give him a treat. Then start walking forward, say "good" or click and give your dog a treat as he is keeping slack in the leash. If he gets to the end of his lead as you see the leash is about to get tight you should stop walking. As soon as he walks towards you again and lets slack back in the leash continue walking and give your marker cue "good" or click and reward with a treat as long as he is keeping slack in the leash.
Positive Punishment with prong collar and no treats - First make sure your prong collar is properly situated and sized before starting any training. You can start training session in backyard or in house with limited distractions. Start by having your dog besides you. Walk forward, if your dog is walking besides you perfectly say "good" and move to an area of increased distractions. If your dog gets to the end of the leash and starts to tug give the dog a sharp quick yank on the leash which applies a hard pinch on the neck, this correction should be strong enough for your dog to realize that it had just did something inappropriate. Limit the corrections to two in a training session, if you have applied two corrections and had no results then you may have to try a different technique for training.
In the first scenario you are training your dog that keeping the leash loose means that something good will happen. The second scenario implies to your dog that if he doesnt listen to your cue he will receive a correction and will loose leash walk solely to avoid receiving a correction. My preference and goal is to keep dog training fun and exciting for both you and the dog and that is why I avoid positive punishment techniques such as choke or prong collars.There are also problems with training tools such as prong or choke collars, some times they produce instantaneous results, however, when not used properly your dog can actually desensitize itself to the corrections. If you dont use them correctly, and for training right from the start, they can get used to the tightening around the neck which renders them useless for training purposes. I will say this a thousand times, I avoid the use of these training methods unless we have exhausted every other training option with no results.
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| homemade peanut butter and pumpkin treats |
If your dog has a sensitive stomach or cant eat "people food" you can look for grain free treats in your local store and also just use a variety of dog food such as the food they normally eat for breakfast or dinner. You can also mix in wet food as a high value reward and let them get a lick of it every time the do a perfect cue.
Other items such as baby food meats, shredded chicken, and homemade treats are all great options for training and things that your dogs may go crazy for!
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| Wet food in a bottle for easy yummy reward |
Pro Tip: My personal preference is to use things that have a potent smell to them such as salmon or beef based treats, they usually work well as high value rewards. You can find these in wet food variations also and can use a tube or small container to let them get a lick from every time they complete a perfect cue. In my experience using a tube or container where they can only get one lick from keeps them intrigued and wanting more so when you use them as high value rewards there will be a greater chance your dog will repeat the cue to receive that as a reward.
Training your dog, no matter what the situation, takes time, consistency and commitment, results are not instantaneous although you may see some changes instantly. You need to continue to work with your dog daily improving on cues learned until they can perform that said cue 10 out of 10 times. Even after they know the cue you will need to maintain it for the rest of their life, this is easier than it sounds since you can accomplish that by learning how to adapt training into your daily routines.
Once again, after your dog knows what you are asking of him you can completely take away food based rewards and your dog will learn to respond to you solely because you asked him to.
Food is not the only motivator for dogs but its usually at the top of the success charts. You can also use toys however using them can some times get complicated especially when your dog does not know a proper "drop" cue. Petting and affection can be used as a reward also but only if your dog enjoys affection, which a lot of dogs do, however it is usually not as rewarding to them as a piece of food. I personally like starting training with food, then once my dog has a cue almost understood we switch to toys as a reward. I will then give my dog a series of cues followed by throwing a ball, rope or Frisbee. This type of play maintains cues that the dog has learned while also having fun and getting out some excess energy!
Tuesday Tip Day Kennels
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| My son and Rusty enjoying man time in their secret clubhouse |
If you kennel your dog while you are working never leave toys that can be easily destroyed into many pieces (this also includes dog beds or mats) especially if your dog is a chewer, these tiny pieces can potentially harm your dog if they are swallowed. I recommend using the beehive shaped Kong toy (pictured to the right) as entertainment while you are away. My cost effective way of stuffing them is by mixing both wet and dry dog food together and stuffing them completely full topping the end with peanut butter and freezing it over night. Freezing the Kong toy will make it more difficult for the dog to get all the fillings out so the toy will last for a longer period.
Tuesday Tip Day Head Collars
or doggy death traps
Head collars have been around for a few years now so they are a fairly new concept that is still not widely accepted or known about. Head collars are used to ease your dog from pulling on a walk. A dogs face is very sensitive so when you lead your dog by his face he will be less likely to pull since dogs do not like the pressure. This way of walking a dog works in a similar way as leading a horse and is indeed very safe for dogs. As opposed to muzzles your dog will still have full use of his mouth when wearing one.
However, when first putting on these collars your dogs may not like it so you will have to get them use to the head collar by letting them wear it around the house during the day and giving them treats for not pawing it off their face! They will also need the same training while out on walks although some dogs have instantaneous results and will stop pulling as soon as you put it on, others will spend a relentless amount of time trying to get it off their face and that is why it is very important to get them use to it before hand.
If your dog pulls I would highly recommend trying these out! They are a far better option (safer) than choke or prong collars and they come in all different sizes. There are a few different brands of head collars also, some have different padding for extra comfort for your pooch. Choose one you or your dog likes and make sure it is the right fit!
Click Here for a good back up article to read about how safe head collars are for dogs and how they work
Toledo Dog Training Doggie Day Camp Open House FUNdraiser
Minggu, 07 Februari 2016
0 komentar Label: camp, day, dog, Dog Training, doggie, fundraiser, house, open, toledo, trainingToledo Dog Training & Doggie Day Camp is proud to announce the opening of its brand-new dog training & day camp center. The Toledo Dog Training staff invite the community to an open house on October 13, 2007 from 11-3 pm at the new Holland location, at 601 S McCord Rd in Holland, Ohio 43528. Please join us to celebrate the long-awaited opening of this wonderful new facility.
The open house will provide a chance for everyone to tour the new dog training & day camp center and will also serve as a fundraiser for DogWorks Inc. DogWorks, Inc. is an all volunteer, nonprofit (pending 501c3), no kennel, domestic sporting dog group. Our purpose is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned, neglected and unwanted sporting dogs of various breeds, pure and mixes.
Also during the open house, you can have your dogs photo taken by Tuff Photo Studios, your dog can enjoy a doggie massage by PetMassage, and even take part in a doggie costume contest starting at 12:30pm. We will also be having a raffle for a doggie bag with prizes donated by The Doggie Boutique and dog treat & cake samples from Perky Paws Café. Of course we will have plenty of door prizes from Toledo Dog Training!
Today’s dog owners are spending more quality time with their dogs, therefore wanting calm and well-mannered dogs. To achieve these qualities, proper training and socialization are necessary. More obedient dogs are often happier, live longer, and are less likely to cause problems.
Toledo Dog Training addresses these issues by offering a variety of dog training services to meet the needs of dog owners in the Toledo metro area. “We offer private dog training, semi-private group classes, workshops and our new service Doggie and Puppy Day Camp,” said Tonya Wilhelm, owner and dog trainer.
Doggie day care centers are becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. “Dogs are playing a larger role in our lives than ever before, and dog owners are choosing to provide their dogs with the good life they deserve,” Wilhelm explains. “However, our Doggie Day Camp is not your typical Dog Day Care. Day Campers are given Private Dog Training Lessons specific to the owner’s training goals. Our Doggie Day Camp focuses on training, not dog-dog play with the exception of Puppy Day Camp,” she clarifies. She continues to say, “every interaction a dog has at camp is supervised and specific to the owner’s training program.”
There are many benefits to Toledo Dog Training’s programs. Ongoing training sessions help provide dogs with an exercise to perform while stimulating their brains. This is a great way for dogs to use up excess energy while having fun at the same time. “We also encourage and teach owners how to appropriately play with their dogs, which strengthens their relationship. Play training helps to prevent both the owner and dog from becoming bored.” Wilhelm says.
All training at Toledo Dog Training uses gentle and fun training methods that improve the communication between owner and dog. The courses use positive-reinforcement training and focuses on educating owners on humane leadership skills. Harsh and inhumane punishment-based methods are not allowed in class. “I feel that this type of ‘training’ destroys the relationship between dog and owner, and escalates or creates aggression. Your dog training lessons are meant to be both fun and educational.” Wilhelm informs. She continues to say, “training is not just about obedient behavior, but strengthening and building better relationships between owner and dog.”
Tonya Wilhelm has been teaching owners and their dogs since 1998. Her positive and fun training approach has been building lasting dog-owner relationships ever since.
Toledo Dog Training is a superior dog training center, and doggie day camp facility. Toledo Dog Training is located at 601 S McCord Rd., Holland, OH 43528 with a satellite location at South Suburban Animal Hospital in Levis Commons-Perrysburg. To learn more about Toledo Dog Training and its services, visit them on the web at http://www.toledodogtraining.com/ or call (419) 699-7785
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Registration day
