[PyrNet-L] training methods

[GypsyunLTD@aol.com]

While I think that motivational training is the way to go, I'm sure as heck 
having a hard time finding something that will always motivate my Gypsy!  It 
seems that pyrs have their own agendas, and it's actually one of the things 
that I like best about them, but it's very frustrating for training purposes. 
 At 7 months, Gypsy will ignore most rewards if there's something else she's 
interested in.  

Walking off lead isn't particularly important to me right now so I'll cross 
that bridge when I come to it,  but since I enjoy spending time walking with 
her it was important that she walk nicely anywhere and everywhere.  I found 
two things that have been helpful so far.  First of all, she's learning two 
separate commands for walking.  If we're just wandering, I tell her "let's 
go" and she's allowed a much looser lead - she can stop and check out 
anything that interests her, or she can walk a little ahead of me, and we 
mutually enjoy most of her discoveries.  At random points during our walk, 
I'll ask her to heel.  Then I expect a perfect heel - at my side, paying 
attention to me, no exceptions.  I only ask her to heel for short periods of 
time, then I'll release her.  She seems to be doing really well with this, 
and it saves us both from endless corrections on every outing.  For a while I 
had problems with her pulling and trying to run ahead of me.  A mild leash 
correction would be ignored, and a harsher one she treated as if were a test 
of wills.  After a couple of days, she started trying to grab the leash in 
her mouth BEFORE she pulled just to prevent the correction that she knew was 
coming.  I tried doing an abrupt about-turn whenever she started getting too 
far ahead of me, but she merely picked up spead to get back in front and 
start pulling.  Instead of resorting to a harsher collar, just as an 
experiment, every time she walked ahead of me I just stopped.  This annoyed 
her to no end, because she wanted to walk.  I wouldn't proceed with our walk 
until she came and sat at heel, and then I'd praise her and we would 
continue.  We didn't cover much distance the first few days of my experiment, 
but it was very effective.  She still tries to push it every so often, but I 
no longer have to stop during every single walk and I'm looking forward to 
the day that this correction isn't necessary at all.  

I'm glad that I didn't have to resort to anything harsher.  I think that with 
some creativity you can find what works best for each individual daog.  Now I 
just have to figure out what will motivate her to come!

Jeanne Bravin