Category: Advanced Stuff ¤
  Author: Gary Wilkes ¤
   Title: Training to Avoid Low Branches ¤

(begin with the dog standing in front of you) 

Part I
1) Start to walk forward. 
2) The dog blocks your advance either intentionally, or unintentionally.
3) click and treat.

Part II
 1) Firm up the behavior and attach a cue.
 2) Set up situations where you would like the dog to block the owner
    (say, a tree)
 3) Give the cue at the point where you would like the dog to halt, in
    relationship to the obstacle.
4a) Reinforce for a correct judgement (click, then treat)
4b) Use "Wrong" for  mistakes (negative punishment) 
 6) Try it again.
 7) Integrate the behavior into the dog's repertoire.

NOTE: If time does not allow this type of training, the average blue heeler
is capable of doing it automatically -- all you have to do is teach them to
let the master leave the area before starvation occurs. <G>  

Regards,
Gary Wilkes