Category: Performance Events ¤
  Author: Jean Heisler ¤
   Title: No Food in the Ring ¤

I got a good idea for the 'weaning' in my last Clicker class.  Here goes.

- remove food from your person and put in a conspicuous location in your
training area; make sure the dog knows where it is
- start heeling; make it REAL short to start and lower your criteria for
attention
- when you get just a little of what you want, click and run to the food and
treat your dog
- continue this until you can raise your criteria to a whole heeling pattern
- if you don't get what you want, or if the dog runs to the food: remove the
food and walk away
- once you are comfortable with the heeling when the dog can see the food, put
the food outside the training area, but real close by; again, make sure the
dog knows where it is
- repeat the steps you used when first putting the food in your 'ring' (off
your person)

Later, you'll have the food at a distance from the ring; the dog will know
it's waiting for him after he  works successfully.

Merry, Pal and I have just started this, but all the really good teams I know
use this method.  They are in 'controlled mode' until leaving the ring. Then
they run back to the crate and jackpot.

Looking forward to hearing other ideas!

Jean Heisler