[ObedienceLabs4Me]

As some of you know I was at Winnebago Lab Specialty this past weekend. After the show was over (the obedience and rally that is) I got Micah out to work a little. I got Caleb's metal articles out to work him on since I have not done articles outside my building with him. What a better place to work?! I was done and left him on a sit/stay to put the articles away when I say a black Lab running around. At first I thought it was Micah who had broken his sit/stay. He was have a challenging time with all the distractions and really didn't expect him to stay put. So, I went to get what I thought was Micah and saw that he was still sitting there!

It was not Micah running around! This dog ran right past Micah and Micah held his stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a good boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A ladycaught the Lab--had opened it's crate and was looking for "Mom." I must admit I was very impressed with my Mikie!

Maybe I should have him talk to Caleb! The other intersting thing was another lady came up to me and told me that using a clicker at a show was the same as an ear pinch! Well, I can see when I had gotten a little too close to the ring when the trial was still going on, but equating a clicker to an ear pinch--don't think so!

 

[Henery&Ollie's mom]

Way to go, Micah!!!!

 

[ObedienceLabs4Me]

And today he did a whole artcile pile! I started out working him on the metal and then the leather and then I put them all together, scented the metal a couple of times and then the leather a couple of times and he worked the pile like a little pro!

 

[Henery&Ollie's mom]

What a little smartie-pie!! I would love to see him work one day... I loved watching Caleb work.

Ollie's already so much better with the DB than Hen ever was. I can't wait to get him back into classes next month!!

How do you teach articles? Do you do the tie-down mat?

 

[ObedienceLabs4Me]

With my other Labs I used a tie down. With Micah I figured I would try the way my instructors teach it. Now, remember Micah is clicker trained. I put out two metal articles--one unscented and one scented and when he went to the scented one I clicked. Within a couple of days I had all the metal articles out and he was working the pile without me having to click. Yesterday with all the articles out I did click because there was something new in it. I did the same with the leather. Then I had all the metal out and scented the leather and then all the leather and scented a metal. I am amazed at how fast it went.

 

[Luvmydog2much]

Way to go micah! Doesn't it feel good when they surprise us?

Susan, though not 'clicker trained' that's how I taught Gin the pile, since she was already retrieving...

 

[Henery&Ollie's mom]

We're not doing tie-down either... was just curious.

Way to go, Micah!!

 

[jebsmama]

Good job, Micah!

 

[3TailsWaggin]

Way to go Micah! That's fantastic Susan.

I'm not a fan of the tie-down method. I like the round-the-clock method Worked well for me.

 

[ObedienceLabs4Me]

I'm not a fan of the tie-down method. I like the round-the-clock method Worked well for me.

I know a lot of people don't like it, a lot do. I have to admit with Becca and Caleb, articles have been their strong exercise. I do insist for my dogs to train to my scent right away and not something else. It was fun using the clicker when Micah got to my scent. I have even had someone else scent them and he did them!