Couple T&T videos

[K9soul]

My camera doesn't take as nice of videos as the newer ones, but I still like to play with it. I got a couple of the T's.. First one of Tasha demonstrating her off-leash heeling and the second one just of Tommy being a goof with his very favorite toy, the spider ball. :p Enjoy!

[K9soul]

2nd one

[Oggyflute]

Great vids!:D Post more!:D I thought Tommy was on the verge of bringing your stereo down.:D

[Jadapit]

Wow Tasha's heeling is very impressive. How long did it take you to teach her that? Tommy is too cute with his spider ball. Thanks for sharing!:)

[K9soul]

Thank you! Oggyflute, I wonder sometimes that everything around here is still in one piece they way he loves to fling that thing around :D. The funniest part is the little balls whack him in the face when he does it, but that doesn't deter him a bit, he just squeezes his eyes shut and shakes it all the harder :D.

Jadapit, she actually picked it up almost immediately, but what took time and practice and work was keeping her focused on me and making it a habit. I suppose I really started working with her outside last month, and with lots of hotdog and cheese treats and working at it a bit every day, it's now gotten to be pretty much a habit with her. I will often find her walking at a heel now when I don't even ask her to. :) I'm working with Tommy too, but he will take more time due to his skittishness and easy distractibility. Still, he's very treat driven so that will be a big help :D

[tricollie4me]

Those were so fun! I loved seeing your heel video, that's one of our "biggies" we're trying to teach Bijou (and it's hard for us even with her on leash!). I'd love it if we could get her to behave as well as your pup -- practice, practice, practice!

[chocolatepuppy]

Cute videos! Good girl Tasha! and Tommy take it easy with that spider!:D

[fritz03]

Great video of Tasha walking and then sitting.Also a great one of Tommy swinging his Spiderball arounf.i guess it is lucky he doesn't knock anything over.

[wolfsoul]

Way too cute! :D

[K9soul]

Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad you enjoyed them.

tricollie, I have actually read, and found it to be true in my experience, that it's easier to start off without the leash when first teaching heel. With a pup, I'd take some yummy treats and in an open area with very little distractions, like in the living room, lure it along at my side. When it's walking at a sort of heel and focused on you, say "heel" and give it the treat and lots of praise. Lots of persistence as you said, and when the pup makes the connection that "heel" means walking at your side, it gets easier from there! Then you can gradually lengthen how far you walk before giving the treat and so on. Once you think the pup has that down pretty well, you gradually introduce the leash. I've read it's a lot easier to prevent pulling on the leash if they never develop the habit to begin with, and if your pup has the basic idea of heel before introducing the leash, it makes things much easier. Good luck with your pup!

I had a tricolor collie named Willie from the time I was 15 (1989) until he went to the bridge towards the end of 2001, the day after his 13th birthday. He was the world to me, and I still miss him very much.

[tricollie4me]

K9, great tips! I'll have to try the living room/no leash technique over the weekend. Bijou is quite responsive and we had a great outdoor/leashed walk this morning, so perhaps some repetition inside the house w/o a leash will give her a clearer idea of what I'm trying to teach. She definitely wants to please us and I'm hoping if she can skip the pulling when walking on leash, we'll all enjoy our strolls more. Thanks again for the good advice, I'll let you know how it pans out!

[cyber-sibes]

Wow, I'm reay impressed watching Tasha heel - look at her watching you! What a good girl!
Boy, if mine had a toy like Tommy's it would last about 20 minutes!

[RobiLee]

Wow, I'm so impressed with Tasha. Great job, Jessica and thanks for the advice on how to work with them. What you said does make sense. I think I'll just send the girls to you for a bit and have you work with them ;) . That Tommy!:p He sure is something. I loved watching him play with his toy. Boy, he sure can shake that thing. Katie is the one who does all the shaking and tossing of toys here. Tori is always trying to snatch them away from her.

I just love Tasha and Tommy!

Robin :)

[Holly's mom]

I have to echo everyone here and say how impressed I am at how Tasha heels without a leash. What a good girl Tasha is and what a good trainer her mom is!:) And that Tommy, looks like he is having such a good time with his toy! Great videos!:)

[dukedogsmom]

I love those! Tasha is so adorable. I love how she keeps looking up at you. Tommy looked like he was having loads of fun. Never heard of a spider ball before.

[Rachel]

Looks like I'm not the only one who was impressed with Tasha's watching of you. Excellent work!

I loved the funny noises Tommy was making while he played with his toy. He sounded just like a big old bull. That was so funny. What a happy boy he is. Tucker plays with and shakes his toys too, but he doesn't add the vocal component.

[wolf_Q]

Great videos! I love how Tasha is always looking up at you, what a good girl. Nebo knows how to heel but he'll only do it if it's just me walking him and no other dogs around...if reggie and sydney are there no way. :rolleyes:

The video of Tommy playing was adorable! Where did you get that toy?

[K9soul]

Thank you all very much. I'm just bursting with pride in my little girl :). I still always leash her when we actually go walking, but she heels just as well with the leash. I just hold onto it, I don't actually "use" it to control her at all. Tommy heels really well indoors, but is still a bit antsy and distractible outside. Once it gets warmer and I can really work with him every day, I'm sure it'll get better.

That spider ball is a toy Sandra sent the pups for Christmas! I'm not even sure where she got it. I was afraid Tommy would chew the legs off, so at first I only gave it to him when I could watch him, and said "don't chew" if it looked like he was chewing it (he seems to know what that means since I took things away from him in the past if he didn't stop chewing). Now I can trust him with it all the time though and it's his absolute favorite toy. He does love to be very vocal when playing :D. I wish I could catch a video of him when he's really wild hehe.

Here's a picture of the toy. The legs can be pulled/stretched, tugged, etc. Tommy and Tasha have played tug of war with it and really put it under a lot of pressure but the legs have never torn or ripped.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/k9soul/Tasha%20and%20Tommy/Tommy%20and%20Tasha%2017/tommysball.jpg

[tatsxxx11]

What great videos Jess!:D Tasha Baby, I've been privy to a week by week account of your progress and to actually see you in action!:D Your Mama must be so proud! You're doing great, Tasha!

And Tommy...ROFLOL! Love that "lasso" action! OMG, It's amazing Mr. Spider is still in one piece!:)

Give the kids big hugs for me, Jess!:)

[K9soul]

Extra big hugs given Auntie Sandra :D. The T's send slurpy kisses and wags your way :)