Motivation Dog Training Seminar

Today was Carolyn Herle's Motivation Seminar for training your dog. I met Carolyn this summer when she joined our obedience club & I jumped at the chance to attend the seminar.
She has the most amazing working Bouvier, Alkemi, & competes in Shutzhund with her.

I learned quite a bit today about my training & myself. I have moved forward too quickly on some very important things, & now with the prospect of competing in Open it is coming back to bite me in the butt!
Things like focus, I do not have his full attention, he is easily distracted.
I am a Pez Dispenser LOL!!!, yes it is true, I feed my dog non stop, even for a mediocre performance at times, I do this just because "he tried". Well now I must up the anty, no more rewarding for mediocre, I must expect more to get more. Of course I need to take a few steps back & fix some of my boo boos so he understands what it is I expect from him :))
Even something like playing needs to be one of the most important things to build a solid foundation with your dog.
I need to hide all the toys in the house, right now he gets to self reward himself any time he pleases, toys have no value. I need to be the reward, me & a toy. The toys will come back eventually, maybe, but for now he needs to work for his rewards.
This also goes for food, I can make him work for his dinner, a few sits, focus work, anything so he is not just getting his paycheck without the work so to speak LOL!

At any rate I am super excited to begin again, bonding with Kort & fixing some things that need to be fixed.
Kort is an awesome dog, & he will only get better from here!

Thanks for these pictures from today Amanda , you rock!

Here I'm taking notes, like a good student :)).....



Kort & I getting ready to heel......



Carolyn gets down on the floor to do some real tugging :))......



Kort & I practise " Making Prey " as Carolyn puts it :))......



My Kort, Beauty & Brains :))......