Re: My catahoula loves to go unicycling with me. Tips please?

Did you get the dog instead of the fishtank then?

--
cathwood

Cathy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cathwood's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9425
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

Have you tried the 'Coastal Halti Headcollars'
(http://tinyurl.com/y236tf)? They work much like a halter or lead
making the dog much more responsive to change in direction and
eliminates all pull.

Our lab loved to pull and doesn't any more.

--
UniBrier

Steve

Hop Drop & Roll

“If something is to hard to do, then it's not worth doing. You just
stick that guitar in the closet next to your
shortwave radio, your karate outfit and your unicycle and we'll go
inside and watch TV.” – Homer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UniBrier's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1404
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

Your mistake is in using a "rewards" method rather than a "punishment"
method. I recommend throwing firecrackers at the dog when she
misbehaves. Firecrackers are sometimes ineffective even with small
breeds but it's a good start in the right direction. If unsucessful,
progress to rocks, bricks, pipe wrenches, and, as a lasy resort, a
bullwhip.

--
harper

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

*jc is the only main man. there can be no other.*
Finally made it to my (n+1)th post....* TOTALLY AWESOME!!!*

Quoted message said:

<> Unicycle For the Chafing <><

------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

One question: how does the dog know what you're going to do? Perhaps a
verbal indication like "Figure 8" or something would let it know and
plan its movements.

--
U-Turn

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.
'LiveWire Unicycles' (http://www.livewireunicycles.com)
'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)
'29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)
'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)
-- Dave Stockton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-Turn's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/691
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

I've riden with my neighbor's dog a few times, and I found it easiest to
just reach down close to the collar on the leash and kinda direct her
if she doesn't go where planned.

--
alpine_uni
------------------------------------------------------------------------
alpine_uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/12861
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

How about a long stick/poll (retractable antenna) with that "treat" on
the end. When you want her to turn, say "over" and wave it to the left
or right of her depending on which way you are turning? After a while
she will get the idea to look which way your hand is out when you say
"over".

With Lucy, when she was learning as a puppy, if she turned the wrong
way I would just run her over.😄

Good Luck

Adam

--
JustOneWheel

There is no better way to have Fun and Exercise. "UNICYCLE"
Every one should have "FUN ON ONE"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
JustOneWheel's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/9237
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

harper said:

Your mistake is in using a "rewards" method rather than a "punishment"
method. I recommend throwing firecrackers at the dog when she
misbehaves. Firecrackers are sometimes ineffective even with small
breeds but it's a good start in the right direction. If unsucessful,
progress to rocks, bricks, pipe wrenches, and, as a lasy resort, a
bullwhip.

don't make me call the aspca on you harper...
when training at home, give a treat and then positive re-enforcement
(ex:pet the dog and say good girl and stuff) then eventually wean off
the treats for training and get to more verbal re-enforcement on the
uni. and after rides give treats for good behavior. also using a dog
clicker helps, you click then give her a treat till she knows that a
click means she will get a treat. eventually legnthen the difference
between click and reward. hope this helps. ask questions if needed.

--
zfreak220

certified curb hopper 11-23-06

iridemymuni said:

i think everybody agrees when i say you lucky son of a [censored]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
zfreak220's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11948
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

zfreak220 said:

also using a dog clicker helps, you click then give her a treat till she
knows that a click means she will get a treat. eventually legnthen the
difference between click and reward.

What is this "dog clicker" to which you refer? Is it a Taser or mild
electrocution device of some type? That might be a helpful tool.

--
harper

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

*jc is the only main man. there can be no other.*
Finally made it to my (n+1)th post....* TOTALLY AWESOME!!!*

Quoted message said:

<> Unicycle For the Chafing <><

------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

Thanks for all the tips. I truly appreciate it (even Harper, for the
comic relief 😄).

In talking it over with dog trainers, I realized the task for the dog
when walking or trotting is called "heel." It's something you may have
seen at dog shows on TV.

Clicker is also prolly the way to go, when it becomes associated with
the treat.

I'll let you know what kind of progress I make.

Thanks again!!
Billy

--
BillyTheMountain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BillyTheMountain's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5357
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

try not using a long headcolar
this will make the pet know the limits of the ride.
if you use a long headcolar the pet will know no limits

--
picado

###unicycle for JAH RASTAFARI###

One wheel in brazil
------------------------------------------------------------------------
picado's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/11964
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

verbal cues work well, it might take time to learn something like a
figure 8 but if you say something like "right turn" before a right
turn, the dog will learn faster.

--
markf

'my Des Moines Iowa Bike Shop' (http://www.irwinsbikes.com)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
markf's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8102
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

Thanks.

We've got soem training to do, and I've prolly been allowing some bad
habits to develop that I have to break. But we'll have fun learning!

Like I said, she's a genious!

--
BillyTheMountain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BillyTheMountain's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5357
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

I ride with my dog every night with no leash and early on I used a
training collar (shock collar) and only had to use it on low setting 2
or 3 times along with a verbal command and she figured it out quikly,
now if I put the collar on her she knows right away. By the way the
remote has 2 buttons 1 for tone and 1 for shock always use the tone
first and if she dont listen then push button 2. Now maybe once a month
I might put the collar on her during our ride/run and she knows the
collar so she listens well, if anything I might use the tone button if
needed although I will say the #1 ride along lesson she learned was if
she trys to herd me (shes a Cattle Dog) I ran here over on accident
once and hit here another time so now she pretty much stays to the side
and if I am about to turn I just call her name and she looks to see
where I am going and stays clear.
Have fun I enjoy taking the dog for ride/runs

--
Daytripper63
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daytripper63's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/10789
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

harper said:

Your mistake is in using a "rewards" method rather than a "punishment"
method. I recommend throwing firecrackers at the dog when she
misbehaves. Firecrackers are sometimes ineffective even with small
breeds but it's a good start in the right direction. If unsucessful,
progress to rocks, bricks, pipe wrenches, and, as a lasy resort, a
bullwhip.

Also, you should always bring a gun when you're working with your new
pet. It's important to be able to effectively put it down if you notice
it's in pain. It may go against your political beliefs to carry a
weapon, but as a loving and responisble dog owner you can't let the
poor animal suffer.

--
Borges
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borges's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/925
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

Daytripper63 said:

I ride with my dog every night with no leash and early on I used a
training collar (shock collar) and only had to use it on low setting 2
or 3 times along with a verbal command and she figured it out quikly,
now if I put the collar on her she knows right away. By the way the
remote has 2 buttons 1 for tone and 1 for shock always use the tone
first and if she dont listen then push button 2. Now maybe once a month
I might put the collar on her during our ride/run and she knows the
collar so she listens well, if anything I might use the tone button if
needed although I will say the #1 ride along lesson she learned was if
she trys to herd me (shes a Cattle Dog) I ran here over on accident
once and hit here another time so now she pretty much stays to the side
and if I am about to turn I just call her name and she looks to see
where I am going and stays clear.
Have fun I enjoy taking the dog for ride/runs

Well, after a week of walking training with the special collar (no
shock/tone, just gently tightens her front legs together if she's off
track), she's now running with my wife and runnig with me on uni very
well--BIG improvements!

The city laws require she stay on a leash, but I'd love to take her
someplace where I can take her off leash.

Actually, all the NYC Parks just passed a law allowing dogs off leash
from 9 pm til 9 am, and it gets pretty crowded with dogs all playing
together from 8-9am, esp weekends. But earlier, I could try taking her
off leash and riding down some paths to see how she does.

Thanks again for all the ideas!

--
BillyTheMountain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BillyTheMountain's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5357
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316

harper said:

What is this "dog clicker" to which you refer?

It's a remote control. If you can find a good one, it will have the
usual buttons, Sit, Heel, etc. but also the fancier buttons like Clean
Room, Let Yourself Out, etc.

To teach your dog to do more complex following moves, you might try
teaching each move individually, as mentioned above with verbal cues.
Circles confuse even people. I was riding in a parade just the other
day with other unicyclists. When I start riding around in gradually
shrinking circles (to spin my big wheel) you figure other unicyclists
would figure it out. But sometimes they just ride right at me as if
they expect me to stop spinning before I reach the center. In other
words, don't expect your dog to figure out you're about to go in a
circle without some kind of warning.

--
johnfoss

John Foss
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com
-----------------------------------------------

"Ppl are being killed out there from gang on gang vilence... and all my
bad spelling mistakes... " -- Dumpweed, on keeping things in
perspective
------------------------------------------------------------------------
johnfoss's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/55316