Page 51 - Chow LIfe - Summer 2021

get her back from Zoomies in the agility ring. my husband could get a brief snuggle with her.
No food is good enough, calling is useless, lying Now, if I sit on one particular couch, she runs
on the floor doesn’t work, but if the quacking to “hers” and performs several tricks to solicit
starts, she slows down, stops and comes toward treats. Every. Single.Time. (Whether or not I
the sound. It was a long search to find that duck. planned to train). I worked with another of
(I bought four!) On-leash work can refine the my Chows to retrieve. Now I get 20 toys piled
initial training or can keep everyone safe before around me during dinner to get my attention.
you take your training on the road to Lowes or Chows like consistency and rules and expect
Home Depot. Try it without a leash in a secure you to follow the rules. Think about what
area first to see if you can hold your Chow’s rules you can live with on a daily basis. Ignore
attention. behaviors that don’t work, reward the ones you
want repeated and life will be simpler.
What does your Chow enjoy naturally? Is there
a behavior that is self-rewarding? If your Chow In short, training primitive breeds, of which
does these activities with you, you put money in Chows are a part, requires planning, patience
your relationship bank account. Some examples and persistence. Just know that your Chows
might be lure coursing or FastCAT. No training are very intelligent and enjoy learning and
required, all fun! Are there activities you spending time with you. Three sessions daily
love but your Chow is only a little enthused? of ten minutes apiece will greatly advance any
Practicing this activity may make withdrawals training goals. It is your job to make the time
from that same bank account. Increase rewards, fun and enjoyable. Whether or not you go on to
carefully ration time and repetitions and it may compete in any of the many sports available, the
change your Chow’s mind. My Chow Baila time training with your Chow will improve your
started reluctantly performing Rally. Now it is relationship, increase bonding and put you in
a favorite game. It will never compete with lure the leader position as your Chow looks to you
coursing or even agility, but she likes it now. My for entertainment. And of course all of us want
Rally Instructor laughs at the big “paychecks” to spend more time with our Chows!
but can’t argue with success.
Happy Training!
Break each trick/skill into very small parts.
This is absolutely essential. Start with several
sessions of first step heeling as your goal. When
your Chow is perfectly performing this with a
lure, during the next session simply hold the
reward in your left hand, then switch the hand
holding the reward, then put the reward in a
pocket, then on a nearby table. Keep the first
step heel as the behavior throughout. If you
increase the steps, go back to luring, then go
through the above steps again. If this seems too
easy, I promise that your Chow notices every
change. If your Chow disengages, it means that
you are moving forward on the skill too quickly
or with big changes that your Chow does not
understand. Go back to a successful point in the
session, get a good response, jackpot and quit
the session. Re-evaluate and re-plan the next
session with smaller increments of change and
try again later.

If you have begun training new behaviors, you
may see your Chow come to you and perform
one of these behaviors spontaneously. After
you recover from your shock, you may reward
the behavior or not, depending on whether
you want your Chow to do this. Be careful! I
taught Baila to get up on the couch and wave so

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