Teaching heel work without fastfeedinf?

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Slightlyconfused

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My brother is disabled, hands aren't that good. He wants to help teach the pups heel work but all the trainers he asks all say they teach by fast feeding.

Can you point me to some sites/articles he can read to help him?
 
Could he teach the dog to target (touch with his nose) a piece of cardboard? If yes, once the dog will follow a moving piece of cardboard he can attach the cardboard to his leg. Once the dog is used to targeting the paper on his leg you start making the paper smaller and smaller until you no longer need it.
 
If he wants to treat he could try using a squeezy paste. There are specialist dog ones but primula cheese is just as good. May be a bit easier to squeeze a bit out of the tube rather than fiddling about with tiny treats.
 
Stick a ball or rubber bone in armpit and use a release command.
You can also get ball/tug and magnet sets which can be put anywhere on body. Although he will have to retrieve and replace ball/tug to begin the exercise.

Denise Fenzi has some good tutorials also.
 
Could he manage to use a clicker? If he could, someone else could do the initial bit that needs the quick treating, but after that its just a click. We were just talking tonight about how my dog still remembers the clicker training we did 2yrs ago, that isnt really reinforced now, but hes never forgotten it, and it would be very easy to take that basic training we did and do more with him
 
There used to b a gadget that was a combined clicker and treat dispenser. It needed minimum dexterity to work but could help with the fast reward.
My best advice would be to find a good obedience trainer who is willing to adapt their techniques to work in this situation
 
Will the dog play tug and can your brother cope physically? If so, he could use a toy - make it into a favourite with lots of play, then carry it along, and stop for a game at intervals. Short intervals to start!
 
Alec Swan said:
What are the true extent of his disabilities, in that how 'limited' is he?

Alec.
Click to expand...

He can't do up buttons, clips, small fiddly things, he can't pick up a coin from a flat surface. Can't hold a pen or if it's a good day maybe he can write his name.
He uses his for arm muscles to activate his fingers and had a op to move a ligament to his thumb so he could still do the.pinching move but that's slowly failing now. He has lost the muscles in the palm of his hands.
 
FrankieCob said:
Could he manage to use a clicker? If he could, someone else could do the initial bit that needs the quick treating, but after that its just a click. We were just talking tonight about how my dog still remembers the clicker training we did 2yrs ago, that isnt really reinforced now, but hes never forgotten it, and it would be very easy to take that basic training we did and do more with him
Click to expand...

He tried that last year and found it too fiddley, he doesn't have that much feeling in.his hands either.
 
Spudlet said:
Will the dog play tug and can your brother cope physically? If so, he could use a toy - make it into a favourite with lots of play, then carry it along, and stop for a game at intervals. Short intervals to start!
Click to expand...

That's a good idea, he has alot of hand strength despite what ice written about because of the why his muscles have had to adapt
 
Slightlyconfused said:
That's a good idea, he has alot of hand strength despite what ice written about because of the why his muscles have had to adapt
Click to expand...

'Adapt', a good word. Because of your bro's disability he's had to adapt himself to probably just about every situation since he was very small. If he really does want to train dogs, even at the basic level, there's no reason why he shouldn't. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he adopts what ever suits him, and adapts just about any of the established routines. Good for him!!

It never fails to surprise me how often the 'disabled' aren't actually disabled at all because they, as you say, 'adapt' and many manage their tasks with a remarkable level of skill. Dog Training, for me anyway, isn't about gadgets, techniques or tools, but about a 'will' and with that in place, I'm sure that he'll make progress and find a certain sense of achievement. Well done all of you! :)

Alec.
 
If you want to go down the clicker route but he is unable to use a conventional clicker all he needs to be able to do is to click his tongue - much as we would click on a horse.

The clicker is only a marker so can be replaced with any consistent sound.
 
I would encourage his to consider the clicker because as above he can just replace it with a sound he makes or with any sound making object he is comfortable using and then he has the advantage that he can take his time giving the treat.
 
All correct behaviors need to be marked anyway before the reward comes. Some use a clicker, some make a verbal click or tut, some use a word. If you just feed or fling a ball randomly, then the dog will work off your hands moving.
 
A very interesting thread. Sadly,I can't help but I'm glad others can. Once your brother begins to understand how dogs are trained and how their minds work, I am sure he will have a lot of fun...oh, and a lot of frustration, too! We all get that, regardless of how long we've been at it or how able we are. But we get the highs as well and that makes up for it.
 
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