Jump?? Who me??

[moonsailnewf]

Ok, so suggestions on teaching a "real" jump would be appreciated! First of all, Gigi WILL slime off the boat and do so in the allotted time. However, she injured herself earlier this season (thought she tore an ACL, did not THANK GOD!!), but she was on R&R for a couple of weeks.

Obviously, to avoid injury, she MUST learn how to jump correctly! I have been teaching her the jump command off the boat, on shore as described in the NCA water training manual I have. However, I cannot get the jump to transistion to deeper water. She cannot slime off, I refuse to take the chance of her getting injured.

So how are you all teaching a scaredy cat Newf to jump successfully? With her, she does not want to get her head wet and go under. Of course, the way she goes in only reinforces that she goes under and she dislikes it that much more!!!!

 

[BluwaterNewfs]

I have one who will jump off beuatifully - just won't do it when someone is sitting onthe platform with her. We never really had to teach her. She knew jump from obedience. She just does a beautiful full extension jump. Wish I knew how to teach them to do that way.

 

[janices]

Brooke was doing that. I started her jumping with a life jacket. Then transitioned to ski belt. We put someone on the platform to assist lift off so she jumped correctly. Once she knew how to go off and was doing it took the aides away.

Joan, we have one that will jump beautiful for the paddle. Won't jump for the owner rescue.

 

[pecanpiepatti]

and let's not forget the magic meatballs! :icon_bb:

 

[janices]

and let's not forget the magic meatballs! :icon_bb:

Oh, yes, Brooke loves the Italian Meatballs that come from the Costco frozen food section. Used a lot of those meatballs learning jumping.

 

[jumpinnewf]

Since you have been jumping off the boat on land you might want to try having her jump off the boat into shallow water first than increasing the depth of the water. Meat balls might be the trick if not try liver

 

[markoc]

Since you have been jumping off the boat on land you might want to try having her jump off the boat into shallow water first than increasing the depth of the water. Meat balls might be the trick if not try liver

Yes. Into shallow first and increase your distance FROM the boat first-according to Judi Adler's book. Also, as you increase the water depth she will naturally figure out how to keep her head up-it can't be taught only learned through trial and error. What you can do is give her lots of praise if she does go under (even though she hates it-she still wants to please you!) Increase the depth over time as she gains confidence but continue in shallow-this helps build her "jumping muscles." See p. 122 if you have her book. I'm working on the same issue with Panda. She IS jumping but not very forcefully-so we're working on form and repitition and confidence seem to be the keys.

 

[Wayne A]

Good Luck The meatballs sound like a for sure thing.LOL

 

[janices]

Yes. Into shallow first and increase your distance FROM the boat first-according to Judi Adler's book. Also, as you increase the water depth she will naturally figure out how to keep her head up-it can't be taught only learned through trial and error. What you can do is give her lots of praise if she does go under (even though she hates it-she still wants to please you!) Increase the depth over time as she gains confidence but continue in shallow-this helps build her "jumping muscles." See p. 122 if you have her book. I'm working on the same issue with Panda. She IS jumping but not very forcefully-so we're working on form and repitition and confidence seem to be the keys.

Good in theory. Did that and it didn't quite go according to plan. Seen that not go according to plan more than once. Once the head goes under and they're trying to come up from the dive. Jumping out like should and coming up have to essentially learn how to dive and come up. I think that's the hardest to teach. The hesitant one's we've had to put someone on the platform to assist the jump to learn to jump out, put a flotation aide to assist them on the dive and come up. Let them learn, pull the aides. And really up the treat levels.

I got my first really really good jumps off yesterday. Hey, gotta love those meatballs. We had to stop on our way home and get a "Bama Whammie Surprise' frozen yogurt. Yum Yum. :lol: 3 weekends of practice left. Now crossing my fingers as hopeful.

 

[Ivoryudx]

I find a lot of dogs who have been taught to never jump off the grooming table have a problem with jumping in general. There are a lot of different ways to work this but first you need to teach them to jump 'OUT' and not jump 'DOWN'. Even if you go and work some broad jump Obedience it can give them the correct 'feel' for what you want them to do.

Normally I'll start them jumping 'to' shore, as described above, because most naturally want to jump over the water to get to land. Why they want to jump over the shallow water, I have no idea because they are usually already wet! haha Anyway, I build quickly getting them to jump so they get the correct 'feel' of jumping to shore and then I move it out quickly and turn the boat so they aren't jumping to shore for long. (this is usually done all in one session) I normally put the owner at least 10 feet away from the boat sometimes 100 feet away if they don't want to jump, but I'm trying to read the dog to get them to 'want' to come to them. (I'll use people, food or even a bumper to get them excited if thats what it takes) I also will use a long line (buckle collar) to keep the dog from jumping into the rest of the boat and hold their attention on me. I won't allow them to sit, or lay down as I want them to know there is only one way off the boat and that is to come to me.

If they slither, I put a long line on a buckle collar from behind them with someone standing in the boat. This can get tricky as the person needs to have perfect timing so as to not let the dogs head go under water but not to hang them or correct them in any way. Your trying to show them to keep their head up and they won't go under. The collar needs to be high up on the neck not on the throat. Once they learn to jump out, and to keep their head up, the rest comes naturally because they don't go under and are much more willing to jump.

We also go to a nice pier and jump off the end together. This builds excitement, and I try to make it FUN. This also takes anticipation/fear out the whole thing as well as the motion of the boat. MOST dogs quickly learn this is great stuff and they start jumping off the end for their bumper pretty quick after a few times with mom and/or dad.

Joan, the dog that is not coming off the boat with the person sitting next to them.....Is this to retrieve the paddle? Technically if they are not jumping for the paddle but will jump for their owner its a refusal to retrieve and should be trained as such. Its not necessarily a jumping problem.

 

[BluwaterNewfs]

Joan, the dog that is not coming off the boat with the person sitting next to them.....Is this to retrieve the paddle? Technically if they are not jumping for the paddle but will jump for their owner its a refusal to retrieve and should be trained as such. Its not necessarily a jumping problem.

She will retrieve the paddle if you get her off the boat. She will jump for her handler. She will jump to get the paddle after being pulled off, she then avoids the correction. And when she jumps - it is a picture perfect jump. No slithering.

Here is a post I made somewhere else about was today's training session :
Well it was an interesting training session. We worked Sugar for over 3 hours most of which was jumping off the boat for the paddle. I always knew that 125 foot WRDX line would be good for something. We tied it to a tree on the other side of the pond and then to the boat so when we pulled Sugar off the boat, and she dug in we wouldn't pull the boat in. And, no we don't have pictures - there were enough of us for someone to man the camera. After numerous attempts, Sugar finally realized she wasn't going to win and started jumping as we went to pull. She actually did 1 full repetition of the exercise, jump and get the paddle, bring to the the handler on the boat without any corrections. OF course, she only did once!

One has to understand Sugar - she is tester! She is always seeking to find the limits. She even has Betty baffled at times and dares to defy Betty, something Betty's dogs just don't do. I swear this dog stays up nigths thinking of ways to out smart us.

 

[moonsailnewf]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! We moved her into shallow water today. Still on shore, but facing out into the shallow water instead of on shore. I snapped a lead onto the dead ring of her collar and we tossed her bumper for her and told her to "jump." Still not jumping out as much as I would like, but I think that will come as we progress to the deeper water. We've also been practicing "jumping" off things like the couch, out of the van, and she does jump off the grooming table.

We had practiced the jump command over the broad jump last fall during obedience, but she was bred in Jan. and had Kiefer in April, so training was halted at that point and I steer clear of classes and dog events until pups are vaccinated.

I think we'll get it to click eventually, but the test is only 3 weeks away. Hopefully enough time to work it all out.

Today we decided that we no longer liked taking the line to the boat or doing the directed retrieve.. sigh.. :crazy:

Oh forgot.. Do have the Judi Adler book, but have misplaced it...

 

[janices]

We had practiced the jump command over the broad jump last fall during obedience, but she was bred in Jan. and had Kiefer in April, so training was halted at that point and I steer clear of classes and dog events until pups are vaccinated.

I think we'll get it to click eventually, but the test is only 3 weeks away. Hopefully enough time to work it all out.

Today we decided that we no longer liked taking the line to the boat or doing the directed retrieve.. sigh.. :crazy:

Well, Brooke has only really been out since late July training. She was bred in February and had litter in late April. Her training ceased too. She had a few training sessions in June and our local lakes got too low from severe drought. After her litter left Brooke was spayed and was out 4 weeks. Vet wanted her out an extra 2 weeks after stitches were out so she healed well. We cancelled our local group sessions from severe drought - local lakes 30 ft below normal and we're traveling 3 hrs back and forth to train. I think Brooke's doing very well considering the time she's really been out training this year. She trained both junior and senior last year. The only thing she wasn't doing last year was jumping from the boat.

Last Saturday's jump for paddle from back view. She goes around and jumps off the right side to corner it seems most of the time which we're glad I have the boat I do because can jump anywhere on the sides or corners and won't offset it. She is jumping out now.

This is something else we've come across if the boat does rock too much some dogs don't want to jump or jump out cause when they power off the boat rocks and rower has to try to offset that.

 

[Tracy]

What we have done when we get a dog that wants to slither off the boat: Pool noodles, the large ones, make one slice lengthwise in them and slide it onto the edge of your boat platform. This gives the dog something that they have to jump "over". Start by letting them see and sniff it with the boat up against the shore. Have them jump up onto the platform from land onto the boat, so they get the idea in their head that there is something there that they have to clear when jumping. Then start working your way out deeper into the water as you have. This along with the lead will help with getting them to jump up and out.
If your boat platform is too thick to slide this sliced noodle onto, one can simply strap it to the top of the platform with a ratchet strap, near the edge. If you have to do it this way just be careful that the dog does not catch its front paws under the pool noodle on its way off the boat.
Tracy

 

[CMDRTED]

Yes. Into shallow first and increase your distance FROM the boat first-according to Judi Adler's book. Also, as you increase the water depth she will naturally figure out how to keep her head up-it can't be taught only learned through trial and error. What you can do is give her lots of praise if she does go under (even though she hates it-she still wants to please you!) Increase the depth over time as she gains confidence but continue in shallow-this helps build her "jumping muscles." See p. 122 if you have her book. I'm working on the same issue with Panda. She IS jumping but not very forcefully-so we're working on form and repitition and confidence seem to be the keys.

I agree, Ethel finally taught herself to jump properly to keep her head out of the water. I agree with Mark start shallow and work your way out.