I have a question about training the boat exercises for Senior Water Training. My water crazy Ursa has no problem with any of the exercises for WRD except for the boat exercises. She has no problem boarding the boat and no problems with the ride out. Once we are out there, she will either 1)Jump and head to shore or 2) Act as if her legs are glued to the platform. I believe it may be a lack of experience on the boat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to train this in order to overcome these issues?
The WRD Boat Exercises
- Thread starter newfiemum
- Start date
janices
New member
If it's working on the jumping into water, Dock Diving, could be an avenue to get used to jumping. Training the paddle, go out into the water, toss, return to you in the water, not to you back at shore. Basically train the retrieves to always come back to you. Once on boat, have some friends stationed back at shore in water, you on boat, toss the paddle off, not straight out, to where the newf has to come back by the boat. Set your newf up for success. You need some really high value treats for this. The friends are stationed to cut your newf off to not get to shore with the paddle. And when I work on jumping and they are first starting they are always wearing a life jacket. The thing that scares them is the jump off, head goes under, and they have to come up off the dive. Life jacket vastly improves them staying up, until they actually learn how to come out of the dives. Once solid jumping we start taking the life jacket away. And I'll say this again, very high value treats.
Generally, we train the jump for rescue first, then start working on jump for paddle.
And as Mike said, wobble boards for working on balance and getting used to a boat that rocks underneath them.
Generally, we train the jump for rescue first, then start working on jump for paddle.
And as Mike said, wobble boards for working on balance and getting used to a boat that rocks underneath them.
Last edited:
Bucephalus
New member
Sorry to hijack your thread, newfiemum, but I was wondering about boat exercises, too. We're only working on the junior level stuff right now, but I'm wondering if, for WRD, can you still participate if your dog can't physically jump onto the boat in the first place because of hip problems? We haven't tried it yet, but Bo won't jump into the car at all or onto, say, the couch without a good 10 feet running start. He usually needs a "leg-up" from me or my husband. Is that allowed?
NewfieGirl01
New member
Newfiemum, do you go to the WD training with Genesee Region Newf Club?
I swear when I was there once I was talking to someone who has a dog named Ursa
I swear when I was there once I was talking to someone who has a dog named Ursa
CMDRTED
New member
You can try putting a long line on her, and give a tug if she's hgesitating. It works on some dogs. Take the exercise and break it into several portions. For example, first train to jump. You can also try some type of platform on land. Use the jump command, tug on the leash while saying "JUMP" when she can do that without the tug, transfer it wo the water. Then train on take it, hold it with the paddle, then train on her bringing it to you. Then put the entire exercise together.
911Newfs
New member
Saphira was doing the same thing. Glued to the boat and would not jump. If she did jump, she would head for shore and not come to the boat. These are a couple things I did with her:
1. I got out my PractiJumps for obedience and started working on jumping. Started at low setting, then gradually raised the height. This taught her the Jump command. When she was jumping without hesitation, I added a little extra to this, by having her jump 5 times before we headed out to the lake. Then when she jumped from the boat, there was major praise and huge rewards. When we returned home from the lake, I had her jump 5 more times.
2. I had to back up with a couple of the exercises and teach her to Come to the Hand. Did this for both Take A Line / Tow A Boat and Retrieve Off A Boat. Without any articles, and with some really yummy treats in hand, I taught her to come to the hand. Started this exercise in wading distance, then gradually moved the boat farther out. Also, my hand was up against the boat, so she could understand that she must go all the way to the boat. Starting this exercise, I was standing in the water next to the boat, not inside the boat. Then transitioned to the articles, again making sure there was a huge amount of praise and a big reward!!
3. Working with the oar, I trained this without the boat, in wading depth water. Threw the oar out a short distance and had her bring it to me. The key here is to work parallel to shore. Do not throw the oar out and have her bring it to you in the direction of the shore. I also would toss it and have her bring it to me in the seaward direction. By doing the short distances at first, I did not need to put her on a long line, as she was close enough that I could redirect her. Once she had this exercise down, then transitioned it to the boat. As soon as she was successful, we had a party!! LOL
These exercises were trained using these techniques in just one day, then we began to work on consistency. She now jumps off the boat, retrieves the oar, and take the line, all with consistently. And if I have to redirect her, I can do this from shore with her all the way out at the boat!
If you do not have a set of PractiJumps, you can easily build a jump by using some PVC. Two sides with holes drilled in to adjust heights, the bar used for the dog to jump over, and a couple long bolts with wingnuts to set the bar on. Also will wan to build feet at the bottom of the side, which will just need a couple small pieces of PVC and a 3-way connector.
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1. I got out my PractiJumps for obedience and started working on jumping. Started at low setting, then gradually raised the height. This taught her the Jump command. When she was jumping without hesitation, I added a little extra to this, by having her jump 5 times before we headed out to the lake. Then when she jumped from the boat, there was major praise and huge rewards. When we returned home from the lake, I had her jump 5 more times.
2. I had to back up with a couple of the exercises and teach her to Come to the Hand. Did this for both Take A Line / Tow A Boat and Retrieve Off A Boat. Without any articles, and with some really yummy treats in hand, I taught her to come to the hand. Started this exercise in wading distance, then gradually moved the boat farther out. Also, my hand was up against the boat, so she could understand that she must go all the way to the boat. Starting this exercise, I was standing in the water next to the boat, not inside the boat. Then transitioned to the articles, again making sure there was a huge amount of praise and a big reward!!
3. Working with the oar, I trained this without the boat, in wading depth water. Threw the oar out a short distance and had her bring it to me. The key here is to work parallel to shore. Do not throw the oar out and have her bring it to you in the direction of the shore. I also would toss it and have her bring it to me in the seaward direction. By doing the short distances at first, I did not need to put her on a long line, as she was close enough that I could redirect her. Once she had this exercise down, then transitioned it to the boat. As soon as she was successful, we had a party!! LOL
These exercises were trained using these techniques in just one day, then we began to work on consistency. She now jumps off the boat, retrieves the oar, and take the line, all with consistently. And if I have to redirect her, I can do this from shore with her all the way out at the boat!
If you do not have a set of PractiJumps, you can easily build a jump by using some PVC. Two sides with holes drilled in to adjust heights, the bar used for the dog to jump over, and a couple long bolts with wingnuts to set the bar on. Also will wan to build feet at the bottom of the side, which will just need a couple small pieces of PVC and a 3-way connector.
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Believe it or not, the boat exercises were Ursa's strong points. We actually used the Wobble Board and lots of encourgement...turkey bacon! Our biggest problem that killed us was beach control...Ursa's lack there of.
Here is a great pic of Ursa jumping from the boat:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.p...5746061.-2207520000.1348790236&type=1&theater
Here is a great pic of Ursa jumping from the boat:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.p...5746061.-2207520000.1348790236&type=1&theater