Help Getting Lil' Claire's Ears Up????

[Elaine]

Lil' Clarie is entered in some shows coming up.... we've decided that I should show her. :eek: Would be nice to not be excused... would be even nicer if I could get Claire's ears up. She truly wants to please me... especially with bait, but she gets so intense that she puts her ears back to concentrate. Any thoughts...

[andyhilt27]

I am by no means a training guru or the like, but what about an ears up command? "Show me your ears!" And bait.

Or some phrase that really gets her attention. If Eva had this problem I would ask her if she were hungry. Her ears are almost never laid back though. Matter of fact her ears are only down when she gives kisses.

It is amazing how they can carry themselves completely different in the ring. When Eva is playing she has a roach in her back. In the ring her topline is dead solid. So thankfully her being tense in the ring hides a flaw.

[Sonquest]

Hey Elaine,
Try this. Put on show lead. :D Stack bitch. :D Get in front and bait. :D
When she lays her ears back, toss a small piece of bait so that it hits her about mid back skull and rolls off to ground. Let her go after the bait. They will normally put ears up to look on the ground and then look back to you with ears still up looking for more. As soon as she looks back at you, immediately give her another piece of bait and tell her "good ears". Even if they are only halfway up. Then maybe try just tossing a foot or so away and letting her get it and same thing. As soon as she looks at you for more, if ears are up, reward her. One other thing to try is to get her set up and if she pins her ears, continue to hold bait up near your chest and turn a quarter turn away from her, as if to ignore her. Again, as soon as ears go even part way up, reward her. She'll get the idea. Almost forgot, make sure she is hungry and use something exciting for bait. Not just kibble.

Tina :)

[dobesign]

We're working on the same thing with Bah, who even refuses steak! Any ideas how to get a judge to hold a live pigeon?:p

[Tracy Daugherty]

I would just hold the ears as erect as possible as the judge approaches. You can do this by "cleaning" up the face, by holding the collar in your hands and pull the skin on the neck down to get that nice clean look from the side. Make sure the lips are tucked in nicely and then just use your fingers to create pressure on the sides/base of the ear to get it erect. Obviously it would be easier to show you than try to type it out. Then I would throw bait after the down and back for her free stack. To get this to work you 1- need to become proficient at it as to not throw the bait on the judge!! and 2- you should be playing the watch it/get it game at home so she understands she should look at it intently then she'll be allowed to pounce for it....AT HOME!!
Good luck!!

Tracy

[Elaine]

might be more fun to just throw bait at the judge :p


I can get her ears up when I hand stack her, that is not the problem... and if she is in the mood, she will free bait like a special... it's getting in the mood.

Lil Claire knows "watch" and she does it intently... that's not the problem.. she is so intense she pins her ears back with sheer intensity... and then she gets frustrated and says, "piss off, I'm not playing your little game here, I don't need any piece of food that bad!"

[janetoppedal]

I too am having ear issues, with Saphira,
I have found eating in fron of her, making umm sounds her ears come up I say ears!! and give her a bit of what ever I am eating, I know this teaches them to begg but they sure look good in the ring, and the ears are coming up.

[Elaine]

Standing in front of Lil’Claire asking for ears is one of the most futile experiences you’re ever likely to have. She just ain’t gonna stoop to do such a degrading thing as "bait" for you, and certainly not for some morsel of food. She saves using her ears for every other occasion on earth, like, “Oh say, isn’t that the farmer 500 acres away blowing his nose? ” But she is not baiting... it offends her that you even ask.

I love the individual differences in dogs. For example, the difference with Almé and Claire is greater than night and day. Almé set’s herself right in front of you, wags her tail... gives you both ears... looks intently into your eyes, stands like a rock and says, “Hey, that thing in your hand is the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen. I'll watch it for hours if you like.” Not Claire. Even if she can’t deny she wants the bait, she will not use her ears. She thinks the whole “baiting” thing sucks.

If you know Lil Claire, you understand. She's Lill Claire!

[dobesign]

Bah refused interest in stupid noises, toys of any kind, steak, cheese, caramel, strawberries, Cap'n Crunch, Bologna, Hot dogs of every denomination, she will ONLY work for liver oh and live birds (but that's kinda hard to get the judge to hold in the ring). And today, she ACTUALLY gave me EARS IN THE RING!!!!!:eek: WEEEHEWWWW:D:cool::o

[Dobemaid]

You know what might work... is freeze dried tripe!!! It stinks like fresh horse/cow manure and my dogs go nutts after it. You might have to wear gloves, though cause your hands will smell like you just picked up horse (or fresh cow) doo doo. Just a little piece at a time and man, they will do hoops for another piece!!!.The ears will be up for sure!!! (but be careful where you go after, cause you might have a pack of dogs following you! LOL) The gal that sells the B.A.R.F. diet at the dog shows has it.
And being you have horses, you might have some (make believe tripe) laying around. Cause to me that is what tripe smells like!!
Good luck!

[Elaine]

You know what might work... is freeze dried tripe!!! It stinks like fresh horse/cow manure and my dogs go nutts after it. You might have to wear gloves, though cause your hands will smell like you just picked up horse (or fresh cow) doo doo. !

:D:D:D:D

Maybe I should do some splainin here… I really don’t need something that smells “like” horse shit, we have the real thing… lots of it.:o:o:o I could fill my pockets with it, but Lil Claire would not think it even remotely novel. And, E2 is coming for an extended visit soon… ask her how much she’ll love my home smelling like a ripe barn. But first, ask her to tell you about what my hotel room smelled like when we got back from dinner the night of the Buck County show. :eek::eek:

I think Brenna's idea of a live bird (something the size of a turkey buzzard) might work, but getting the judge to allow it in the ring may be a problem. :D