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Liver Cake Recipe

Teaching a Small Dog to Pivot

Creating Variety in HTM Class Activities

Modified Wendy Volhard Diet

HTM Move Development Scheme

Training Tips

Canine Hydrotherapy

LIVER CAKE RECIPE - a highly nutritious training treat made from human quality ingredients

1 lb Liver (preferably Lambs)

1 lb Flaked Oats

2 Eggs

2 cloves Garlic or 2 tsps garlic puree

A couple of tablespoons of milk

Put the liver, eggs and garlic into a blender until well mashed up. Add about a quarter of the rolled oats. If you have a heavy duty blender you can add the rest of the oats. If not, then put the blended mixture into a mixing bowl and gradually fold in the remaining oats. If you try to do this in a small domestic blender the motor may overheat. If you find it is too dry to mix then add a couple of tablespoons of milk. Press the mixture into a greased 12-inch baking tin and place in the oven (Gas Mark 4, or Electric 180ºC) for around 30-40 minutes. You can line the baking tray with tin foil and grease that – to make it easier to remove once cooked. Leave to cool and cut into bite size pieces (¼ inch square). They can then be placed in small bags and frozen ready for use over a couple of weeks. It may be easier to cut them initially into ¾ inch squares, otherwise they crumble a bit, which you will then need to cut up into the smaller pieces just before use.

TEACHING A SMALL DOG TO PIVOT – article written by myself and first printed in the PnM Newsletter

Little dogs have one distinct disadvantage when it comes to doing any sort of work where they are supposed to remain close to their handler’s side. They can’t see their handler’s face. So what do they do? They move slightly to the side so they can look up more easily. This problem may well have been mastered when teaching normal heelwork by, for example, clicking and rewarding when the dog adopts the correct position. However when teaching a new move, such as the pivot, the dog will frequently move out to the side again or keep its head close but with its back end sticking out, as it tries to understand these new instructions. With a big dog a lot of handlers overcome this tendency to move out by putting slight tension on the lead or touching the dog’s side. You can certainly do this with a small dog but it involves the handler in a lot of bending down and turning of their body at the same time which is not particularly ergonomically sound.

How about doing a bit of lateral thinking? Forget about the dog being at your side – at least initially. Make a platform about 4 inches high out of a pile of magazines. Using basic clicker techniques teach your dog to stand with its front feet on the platform. You could either start by using food as a lure to the platform or sitting back and seeing how many different things your dog can do with a pile of magazines. If you try the second approach, I suggest you tie them firmly together to start with unless you want one of the creations to be magazines in every corner of the room. Once your dog is comfortable with standing on the platform, stand in front of your dog and move a couple of step sideways round the platform. Hopefully, especially if you have a lure in your hands, your dog should keep its front feet on the spot and move its back feet sideways thus starting to pivot in front of you. The speed with which you can move on depends very much on how quickly your dog gets the message but basically you are aiming for a complete 360 degree pivot on the platform – still using click and reward principles.

The next stage involves reducing the height of the pile, one magazine at a time, until your dog will carry out the exercise on just one magazine. At this stage I suggest you replace the magazine with a same sized piece of cardboard – perhaps a panel from a breakfast cereal box so that it will be coloured and therefore not too dissimilar to the magazine cover. You could actually use the pivot in this position as a move in its own right, in which case you would simply gradually reduce the size of the cardboard until the dog becomes so familiar with the move that it is no longer necessary. This might be a good point at which to introduce a temporary or permanent cue (command).

However if you want to transfer the move to your side try the following. Cut the cardboard into a circle, about 3 inches in diameter and get your dog used to doing the pivot on that. Incidentally, the smaller you can make the cardboard circle the better since this enables you to almost swivel your foot on the spot. Then with your dog standing with its front feet on the circle, stand beside your dog with your left foot adjacent to the circle. This is assuming you are starting with an anticlockwise pivot (left about turn), if you are starting with a clockwise one then obviously you need to reverse the positions. Give your pivot cue and move your left foot a couple of inches forward round the circle. Fingers crossed, your dog will move its back feet around and pivot. You might need to be quite patient here and click and reward for even the smallest of back feet moves. Some dogs catch on really quickly others seem to need to be taken back to the ‘in front’ position, as a reminder, quite frequently. Once you have the back feet moving sideways reliably though you should be able to move on relatively quickly to doing a 360 degree pivot.

All you have to do then is sort out your permanent cue and have a go at doing it in the other direction – unless you have already been doing this simultaneously.

CREATING VARIETY IN HTM CLASS ACTIVITIES – article written as above

It’s very easy to get stuck in a rut when running any type of training class, and heelwork to music is no different. The following list of suggestions should help to keep everyone involved, on their toes and actively developing new skills. If you don’t run or attend a class many of the suggestions are still applicable if you train alone or with a friend(s).  

1. Get everyone to set themselves targets or objectives to be achieved each week – a bit like Celebrity Fat Club on the TV. The targets must be realistic so that everyone should be able to demonstrate their achievement to the group the following week.

2. Think of how many ways there are to do certain moves e.g. weaving, heelwork, poses. Write a composite list between the class and start working towards teaching yourself and your dog the variations. You could either do this by a ‘group think’ or by allocating the moves to individuals who would then return the following week able to lead the group in learning the moves.

3. How about an activity for getting everyone involved and moving – great if it’s cold. Have a good selection of music available. Play one to two minutes of each piece with everyone independently having a go to see what might work. After each piece everyone must state a move that they think goes with the music. Play it through again with each person in turn demonstrating their selected move. For the next piece, each person must think of a different move.

4. Prepare a number of cards with a different move written on each. These can be used in a variety of ways. Give a different card to everyone and then, working in pairs, get them to demonstrate the move to each other. The partner acting as observer can make helpful comments. Swap cards around and repeat the exercise. Alternatively you could get people to show the whole group how they do the move on their card at the moment and explain what their next stage will be in developing it. This can be quite a useful way of generating discussion.

5. Have a selection of prepared audio tapes with, say, 30 seconds of music on. Either pre-warn people to bring Walkman’s in, then you could allow, say, 20 minutes to develop short routines or give out the tapes the previous week and get people to work on the routines at home. Run a mini competition with the rest of the group scoring the routines. This is also a useful exercise in developing assessment skills.

6. Get a different class member each week to prepare a different / novel activity lasting, say 10 – 20 minutes, for the whole group for the following week. It’s a good way to get everyone involved, thinking and hopefully creative.

7. Give everyone a copy of a different piece of music. Get them to bring along to the next class an item of clothing / prop (or whole costume) that could be used to reflect the music. Give prizes for e.g. most creative, most ingenious.

8. Get people to work out what is the best type of music for themselves and their dog. Do this by listening to selected pieces of music and working out the beats per minute. Match this against the handler’s preferred moving speed and the dog’s trotting speed. I have included this suggestion and the following one as a result of the recent training session for Assessors run by Annie Clayton at Ryton. It made me realise how important it is to find music that reflects your own natural pace and your dog’s natural trotting movement in order to appear to work in harmony as a team.

9. Develop the skill of moving to the music using different rhythms so that you are not restricted to a ‘walk’. It is also essential if you want to enter Dances with Dogs.

10. Get a dance teacher to come along, or failing that get someone to enrol at a dance class and then try and teach the rest what they have learnt.

11. Video tape individual moves or routines. This suggestion needs a video camera and also access to a TV / video for ease of playback so everyone can watch and comment on both their own and other people’s performances. Seeing yourself in action is an excellent way to find out what you need to work on.

12. This suggestion and the next also need TV/ video. If you can’t get these to your training venue perhaps you could go to a volunteer’s house to watch and get them to provide the coffee as well! Use one of the training videos as a guide to help you develop moves. Watch short excerpts, discuss them as a group and then have a go at doing them yourselves. If you tried, say, one or two per week this would gradually extend your repertoire of moves. Another way of doing the same thing would be to circulate the video round the class and for a different person each week to watch the excerpt themselves at home and then come to class prepared to show everyone else how to teach their dog the moves.

13. Pick out a routine from one of the show videos. Get everyone to identify moves they can do – to develop confidence in their present abilities. Identify those that they would like to be able to do, and are potentially achievable by them and their dog, then start working towards them. The really adventurous might try to get a copy of the music and try to emulate the video performance – assuming you have picked a good one. Or perhaps they could do it even better.

14. Get everyone working towards a Progress Award. This involves developing a short routine, selecting appropriate music, polishing up moves, ensuring all the required elements are included. This could be done over a number of weeks with all the group helping one another. If people can’t get to an assessment session, why not video the routines and send them in for assessment.

15. Develop individual dance routines in a similar way to the Progress Awards but including perhaps a wider range of moves, more attention to audience appeal and don’t forget the costume. If people aren’t yet ready for, aren’t interested in or can’t get to competitions, use something as an excuse to develop themed routines e.g. Christmas, Valentines Day etc.

16. Provide atmosphere by borrowing an audience – useful to provide distractions like clapping and to give people a chance to get used to the ‘nerves’ associated with live performance. You could do this by inviting another club or take your group ‘on the road’ to another club. Another way would be to have a party night and get friends and relatives to come along. The provision of prizes and / or rosettes makes it more realistic.

17. Develop a group routine that could be used if you are asked to do a demonstration. Or you could actively seek out a venue such as a church fete to show off your skills.

WENDY VOLHARD DIET - as modified by me for my personal use

WENDY VOLHARD DIET (for a 50 lb dog) - further details on www.volhard.com

(my modified version of her option based on commercial dog food and is the lazy / busy person's way of feeding a more natural diet)

TWICE A DAY

HTM MOVE DEVELOPMENT SCHEME - taken from an article written by me and first printed in the PnM Newsletter

This new scheme, developed by me for the Paws n Music Association, gives handlers additional opportunities to gain credit for the work they do with their dog(s). It was generated from my wanting to provide some sort of progression scheme for the handlers who come to my HTM classes. Living about four hours drive from Ryton and not being inundated with assessors volunteering to make the journey to Anglesey , means that their opportunities to do Progress Awards are limited. I felt that there was a need for something else that could lead up to Progress Awards, perhaps overlap to some extent and also recognise the individual moves that many handlers have taught their dogs. I also have owners coming to some of my pet classes who have taught their dogs lots of ‘tricks’ but who have no intention of ever entering any sort of formal competition. I therefore saw the opportunity to develop a highly flexible scheme that could be used at a local level to motivate, maintain interest, recognise progression, encourage involvement, develop skills and prepare for higher level work.

The scheme is a motivational system whereby handlers and dogs gradually accumulate points for an increasingly wider range of moves. Awards can be given for each 40 point increment and start with Garnet going up to Zircon. Initially dogs may be performing the moves with the help of very obvious cues but extra points are then awarded as the cues become more subtle. Handlers select for themselves what they want to be assessed on from a list of potential moves. It can be used as a stand alone scheme, alongside other schemes such as the PnM Progress Awards or to help prepare for other schemes and / or competition. PnM certificates are available or groups can provide their own

The scheme can be implemented at a local level in a variety of ways with groups/clubs deciding for themselves how they want to carry out the assessments but none of these necessitate the use of an external assessor appointed by PnM. This does mean though that certificates awarded under the scheme may be subject to a wider variation of interpretation than those awarded for Progress Awards. So who can use it? Any sort of club or training group, not necessarily even one that is predominantly about HTM, could use it as an internal club certificate scheme. The handlers don’t even have to be PnM members although we would hope that they may become so keen that they would feel the need to join and get more involved. In fact the Association would welcome its adoption by clubs wishing to encourage their handlers to develop HTM type skills. Therefore the assessment form may be photocopied however groups doing this must acknowledge its source. PnM members will automatically be informed of amendments / updates via the Newsletter but non-members must supply a SAE to receive this information. Small informal groups of friends who train together could use it to help them extend their range of moves and provide structure for their training. Individuals could also use it to provide ideas for their own training and for self scoring. The awards given are purely for self development / internal club purposes and if individuals who don’t attend a group want to be assessed then it is up to them to negotiate being assessed within a group using the scheme.

The essence of the scheme is very simple even if the assessment form initially looks rather complicated. The handler is assessed on how well their dog does a move. They get 1 point if the dog can only do it with a food or toy lure, 2 points if the signal needed is really obvious and 3 points if it is minimal i.e. it would allow the handler to be performing with their dog and the cue would not interfere with the overall impression. There is obviously a certain amount of subjectivity in this but on discussion within our group we have tended to be in agreement about the difference between 2 and 3 points. The maximum you can get for any one move however is 3 points. So, for example, if the first time you were assessed for 'spin clockwise in front' you needed to use a toy you would be given 1 point. If you then wanted re-assessing and did it with a minimal hand signal you would only be awarded the other 2 points. The list of moves is a starting point only. It is not intended to ever be an exact list of all possible moves, however as it develops further the list may become more comprehensive. New moves will always be appearing so a finite list would be totally impractical and space is left on the sheet for handlers to put in their own extra moves.

Some of the moves are open to interpretation and it is up to both handlers and assessors to ensure that they both have the same interpretation before the move is assessed. Some moves could be performed in a variety of ways. For example in 'jump over a prop' if the dog has, say, jumped over a pole held by the handler on first assessment then as long as a totally different object is used, such as a chair, there is no reason why a second 3 points could not be claimed. But groups must make their own decisions about the extent to which such moves are deemed to be different or too similar. Even in the few months I’ve been trying out the form I’ve had handlers wanting to include moves I’d never even considered.

The moves are listed in 5 different groups (dressage, circular, actions, poses, and backing) and for each award you must include at least 2 from each group. This is to encourage you to develop a breadth of different types of moves. There is an additional group (F) that also needs to be included from the second award up and this starts to encourage the linking of moves. In this there is also an additional point for handler style where you have the opportunity to demonstrate how you move in conjunction with your dog and in keeping with your chosen music. It would be logical to only incorporate moves in group F that you have already been assessed on, however I am sure some handlers will chose to do otherwise and this is OK. However as you move up through the awards you must include different moves each time in group F. You can use previous moves as links but they should not be part of the assessment.

So how often could you carry out these assessments? Well once again it’s up to you. Assessment could be done on a weekly basis by setting aside time for testing during each training session. It could be done on, say, one club night per month or specific dates could be put aside for it. Or perhaps the decision could be left with each handler to ask their assessor to watch them whenever they feel they are ready. Handlers can gather their points over any number of weeks / months (which is the way my group has been using it) or try to assess for each level all in one go. Next you need to consider who is going to carry out the assessments. You may wish to appoint specific assessors who fairly obviously must have some knowledge of HTM. Or you could involve group consensus as part of the decision making process. This second way may be a useful way of stimulating handlers to reflect on the way they train and thus become part of their training development. It could also help to prepare people for judging.

On a practical note, when completing the form, I’ve initialled the appropriate box as each move is assessed then, once they’ve all been totalled up for the first (Garnet) award, I’ve ticked them off so it’s clear which have already been taken account of and started again for the next level. If, say, a handler had gained 44 points for the Garnet Award they would then need to gain a minimum of 36 points for the Opal award. In practise though I’ve found that handlers have always been getting above the minimum for each level but that’s no problem as the points you need for each award are cumulative. By the time a handler gets to Zircon level the assessment sheet may be in tatters so you may need to provide replacements, but you need to make sure that previous points awarded are carefully transferred to the new form.

If you would like a copy of the Assessment Form then please email me and I will email it to you as an attachment.

TRAINING TIPS

In heelwork have you ever tried clicking as you set off? Done just occasionally it might add a bit of pep to the first few steps as your dog anticipates its reward.

If you are trying to get your dog to trot nicely, rather than pace, it can help if you click to mark the trot but then don’t reward immediately. Get your dog to continue trotting for a few seconds and you should find that, in anticipation of the reward, the trot will improve even further. This can work for some other moves as well.

Do you have a dog that puts its nose down to look for dropped food the moment it’s had its treat/reward? It might pay to sometimes give a second treat and hopefully your dog will be more inclined to keep its nose up in anticipation of another treat.

During training do you have a problem holding a lot of treats in your hand at the same time? Use a rolled up slice of chicken (Tesco’s economy) and let your dog take a small bite from the end each time. You might finish up with a very wet hand but it should stop food dropping onto the floor.

Teaching your dog to ‘wipe its face’ by using a bit of sticky tape on the muzzle to trigger the foot coming up to the face often works really well. However the tape can get slobbered on so it stops sticking, you get through a lot of pieces (and the whole roll finishes up wet), it can get eaten or it finishes up stuck to the foot and causes a totally different action to the one you wanted. Try using a plastic bag (a thin, large size freezer bag – not a crinkly supermarket one) to make a ring which you can slip loosely over your dog’s nose. It should trigger the same action and can be used again and again.

A problem common to both HTM and other dog disciplines is that of too early reinforcement. What handlers sometimes do, in an effort to motivate their dogs, is give them lots of praise, encouragement, and bribes (food lures) in order to get the required behaviour e.g. walking at heel. The result of this though may be that the dog is unintentionally reinforced for the very behaviour they are trying to reduce e.g. lagging. So if you are ‘cheer leading’ your dog it might be worth re-thinking your tactics.

CANINE HYDROTHERAPY - an article first written by myself and North Wales Canine Hydrotherapy and published in the PnM Newsletter

Canine hydrotherapy is the best form of low impact cardio-vascular exercise since swimming utilises virtually every muscle in the dog’s body. Regular warm water exercise aids recovery of wasted muscles without the ‘jarring’ shock of walking or running, whilst improving general fitness and flexibility. Specialised pools and equipment allow this process to take place in a safe, controlled environment. Swimming in lakes, ponds and the sea can be quite hazardous in terms of, for instance, poisonous algae, injury from slipping down muddy banks or cutting their paws on sharp rocks and the danger of getting out of their depth. Cold water in lakes and the sea can reduce blood circulation, whereas the warm water of the hydrotherapy pool together with the massaging effect of the jets helps to promote circulation and reduce swelling.

Elderly dogs

Hydrotherapy can improve the mobility and quality of life of many older dogs with conditions such as osteo-arthritis. Because hydrotherapy encourages full extension of the limbs it facilitates an increased range of movement and eases stiff joints. Exercise would be started gently, building up gradually as the dog’s strength and mobility improves.

Congenital joint problems

Conditions such as hip or elbow dysplasia and patella luxation are common among some breeds. Regular swimming builds the muscle to support these joints and often leads to a marked improvement in the dog’s quality of life. Many regular swimmers lead happy lives without the need for surgery.

Weight issues

Often linked to age or inability to exercise due to other health issues, weight problems contribute to many health concerns in our dogs. ‘Weigh and swim’ sessions can be a valuable way to help lose weight, especially when combined with an appropriate weight reducing diet.

Accident and injury rehabilitation

Hydrotherapy can be helpful for dogs recovering after accident, injury or prolonged inactivity. Veterinary surgeons commonly refer dogs for rehabilitation after broken bones, ligament problems, spinal injuries and to build muscle mass before and after hip replacement surgery. Movement in water can help to reduce lesions and scar tissue and also provide relief from pain, swelling and stiffness. As well as aiding physical condition it can also enhance a dog’s mental wellbeing especially during periods of restricted land exercise which may make them depressed.

Fitness and fun

Sporting and show dogs can benefit from swimming in order to improve general fitness levels, muscle tone and just for good clean fun! Many racing greyhounds and agility / flyball dogs are regularly exercised in this way as part of their competition preparation.  Using a hydrotherapy pool is also a good way of introducing young dogs to water.

So how do you begin?

The hydrotherapist will do their best to make the experience enjoyable for the dog (and owner). They will normally get into the pool with your dog to start with to help them build up confidence and they may combine gentle warm water massage with the swimming to help achieve a full range of limb movement. Some centres also have equipment such as hoists and water treadmills to help with the introduction to the pool and the intensity of exercise. A gentle, play based approach can convert the most reluctant swimmer into an enthusiastic water baby. The approach used differs according to the nature and needs of each dog, and they usually enjoy the fuss and drying process almost as much as the fun of chasing toys around the pool. But before you start you will need a referral from your vet, even if the swimming is only for fun, to confirm that your dog is in a suitable state of health to undergo hydrotherapy. If your dog is insured, some companies may pay the cost of some or all of the hydrotherapy if it is an integral part of your dog’s medical treatment.

Although you may book for, say, a 30 minute session, the first time you go your dog will only be in the water for a relatively short time since there will need to be a health assessment, a discussion of the aims of the sessions and a chance for you and your dog to become familiar with the surroundings. Your dog will be showered (this is done on each visit before entering and leaving the pool) and may have a flotation jacket fitted. The first swim may be as brief as, say, five minutes, depending on how well your dog takes to it. But as its condition improves and it becomes used to swimming it may increase to 20 or 30 minutes. After just 2 or 3 sessions most dogs eagerly anticipate their sessions and quickly learn to enter and exit the water via the non-slip ramp. You need to bear in mind that a 5 minute swim is equivalent to a 5 mile run. And if the jets are on, creating an artificial current, and your dog is swimming against this, they will be expending even more energy.

On a personal note I started taking Ceri (my 7 year old WSD) to hydrotherapy some months ago. She started as a total non-swimmer, preferring to paddle, but within just a couple of sessions she was swimming enthusiastically, helped by being ball mad.  She quickly progressed to swimming against the current and her keenness to get into the centre demonstrates clearly how much she enjoys it. Her 30 minute session now consists of about 5 minutes warm up in the pool with no jets on, then around 15 minutes swimming against the current. She says when she has had enough by staying at the ramp end, as she does whenever she wants a rest, so I gather it must be quite hard work for her. The jets then get turned off and she has another 5 minutes winding down coasting round the pool, but still after a ball. It’s all finished off by a shower, a blow dry and a towel rub down. The only negative is that she needs to wee roughly every 20 minutes for a few hours afterwards so I can’t afford to ignore her requests to go outside.