Whistle While You WORK!

I decided that I wanted to learn to use a whistle to direct the dogs in TREIBBALL so I purchased a shepherd’s whistle from Amazon.  I decided to go with the nickel silver one ($10) rather than the cheap plastic one ($4) or the quite expensive Corian one ($35) or the even more expensive Avonite or buffalo one ($45).

So it arrived and I confidently put it in my mouth to blow it and …… nothing… not a sound!  To the internet for instructions!  That’s when I can across this article and had to print a bit and link to the rest because it is SO entertaining!  Apparently I am not the only one that happened to!   SO… 

Whistle While You Work

The best kind of whistle you can use is the kind you are born with. ………  For those of us who can't whistle without help, some devious person, now long dead, designed the shepherd's whistle. This instrument of torture is designed to punish those of us who are already handicapped and can't make proper whistle noises with our mouths. It comes in plastic, acrylic, or metal. The basic shape is generally a half-moon.. They look innocent enough until you stick one in your mouth and blow. Nothing happens! Every whistle I tried at first was broke. Absolutely NO sound came out. This is how they are designed. The inventors figured that if you couldn't whistle without help, you really shouldn't be herding, so they designed this gadget to not work intentionally! On average, unless you really DO know how to whistle without the use of a mechanical whistle, it probably takes about 2 years to get any sound to come out of the shepherd's whistle. I'm not sure, but maybe this is the age the whistle needs to be before it can actually make sounds. I do know that when first bought, most whistles, at least those bought by neophytes to whistledom, do not work. There definitely needs to be a breaking in period.

Got your attention!  A few other gems:

• The first step in learning how to use a shepherd's whistle is to tie it on a string.
• The only wrong way to put a shepherds whistle in your mouth is to put the end tied to the string in first. This tastes funny which is why you don't do it.
• …..if you wear a whistle for looks, be careful because as soon as you do, someone will ask you to demonstrate it

And now, CLICK HERE to read “The Rest of the Story!”

TRIEBBALL!!!

Update 1/25/2014 – Ahh.. a work-around..  I think we’ll get it!
Update 1/20/2014  - We’re in week #4… why then are we still learning week #2 skills!! 

Update 1/13/2014
Click here for a great video..  no …not Jake..  he’s still learning to stand calmly behind the ball without biting it or jumping on it! 

*******Originally written 12/2013  This is when Jake started lessons with
Lynsie Bernier of Ideal Dog at Go Fetch in Winneconne!*******

Treibball is a positive-Reinforcement, competitive dog sport which originated in Germany and entered sanctioned competition in 2008. The dog must gather and drive large exercise balls into a soccer goal.

Eight balls of approximately 45–75 cm are set in a triangle formation, similar to billiards, with the point ball farthest from the goal. The object of the game is to get all eight balls into a confined space the size of a soccer goal within a set time period, usually about 15 minutes. The handler may not move outside of an area that contains the left half of and several feet beyond the goal area. The dog works in close cooperation with the handler, who is only allowed to use whistles, verbal or hand signals to direct his dog. No verbal or physical corrections are used in Treibball. The dog and handler must communicate effectively to herd one ball at a time into the goal, in fifteen minutes time. The dog and handler team are scored on cooperation and direction, within that fifteen minute time limit,and can earn extra points or accrue demerits accordingly.

The balls have been referred to as "rolling sheep" in recognition that this sport stems from herding for dogs who do not have access to regular sheep.

 

 

Training Videos on YouTube

Basics – Donna Hill (7 min.)
The Whole Intro – Sue Alexander (8:56) Black German Shepherd

Beginning Treibball – Sandi Persinger  (5:53)
Intermediate Treibball – Sandi Persinger (8:34)

Living With Dogs series

The Front Game (2:48)
The Serpentine Maze (:27)
The Platform Game: Training Orientation (2:17)
Teaching Orientation with Ball (:17)
Teaching Targeting to a Mat: Step 1  (:16)
Teaching the Distance Send: Step 2 (2:18)
Teaching Targeting to a Mat: Step 3 (:59)
The Mat Game: Distance Work (5:56)
Sending to a Target, Increasing Distance (:48)
Getting Distance: Luring with a Toy (3:35)
The Barrel Race Game (:29)
The Front Cross Dance (:24)
The Target Stick Game: Training the Push (2:28)
The Bowl Game: The Ball Push (:44)
The Bowl Game: Fun Basics (1:58)
Barrel Rolling Race Game (:32)
The Push Harder Game (:31)
Rainy Day Games: Treibbox (1:06)
Tiny Dogs Can Push Too! (:32)
Barrel Racing Intro (:45)

 

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Barn Hunt Videos

This page will continue to be updated. 
Any videos you may have and would like to add would be welcome!!
If you find links that are incorrect or don’t work, let me know.(send the YouTube links to lstonedogstuff@gmail.com) 

The following breeds are represented here so far:  American Staffordshire Terrier, English Cocker Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Great Dane, Icelandic Sheepdog, Malinois, Poodle (Standard), Weimararer, West Highland Terrier

 

2013.12.29 Trial in GA  Otter’s 1st Champion leg (English Cocker)

2013.12.28 Trial in GA 

Master – Otter – English Cocker (5th MASTER leg)
Master – Lexi – Weimaraner (2nd leg)

2013.12.14-15 Trial at the Sheboygan Dog Training Club

Master – Jake – GSD (2nd leg) time 2:49
Master – Jake – GSD (1st leg) time 3:18
Master – Jake – GSD
Master – Jake – GSD (run starts at 50 sec. 1st tube at 56 sec)
Master – Otter – English cocker
Master – Lexi – Weimaraner (1st leg)
Open – Vodka – Malinois

2013.12.01 Jake Training for Master

2013.10.26-27 Trial in Cascade, WI

Master – Nosi – Icelandic Sheepdog
Master – Nosi – Icelandic Sheepdog
Senior – Bean – Westie
Senior – Jake – GSD (3rd leg) time 1:29
Senior – Jake – GSD (2nd leg) time 1:59
Senior – Sniper – Standard poodle
Open – Vodka – Malinois (1st leg)
Novice – Vodka – Malinois

Miscellaneous

Open – Powerball – Am Staff
Open – Great Dane

     

Jake relaxing in his very own barn after practically
standing on his head to get a tube with a chicken back in it!
Who needs rats when chicken will do??

 

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What to do when there is no Barn Hunt?? …Treibball!!

Jake and I needed to learn something new.  The next Barn Hunt we plan to do is 3 months away and it’s a long winter so we are taking Treibball lessons!  OMG!  Challenging – YES!  However, it’s going to be fun learning the skills necessary for the sport! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Treibball is a positive-Reinforcement, competitive dog sport which originated in Germany and entered sanctioned competition in 2008. The dog must gather and drive large exercise balls into a soccer goal.

Eight balls of approximately 45–75 cm are set in a triangle formation, similar to billiards, with the point ball farthest from the goal. The object of the game is to get all eight balls into a confined space the size of a soccer goal within a set time period, usually about 15 minutes. The handler may not move outside of an area that contains the left half of and several feet beyond the goal area. The dog works in close cooperation with the handler, who is only allowed to use whistles, verbal or hand signals to direct his dog. No verbal or physical corrections are used in Treibball. The dog and handler must communicate effectively to herd one ball at a time into the goal, in fifteen minutes time. The dog and handler team are scored on cooperation and direction, within that fifteen minute time limit,and can earn extra points or accrue demerits accordingly.

The balls have been referred to as "rolling sheep" in recognition that this sport stems from herding for dogs who do not have access to regular sheep.

 

 

 

When we learn the most…

I’ve always said and truly believed that when I enter a dog trial and NQ (aka FAIL, NOT PASS, BLOW IT), is when I learn the most and identify the holes in my training with that dog!   I knew I had a problem with Jake pulling me to the start line from the blind and in the last few months did some “obedience for a bite” training with Terence hoping it would transfer to “obedience for a rat” so he would not try to pull me into the ring.

Take note:  Small dogs dragging their owners into the ring is cute people think…  “oh look at all the drive” spectators say…  “he really likes this!”  

Jake is not a a 20 pound dog, or even 30 or 40 pounds.  He is 80 pounds and clearly stronger than I am.  So today, as we approach the ring, I try to hold him close to me but he’s pulling and I give the leash a little slack which Jake apparently took to meant “lunge forward” so he did dragging me to the start line…  on the ground!  No, I wasn’t hurt, but, clearly, it took me by surprise!

I wrote this on Facebook:

Day 1 - lol... well let's say, it was another learning experience! Good news is that we did get our first MASTER leg this afternoon and he did walk nicely to the ring instead of pulling and then jerking me to the ground like he did in the morning!! (we had a discussion about that between trials!) And since he decided to poo in the ring in the morning trial, he was cleaned out in the afternoon so I didn't have to worry about that happening again! In the second run he found 2 rats in under a minute and then I spent 2 minutes wondering if there were more!! There weren't! It was fun!

Day 2 – Master leg #2 in the morning…good job Jake!!!  ….in the afternoon.. oh no..  ..more poo…  how can that be with the small amount of food I gave him…  well I yet again learned a new term … I need to “match” my dog before the trials..  THAT will be interesting!  Google it!

Overall -  I can’t complain!
2 legs in MASTER!!  2 BLUE ribbons!! 
Really..  that is a good weekend!

Look at the tail!  A hunter at 3 months!
No wonder he likes Barn Hunt!

Practice runs for MASTER!! :)

We went to Sheboygan to train at the Sheboygan Dog Training Club where the next trial is going to be held and did 3 Master runs which are included in this video.  After that we stopped at Gail’s on the way home and did 3 more runs.  Overall, he passed them all with 2 – 4 min. runs and 4 – 3 minute runs..  approximately.  Woohoo!! 

00:07 - Run #1 starts
00:30 – Rat #1 found and he releases it nicely
00:58 – Rat #2 found and again he releases it nicely
01:21 – Started tunnel but came back – it was a U and he hadn’t seen it before
01:41 – Rat #3 found – harder to get it from him
02:13 – Tunnel --- note to self…  don’t touch dog!
02:25 – Started sweep
04:02 – All done – 3 rats!  (3 min. 55 sec.)

04:08 – Run #2 starts
04:28 – Rat #1 found and he doesn’t want to release it
05:02 – Tunnel
05:11 – Started sweep
06:39 – Started to go under fence to get rats outside of ring
07:11 – All done – 1 rat!  (3 min. 3 sec.)

07:18 – Run #3 starts
07:28 – Rat #1 found – it’s getting harder to get it from him
07:42 – Rat #2 found – and harder and harder….
08:34 – Rat #3 found – we’re having a discussion about whose rat it is
09:12 – Started sweep
09:19 – Rat #4 found – ok.. we need to talk again about possession of the rodent
09:45 – Right about now I was trying to figure out how many rats he had found!
10:53 – All done – 4 rats!  (3 min. 35 sec.)

How did it start?

It was a fine thread that hooked us up with BARN HUNT as it sometimes is with things.  Gail told Kay at a farmer’s market.  Kay told me at lunch.  Trial in 2 weeks, needed to know what it was…  sounded like fun….why not?  Tested Jake (Brita and Winnie too) but Becky said “Jake’s your dog!  He’s good!”  Got him in the trial but only one day since I was determined to not get hooked on trialing again. (HA) So…Jake entered his first Barn Hunt in July 2013 after only a few practices and took 5th place which turned out to be the lowest placing he would have in the novice, open and senior level trials.  He finished those titles in 9 consecutive trials with 3 - 1st place ribbons, 4 - 2nd place ribbons and a 3rd place one.

 

Jake is now (November 2013) listed on the BARN HUNT website as the only (for now) German Shepherd Dog who has a senior title.  This means
Jake is the FIRST German shepherd dog to get a SENIOR title in the country….

no…  wait…  in the WORLD!!!!
Additionally, if I’m counting correctly, at the time he titled, there were only 11 senior dogs in the country but that number is growing rapidly.  In the future, I’m sure there will be lots more GSDs like Jake (“prey monsters”  as the West German working line German Shepherds are often called) competing in Barn Hunt!

This website will document, in addition to some of his background, his BARN HUNT journey and share some pictures and videos of other dogs having fun as well! He was my only dog with no website but now thanks to Barn Hunt, that has changed forever!    ~~~Laurel     LaurelsDogs@gmail.com

 

Open and Senior Certificates!!!!

 

 

    

So I get a new mat..

… for me…radiates my body heat back to me..  but who can’t stay off of it the minute I get up!! 

 

Titles & Ribbons & Toys, oh my….

BARN HUNT weekend ……  So here’s the scoop…

2 Titles – Open and Senior
1 - 2nd place in OPEN
3 – 1st places in SENIOR
2 – High in Class – SENIOR

GO JAKE!!

And 2 goodie bags he shared with Brita!

Jake's Barn Hunt Senior Run 1 min 29 sec

Jake flew through the tunnel at the beginning (not on video), had to do a climb, found 4 rats and
ignored 4 tubes, 3 of which had litter in them.

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The Rock Star on Facebook!

Posted on the Great Lakes Barn Hunt Facebook Group!

Laurel Stone added photos to Barn Hunt, Hortonville WI September 28-29, 2013.

Like · · Unfollow Post · Share · November 4 at 7:28pm

Lisa Quast, Sandra Hoesel, Kitty Check and 12 others like this

• Brenda Coffield He's come a long way since then!
• Laurel Stone Brenda Coffield it's actually pretty amazing to me also. His 3 senior legs consistently got better.. from 2:15 to 1:59 to 1:29. The last run was the first time we didn't have to have a discussion about who gets to keep the tube with the rat. Now if he would just walk nicely to the start line! lol
• Brenda Coffield Laurel Stone, I think he understands the game now and likes it!

(See picture of Jake with his ribbons on previous post)

Like · · Follow Post · Share · October 31 at 5:21pm

Lisa Quast, Kitty Check, Brenda Coffield and 11 others like this.

• Nancy Yeoman LOVE all the rosettes - so happy for you!!!
• Sandra Hoesel Pretty darned good for "just a service dog
• Brenda Coffield Jake rocked the barn!

(See video on previous post)

Jake's Senior run yesterday at the Cascade trial! Go Jake, RATS
2013.10.27 Jake's Barn Hunt Senior Run 1 min 29 sec

Barn Hunt weekend October 10, 2013 - Cascade Wisconsin - 4 trials Trial 1 - earned OPEN TITLE - 2nd place, 1 min. 10 sec. run Trial 2 - earned leg 1 SENIOR -...

Like · · Unfollow Post · Share · October 28 at 8:52am

• Lisa Quast, Rosann J Joubert Muller, Brenda Coffield and 11 others like this.
• Nancy Yeoman HUGE Congratulations - so happy for you and Jake!!!
• Camp Pit-Weiler He was AWESOME to watch!
• Laurel Stone Thanks! he's amazing.. the only thing holding him back is his handler!! lol
• Nancy Yeoman NO WAY - you are an awesome pair!!!
• Kitty Check Good job Laurel and Jake! You guys rock!
• Brenda Coffield What a great team! Jake is an awesome hunter!
• Kari Olson That was great!

Posted on the Michigan Barn Hunt Facebook Group!

Ellen Hizer….Sonja Davis check out this GSD getting a Senior leg in Barn Hunt! That is a Tunnel, a Climb and four rats in 1 min 29 secs. Great run!

(See video on previous post)

2013.10.27 Jake's Barn Hunt Senior Run 1 min 29 sec

Share · October 28 at 9:22am · Edited Seen by 85

Lisa Quast, Brenda Coffield and 4 others like this.

• Sonja Davis Yeah I doubt I could get Tsuni to focus on another search, she would want the first one
• Chris Willis That's going to be the problem with Rockett - once she has a find she goes so over the top ... gotta figure out a way to train me to get the tube out quickly and get her to keep looking for the next one!
• Susan Olsen It was fun to watch Jake, but it was actually 4 rats in that short of time!!! Congratulations Jake!
• Ellen Hizer thanks Susan, I wasn't there. I thought I only saw 3 on the video. Yes Sonja Davis that is where I am at with my kids, get the rat tube out quickly and get them on to the next rat.
• Susan Olsen Jake is so quick
• R.d. Mousseau nice they remove the rats as they find them. Wasn't aware you could 'direct' the dog. Can't wait to get the dachshunds on this. They're going to be CRAZY!!!
• Ellen Hizer you can keep them moving to areas that they might not have searched yet but you have to be careful that you are not actually pulling them off of a rat! And you are not allowed to point with a finger or come within a foot of the tubes (and you do not know where they are so....) You are better off not interfering with the dog unless they get stuck on a smell (like a pee spot) and you KNOW there is no rat there. Then you can try to keep them moving. There is a lot more to 'handling' this then you would think.
• Jean Richardson @Ellen it is quite interesting just verbal support. And I like that letting my dog use his own mind to do what he was bred to do. Now when I said get the rat today he became very alert

Shed + Straw = FUN!

30 bales of straw coming…  hmmm…  the shed!  It had become the dumping ground for all the environmental distractions used for PSA.  So…  9 garbage bags of milk jugs, cans, bottles, hoops, etc., etc.  bagged and ready for the garbage pickup.  Tarp and 4x4 raised box on the floor.  Straw!!  And, you know, Jake gets almost as excited at frozen chicken backs in the tubes as he does with live rats (which aren’t part of MY plan!)  …..liver maybe..  just thinkin’.

                             

So after the chicken lunch, Jake and Brita get to hang out while I figure out how to cover the window openings so the weather stays on the outside and away from the straw!!  I’ll also have to fence part of it in since Jake kept going to the outside since the tube was on the edge of the building and he thought it might be easier from out there…  FENCING I have!! 
UPDATE – the next day….
Jake, again searching for and finding the chicken in the tube….  what a guy!  He has NO hesitation about standing on his head to get the tube.  Then he takes it and heads out to the yard and finally back to the crate in the garage where he will get to eat the chicken he found!

      

Rain tomorrow so I wanted to get tarps around it so the straw wouldn’t get wet.
My plan was to have CLEAR plastic but had to use what was available so I  
used tarps for the back and far side and resorted to a
sail from an “A” scow which has a VERY high mast so it is very large.  
Not quite done here but after a bit more work it looks like a wrapped sardine can!

What we DO for our Dogs!!

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Ta Da!! Jake's FIRST title

Jake’s first BARN HUNT title!!

Happy 4th Birthday!!

Jake’s a ROCK STAR!!

Barn Hunt ROCKS!
Who would have thought that an 80 pound German Shepherd would place 2nd in 2 novice trials on Saturday earning a NOVICE title and then finish 2nd and 3rd on Sunday in the OPEN level earning 2 legs towards that title!

Click here to read the first post that explains the new sport called Barn Hunt!

Saturday - Trial 1 – Novice - Krista Williams (judge)  21.58 seconds – Pass - 2nd place
Saturday - Trial 2 – Novice - Krista Williams (judge)  24.38 seconds – Pass – 2nd place
Total time allowed for novice is 2 minutes.  He missed 1st place each trial by 1 second.
____________________________________________________________

Sunday - Trial 1 – Open - Krista Williams (judge)  66.84 seconds – Pass – 2nd place
Sunday - Trial 2 – Open - Krista Williams (judge)  64.40 seconds – Pass – 3rd place
Total time allowed for OPEN is 2 minutes 30 seconds.
__________________________________________________________

I posted on Facebook and below are “likes” and comments!

Candace Shaffer, Rolando Arthus Salvador, Tracy Jennerjohn and 52 others like this.

Nancy Nestler Go Jake! What an intersting sport!

Laurel Stone Nancy - it's just plain fun! In novice there are 3 tubes (rat/rat litter/nothing) hidden in the straw and the dog must find the one with the rat and indicate it so the handler calls it. if the handler calls the wrong one, it's over. Dogs have to go through a tunnel made from bales 18" wide and 22" high which determines whether or not dogs can participate. They also have to climb on a bale and if they find the rat before the climb or tunnel they have to go back and do it. Novice time is 2 minutes. When Jake did it Saturday, his times were 21 and 23 seconds and was ONE second behind the winning dog. In open there are 2 rats and one is hidden high with more time and in the higher levels there could be 5 rats but you're not told how many with bales stacked 3 high and several tunnels. Oh and they run naked (no collar) so holding Jake in the start box while handing off my leash without holding his scruff is probably the hardest part for me because he is SO excited.

Connie Bachhuber Jake is a natural. And thank you for being so willing to work. Gate Steward is not an easy job.

Marilyn Tokach What goof! He looks so proud of himself... but in a laid back, "yea, I did it... what's the big deal?" sort of a way.

Laurel Stone Connie.. you're too nice.. gate steward is the easiest job and you get to watch the dogs! Marilyn, He is a goof as we know. When he finds the last rat I have him bring the tube to me and he sits in front of me in a perfect retrieve position and releases it when I say out!

Sandra Hoesel Are you coming to the Rock Road Barn Hunt Oct 26th & 27th? Jake has that "I wanna go to another Barn Hunt" look in his eye! Congrats on all those pretty ribbons!

Laurel Stone Yes ma'am, I'm coming over to your place Sandra Hoesel! At least my entry is in an envelope with the others at Gail Donaldson's! Who knew he'd be so naturally good! If we don't pass any it will clearly be my fault (don't pat the straw Laurel, don't hold him by the scruff Laurel, don't shout Laurel.. you get the picture! :):))

Who would have thought it??  BARN HUNT….finding rats in a tube … 
more exciting than bitework!!! 
GO Jake!!!!

.

Ta DA!!

Jake’s first BARN HUNT title!!

Jake guarding - Brita snoozing...

BARN HUNT practice??

I tell ‘em…  “get that rabbit” because rabbits are eating my stuff!  Remember those carrots I planted….

      

Dogs hunting!

I tell ‘em…  “get that rabbit” because rabbits are eating my stuff!  Remember those carrots I planted….