Does anyone know where I can get an instruction book to go with my training discs?  I bought them some time ago and have lost the instructions but would like to try these in training with my 10 month old GSD to help us both through his horrible teenage Kevin phase.

Hi John

Unfortunately I dont have the instruction book but can tell you as I have introduced them to my border collie to stop him trying to squash the cat.

Basically start with some treats in your hand with him sat in front of you, drop one on the floor and as he goes to grab it drop the discs on the floor,  this will startle him and make him stop.  Pick up the treat and then hand it to him telling him to take it.  Repeat this several times and this should instil that the discs mean not to do something.  You should the be able to use them whenever he is acting out behaviour that you do not want.

Best of luck
Claire

Noooooooooooo - they are best introduced by somebody OTHER than the owner - the owner should be available to the dog for reassurance - the dog should NOT know the owner was the source of the discs. :(

I don't think it says that in the training manual

Daisy

Hi Daisy

Yes, you are right - the manual that comes with the discs does not make it clear that someone other than the owner should do the introduction.  But in John Fisher's (he invented them and their use) book he always uses them for the introduction and once the dog understands their meaning the owner can take over and use them in different situations.

One thing that you should include in the introduction is to 'chink' the discs in your hand BEFORE you throw them down.  This acts as a warning to the dog that if it continues in its intention, the discs are thrown.  It means that later on you when you are using them to deter other unwanted behaviour you don't necessarily have to throw the discs - just 'chink' them.

There has been some confusion recently on what the discs are supposed to mean: some think they tell the dog 'no reward'  - as in the clicker means 'reward'.  But in John Fisher's book, and Peter Neville's they were designed to be used to interupt the dogs intended behaviour so that the owner could get the dogs attention back on him and distract or redirect the dog's behaviour onto something else.  They were not designed to signal 'no reward'.  Because the dog does not succeed in doing what it originally intended the dog finds itself in a non-rewarding situation which is not quite the same thing.

As you rightly point out it doesnt say this in the instruction manual, although I didnt have anybody on hand at the time to deal with it this way but have found that he still came to me for reassurance.  I think the trick if you dont have anybody else on hand is to make sure that the dog doesnt know it came from you.

Thanks for all the advice I'll start using them.

You have seen this thread http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?tid=48510#fnp haven't you John?

Digger thanks for pointing this out, I had seen this thread but hopefully don't think this will be an issue with my dog as so far he is unflappable.