Balabanov's 'The Game'

[sandy]

Have any of you used Ivan Balabanov's methods for your obedience training? I had started Elzie with motivational training (food) and was not getting very snappy results. Since I switched to Ivan's 'The Game' three weeks ago, her whole demeaner when training has changed! She loves it and is looking great! ;D

He came through Utah in early October but I was unable to attend his seminar. Fortunately, someone borrowed me his videos and I feel like Elzie and I are really on a roll now. Just wanted to hear the experiences and opinions of others who may have tried his methods.

Sandy

[vomlandholz]

I was fortunate enough to be able to train with him and Silke when they lived here in Florida. Little expensive training with all the time, but if I had problems I couldn't fix, he always managed to show me how to do it. He will use force, but only if ABSOLUTELY neccessary. My dogs did very well under his training.

[JanisN]

I'm eagerly awaiting the opportunity to train with them when they're settled in KY. And gawd, Silke is the MOST fun to go drinking with!!!

JanisN

[sandy]

>> Silke is the MOST fun to go drinking with!!!

Now, that's the kind of information that I need! ;D

[liebejungen]

Can anyone synopsize what this "Balabanov's 'The Game' " is about? I am interested in any method that works without food.

Food works ok with Elsa, but she is not very food motivated. I would prefer to find ways to motivate her and keep her attenion without using food.

[sandy]

Very basically, the method involves finding an active reward that your dog LOVES and using that reward to build the dogs drive and responses.

Several of the dogs in our club are using it for obedience and we all have settled on using either tug type or ball-on-string type toys for reward. My Elzie is nutty about playing tug with a Dental Kong, a red kong toy with a string running through it, so that is what we use.

Also, an important component to this method is having a precise release command (which preceeds the reward everytime) as well as a positive verbal cue to use to tell the dog that 'you are not released yet, but you are doing it right'. I use 'YES' for my release word and 'good' for my positive cue.

I give a command (for example 'sit') and the degree of her reward is directly related to how she complies. A slow, crooked sit will get her a short, not very vigourous game of tug after I release her with my 'yes'. However, a quick and straight sit will get her a BIG game of tug after a hearty 'YES'!

There are a lot of other aspects of this method that really make it work with a dog that is motivated by play. A few important points are:
*In the beginning, your sessions should be TEXT more play than commands.
*You must always offer the reward when you give the release command.
*Use the positive cue to let the dog know they are doing well (for example, while learning to 'watch', you could say 'good' to communicate that the eye contact is what you are looking for.)
*The dog is only allowed the reward when it is offered by you...they aren't allowed to sneak a bite of the toy.
*They don't recommend using a ball for the reward because it sends the dog too far from you and keeps the game from moving at a rapid pace.

If at all possible, get the tapes so that you can see Ivan in action with the dogs. They are available at Leerburg.com, as well as other places online. Or better yet, go to one of his seminars. Here is his website:
www.malinois.com/otvitosha/

Hope that helps a bit. Maybe others can add to this? Good luck!

[liebejungen]

Sandy,

Thank you very much for the info. It sounds interesting and beneficial. I will check into it!

Jon

[Smithie86]

Same as Bernard Flinks, slightly different angle.

Motivational training...... ;D