# teaching Emma to catch treats



## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Well since Emma needs to put on a coupla pounds I decided to start trying to teach her to catch treats. She's never been good at it. She lacks eye and treat coordination. So I grabbed some soft training treats and began my work.

I plan to start off by dropping the treat directly over her nose and applying the command "catch". I'll be starting off fairly close to her nose then once she masters that height I'll start moving the treat slightly off centered of her nose. Also increasing in height and degree of the treat being off centered each time she masters.

Made a short video of the training


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I want to work the Tucker in Flyball. This is similar to how I started to teach him to catch the ball. 

I started slow. and close. Maybe two to five inches from his face and kept moving higher. once he could catch it straight down, I started working with distance. He will catch it up to 20 feet away. He can also now catch it from many angles. I've since been working on pop up catching (Catching it when it is coming from the ground.). It took a little work and lots of playtime, but he's got it all down. Next, I intro the flyball machine!


Looks like Emma has it down!


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Makovach said:


> I want to work the Tucker in Flyball. This is similar to how I started to teach him to catch the ball.
> 
> I started slow. and close. Maybe two to five inches from his face and kept moving higher. once he could catch it straight down, I started working with distance. He will catch it up to 20 feet away. He can also now catch it from many angles. I've since been working on pop up catching (Catching it when it is coming from the ground.). It took a little work and lots of playtime, but he's got it all down. Next, I intro the flyball machine!
> 
> ...


Yup shes getting it.
the video was the last half of her session. 1st half was 50% miss and catch.
I've also played around with the idea of doing agility with Emma xD


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

PunkyPug said:


> Yup shes getting it.
> the video was the last half of her session. 1st half was 50% miss and catch.
> I've also played around with the idea of doing agility with Emma xD


I bet she would love it!

And I have to comment about her weight! She is one of the few Pugs I've ever see thats not overweight terribly! IMO She looks good! Why do you think she needs to gain weight?


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Makovach said:


> I bet she would love it!
> 
> And I have to comment about her weight! She is one of the few Pugs I've ever see thats not overweight terribly! IMO She looks good! Why do you think she needs to gain weight?


TYVM. I am obsessed with her weight. I've got this pup trained to sit square on the scale. She gets weighted once a week. 
I found a photo of her topline from December and realize I like that frame more than what she has now.
What she has now is a result of when she got sick. I only want her gaining 3 maybe 4 lbs.
This is her topline now:







And the topline I want to achv








She isn't terribly underweight, but I perfer the previous topline to what she has now. Only maybe a tad bit more waist.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

i agree, but do think she need just a bit more waist line. She is so cute!!!!!!


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## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

I love that when she misses a treat, she waits for you to pick it up instead of just going for it. :thumb: Very cute! I would only suggest to watch her treat intake - wouldnt want her getting sick from having too many!


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

liquid said:


> I love that when she misses a treat, she waits for you to pick it up instead of just going for it. :thumb: Very cute! I would only suggest to watch her treat intake - wouldnt want her getting sick from having too many!


She has been taught to not eat anything that drops onto the floor without my permission. 
I agree on not giving her too many treats 
She doesn't get treats often as it is. Maybe max 3 crunchy bones after her walks. But that's it.
She literally inhaled them. No chewing necessary for this pup!


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

you may prefer a different weight but what's a healthy weight for the dog??



PunkyPug said:


> TYVM. I am obsessed with her weight. I've got this pup trained to sit square on the scale. She gets weighted once a week.
> I found a photo of her topline from December and realize I like that frame more than what she has now.
> What she has now is a result of when she got sick. I only want her gaining 3 maybe 4 lbs.
> This is her topline now:
> ...


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> you may prefer a different weight but what's a healthy weight for the dog??


AKC says 14-18lbs
However, I don't follow these standards since 1: she isn't registered with them and 2: I've seen big boned and fit pugs that weight PAST 18lbs.

So really, weight is just a number. Body scale is more appropriate as to how the dog should look. Not to mention not every scale gives you the same result.

Emma will still be healthy in the body condition I prefer. TRUST ME. This pup aint gonna be overweight EVER.


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## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

So cute! My dogs will catch once in a while but arent that corrdinated haha


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