The Criteria
Maintain and/or Increase Balance and Self Control
- maintain below threshold in an area of multiple distractions
- maintain below threshold in potentially reactive situations
- provide the opportunity for the dog/trainer team to experience in a planned way, distractive and reactive situations.
- provide the vehicle (L1, L2, behaviors ) which support the dog in maintaining or regaining threshold including: Watch, Zen, sit, down, target, Come Game
This was a good session with lots of learning going on. Today only Karen/Webster and Rooster/Cathy were at OH. Both dogs arrived excited and over threshold as noted by snapping up treats or ignoring them.
After practicing, watch, car Zen, puppy push-ups, both dogs relaxed and joined the game.
- They were able to LL walk around the area separately, pass each other, and walk next to each other w/ appropriate manners.
- They were either able to rise above distractions or quickly recover from them by support and reinforcement of L1 behaviors.
- Rooster's Come Game is greatly improved especially after leaving the berry covered ground for a cleaner area.
- He is becoming comfortable working between two people as opposed to with just one as at home.
An excellent session! It is SO apparent that you have been working on Leash: L2: Step 3 from the Clinic Handout, Cathy. You will be at the head of the class when we work on it on Thursday! The LLW looked like a matched pair of dogs walking calmly side by side. Beautiful. And when you stopped, the dogs stood quietly (just like we practiced in BP!) Rooster's Come Game was done with great enthusiasm! Soon he will be VOLUNTEERING ... turning and running back to the other person BEFORE and/or WITHOUT "Pup! Pup! Pup!" Oh, he's so close! I really enjoyed this video.
ReplyDeleteWOW! You guys are inputting in the work and the progress is impressive! I especially loved how You discussed allowing the dogs to pay attention first ( without you doing the work to get their attention) instead of "nagging" ( your words) them. EXCELLENT! Cathy your sits, downs and stands were spot on with both hand and voice cues, LOVELY!! I am so delighted for you and Rooster!
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest that you teach a "calming signal" on cue as well? Asking Rooster for behaviors and getting them with whining is still a sign that he is stressed and a bit over threshold. It is possible to teach another behavior that is a natural calming signal and put it on cue. You could then ask for that behavior to help him self calm instead of a behavior that he CAN DO but that adds stress as shown by the whining. There is an excellent book called CLICK to CALM you might enjoy reading and using for more ideas.
Something that is naturally calming like sniffing the ground to "find" a treat IS an example of a calming signal that can be taught and cued.( for teaching this the treat will be dropped initially working up to dropping the treat after the nose drops to the ground to reward the action after it is cued.) Other calming signals that can be cued are things like a paw lift , a genital check, and a yawn. Some of these must be captured others are easier to shape.