Levels 1,2, Cold at Home, OH, and Mission AH

The first three flips are cold behaviors done at home: Level 2: Crate, Go To Mat, and Distance

The next video of Level 2 behaviors cold, was flipped at OH on August 10. The dogs were working with all the distractions found at the harbor plus our own distractions of working dogs and busy trainers.

The last video was flipped at Mission Animal Hospital. Level 1 behaviors were tested cold.

Rooster Faces His Squirrels... and Triumphs

Today was Rooster's play date with children. Pat, aunt and mom, came with computer and materials we needed to complete before school starts. The girls came equipped with pizza, pool stuff and girlie things like Kens, Barbies and Pink Jeeps. They also had a clear mission... to help train Rooster.

The Goal

For Rooster to remain below threshold around children.

The Set - Up

• The situation was totally controlled
• When the girls arrived Rooster was in his crate
• They knew to ignore him, not even look in his direction
• He would remain invisible until he could be quiet and calm
• The girls would reward his good manners with treats (while he remained crated)
• What followed would be determined by his threshold level

The girls were wonderful, Rooster was wonderful..... another step (giant) in the right direction.

Rooster did bark when the girls came in and as instructed they didn't even look in his direction...nobody did. It didn't take but a few moments for Rooster to realize barking would not get him attention. He first learned this on the tennis courts with Hannah. It is a lesson we practice often. When you bark you are invisible.

Rooster quickly quieted. He did not bark again all afternoon. After a bit the girls went up one by one, said Hi, gave him a treat but he still remained in his crate while the party continued. When he came out he was ready to greet his guests and the day progressed from there.

Rooster exits his crate and meets the girls

After watching Rooster do "his thing" Level 1 behaviors, Abby and Ryland walked him around the kitchen. Rooster was loving the whole thing and so were the girls.

While Pat and I got some work done, the girls, the Kens, the Barbies, and two pink Jeeps went swimming. Rooster crashed on the floor, leaving the pool to the girls. Afterwards, Ryland wanted to take Rooster for a final walk, so off they went.

Again some valuable lessons learned. Control the situation, if you can, set things up for success, and move forward in little steps. Rooster could/would not have behaved this way a few months ago. We have been taking baby steps in this direction at OH, Balboa Park, Coronado, Mission AH, OTR, and at home. Today it started to come together. We still have a lot to do but we have put a few more squirrels to rest. The girls have promised to return to help train and there are classrooms of kids waiting at school for when the time is right.

Saturday Play Date With Jan, Nad, and "The Girls"... Goal 2, Appropriate Behavior Around Dogs, Known and Unknown

Because of occasional lameness, Rooster has had little interaction with dogs other than those he trains with and those times, always on leash. Saturday, Jan brought Nad, Samantha, and Kasey over to train with Rooster. This was the first time Rooster has seen Nad's "sisters" and the first time in a year he has been allowed to play freely with other dogs. He plays with our Jack Russell, but he lives with Winston.

The videos below chronicle the interactions beginning with first meeting to swimming in the pool. The dogs also spent time together in the house which wasn't flipped. At the start, Rooster was in the house and when the door opened on the other dogs he did bark. He was not allowed to leave the house until he could do so quietly and on a loose leash. This took several attempts. At last, leaving the house on a LL is the beginning of the flips. After that point, all the dogs remained below threshold and things progressed quickly. With the dogs resting and observing in the shade of the planter, Jan even took time to do some nonsense shaping with Nad. Rooster and "the Girls" politely watched.









After chilling in the shade, watching Jan shape Nad, and earning the "big reward", it was time to hit the pool. For Rooster this meant...run free at last.









This was a strong, positive, beginning toward Goal 2, Demonstrate Appropriate Behavior Around Dogs, Known and Unknown. The situation was totally controlled. Jan's dogs are amazing. Their calmness and good manners were examples that Rooster could follow and I could learn from. This is step one but a giant step. There are lessons learned and things to work on. Rooster needs to continue to learn to play with his pals. A valuable lesson and such an obvious one is that good manners (Zen) are all the time, everywhere. Rooster has a way to go but because Nad and "the Girls" have such strong Zen, Rooster for the most part was able to remained below threshold. When his threshold did raise, he recovered quickly. Here's to more play dates and strengthening ZEN.

OH Tuesday, July 27, Meeting and Greeting People and LL Walking Near Unfamiliar People

I have 4 major goals for Rooster that we continue to work towards.

- To appropriately meet and greet people, familiar and unfamiliar

- Have appropriate behavior around dogs, known and unknown

- Demonstrate fluency with L 1 behaviors

- Be "In the Game" when walking/working near or on grass

The following videos were coaching sessions at OH on Tuesday, July 27. In the first two, Rooster, Jan, and I were about to begin a coaching session when a lady got out of her car and came directly toward Rooster. He barked at her. There was an instant change of plans and we switched to working on Goal 1. I asked if she would consider helping train Rooster to meet and greet her appropriately. She agreed. You will notice in the video, the lady is further over threshold than Rooster. This was a good session for both Rooster and the lady.

In the first flip Rooster is practicing LL and L1 behaviors while the lady becomes more comfortable, taking the time she needs to decide when she is ready to greet him.

In the second flip the lady has decided she is ready to greet Rooster. It was a great learning experience for all.




The last flip is LL walking near unfamiliar people. This included walking through the parking lot, a familiar area, as well as on the sidewalk where people are closer. It is harder to keep Rooster's focus walking on the sidewalk as the smells are closer. The rate of c/t had to increase. In one instance the nose won but all in all R did well especially with people passing so close. This video followed the time spent meeting and greeting the lady by the car. It points out to me that Rooster is very aware of people approaching and how they approach may determine his reaction to them. The people passing in this flip are not paying attention to Rooster and he therefore is not threatened by them.