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I think this is okay. The more you practice Relaxation Conditioning, the more Nuptse will get it. He likely jumped to the other side because the food was close and tempting. Once he started to figure out what you wanted, he no longer was tempted by the food; he understood how to earn access to it.
It makes sense that you struggled in the holding area. You have only been practicing the games and concepts from this course at your home. This is your first time practicing at a trial. Perhaps spend more time practicing at trials you attend but in places that are easier for Veloz to focus. Then work your way to the harder areas. It can take many, many, many training sessions before you get the kind of results you might want. It took me a year and a half of working with Topper in different contexts, including trials before I got to where I wanted to be.
Can you visit parks or other busier areas to practice some of the games? Other than trials?
I don’t quite understand what you are working on in the holding area…a Pattern Game? Find My Face?
The tripod caused them to get excited/aroused? They likely know what the tripod means. Tripod = training. It’s like when I put sneakers on–my dogs gets excited because it typically means we are going to the backyard to play or train.
You don’t have to use bowls–any visual target that your dog can focus on will do. 🙂
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You guys look good! I recommend practicing this game in different environments, such as outside of your class the next time you meet.Find My Face is a game to help the dog check-in instead of stress and do some other behavior when something goes wrong. The ‘something’ that goes wrong could be a disconnection, the handler getting lost on the course, something happening outside of the ring, a mistake on the course, etc.
But for it to work, you must practice it in sequence and reinforce it. Essentially, if you stop, your dog sees that as an automatic check-in with you. If your dog knows exactly what to do when something goes wrong, and that other behavior has been heavily reinforced over time so the dog has value for it (likes doing it), then you reduce the dog’s stress from building. If the dog doesn’t stress as high because they have healthy coping strategies that you have taught them, then you will have more success in your long-term performance goals.
That’s so exciting!!! Any kind of visual target works–the idea is to have something for your dog to focus on.
Sounds like it was an impactful, positive learning experience! And the fact that he could settle right away is amazing!! Sleeping after a positive experience helps to consolidate those positive experiences into memories.
Please start working on Find My Face. Tina can help you work on that in class. 🙂
This is fantastic! What a perfect opportunity to practice these games when the class had fewer students! Well done overall!
Regarding the Cato board training-
The Cato board is for stationary work. When you reinforce her, walk back to her and reinforce her repeatedly. You can sometimes release her to you to reinforce. Practice it away from agility. You can make it dynamic by doing a few pattern games, then practice the Cato board, then release and do a few pattern games. Does that make sense?Have you ever asked her to sit and then immediately released her? Not necessarily to take the first obstacle, but just ask her to sit and release, then reward? If you are usually asking her to sit and then asking her to wait, that could impact her desire to sit right away.
Phuncky is a typical border collie in that when he is super aroused, he sits slowly. Regardless of how long it takes him, I sometimes instantly release him and toss the ball–even if I am standing next to him.
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Great job adjusting your plan at the startline when Avery kept sniffing. Overall, looks great!!I do not know your history, hence the question. Is there anything that struck a chord with you? Anything that was an ah-ha moment? Anything you heard in the conversation that could help with Robbie?
I would like for you to keep playing the Find My Face game. Spend a few days in a row practicing it in sequence. Then I want to play some game to build his arousal, then ask him to find your face. But first, please post video of you practicing Find My Face in sequence. At home is fine.
Brilliant!! So handsome! Such a regal sit. 🙂
I notice that he is panting. Were you running around or training a more active skill right before the Cato board video?
Have you had a chance to practice Find My Face in a sequence yet?
Hi Helen!
Relaxation Conditioning video-
You can place one treat at a time on the mat. Nuptse is ready for that step. You don’t have to crumble the treats anymore. 🙂Find My Face-
Loving the enthusiasm! I would like for you to reward him for coming to you, then toss a treat away.Also, you are ready to start practicing Find My Face in a sequence.
Rock n roll!!
Ah-ha! Yes! For example, when doing Relaxation Conditioning, for some dogs, using treats is too stimulating so we have to use kibble. This has to be taken into consideration when creating a training plan.
When Phuncky was younger, I used less stimulating toys, such as a tug toy instead of a ball, when teaching a new skill. Once he understood the skill, I would use the ball to reward him because that automatically got him higher.
