[Bobbie Bhambree]

Oh yay!! So happy you are getting a lot out of this course! And we are just getting started. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Ruth, thank you for these videos!

Would you consider working with a Veterinary Behaviorist? I am on the fence about medication–I would personally suggest trying Solloquin first. Overall, Leo has an amazing quality of life. I typically recommend working with a Veterinary Behaviorist for dog sports teams if the quality of life is impacted, not just the performance in the ring.

That being said, Leo’s behavior is significant. And sometimes, I think about how hard it can feel pushing a boulder up a mountain, so to speak. What if you had a whole team of people pushing up that boulder? It doesn’t feel as heavy or as hard. Meds/Supplements are like having that team of people.

It’s up to you. I am on the fence about it.

Have you done BAT with Leo?

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Also, I am going to introduce Shadow Handling to everyone in a couple of days. This should help with her distractions.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

I don’t know much about herding either, but I do recommend cross-training in another sport. What about something like Nosework? An activity that helps build resilience while also helping her practice focusing. And it is typically a less arousing activity. It can be good in helping her learn how to self-modulate her arousal.

In the video with you working on the porch-
I would like for you to feed Nox when she is looking at the dog as well, not just looking away. So instead of doing LAT, try feeding her no matter what. That might bring down some of her arousal. LAT works for a lot of dogs, but not all.

Also, you are asking her for behaviors but they seem to be more stimulating for her. Is this typical? It interrupts the barking but does not necessarily change her internal state.

Are you familiar with the technique called BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training)? I was going to introduce this later in the course but I think it’s important that you start it now.

Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT)
This procedure was created by Grisha Stewart. When practicing BAT, the dog is allowed to explore the space he is in and assess triggers at their own pace. By working at a distance from which your pup feels safe, your dog is able to process what’s going on and then choose to move on without distress.
BAT is one of many techniques we can use to change the way your dog responds to triggers. Instead of barking and lunging, for example, your dog will learn to choose to do something else. We will progress at your dog’s pace as they learn to learn to look and then move on.
The Procedure
• Go to a park or field where there are other dogs and people around.
• Make sure to stand at a distance from the trigger that is comfortable for your dog. Your trainer can help you discover the distance that works best for your dog—it could be 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet, etc. This is also called your dog’s Threshold. You will be working through triggers that are much farther away than the dog’s threshold because we want your dog to feel so comfortable, he can look and then move on.
• Attach a 30-ft long line (not a retractable) in place of your dog’s regular leash to his collar or harness (a harness is preferable for this technique).
• Give your dog slack on the long line. Make sure you are far enough back from the trigger that even if your dog gets to the end of the long line, he is still under threshold.
• Allow your dog to lead you around, but don’t let him get closer to the trigger. Just let him sniff and explore. He should be moving along curved paths, do not let him bee-line towards a trigger.
• Let’s say your dog’s trigger is another dog. If you see another dog in the distance, continue to follow your dog in the direction he wants to go. He might look up and notice the dog. Give him as much time as he needs to observe the dog. You are far enough away that you both will be fine. Allow your dog to meander and move freely.
• If your dog starts to pull towards the dog, gently slow him down with the leash. Guide him in a different direction. Feel free to call his name to redirect his attention.

Things to Keep in Mind
• BAT is intended to be boring. An entire session might look like your dog is sniffing looking for a place to eliminate or following a scent.
• Leash skills for long line work is an important part of BAT work. Review the article on BAT for long line handling.

Here are two video examples of BAT. I kept saying Behavior Adjustment Treatment, but that’s wrong—it’s Behavior Adjustment Training. Sorry about that!
Maggie was my foster dog that lived with me for 5 months. This video was taken within the first couple of weeks of her living with me. I gave Maggie treats whenever she disengaged from a trigger. You don’t have to do this—Maggie was still new to me so I wanted to give her as much help as possible.

This video is of a client of mine that lives in New York City. We are practicing BAT in Central Park. Cyrano is fearful of strangers and unfamiliar dogs. This video was taken after working with Cyrano for several weeks using a variety of techniques. BAT would not have worked for Cyrano early in his behavior modification program because he was severely fearful living in New York City. After two months on medication as well as progress in his behavior modification program, Cyrano was ready for BAT.

Do you have a Snuffle Mat? After two minutes of training any stimulating activity, I would like for you to pause and do some Snuffle Mat work. I am going to post it as an assignment in a couple of days, but I would like you to start now. Here is the exercise along with a video demonstration:

Snuffle Mat – to Help Reduce Arousal & Anxiety
Bobbie Bhambree
The scent is such an important component of how dogs experience the world. Allowing them to interact with their environment through their noses taps into an often-overlooked processing tool. Research suggests that sniffing promotes positive emotional affect, or in layman’s terms, sniffing makes dogs calm and happy. For dogs, olfaction is intrinsically linked to emotion in a very special way.
Snuffle Mats are not just great for enrichment, but can also be used as a tool to reduce anxiety as part of a behavior modification program.
Teaching the Game
• Sprinkle treats within the folds and crevices of the Snuffle Mat. Make sure to use treats that are stinky and high-value for your dog and can hold their attention.
• Place the Snuffle Mat on the floor and let your dog go to town.
• Before your dog is finished, or if your dog is standing and staring at the snuffle mat or trying to sniff out non-existent crumbs, sprinkle a generous number of treats into the Snuffle Mat again.
• Repeat this 4-5 times in a row.
• Practice this daily for a week so that you build value for the Snuffle Mat for your dog. What we want to see is that when you pull out the Snuffle Mat, your dog gets excited because they know what fun they’re about to have.
How to Use the Snuffle Mat
• Enrichment: Use of the Snuffle Mat can be one of the ways you provide mental stimulation for your dog.
• You can leave the Snuffle Mat for your pup to use when alone (if your dog won’t eat the Snuffle Mat).
• You can use it as a way to help reduce arousal when in stimulating situations.
• You can use it as a way to help your dog get comfortable with a guest visiting the home.
In this course, the intention is to use the Snuffle Mat during a class, at a seminar, at a trial, or anywhere else your dog has trouble focusing. You will be using it before you step into the ring.

Once your dog has value for the Snuffle Mat, start taking the show on the road. Offer the Snuffle Mat at a park, in the Home Depot parking lot, outside of a pet store, or when you have people over who your dog loves. Does your dog focus on the Snuffle Mat the entire time he is in that environment? Does your dog look relaxed? Is he eating at a frantic pace or at his normal pace? Does he keep his head down the entire time while eating?
These questions will help you gauge how your dog is feeling and where his mental state might be. If your dog is eating at a frantic pace or cannot focus on eating out of the Snuffle Mat, then report back and we will tweak your dog’s program.
If your dog is relaxed and seems to be enjoying eating out of the Snuffle Mat, then you are ready to start using it in class. Again, ask yourself the same questions as those noted above. We will build from there. 😊

Neuroscience – What’s Happening in the Brain
Dr. Kathy Murphy, Barking Brains
Olfactory neurons are specialized nerve cells that create a pathway from the nasal cavity, through an area at the front of the skull with holes in it (the cribriform plate) to the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is an area of the brain right at the front tip of the brain, which processes the information and passes it on to other brain areas involved in emotion and decision-making, determining how the dog feels about the scent and what action will now be taken. Each olfactory neuron is densely populated with scent receptors and the olfactory bulb of dogs is proportionally bigger than that of species where the scent is not a primary sense (humans, for example).

Interestingly though, variations in these important components are not thought to be primarily responsible for breed differences in scent workability, but rather differences in those brain areas responsible for determining how the dog feels about a scent and what action will now be taken.
So, what does this have to do with snuffle mats? Well, by creating an association between the snuffle mat activity and calm, focused attention we can train the dog’s brain to practice a state of emotional stability and attentional focus. These same effects (emotional stability and attentional focus) are known to be associated with mindfulness training in humans, the benefits of which are becoming more widely known. Once you see signs that these effects may be occurring (by asking the questions given above), move to practice in other slightly more challenging environments (with more distractions) to lateralize this brain training to other situations. If you notice signs that the dog is increasing in arousal (increased speed of movement, more frantic movement, a lack of calm focus on the mat, etc.), go back to practicing with fewer distractions. As with many confidence-building activities the main aim is for your dog to demonstrate the calm focus, rather than be good at the snuffle mat activity per se.

Once you have spent 3 days in a row giving Nox the Snuffle Mat in the house per the exercise, I would like for you to incorporate it in agility training; 2 min of training, 2 min of Snuffle Mat, then 2 min of training, then 2 min of Snuffle Mat. This will help her start learning how to self-modulate her arousal and will help minimize frustration.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Wynn is like, dude, I’m a pro at this! Lol!

Totally fine that he had trouble settling. This is a brand new exercise for him. Remember how long it took for Wynn to actually relax? What you are doing is perfect, so keep doing it. He will relax when he is ready. 🙂

How appropriate that your cue for leashing is “face?!!” I love it! Really nice work here!

Looking forward to seeing the videos from the trial!

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Kerry!

If you are referring to this line: “If your dog backs away, growls, snarls, or displays any sign of discomfort, stop and go back to an earlier Day, repeat for a week and then try again. If discomfort continues, consult a professional,” then that’s the standard statement I put into all of my write-ups when a dog displays any aggression. It’s a disclaimer statement. In addition, as stated in the description of this course, we are not addressing aggression in this course. Reactivity, yes…aggression, no. So yes, I am a professional, skilled behavior consultant with aggression experience, and we are not addressing it in this course.

I want you to start from the beginning for the leashing exercise because from the video, I am seeing that he is not comfortable. So if we start from scratch, I can coach you along the way.

If you can manage Relaxation Conditioning for ten min daily (you can practice this while watching tv in the evenings, if that is something you do), and 1 min of leash conditioning daily, that will help move us along faster.

Regarding your thoughts about wanting to compete at the higher levels and feeling like Robbie might not be that dog…he is just over 2 years old, so he has just come out of adolescence. And as I stated in an earlier post, based on the way that he was trained in agility, frustration and anxiety have been conditioned into the sport. It will take time, including you changing a lot of how you have been doing things, in order to get him to a place where he has more resilience to be able to focus and be engaged so that you can work your way up to the higher levels as a team.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

This is perfect, Mary!! Any dog doing this for the first few times is going to offer behaviors. The relaxation experience (shifting the internal state) will happen with time. Keep doing what you are doing. You can even watch TV while doing this so that your eyes are somewhere else. That’s what I do. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

You’re so very welcome!

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi Tina!

These videos are super helpful! It looks like if there is an error, whether a handling bobble or Ella makes the wrong choice, she is unable to recover and it results in running at you, barking. Does this happen when training at home and in class? Can you share videos of you training in those contexts as well?

Do you have a Snuffle Mat? After two minutes of training any stimulating activity, I would like for you to pause and do some Snuffle Mat work. Then go back to 2 min of training in that stimulating activity, then 2 min of Snuffle Mat work. Repeat this 3-4 times in a row. This will start teaching Ella how to self-modulate her arousal. I am going to post it as an assignment in a couple of days, but I would like you to start now. Here is the exercise along with a video demonstration:

Snuffle Mat – to Help Reduce Arousal & Anxiety
Bobbie Bhambree
The scent is such an important component of how dogs experience the world. Allowing them to interact with their environment through their noses taps into an often-overlooked processing tool. Research suggests that sniffing promotes positive emotional affect, or in layman’s terms, sniffing makes dogs calm and happy. For dogs, olfaction is intrinsically linked to emotion in a very special way.
Snuffle Mats are not just great for enrichment, but can also be used as a tool to reduce anxiety as part of a behavior modification program.

Teaching the Game
• Sprinkle treats within the folds and crevices of the Snuffle Mat. Make sure to use treats that are stinky and high-value for your dog and can hold their attention.
• Place the Snuffle Mat on the floor and let your dog go to town.
• Before your dog is finished, or if your dog is standing and staring at the snuffle mat or trying to sniff out non-existent crumbs, sprinkle a generous number of treats into the Snuffle Mat again.
• Repeat this 4-5 times in a row.
• Practice this daily for a week so that you build value for the Snuffle Mat for your dog. What we want to see is that when you pull out the Snuffle Mat, your dog gets excited because they know what fun they’re about to have.

How to Use the Snuffle Mat
• Enrichment: Use of the Snuffle Mat can be one of the ways you provide mental stimulation for your dog.
• You can leave the Snuffle Mat for your pup to use when alone (if your dog won’t eat the Snuffle Mat).
• You can use it as a way to help reduce arousal when in stimulating situations.
• You can use it as a way to help your dog get comfortable with a guest visiting the home.
In this course, the intention is to use the Snuffle Mat during a class, at a seminar, at a trial, or anywhere else your dog has trouble focusing. You will be using it before you step into the ring.

Once your dog has value for the Snuffle Mat, start taking the show on the road. Offer the Snuffle Mat at a park, in the Home Depot parking lot, outside of a pet store, or when you have people over who your dog loves. Does your dog focus on the Snuffle Mat the entire time he is in that environment? Does your dog look relaxed? Is he eating at a frantic pace or at his normal pace? Does he keep his head down the entire time while eating?

These questions will help you gauge how your dog is feeling and where his mental state might be. If your dog is eating at a frantic pace or cannot focus on eating out of the Snuffle Mat, then report back and we will tweak your dog’s program.

If your dog is relaxed and seems to be enjoying eating out of the Snuffle Mat, then you are ready to start using it in class. Again, ask yourself the same questions as those noted above. We will build from there. 😊

Neuroscience – What’s Happening in the Brain
Dr. Kathy Murphy, Barking Brains
Olfactory neurons are specialized nerve cells that create a pathway from the nasal cavity, through an area at the front of the skull with holes in it (the cribriform plate) to the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is an area of the brain right at the front tip of the brain, which processes the information and passes it on to other brain areas involved in emotion and decision-making, determining how the dog feels about the scent and what action will now be taken. Each olfactory neuron is densely populated with scent receptors and the olfactory bulb of dogs is proportionally bigger than that of species where the scent is not a primary sense (humans, for example).

Interestingly though, variations in these important components are not thought to be primarily responsible for breed differences in scent workability, but rather differences in those brain areas responsible for determining how the dog feels about a scent and what action will now be taken.
So, what does this have to do with snuffle mats? Well, by creating an association between the snuffle mat activity and calm, focused attention we can train the dog’s brain to practice a state of emotional stability and attentional focus. These same effects (emotional stability and attentional focus) are known to be associated with mindfulness training in humans, the benefits of which are becoming more widely known. Once you see signs that these effects may be occurring (by asking the questions given above), move to practice in other slightly more challenging environments (with more distractions) to lateralize this brain training to other situations. If you notice signs that the dog is increasing in arousal (increased speed of movement, more frantic movement, a lack of calm focus on the mat, etc.), go back to practicing with fewer distractions. As with many confidence-building activities the main aim is for your dog to demonstrate the calm focus, rather than be good at the snuffle mat activity per se.

Are you familiar with Leslie McDevitt’s Pattern Games? We are going to use the Superbowls Game in agility to help her have clarity and predictability. This will help build resilience. Are you familiar with this game?

The Superbowls Game will help us build her skills, adding criteria while keeping her engaged without spiraling upwards.

Here is the exercise with a video demonstration:

Pattern Games: Super Bowls (Leslie McDevitt)

Step One: Teach The Game

– Set out 2-5 plates 6 feet apart.
– Place a treat on one plate and let your pup eat it.
– When your dog looks at you, walk to the next plate and place a treat on that plate.
– When they look up at you, walk to the next plate and place a treat on that plate.
– Repeat until you can get to the last plate you put down and back to the plate you started with.
– Once you can do that sequence 3 times, move on to Step Two

Step Two: Change the Environment or Stations

– Repeat the game in a very mildly distracting environment. Instead of using plates, use any station outside that is naturally recurring like park benches, trees, or lamp posts.
– If your dog engages with something in the environment before looking up at you, just wait. Let them process the environmental change before returning their attention to you.
– If your dog is unable to return to the game, they aren’t ready to be this close to distractions yet.
– Your pup must be having fun in low-distraction and low-stress environments before moving to more stimulating environments.

For now, I want you to practice this game on the ground, away from agility equipment. After a few days in a row (pending your busy schedule this week), we are going to put a plate or bowl on both sides of a jump, about 6 ft from the jump. Do this with 10 treats only, meaning 10 passes over the jump. Please take a video of this. 🙂

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Looking forward to watching the video of you guys doing the exercises!

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Hi there!

I copied and pasted your questions in your thread so that it would be easier for me to answer them.

“1. A VB recommended that I try to shift Avery from stillness/thinking (her default) to “doing.” I’ve invested a lot of time/effort into rewarding her for offering behaviors. The VB didn’t feel she would get much out of relaxation work, especially since she spends a good amt of time at home in calmness. So while I understand RP work as a general recommendation, in your opinion, do you think Avery could benefit?”

>> I totally understand your VB’s points. The neuroscience tells us that it is highly beneficial for all dogs. I regularly recommend this exercise for every dog I work with, even if there isn’t a behavioral concern. We will be using other games in the ring for Avery.

“2. With my social work hat on…meditation can have some negative side effects (there has been some research on this recently). If Avery should be doing this work, do I need to look out for any negative side effects? And people can rarely use meditation to good effect in moments of overarousal (generally self-regulation/grounding/interoception skills are better suited for those times). So the point of the exercise is to try to change the dog’s baseline, instead of using it as a tool for challenging moments, right?”

>> I use the word “meditation” loosely. That isn’t actually what is happening in the brain or the body when it comes to a dog practicing RC. I use this word to help people understand what relaxation could look like for a dog. And yes, the point is to bring the dog back to baseline. We will not be using RC for Avery in challenging moments. We might use it AFTER the challenging moment is over and Avery is in a safe, quieter situation.

“3. And a question not related to homework…we were at a trial this weekend and I could pretty reliably predict what about the course environment was going to be hard for Avery. (Examples: start jump 10 feet from the ring barrier with people behind her; 20 foot dark blue tunnel as obstacle #2) She would, of course, handle challenges like this well at home. So at this point, is there any value in training at home, beyond having fun? I can’t figure out how to gently apply pressure to the home environment so she can build resilience. And when she encounters these challenges at a trial, I feel bad/concerned. I am trying to figure out what is best for her (stop trialing for awhile? move to preferred? try to trial under “run and gun” judges only?), b/c I want her to have fun. BTW, it’s OK if you suggest we wait to have this convo until a later point in the class.”

>> We will be exploring this more later in the course. For now, I recommend you look at Lynne and Journey’s thread. In one of her videos, she has several fellow students walking around doing odd things. It took many, many weeks for Journey to be able to handle that pressure. For now, start with having a couple of fellow students sitting on the sidelines, acting like ring crew not moving.

Do you have video of Avery running at home and in class? I would like to use it as a comparison to the trial environment.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

What a great time!! Congrats on the win!

If you do not have video already for measuring resilience, that’s okay. Please start practicing the other assignments and post videos of those so that I can give you feedback. 🙂

Also, feel free to share video of you guys in agility class so that I can observe how it’s going and give you feedback.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Wonderful application of decompression!! I love working with Jen Pinder! I think she gets it because she has had similar struggles with a couple of her dogs over the years.

Yes, please post videos! 🙂 2-min clips are best.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Can you take video of you practicing BAT near a children’s playground? Even the practice of it will in that context will help her in other contexts.

When hiking, do your best to avoid dogs. I typically do not let my dogs meet other dogs because I never know how the other dog will respond. Especially since two of my dogs are intact males. Marvel is never allowed to meet another dog because of his history of reactivity and aggression towards other dogs. I have taught him to jump into my arms when we see another dog when on a hike.

In addition, start practicing Relaxation Conditioning daily for ten min.

[Bobbie Bhambree]

Can you take video of you practicing Relaxation Conditioning so that I can give you feedback?

Do you have a platform, such as a Cato board or a Klimb?

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