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How close can Ryuk be to his triggers before he is worried about them. For example, with my dog Marvel, when we first started working on this, he showed that he was worried about other dogs when they were 30 ft away. So that’s where we started. Now he can walk by dogs that are about 10 ft away and while we were trialing before the pandemic, Marvel was able to run a course at an agility trial and not worry about other dogs.
What are Ryuk’s triggers?
The Relaxation Conditioning looks great! Keep practicing daily for ten minutes. In a week or so, I will ask you to start practicing this exercise in other environments.
Shadow Handling looks good! Try it on leash- Ryuk might have an easier time understanding to move with you the whole time. I would like for you to practice Shadow Handling daily, with Ryuk on leash, in different environments: parks, your front yard, agility class, different agility venues, friends’ front yards, etc. This is one of the exercises that will help him focus on you and feel less worried about what typically triggers him.
Your plan for the Jumpers run was PERFECT!! Yes, keep going even if things go wrong. I would like for you to do this for the next few months, both in class and in trials. Let your instructor know of this plan. If you make a handling error, just keep going because likely, Buccleigh thinks he is correct. In class, after finishing the run, you can go back and try again. This way, you won’t demotivate Buccleigh.
5 runs in a day is a lot for any dog. For now, can you keep it to 3-4 tops?
Have you thought about the reinforcement strategy we talked about during our Training Night Chat last week? Did you speak with your instructor yet about practicing running out of the ring to reward, then running back into the ring to continue the sequence?
Yes!! I love doing that! If you can get to a trial site earlier, when it’s quieter, allow Raven to sniff around. It could take minutes. When she is done sniffing, see if she will offer engagement with you–see if she will look at you. If she does, reinforce her with food or with a toy. Once Raven is regularly offering engagement, you can start practicing Shadow Handling or Relaxation Conditioning in a quieter part of the venue.
Glad she is feeling better! Even if you can take video of practicing with Raven outside of the classroom environment, I can help.
Lastly, I when you return to class, I would like for you to regularly add social pressure to Raven’s runs. Here are some examples of what I mean:
– Have a couple of people standing near a tunnel entrance- Raven will have to run past them to enter the tunnel. Reward her immediately after she exits the tunnel.
– Someone running behind you guys as Raven runs along the dog walk, acting as a ‘judge’ watching for her contacts. Jackpot her for hitting her contact criteria.
– Have a couple of people eating snacks near the weave poles while she is going through them. Reward generously upon exiting successfully.
Each time you practice adding pressure, give her a run or two without any pressure. When doing a run with pressure, let Raven try getting it right a couple of times before making the challenge easier by having your fellow students move a bit further back.
Does this make sense?
Welcome Antje! You are not too late! The assignments and concepts we have gone over so far can be found in the lessons section of this course.
If you can find any videos of seminars, classes, trials–even old ones–please post them in this thread. They will help me better understand Ryuk. 🙂
This is fine. Licking is a repetitive behavior that can be self-soothing. It’s fine if he licks up the crumbs.
This looks good–keep it up! 🙂
I’m so glad you are seeing results from the Relaxation Conditioning exercise! Keep doing using it this way and other ways that I will be sharing in the course over the 6-12 months.
If you can get at least one video, that will work for me.
Keep practicing the Shadow Handling exercise before and after runs as well in class.
Hi Sara! Welcome!!
The video-posting and feedback option is for working students. You are welcome to upgrade to a working spot. 🙂
If you choose not to, I can still give you guidance via posting back and forth.
Those are excellent observations! Keep working through this by having people stand around the course to add some social pressure. And reward her often.
Are you practicing Shadow Handling in different environments? Is Raven comfortable doing the Relaxation Conditioning exercise on the sidelines of class? Seminars? What about at a park or outside a coffee shop?
Have you ever walked her through a pet store past people? What about inside of a Home Depot?
Ok, until she does help, here’s what I would like for you to do…
Keep Addy as far away from her as possible- whenever he sees her, give him treat, after treat, after treat, after treat. The BEST food you have: meatballs, steak, chicken, anything that will blow his mind. Over time, he should start associating her with food, causing him to focus on you instead of worrying about her.
This has to be done on leash so that you can move Addy further away. If you can somehow have someone take video of you doing this, then I can give you feedback. I just need to see you and Addy in the video; it doesn’t matter if I cannot see her.
Well done!!! Yes! Use the Shadow Handling exercise before and after all of your runs, whether in class or at a trial. Let’s continue to observe how this helps him, keep records, and make adjustments accordingly. 🙂
Lol! Your dogs will eventually learn to relax practicing the Relaxation Conditioning exercise.
When it comes the handling, it might help to talk out your plan with the instructor before your run so that you are both clear on your intention. That will help Buccleigh. And then your instructor can effectively coach you if something goes awry.
That’s okay, let’s just move forward from here. I have a good idea of Addy’s behavior. The video you reposted above, I have already seen. I think you did a great job in that video bringing a toy into the ring and rewarding him after several obstacles.
So the link still shows an error message when I click it.
Great work with Shadow Handling! Addy definitely perks up as you continue practicing. Please make sure to feed him every few steps even when he stays with you. We are not using this exercise as a test of handling skills, but rather a way to help Addy acclimate to environmental changes. Also, practice Shadow Handling at every class, seminar, and trial before and after your runs. Let’s see how this helps him.
Are you friendly with this woman who wore the flesh-colored mask? If so, would it be possible to ask her to help us work with Addy?
Well done with the timing of the reward for the FEO run at the trial today!! That’s exactly what I am talking about! Let’s do A LOT more of this. 🙂
