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Another thought I had- how have you trained Grizzly in the past? Dogs who have been trained with positive reinforcement and punishment can show apprehension in behaviors cued because they don’t know if they will get a treat or if something they don’t like will happen. Sending mixed messages will cause confusion, anxiety, and hesitation.
I would get him physically checked as soon as possible and pause on training on equipment until you find out what’s going on and get medically cleared. I recommend continuing with the games in this course that do not involve obstacles. After jumping, Grizzly slows down and then starts sniffing–that could be a result of pain.
Make sure to show videos of Grizzly doing agility this past month, including the video where you were shadow handling with Grizzly and then running the sequence.
For Relaxation Conditioning, I would like for you to ask him to lay on the bed, and then continue the game as designed.
Hi Lori!
Apologies for the delay!
A few things, it’s hard to tell in just the few videos I have seen of Grizzly, but in this video for Shadow Handling, I am noticing Grizzly’s gait as he walks. Is this typical of him to walk like this when walking slower. When he trots, it looks fluid, but when he walks slower, it looks tentative, almost uncomfortable. I watched some videos of Black Mouth Curs walking and running. I know that their hind end is supposed to be a a bit higher than the front end.
Regarding the Shadow Handling, give Grizzly a treat every other step so as to build value for the game. More treats will help him focus more on you and the game instead of sniffing the ground as much as he does in this video.
Do you have any recent videos of you practicing the Relaxation Conditioning game? If I can view the video, I can better advise you.
Even though Grizzly knows “Place” at home, I would like for you to practice it on an elevated surface. On something you can take into class, different environments (such as a park, in your front yard, at an agility seminar, a friend’s house, a friend’s yard, therapy at the hospital). The point is to build value for a station that an be deemed as a safe space for Grizzly when you bring it out into the world. It is something he knows, can trust, and is predictable in an unpredictable world. Please practice the exercise as designed and you will begin to see it working in a few weeks.
Watching him run, I really think there is something going on with his back end. I am not trained enough to know what it is exactly, but something seems off. Sniffing, moving slower, disengaging are all behaviors that can point to pain as well.
Can you post other videos of Grizzly walking, running, playing, jumping on and off furniture, sitting when you cue him, laying down when you cue him, and turning left and right? Grizzly paces more than trots and he doesn’t engage his rear when going over the jumps. There is something likely going on. I suggest scheduling an appointment with a veterinarian that specializes in dog sports.
Yes! Rituals at home will build value for them without the pressure of a trial environment. They will provide something for Skye to settle into that is reliable and predictable. It is important to practice them while Skye is feeling safe and secure as well, the way he does at home.
When you say “But sometimes it’s just too much,” are you referring to Skye or yourself?
So much of the work we are doing with Skye will change day to day, because how Skye is feeling and processing information day to day. It will look like constantly adjusting based on Skye’s feedback–and you are doing an amazing job of doing that! 🙂
I LOVE that you did the Relaxation Conditioning exercise with another dog! Isn’t it an amazing exercise!!
If you are going to practice this with Skye in different environments, I suggest you start from step 1, sprinkling treats. I look forward to seeing videos of you guys practicing it in different scenarios!
Hi Bonnie!
First video:
A couple of options to help with the startline, specifically when on dirt. Ask Moo to sit, lead out several feet, release to you and reward with a treat in your hand. Every time you fed him while in the sit, in this video, he kept popping up. I rather you reward the sit by leading out and releasing him to you and then giving a treat. Or run a few obstacles and then reward.Another option, use a platform for Moo to sit on at the startline, based on the Go to Place assignment. You can set up the platform at the startline in class and at home.
How often do you train on barn dirt?
Something you can also do while we work on building up Moo’s confidence is to lower the jumps by one or two jump heights. This can take a little bit of the pressure off; one less thing to manage mentally for Moo.
I agree with your assessment about pressure vs. fear. For example, but trying to get him to sit for a couple of minutes at the start just kept building the pressure. I am not saying you should let go of the startline sit-stay, but rather work on it in a couple of different ways. Let’s keep building on this in the few weeks we have left in this course.
If Moo is distracted, don’t use the toy to pull his attention away. It’s actually creating a negative association with the experience. He will start seeing the toy as a cue to incoming pressure. Food is definitely the optimal reinforcer for Moo.
Great job bringing the Snuffle Mat to the vet’s office! A day in the life of Moo!
I’m so glad the games are now making sense to you! And she looked pretty good in this video!!
Keep playing the games at different trials, different environments, and keep taking video to post in this course. 🙂
I am so happy for you!!
Would it be possible to crate her in your car? I think she would do better outside of the arena so as to avoid dogs running up to her crate with her inside. She will likely also need a break from the pressure of the environment.
Please take lots of video of you training at the seminar and doing the Confident Canine games outside of the ring. 🙂
I think you should do both, but just do 4-5 jumps, then leave the ring and reward with food. You can do this for standard runs too. In addition, if you let the judge know ahead of time, you can leave the ring to reward, then go back into the ring to do a few more obstacles, then leave again to reward. I have done this with my dog and it’s worked well.
You have to teach Buddy in class and at home a verbal cue or phrase, such as “Let’s get your cookie.” By practicing it in and putting it on stimulus control (Buddy leaves the ring to eat treats only on cue and not any other time), you will be able to bring the skill into the ring. 🙂
That’s AMAZING!!!! Do you have video of this run? I would love to be able to give you feedback based on what I observe.
Hi Linda!
Your questions demonstrate excellent observations in Buddy’s behavior!
I think you should do runs as FEO or NFC, where you can bring a toy into the ring. Will Buddy play with toys in agility?
Have you practiced the Counter-conditioning & Desensitization assignment in agility environments?
Sounds good! In the meantime, practice in your backyard, your front yard, and places outside of agility. Practice for the sake of practicing, so that you build value for the exercise with Grizzly. 🙂
I agree with you that for now, pausing on trialing with Moo is a good plan. I would still like to give you feedback on this video. Moo started out strong! I would have rewarded him after that first tunnel. Then again after two jumps, then again after that second tunnel.
Some good things, you were able to get Moo back into the game even though he didn’t play.
Let’s move forward the game plan I noted in my previous post. We can build on that. 🙂
Glad to hear you and Mary are already working the same plan for jumping into the audience! 🙂
Using the Snuffle Mat in both places will not reduce its effectiveness–in fact, by providing a consistent routine, it can help Keiko settle into the environment more readily. Rituals, routines, patterns…that’s what we will be doing.
Excellent reinforcement strategy! This is where you do not need a ritual in terms of types- mixing up the types of reinforcement Keiko most values clearly works for her!
Kristie, she looks GREAT in this video!!!!
