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I totally agree. If I can get Skylar to play with me to the gate, I am more relaxed and he knows it. We play circle (around me), spin, twist…big games. I have had a rule: “Play from Crate to Gate.” My rule was if he was not playing, we did not go in the ring. I could not bring myself to do that and I am paying big time for it now. But we will recover.
I took Skylar to a skateboard park yesterday. I had the long line and he was triggered (barking) by the kids and skateboards. We walked around it several times- him leading. Eventually he brought me right to the entrance of the skateboard area and looked and looked. Kids were skating within 8 feet of him. Suddenly, he looked at me with this huge relaxed grin and leaped up to play with me. It was such an awesome experience. I should have video taped it. We then walked over to the dog park and he was no closer but I am learning to watch his body language, and had to help him turn away 2 times.
Bobbie, BAT would be a valuable course for me, at least, to take under your supervision with the focus on agility ring ready…
I have been thinking about BAT at the Misc Run. He will have to be on a normal leash and not a long line. I will need to keep him away from some obstacles as he may have a male urge to “water them.” It will be a modified BAT, because I am simply going to carefully walk him to the sides of the ring. But I am also going to stage some dogs to walk around the ring at a distance so he can watch them. Thanks Kathy
I can have someone video tape the BAT at Misc. However the trial is after this class closes. Let me know where to post so that you can see it. Thanks again.
In the past we can play games and he will take good right up to the point we enter the ring. But on reflection, I am probably shoveling the food in his mouth and paying less attention to the fun and games. I will consciously move slower toward the action. Since we are doing only one or two runs I will stay longer at the show and work on games away and the closer to the action.
I will let you know how our BAT goes in misc. Thanks Bobbie!!
Thanks for reading that giant note. I am definitely going to try it!!
My next question has to do with acclimation to an environment vs being in a quiet area with an environmentally and noise sensitive dog in a trial environment. You write and comment on both. I am not sure if working (chilling, shadow handling, games) Skylar in the presence of unknown stressors is contributing to his shut down – or if best to kennel him in the car and bring him directly from car (quiet) to ring.
Can you elaborate on that or give some guidance as we renew our effort to transition to big shows.
HI Bobbie, We have been on vacation but over the past few weeks I have reviewed the assignments and many of them are from your prior course, and fortunately, were the same and ones that Skylar and I have incorporated into our routine: ringside “chill,” (go to mat), shadow handling etc, Relaxation Protocol. Just two days ago I had Skylar in a local park and a young boxer was pulling his owner all over the place. Skylar was on a 30 foot long line, relaxed and probably about 20 feet from me as I worked on Day 8. The boxer was really a high risk situation as it got closer and closer. I signaled to the owner and they “reigned” the dog in. But I knew by watching Skylar that he was fine….just laid there and watched the dog while I was away from him and watching. I count out loud during the protocol and I also count out loud in the agility ring as I lead out.
The issue for us seems to be outdoor agility trials and when the ring is exposed to canopies, with dogs and people walking outside the ring on at least 2 sides-and we are in the ring. It does not even need to be a big trial. His performance has deteriorated to 1-2 fast runs at first. After that he goes into total slow motion, totally disconnects – and seems to focus on things outside the ring or not even focusing at all. (I think mentally, he is just done – no resilience left.) On this third run he lines up very nicely. While waiting, I have NO clue that he is stressed – he takes his treats, he downs on his mat, he plays frisbe with me. And then we get in the ring – after 2-3 obstacles, he is in slow motion. Some triggers may be canopies, people, sounds, dogs barking – all it takes is one thing – and most of the time, I have no clue which because it is simply not obvious. But, I do know the triggers are outside the ring. At this point, I have to be careful that I do not trigger him by anticipating a problem. We are not trialing at this point. I have to pull together a plan to help us through this.
The BAT and Mental Resilience Articles stuck a cord with me. Once while at a trial Skylar was very concerned about the scorer’s table and canopies. On the second trial day, I put him on a leash and we went into the ring and simply stood and looked at the canopy from a distance and then we moved closer and closer. That is all that it took. (Of course, I was not supposed to be in the ring – but I went in anyway). He was fine after that. The view is different for him to be in the ring and looking out. One cannot approximate that “picture” by walking outside the ring and walking around it. USDAA, fortunately, has incorporated a Misc class. I simply want to put Skylar on a leash and walk around the ring looking out – no obstacles – just look at the stuff outside. I may take in a toy but I do not want to focus on the toy because he may avoid “seeing or hearing” the triggers. The other thing I want to do, is enter him into only one no more than 2 runs and then leave the show. What do you think?? Any other ideas? I am planning on trying this on Jan 3 and still working on the road with other activities or maintaining the ones we are already doing.
I tried the BAT exercise at a dog park last week – only we were outside the dog park while the big dogs were running and barking on the inside of the park. In the past, I have used this to try and work with Skylar to acclimate him calm down – go to mat, shadow handling – it takes him a long time to focus but it has been helpful. This time, I walked him toward the dog park fence on the 30′ long line from across a soccer field. He was sniffing and we got within 10 feet of the dog park fence and he NEVER EVEN NOTICED THE DOGS!!! So, this is a big hint to me that it will work – this gave me the idea for the Misc class.
Thanks Bobbie. I hope you are feeling better.
