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Hi Susan, thanks for chiming in as I am curious to know as well!
To add further on the topic, Kim, with “the dog must play when given the chance” plan…how long are you willing to wait it out? In a situation where I think play is less likely but I think food will will work, would the thrown food toy be the best intermediary? (rather than try with the toy and get nothing and be unable to reward, say in an agility class?)?
Thank you Kim!
We can play ball in a few places (house, front and backyard, nearby soccer field, sometimes in new places immediately especially if it’s outside) and thens sometimes we can’t (and it’s not always obvious what the issue is) so I’ll just keep working on it as much as I can. If I can’t get him to engage with the ball after a few minutes in a new spot, what should I try? Food/tricks (hand target, spins)? just letting him sniff and wait for him to try to engage with me?
I’ll go over the drills and videos and instructions and work on it with him this week end.
Thanks Kim! All of that makes sense. I do sometimes bring a small Tupperware to open at the end of the run as soon as we are out of the gate with good stuff in it, but I’ve never considered throwing it and that is a great idea, anything I can do to bridge the we are having fun to the trial is also fun feeling for Jinx I am game for. I do have a lotus ball and a treat hugger and got those for the exact same reason. I will say I almost only use them in class (because I can’t get that regular ball and play drive as I said) and Jinx certainly will run to them and seems to like them.
I feel like some answers are obvious when I am confronted with them. Should I start using the lotus ball/tupperware/treat toy when I’m playing around in my yard and when I’m training and NOT having issues with him being into it (like he’s ball crazy and so I am just using the ball)? As of now I use it sort of the last resort to be able to reward/if I feel like he’s not “on”…meaning I don’t use it when I think everything is going well. I feel like stating that, probably I should be mixing it in to good sessions so there isn’t this big contrast in different places. Maybe take it all sort of places and reward?
As far as blind crosses, I understand the idea of them and have, when directed, done them in workshops or seminars, but I don’t think left to my own devices I ever use them or practice them (because I feel uncoordinated). Any suggestions for something I can watch or an exercise I can set up in my yard to get that muscle memory and mechanics down so I can be a bit more fluid (I know stop/start jerky movements are not going to help my pup!).
Sorry to post so much in a row! One thing I’d like to ask is, do you think if I handle better/cross better/improve myself (keep in mind this dog and I are novice As!), it will make Jinx faster/more confident? Because I know one thing I can’t fully control is my dog’s state of mind, but I can work on improving myself as a team member for Jinx.
Here, this is from Oct. 2019 which is at the place we also train weekly. You can see that on the table, he is just getting “into it” with me with some wagging tail and engagement.
Getting that play mode to happen is at this location hard and part of the reason is the substrate covers his ball when I toss it, and he doesn’t like to put it in his mouth covered in this particular dirt mixture, so even when he does play with me, he often spits the ball out and it doesn’t seem as rewarding for him (during class, before runs, etc.). Hence I often end up using food when we train here…
Hi Kim,
Jinx is a fun (and totally screw loose) little dog. I thought this dog would never be able to compete in anything so I sometimes remind myself he is really killing it compared to that!
The seminar with Chris was all types of crosses (if I recall correctly), and I guess that part was the rear part. I am terrible at everything but front crosses and always feel like I am uncoordinated! Focusing on blinds is something I can do!
I do try to get him revved the same way before any runs, but I usually can’t do it (he seems to really get worried about the environment…). Let me find another video that is during a trial where you can see on the table he is getting ready to get into it (and I would say it was a pretty good run). I’ll post that later today!
Also wanted to add we are auditing Confident Canines with Bobbie to focus on the stress issues that are part of our problem as well.
Of course! I didn’t mean to be cheating the system here, just didn’t realize the rules from the start.
How often does this class run? I am thinking I’ll stick with auditing and then take it at a working spot next time it comes up (so I can give it my full attention).
Also Bobbie, I am an auditor not working and think I have been posting videos and doing things beyond my “rights”! I am sorry if that’s the case, I only realized from reading the other threads of auditors.
I chose an auditing spot because I was worried I couldn’t keep up with the assignments (and have a working spot in the upcoming speed up course so two seemed like a lot to have overlapping).
Feel free to advise, I know I would get more out of this as a working spot but also don’t want to be a slacker here.
I can stop trialing for a few months for sure and I do have a lot going on with holidays, some work stuff…new puppy (maybe!).
Here is a long clip from a seminar I did July 5th with Chris Tucci at Port Chester Obedience Club (since you are local to me, figure you might know the places I go!). Around minute 2 is when he really gets going.
We did three sessions at this seminar. In session 1, Jinx was not interested and totally disengaged from me, no interest in the ball, and Chris said ok, just crate him up and we will try on round two. Chris had me keep him leashed to start the next two sessions to insure that if he was not engaged he also couldn’t just wander off as he had in session one, hence the leash start. Rounds two and three though he was “on”. I realize some of his behaviors when he is “on” are not ideal either but I am so much more pleased when he seems into things vs scared or timid that I often don’t try to fix them (e.g., I don’t care at this point about a start line because in an actual trial I think running with him from he start works better and makes him feel more secure).
PS- I can’t figure out how to change my thread title, as I did not include “auditing” in it. Should I start a new thread renamed or is there a way I can fix this one?
And here are a few videos:
fooling around in our yard (Sept 2019)
at a recent and “good” trial (Nov 2019)
at a “bad” trial (August 2019)
(the video is not that great, the filmer was thinking seeing it would make me upset and sort of stopped in the middle before picking it back up, but what he does is he stops to stare at a rake on the wall before the tunnel entrance, then goes to stare at one of the ring crew until we get the whistle…); this is where we have been taking class ever since (Skyline)Hope these help!
Hi Bobbie!
We went to UPenn’s behavior department and worked with Dr. Siracusa and Dr. Hauser. Good to have another name to consider because I have thought maybe we should try adjusting his meds/trying other things as well (the prozac has absolutely helped some things and I’ve seen no bad side effects, but it’s certainly not a panacea and maybe we could), and someone closer would be ideal even though the UPenn’s team was great.
One of the reasons I decided to try this class is from my googling and reading your bio, I thought you might have a pretty good handle on what might work for a dog like this.
Can’t wait to get started on trying some new tactics to help my awesome but anxious dog.
Sara
