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He did well here but yes – give him a smaller space 🙂 You can start with low arousal when give him a tiny space, but then get him into high arousal pretty quickly – if he learns it in high arousal, he is more likely to be able to do it in high arousal. If he learns it in a different (lower) arousal state, he is less likely to be able to do it which might be why you aren’t seeing as much progress as you like.
And as you add more arousal, you can totally wear gloves! That way you can still give him feedback if he touches you but it won’t hurt or break skin. I totally wore gloves when I was teaching my youngster to tug on a tennis ball, where my hand was basically inside his mouth.
One of the things he might struggle with in terms of hand grabbing is when he re-grips it. So you can add that to the games too: when he lets go of the toy, leave it there and move it up slowly rather than lift the toy up fast – that will add more self-control on the re-gripping.
Let me know how he does!
Tracy
He did well here too – he had an easier time sticking with you on your left side (probably more value there?) and he wanted to offer the prop hit on your right side – the little bit of extra hand cue to keep him with you was very helpful.
He was drifting a bit on your right side, but he stayed on the same lead (coming towards you) so he was still correct 🙂 His last one was perfect!
The ‘get out’ part was super easy for him! You were very good about trying to keep your feet straight – it is NOT easy! The lines on the floor from the mats help give you a visual.
You can add more distance laterally away from the prop here to see how far he will send out – and more motion too!
As you add more of these running games – it looks like he has a harness that sits across the front of this shoulders/chest, which can restrict movement a bit. You can take it off for these so he can move his shoulders/front end freely 🙂
Great job!
Tracy
Hi –
Rocking horses are going really well! When you were connected, he had no trouble going to the wrap in both directions and had a lovely turn and burns too!
His only questions where when you did not have clear connection at :35 and :51 on the sends, so he curled into you. Compare to the rep at :55 where the connection was very clear and he was super smooth. The reps after it all had the clear connection and you were able to do the FCs, post turns, and spins!You can add a little more distance between the wrap objects here and you can also add the wrap verbals (I thought you might have been saying them but you were quiet so I was not sure :))
Great job!
TracyGreat job getting the RCs going here on the first side!You moved up the diagonal line so when he lifted his head from eating the cookie, you were ahead of him and easily seen – and he turned the correct direction.
The second side starting off just sorting out how to get to the correct spot in time and when you did, he turned correctly each time. Super! You probably needed just a little more room on that side.
If you have a longer hallway, you can give yourself more room and can run to the position – I think he is ready for more motion on these.
Nice work!Tracy
Hello and welcome!!! It will be really fun to look at what helps him process info well!! I’m looking forward to it!
Tracy
Great to see you here! Have fun with the games, I think they will sharpen up skills for many of the challenges we see on course lately 🙂
Tracy
Hello and welcome!!!
We can totally adapt to your space. It might mean a smaller tunnel or weave poles as jump bars, but we can make it work! And sure, share trial videos especially if there were any juicy discriminations 🙂Have fun!
TracyHi!
This looked great! What a good girlie!!!! And your marker was nice and clear. Super!>So well that I think she may have thought that I had a treat in my hand. >
Nope, I think she was just being brilliant 🙂 Their noses are sooo good that I am pretty sure she knew there were no treats in your hands. Were there any treats or toys in your pocket? If so, you can do the next session with nothing in your pockets at all.
You can play this game in the house too: the the treats on a table in one room, for example, and have her move with you into a different room… then mark and run back. It makes it all really simple and fun, and is a fun way to teach this critical trial skill. And you can try it with a toy too, because she does love her toys 🙂
Great job!
Tracy
Hi!
>Sprite will NOT tell the pip to big off. She’s hiding in a crate or behind the sofa these days. Dot is only out on a leash with me. She relentless with dive bombing Sprite.>
This is where you can be active in the yes-or-no process. If she dive bombs Sprite and is over the top? You can gently remove her and she is back on leash with you, just hanging out. If she can peacefully co-exist, toss some treats for both of them. It is all very passive but as black and white as possible.
>We need to talk trade training. What’s the best way to start it? >
The thing that helps the most is having quick access to toys/chews/treats. This can be on the floor for toys/chews, or up on a table (or in my pocket especially if I am outside). Yes, I have toys/chews on tables and counters, appropriate things to pick up on the floor, and there are usually treats within easy access. So if the pup puts something in his mouth, I just say “can I have that?” and offer up the trade. If I want to trade for a treat and I don’t have one, I go get one from the kitchen or wherever the treats are. Very calm, no chasing, and no time out for the pup (I mean, he doesn’t know he should not put *everything* in his mouth hahaha). And the trade is either something that re-directs him into a better activity (toy or chew), or a treat then I go get him something more acceptable to do 🙂 It is very consistent, he doesn’t get a bit reaction or a lot of attention (which might be why he doesn’t pick things up to get my attention) and results have been great!
I do this outside as well – there is no way I can remove all the sticks/toys/etc from 3 acre so when I take the pup with us on a walkabout, I am armed with treats and toys 🙂 for the “can I have that” moment.
And yes, the other dogs might come over to investigate what I am trading for – and I give them stuff too, because social learning is HUGE! It brings all the dogs towards me rather than any moving away.
>What I have is Dot grabbing and running away as fast as possible and not returning for any reason. When I do catch her she’s removed. So, no fun for either of us.>
It sounds like it might be a cycle that is getting more grabbing/running away, rather than less – if you chase/catch and then remove her (time out/negative punishment), you will see an increase in running away with whatever the precious object is. This might be happening outside too. So you can move the needle with the ‘can I have that’ trades.
Bear in mind when I say “can I have that” to the pup, I have ZERO expectations that he will bring it or give to me at this stage. But he doesn’t run off and often comes towards me so I can present the trade options. Basically it is a marker that something is coming (the trade) so he doesn’t move away or continue to overly covet whatever is in his mouth. Plus he is really good about letting me dig around in his mouth to make sure there is nothing in there, like toy fluff or anything I don’t want him to swallow because it is all followed by some sort of trade/re-direction.
T
Hi!
>Also, THANK YOU about him getting his back feet on the mat. Never thought about that.>
Usually for a Sheltie, we look for back feet to hit the mat for running contacts. I like to stare at the mat (not at the cute dog :)) and count in my head for each foot I see: 1-2-3-mark! That way I am saying ‘get it’ when the 4th foot (2nd back foot) is hitting the mat.
>Another thing I noticed with him is when he does this exercise he knows I have treats and he jumps to my hand to get them.>
That is part of the training here: teaching the pup to ignore a reward in your hand and commit to the obstacle. It is a bit of self-control 🙂
Keep me posted!!
Tracy
Hi!
He loves his Ace bag, totally starting without you LOL!!
He had a lot of really good reps here – the rotation is HARD but he was getting it! He might have been stronger to his left here (or he was figuring it out because it was his second side)
It was hard to see where you were looking (the camera cut off your head 🙂 ) so be sure to look at the there side of the back on the rotated sends. It is a shift of your connection: just before the send, look at him. Then as you send, let hm see your shift your gaze to the other side of the bag. That can help him commit to it even with you fully rotated. If you look at him, the direct connection might override the arm/leg cue to go to the bag.
Did I ever send the Toy Not Flesh game to play with him and the tug toys? When you have both hands on the toy, he seems to get your hand by accident a lot. Ouch! I teach all of my good tugging dogs to have “tooth awareness” 😂 with this game: grab the toy, even if you only have a small part available, and don’t touch my flesh 🙂 Here it is:
Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4JxWLS2CuM
Recent session with my half Mal 🙂 He never touched my flesh even with just a tiny bit of the toy available:
Great job here!!
Tracy
Hi!
He seemed to have no questions about the parallel path game here – yay!
A couple of suggestions for the next steps:
– you can take the clicker out and stick to your ‘get it’ marker. He often looks at you when you click (especially at the beginning of a session) but does not look at you with the get it marker, so we can stick to get it sp he keeps looking ahead.– you can add more of your motion, jogging a bit!
– you can add more arousal by tugging after every couple of cookie rewards, to challenge him to still find the jump when he is more stimulated
– you can throw the cookie rewards on slightly different angles instead of straight, so he gets the reward then has to go ‘find’ the line to the jump as you are moving.
Great job here!
Tracy
Good morning!
Super nice session here – he really loves that bumper toy and had absolutely no trouble picking it up!
He was happy to eat the treats but the toy might have been more valuable. The treats almost interrupted his flow of the retrieve and play. He was bringing it back really well (you only had to grab it to prevent a run-by once at the beginning :)) I wonder if a second toy would have been a more valuable reward? It can be another bumper toy like this one and when he puts the first bumper in your hand, you can mark and throw the 2nd one (sometimes tug with the first one a bit before marking and throwing the 2nd one).
He was eating the food which was GREAT because the toy was really exciting 🙂
I admit to snorting in laughter when he slid the toy back to you with his nose. So funny!!
Great job 🙂 Tracy
