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He offered interacting with the object right away here – nice!! It was a quick transition from the tug to the shaping, and that really helps.
For all of these goat game shaping sessions when the object is relatively low (he doesn’t have to jump up on it) – toss all of your rewards off to the side using a get it marker. The more you reward in position, the more he gets stationary and then sits. So, you can build value for the object and keep him in motion by marking the behavior with a ‘get it’ and tossing a treat to the side.When you want him to tug, pick up the object – the object was too interesting and had too much food value for him to ignore the toy. But if you pick it up and then get the toy moving around, he is far more likely to engage with it.
Great job 🙂
TracyHi!
Good job getting him tugging in the presence of an entire bowl of food! He was really keep to get started here, so one tweak in mechanics: get everything ready and put the bowls down last, so you don’t miss any offered behavior (and so he doesn’t put himself into a sit :))He did really well with starting to offer the back and forth without the cookie being placed in the bowl in advance. As you move the upright into position, either throw treats away or lift the bowls up, so you don’t miss his first offers of going back and forth.
The visual of the upright might have made things a little harder, so for the next session have the upright already there when you sit down on the Klimb and before you put the bowls in, so he can get right into the rhythm of the back and forth. I bet latent learning will cement this in a day or two!
Nice work here!
TracyOn the opening, you ran straight for too long, so he thought you wanted the table and didn’t see the turn to the long jump – keep going when that happens. When you stopped, he jumped up (frustration behavior) so you will want to keep going and then fix the timing of the handling in the next run. The 2nd run looked really good! He was a little too close to jump 1 o dropped the bar, but you were clearer with your shoulder turn so he know to go to the long jump and not to the table 🙂
Great job!
TracyHe did well here too! He definitely is more relaxed – his jumping form is normal and not as ‘heads up’ as the trial where the environment is so much harder. Great job with the lines and weaves!!!!
This run went even better The blind looked great and you had more converging pressure into the 2nd to last jump, which helped him pick up the line to the last jump.
Great job!
TracyWow! Look at him working the big distance line to let you get the blind! That ending line was hard – a ‘get out’ might work there, before he takes off for the 2nd to last jump, to get him to shift away to the last jump.
Hi!
>>yes AKC will be the main venue. Thats why I like that we dont need a very structured routine- because what if the leash runner still have the leash in their hand (and we use 4H kids a lot) while watching and just forgets..>>
Exactly! I have had that happen with adult leash runners (the kid are usually great LOL!). And same with start lines – at the US Open today, I was on the line, leash off, ready to go… followed by a delay of a couple of minutes. No worries, we have a toolbox of things to do, so my dog still ran beautifully.
>>Is Sadie all business or volume dial? Granted she doesn’t need MORE speed as you say in volume dial- but she needs to focus and engagement. All business- I feel like she doesn’t need MORE arousal as her head will explode like in the herding example where her behavior got way way up there and she started to bark and become frantic.>>
The only way to know is to ask her! The answer can be counterintuitive 🙂 Try asking for an all-business start then see how she does, then play around with the volume dial start and see how she does!
T
Hi!
She did well here! I think she was confused on the first rep when you were clapping and energetically praising… but staying there. So she started heading for the reward station. You were clear on the other reps, so she didn’t seem to have that question 🙂 Nice!Two things –
she might need a bigger plank to get on! She doesn’t easily fit, so she was mostly getting her front feet on it. So you can make it front feet only, or get a bigger plank so she can easily fit on it 🙂– to make it true remote reinforcement, you will want to take off the treat pockets and empty your hands/pockets. That will give s a truer picture of where she is, in terms of understanding how to work away from food and toys.
Great job here! Keep me posted about how she did in class!
TracyHi!
Thanks for the kind words! It will be a busy week for sure LOL!>> Her first run was quite successful. We didn’t have good sustained full engagement at the beginning,but she stayed with me on the course. After the last obstacle, she came in to find my face. >>
This is HUGE!!! Starting further from the distractions surely helped, plus all of the games you’ve been working on. A big win, because the first run has been hard for her!
>>Had more engagement at the start of the second run – direct eye contact. A great run for us and came to find my face at the end.
I brought our “chips” tin to class. She watched me put her cream cheese Toppl in it. At the end of our second run, I said “chips”. I really think she knew what I meant. She didn’t fuss about getting her leash on, went straight out with me and to the tin.>>This is also terrific! That mental “price” of that great first run was not too “expensive” for her, meaning she was not mentally tired so she came out STRONG and had a great second run. This is great!
>>I felt pretty darn good about it. I’m greedy and I want more engagement at the start of the first run.
You should both be feeling really good about it! I think you should start all of your first runs further from the crowd, to keep setting up the success you had here. You can be greedy, but be sure to set her up for success 🙂
Great job!
TracyHi!
>>Today in class we tried the tricks and tug to the line. She could tug and out. Also, Sprite could do the hand touch and then tug. >>
Yay! Good to know!
>>She could NOT spin while walking towards equipment. >>
Also good to know! We are information-gathering and this is all good.
>>On our first run the instructor asked everyone to take the leash off and just “be” with the dog like there was a tunnel adjustment or bar being set. You could do anything, but no toys or treats. >>
LOVE this!!! And today at the US Open, I was on the start line, leash off, leash runner had already taken it… and there was a big delay. Probably 2 or 3 minutes, which is a looooong time LOL! And of course, it was the one dog of mine that is sensitive about the pressure of start lines and most likely to melt (big delays never happen with dogs that are fully confident there LOL!)
We were there for a few minutes, so I just did some engaged chill. Then when we got the “go”, I did a quick verbal volume dial (“do you want a cookie?”) and the dog was great! My handling was not nearly a perfect as the dog’s behavior LOL!!
I mentioned it because it was a classic “toolbox” moment because I was literally ready to release the dog to start the course. So I was able to reach into my toolbox and help her, so she ran fast and happy!
>>So, I tried the engaged chill. Took her leash off and then just her in by my legs and petted her for my 30 seconds. Then, line up and go. She did pretty well with the line up considering it’s class. Plus, there was a dog behind her on a cot. >>
Love it! It is a great exercise, I am glad the instructor did it.
Looking at the first video – Sprite is very excited and in a state that is ready to run agility, but is able to stand still and look at the ring but not get overaroused. This is a good potential engaged chill! You can add a leash to it, and also be sure you practice looking around so you can look at the course and plan your handling.
Option 2 of her up on her hinds legs is a good short-term engaged chill. I agree that standing like that for a long time might be hard and might stretch out her muscles too much before a run (long stretches would be after a run, I believe, but I am no expert). So you can use it for a few seconds at a time – such as 10 seconds while you look at the course to remember your handling, etc.
These are good! Try them when other dogs are running, starting far from them, and see how she does!
Tracy
Hi!
Yes, Tipsy might need a class session devoted entirely to her if you might end up feeling rushed.
>>We’ve been playing find my face and she LOVES IT!
Yay! I bet she likes the action and movement of it, plus it will give her something to do (find your face!) in case your handling isn’t perfect 🙂
>>I really think the Leash Off/Engagement on will be so beneficial for us. I do worry what happens as soon as the leash comes off and she’s loose to be feral!>>
This is a concern for just about everyone in this class, which is why I put the game in 🙂 Most folks are not really sure what would happen if they just went into the ring and took the leash off. That makes the humans nervous and that makes the dogs nervous then it all goes sideways LOL! So getting comfy with getting the leash off should really help.
Keep me posted!
TracyHi!
>In Goat Tricks 2: Movement and Noise you talk about pairing the noise with good things using a high value treat at a high rate to avoid fear response.
Is it right to use this tactic in other situations? >>
This is a great question! In a nutshell: yes. But, do it at a much bigger distance away from anything that worries her, so you might find yourself moving her away from any suddenly surprising or scary things.
>>Lissy has started barking when she encounters things she is not sure about. We worked a lot of noise desensitization weeks ago (fluffing a garbage bag, banging a door, vacuum cleaner, pots and pans on wooden floor). She did great with all of it. Now a few weeks later, when she encounters these same things, she barks.>>
This is normal for a lot of dogs, especially as they enter adolescence where the brain is re-wiring and developing.
But, we can help her! Yes, to using food and also take her on resilience walks where she can watch the world at a distance away from anything that might worry her.
In coming week, we ae going to start teaching a pattern game. This will be a HUGE help because it gives the pups a framework to assess the things that be worrisome, and relax about them. To prepare for that, practice your ‘get it’ marker with cookie tosses (easiest game ever!!!)
Keep me posted on how she is doing!
TracyHi!
I loved this session – so interesting! What I loved about it was that he did not do his usual thing, so you had to think on your feet in the moment to change plans. That is incredibly valuable because you went with the flow, you kept the rate of success high, and you got him to do his foot smacking on the styrofoam thing. Because of that, it was really an exceptional shaping session!
>>small Styrofoam cooler that something was shipped in. >>
What was shipped in it? It looked like he was offering scent work behavior, as if something really caught his nose and he was indicating it. Maybe the texture of the styrofoam or the weird sound played a role, and also it was taller so that might have played a role in him not lifting his feet. All of that, plus maybe an interesting scent – and you had to handle the surprising (in a good way) behavior he offered.
You can try cutting this box in half and see how he feels about touching the styrofoam? Or if you have a different styrofoam box, you can test the scent theory by seeing what he does with a different box.
Great job here!!! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
Lovely sessions here! Roux has really good body awareness already and a lot of confidence, so we can add extra stuff to continue building up the skills 🙂For the body awareness stuff – the main next step is to add more arousal so she can maintain the body awareness in a higher arousal state… just like she will be at a trial 🙂
Roux was very happy to make the upside wobbler move! She looked super confident so do you have a bigger wobble board where she can stretch out a bit? If so… get her to tug with you on the wobble board, keep the toy low so she can shift her weight back. If not, using this wobbler, you can tug before she gets on, reward with food, then tug (it is a little too small for her to tug on).
The training plank work looked good too – getting on it, backing up, turning around… easy peasy! So add tugging before and after each cookie reward too, to get the body awareness strong in higher arousal too.
Backing up – she is doing well here too so yes…. Add tugging 🙂 The toy can be the reward! When using your cookie hand as a focal point or the toy, you can lower you hand a little bit (maybe 6 inches) so that her head is slightly lower. It doesn’t need to be much lower, but a little lower will help her back up even more fluidly. If her head is too high, she might end up pushing off her front and bouncing a bit.
Trading toys and getting them – all good! Do you have a ‘grab toy in hand’ marker? She is a powerful tugger so I think you will want one so she knows to look for the toy in your hand and NOT accidentally get your flesh (ouch!) For powerful tugging dogs, a “bite” or “strike” marker helps them know when to differentiate coming in to the hand for the toy, versus coming in much softer for a treat (I use “snacks” or “yeessssss” for that).
Toy races – she was surprised on the first one when you ran too but then she seemed very comfy with it! She was happy to drive way ahead which means you can now try toy races! Your goal in toy races (from games package 2) is to try to win, so you might have to cheat a little 🙂 It will help her dig in even more!
Upright wrapping is going well – she TOTALLY liked the toys!!! And she was still precise and thoughtful, even in higher arousal. That is exactly what we want. Yay! You can stay closer to the upright for now, so she doesn’t have a difference in speed leaving you for the upright versus driving back to you (we want her speed to be equal). Adding distance too soon can get a bit of slowing down, so work this about 4 or 5 feet away for another couple of sessions – you can also build speed driving away from you to the upright by rewarding her with a thrown toy on the other side of the upright 🙂 She will like that!
And great job with the verbals there – those will be very helpful in the future!
Nice work here! Let me know what you think!
TracyHi!
I see what you mean about her being slippery LOL!!! She is very happy to drive forward to the toy and very speedy, so we can use this framework to work on some lining up and some gentle restraint to start the game.
It is about handler mechanics that feel comfy for you both. She didn’t like being physically moved into position, so we can work a line up into the game. Yes, your idea to put a harness on her is great! So what you can do is something like this: tug tug tug, trade for a cookie, line her up using the cookie as a lure (we can fade it pretty easily) and as she gets into position, put a finger under her harness to hold her. Then feed the lure cookie (make sure she swallows it LOL!) then throw the toy and race to it 🙂 You might find other variations that feel very comfy for you both, so feel free to experiment!
This will also help build in the back-and-forth between food and toys, which is also super useful for training.
>>We can get good distance but I still cannot follow/run after her. She will either go flat or leave the toy and run away.>>
You can stay at the walking/strolling level of motion for now 🙂 As she is driving ahead to the toy, you can very casually walk forward, not pressure on her line and not a lot of motion. We will build all that in over time – the smaller dogs often don’t appreciate the pressure of us humans running!
And you can ‘split’ the behavior of YOUR motion into just walking, then leaning forward as you walk, the leaning forward and moving your arms faster, and so on. That can gradually add the picture of you running while keeping her happy with it 🙂
Then when she gets to the toy, you can turn and run the other way so she might bring it back (but no worries if she doesn’t, we will work on the retrieve separately). But you running the other way should be really exciting so if she chases you, you can reward her for that 🙂
Great job here! Let me know how she does with the harness and lining up!
Tracy
