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Hi!
Turn and burn is going well! Since his commitment to the barrel is looking really strong, you can start to move the line around the barrel more:
Rather than switch sides, think of this as a progressive ‘how early can I do the FC’ game. After every successful rep or two, move the line a tiny bit 🙂 so you can do the FC sooner.He started to check out at about 2:15 (I always look at time stamps when we see checking out from a puppy, to know how long is too long for them). This is good to know: set a timer for 90 seconds so you can finish the high energy games before he checks out. I think of any game with running & tugging as a high energy game.
You switched to food and he did more reps, but what he was saying was the session was actually too long and he ws trotting rather than running. So to avoid the depletion and keep him running especially when you do the FC and run – shorter sessions will really help.
Nice job here!
Tracy
Good morning!
>Let’s of things going wrong, extra noises, bowl had water in it (I guess I should have checked first!) but we muddled through. Not a very clean training session at all. >
There were some distractions in the environment for sure – he did really well with them especially at the beginning. I think what can be cleaner is to simply shorten it up: flip the ratio of work to break. This was about 9 straight minutes of work and the break on the mat was about 10 seconds, so by the end he was definitely toast and checked out of the session. More on that below.
He played really good tug with everything happening in the environment at the beginning: person walking (by with trash), snuffle mat on the cot, you holding a bag of treat. That was a lot going on and he was a great little tugger!
The wrapping was hard to see 🙂 but it looks like it went well based on how he stayed in the game and got lots of reward. Yay!
That is where you can do a longer break: rather than try to make a quick transition to the next game, let him have a couple of minutes to sniff out the treats in his snuffle mat, chill out on his cot (or in the crate/expen in the field), etc. while you set up, check the field guide, etc
I often play music: one song is the work session, then the pup gets an entire song to take a break. The songs are about 2.5 to 3 minutes and it works out perfectly!
He did well finding the parallel path to his prop! You can keep adding distance away from it, laterally, and you can also start next to him to see if he will drive ahead of you to hit it (which will set you up nicely for the rear crosses!)
When switching to the countermotion sends, you can make the cues look more different to get the different behavior: engage him by gathering him in front of you, do 3 or 4 seconds of ready dance, then do a very clear arm & leg send. That will get a nice explosive drive to the prop as you move the other direction.
He started to lose steam at about 6:15, where the tugging was not as good as it was earlier. 2 reasons for this: he had been working for about 6 minutes straight (that is a lot for a puppy and you will start to see check out behaviors, especially when there are distractions in the environment his brain has to filter out) and the toy was small, kind of crumpled up in your hand. When you moved more and gave him more of the toy to tug, he tugged well again. Yay! That would have been a good place to end the session.
The cot break was later in the session for about 10 seconds, then you tried to get more tugging and higher energy behaviors – but he was toast. He was looking away, distractions in the environment became more obvious (looking away, tired puppy brain) and he ended up not really tugging and leaving for the cot.
So I think that breaking this session into 2 or 3 shorter pieces will work out better – you will have the engagement and accuracy and success of the early part of the session, without the depletion behaviors that showed up in the 2nd half of the session. In between the sessions, he can hang out on the cot and do his snuffle mat – that might work best if you stay with him (rather than move around to set up the next thing). Or, you & Ikaika can leave the session entirely and come back to some training later in the day.
That way you will get the really lovely work, all the time!
Nice job here 🙂
Tracy
Hi!
>So, what’s the “cue” for going around the barrel?>For this game: it can be your verbal ‘ok’ or a wrap verbal.
This is a great game for her: ignore the toy! She freezes a little, you can almost see her brain doing the calculations LOL! It looks like she was focusing forward really well and she did work out how to go around the cone and not grab the toy.
>Once she made an error to grab the toy rather than go around then she just sort of froze for a bit.>
Yes, it is hard and this is where we work through the freezing up.
If she has one error, no worries – but also don’t make the next rep easier. I am curious to see if she can sort it out!>she’s not necessarily understanding the step as a forward send. >
We can work on that in the turn and burn game! She understands it with the prop so we can focus on the barrel next.
She also did well with the bowl on the ground while hitting the prop! You did a lot of treats in a row here – I bet she will be able to ignore the bowl entirely if you add some toy breaks 🙂
You can add a slightly harder exciting things – off to the side and not near where you are tossing rewards will be good to get it started.Great job!
TracyHi!
> With tossing food on the floor she’s been more likely to disengage and sniff around but the ready dance seems to help>
You can help that by tossing a treat and running away and deliver a better treat when she chases you! That will get her to stay engaged even with treat tosses on the ground.
First video: her understanding of hitting the prop is great!!
A few suggestions for next steps:For the parallel path game, you don’t need a clicker and a yes anymore (those cause her to look at you). To keep her looking straight, you can mark her hits with your ‘get it’ marker then throw the reward.
You can keep adding lateral distance, but you can also start with her and see if she will drive ahead. That will set up up really well for the rear crosses too 🙂The countermotion sends are going great. You can keep using a clicker for this, because for this behavior it is good if she looks for you.
Just be sure that there is a clear transition from the ready dance into the send. When you took a heartbeat between them: great! On a few (on the 2nd side) you did the send kind of during the ready dance and as you were backing up towards the prop, so I don’t think she really saw it.
Backing up is going well too! Keep your hands even lower (nose height) so she doesn’t look up at you (which will stop the backing up). Because that might be really hard to be bent over that low, you can totally do this while sitting on something 🙂
And alternate hands for the reward throws: if you only use your right hand, she will back up on an angle to face it. But if you switch up which hand you use, she will back up pretty straight 🙂
Well done on the blind to decel to pivot! You can change the direction of the game – run the building lengthwise so you can really run run run 🙂 You can run more before you call her, then run forward again on the Go Go Go at the end.
I think she will also like this game with a toy: start with a really boring cookie to toss (no cookie needed for the blind/decel/pivot) – then use an awesome toy for the go go go moment. That will make the decel into collection very exciting for her, because it predicts you will be throwing the toy 🙂
She also understood the commitment really well with the turn and burn. She was able to commit really well on both sides, even with you moving away earlier. Since her understanding is very strong: definitely add a toy to this 🙂 She was trotting her way through it with the treats so the toy will get the running. You can start with her next to you, do a bit of a ready dance, then send her to the barrel. You can use a long toy and drag it as you run away, for her to chase. That should add the speed to the accuracy.
Nice work here!
Tracy
He was so cute, bringing the toy back over the noodle! The went really well 🙂 and he figured it out real fast.
>he is fast and doesn’t do any trotting, so he shoots forward in front of me and can look back after taking the prop, so I throw the ball ahead. >
Throwing the toy was perfect!
It is great that the wants to go fast – but when you go really fast, he misses (especially when he is on your right). So you can keep moving but don’t go fast yet. The other thing that will help bring him up to 100% success is to be consistent with how you start him. When he was lined up and ready: it went great! When he was facing you or he was not ready, he would miss or go around the back to turn left. So either have him lined up near you, or toss a treat onto a towel or in a bowl (so he can find it easily) to get him out on the line so you can get to different positions (like being way ahead of him or further away laterally).
Thank you again to Igor and your other dog for helping! He had some releases with really perfect timing which made for a strong challenge for Benny. Benny was perfect!
So for next steps: you can flip things a bit so the Winnie is coming towards Benny as he is heading to the wing – in the setup on the video, you can have Winnie sitting where Igor was here and Igor where Winnie was sitting. Then you can send Benny to the inside of the wing, so when he is heading towards it he sees Winnie running right towards him.
Do you have any opportunities to work with other dogs who are really nice? We can tweak this so he can ignore other dogs 🙂
Great job!
TracyHi!
This went GREAT!!! Yay!! He read the blinds really well of course, but more exciting: your decels were timely and he was able to really collect to turn. Then he went right back to leaving you in the dust to drive to the toy 🙂 Yay!!!He was great about the food to toy transition too! Do you have someone who can hold him? That can give you an extra long head start and maybe get 2 blinds in before the decel 🙂
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi! Both games went great!
Being against a wall AND standing worked really well. She’s just about ready for the turn and burn game (added this week). Before that, repeat the game with a cone or barrel, whichever you like as we move into the other games.When you begin Turn And Burn, there is an option to use the bowls as a transition into it, and i think that will work great for her.
Backing up is off to a great start! You might want to be up against the wall for that one too, mainly so you can lean on it, put your elbows on your legs, and keep your hands at her nose level 🙂 (with apologies to your back 😉)
The reason I suggest keeping your hands really low is that when you raised them, her head came up and she stopped moving backwards. So keeping your hands super low will get more backwards steps.
Great job here!
Tracy
Hi!
He’s off to a good start with the backing up! You will get more steps from him if you keep your hands lower the whole time – and I think the best way to do that is to have you sit on something low, so you can rest your elbows on your legs and let your cookie hands dangle at nose level for him.
If he can keep his head lower like that, it will be easier to get more steps. If he raises his head, he stops backing up so low hands will help 🙂I totally agree: excellent choice of front foot targets. He was hitting brilliantly!! The sends all looked good and also the parallel path looked great. No questions!
So for this game:
Take it outside so you can add 2 things:
1- for the sends, add more countermotion where you are moving the other direction (slowly at first :)) before he arrives at the prop.2- build up the parallel path game to add 3 things (all of which involve needing more room, so outside is best):
A)More lateral distanceB)Start next to him and let him drive ahead to it
C)And when he can drive ahead, add the rear crosses: can he hit the prop and turn the new direction, as if rear crossing a jump?
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi!
His commitment here was really strong to the wing, so we can start to get more precise about showing him countermotion.
The FCs and BCs were all good, and the drive to the toy when you restrained him was great! See the next reply for adding more motion to the rear crosses 🙂
The only questions he had here was on the countermotion – when you did the cross and ran away too early, he didn’t finish the wrap. So let’s develop the commitment progressively so you can do the FC and run the new direction before he even arrives at the wing.
When you send forward and run back towards where you started (like with the blinds) – no problem! Looked great 🙂 His questions were on the harder angle of exit when you started close to the wing. The big challenge was when he saw you already running the other direction on a 90 degree angle before he arrived at the wing.
So we can isolate that and show it to him. The goal is that he sees you running the other direction before he arrives at the wing. I made a little drawing so you can see the visuals of what I mean:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15a1USKzTIe24xJ7xU7W8-6Cw2Can8Nm4e7JKiCkgcG8/edit?usp=sharing
Your start position will be the same on every rep: right in front of the wing, facing it. You want to be right there because if you are off to the side too much, he can still see you near the wing and there is not enough countermotion.
I highly recommend you put a line on the ground, as a cue for you to know when exactly to do the front cross and run. If there is no line, the timing will vary too much and we won’t be as quick to progress the skill 🙂
From your position facing the wing, send him and don’t do the FC until he arrives at exit line 1. Then run away n the line indicated. That will be easy.
Then send and do the FC when he arrives at exit line 2! That will having him seeing a little bit of you running the other way before he starts the wrap. I think this is harder but not too hard for him.
Then build up to sending him from your position facing the wing – and do the FC and run the other direction when he gets to exit line 3! That is before he arrives at the jump and he will totally see you running the other way. This is where he had trouble!
If he misses and doesn’t wrap – don’t send him back to fix it. Bring him back to the same start position so he sees the same exact challenge 🙂
Great job here! Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Hi!
Both of these sessions looked great! Yay!The toy races are looking strong 😀 She was focusing forward really well!
I know trying to win indoors or even if you start with her and cheat will be pretty impossible. Do you have anyone who can hold her? You can lead out 2 or 3 steps and throw the toy – you might not win but she will get the idea of accelerating past you. And if that goes well, the holder can start further and further behind you so she has to work harder to win 🙂
The wing wrapping also looks good: you can move to the next steps. No worries about any bowl picking because we fade them pretty soon. So the next steps should be to get you sitting on the couch, then standing: possibly in the same session! And rather than add distance, change up the obstacles – use a cone or barrel rather than the upright. That will get her ready for the turn and burn game 🙂
Great job!!
Tracy
Hi!
> Do you think I need to add the bowl back?>
I don’t think she needs the bowl. See how she does when you revisit it and add more of a distinct cue.
> Aren’t you ever the optic thinking she’ll pick it up and bring it back to me!>
I think she will chase your motion which will be moving away – still better than grabbing your hand by accident 🙂
The backing up is going well – it looks like you were alternating hands for the cookie tosses, which is good: that will help keep her straighter. You can add in backing up to a destination, like a low mat or something, to also help keep her straight.
She might have been a little tired from her earlier adventures when you did the collection sandwich, but I think you can also move more. Rather than be stationary while she gets the start cookie, you can be walking away the whole time. Then go to a full run when you call her. Playing the game lengthwise in the yard will help too: more room to run!
And I agree, finding the kibble was taking a while. What if you sent her to the pet tutor? You can have her do a hand touch, then reward at the pet tutor placed 15 feet away. That should speed it all up! And if she doesn’t know what the PT is, you can introduce it and that will be fun too 🙂
Nice work here!
Tracy
Hi!
>Your treat hugger suggestion was a win! I put juicy steak inside and he was very motivated to go get that toy & take the treat all by himself.>
Yay!!! That is awesome! The steak/treat hugger plus good weather combined for a great session here. He was on fire 🙂 You got great driving ahead. The first rear cross was really good! The 2nd RC was late so he didn’t see it in time – I think you were deciding what to do in the moment 🙂
>I’ll adopt the one & done or very short session method from now on.>
On the hot days, you can stick to a one and done (multiple times a day after a/c breaks) but on cooler days like you had here, the session can have multiple reps like it did here.
Fingers crossed for good weather ahead! Great job here!
Tracy
Hi! Let me know if I am understanding this correctly and if this will work for you:
>Okay, looking for alternatives then….would you leash him up and take him for a couple minute wander? >
If you are looking for a decompression, then you could do that but it does cut into limited training time. How would he feel about a snuffle mat while you reset? If can be in a crate or expen or even up on his cot (no impulse control needed for staying on it if he is snuffling!) if he is very comfy in those, but it doesn’t have to be: it can be off to the side somewhere so he can snuffle (or lickmat or chew) for the 30 to 60 seconds it takes to reset. Then he can play again for another short burst. That way, you can gt multiple sessions in during the 10 minutes. No need to try to use all of the 10 minutes for training/learning stuff for 2 reasons:
– a short blast of training will work better to start the learning and then sleeping on it will consolidate it. There is a definite less-is-more approach to training which soooo counterintuitive but works so well – you will be able to progress all the games really quickly.– being able to go from “work” to rest/decompression to work to rest/decompression will actually ‘teach’ his body about arousal regulation! You will see it expressed in future sessions where he can regulate more and more easily (especially during the exiting times of adolescence that are ahead LOL!)
Then you can save the last minute or two of his 10 minutes for play and for a walkabout with you because those are wonderful for consolidating learning and arousal regulation too.
Let me know what you think!
Tracy
Hi!
>I hope your test went well and you have fun at CanAm!>
I survived! I did the test as soon as it was available this morning – it was fine. 93%! And that includes deductions for 3 things that I just clicked wrong. Oops. I am relieved and now can focus on running the dogs. Whew!
Looking at the video:
>She’s not getting the send part great yet. >
I think what you were seeing was her brain processing the challenge of having to move away to the barrel and ignore the toy: that’s HARD but she did it really well! Yay! I could see her looking at it and contemplating grabbing it LOL!!!!
She will keep getting better at driving to the barrel – you can give her a little ready dance and big step to it, or hold her collar and start the verbal then let go for her to drive to it. I bet she would also drive to it if you used food, because she won’t have to ignore the toy (but still work the toy to deal with the question below:)
>I need help trying to change the leap in the air to get the toy behavior. She wants to grab just below my hand or where the toy meets the handle.>
Yes! I think what she was doing was grabbing in a great spot where she had the best leverage for tugging. Smart! But also…OUCH if she gets your hand! Even at the end when you were able to uncoil it more, she was hitting a bit high. A couple of ideas:
When you are waiting for her to hit the exit line at the exit of the barrel – she is very close to you there. So rather than have her tug from your hand, you can drop the toy and keep moving – encouraging her to bring it to you.
As the line moves around the barrel more like it did in the video here, you can do the FC and run away sooner: when she is almost arriving at your hand, let go of the toy for her to grab it and run through it. As she does that, you turn and run the other way so she grabs it and chases you with it. Then you a reward with another toy or treats.
That small change in reward delivery will change her approach to the toy: grabbing it lower in anticipation of staying in motion with it rather than getting good tug leverage.
Let me know if that makes sense! Great job here!
Tracy
Hi!
>Drive to toy around cone was nice. She was not so sure what that big hand out there>
She drove around really well! She was doing a lovely hand target fly-by LOL!! You can change your hand position – try a close fist with a pointing finger, which can help her look at the line and not at the hand. You can hold her a bit longer, point at the line, then when she looks at the line – let her go to wrap the cone.
For the wing wrap: no edits needed, it is always better to leave full sessions in 🙂
Is that an airline back to go around? LOL! Clever!
>have one cookie after she went behind me and then she thought ok I just circle the mommy>
I think 2 things were going on – a slight right turn preference, and I think the bowls were probably more visible between the legs of the chair or behind you, than around the crate. So you can help her by making the edge of the bowls a little more visible around the crate – and you can also stand up, so there are no chair legs for her to see under 🙂
When she was climbing on the crate: I think it was mainly that you were talking to her, pushing her off, and moving the crate – all of which enhance the crate and draw her focus to it 🙂
Don’t respond at all when she climbs up on it, be quieter when she is working 🙂 and when you want to move he position of the barrel/crate: toss a cookie away for her to go find in the grass while you move the crate to add more distance.
She was absolutely great when you were quiet during the work reps and was zipping around it really well!
Great job here!!
Tracy
