Mentoring and Coaching: May 2010

Come L1: Before Moving On

Come L1: Before Moving On

I tried to do this last week and realized with all the Come Game we've been playing with dropping the treat on the floor, he had lost his default sit. So, with help from Sheila's string cheese tip, we've been working on getting it back. You can see we still have a ways to go...

L2 Target in the Kitchen

L2 TARGET in the Kitchen

I've become a bit confused whether I add DISTANCE or DURATION first; here you see me giving constant treats when Webster is willing to stay up on the counter, but it is not consistent. Any suggestions?

Sit Challenge 5/27/10

Sit Challenge 5/27/10

I did help him. I didn't understand that they were supposed to get there all by themselves. Guess I was thinking of the Vet Visit we did at the clinic and thought it was ok to help him up on a few. Here are a breakdown of the items:
Settee – he jumped
Chair – he jumped
Dining table- he jumped from chair to table
Little square stool – he jumped on two that I held together and steady as they have rollers, then I moved one as he sat on one
Outside bench – he jumped
Little stool – I helped
Knee chair – I helped so he didn’t get his leg stuck
Dryer – I put him up (I thought it was good that he would stay on the slippery surface so similar to a Vet's table
Treadmill- he walked up
Recumbent bike – he jumped up
Chaise lounge – he jumped up
Hot tub – I put him up
Sling rocker – jumped up
Fire pit – he jumped up
BBQ island – I put him up
Hose cabinet – he jumped up

L2 Surface in the Living Room

After some very helpful comments from Lynn and Shelia regarding my lumping and not letting Webster think for himself, you will notice that I did very well letting him figure out that the eventual goal was all four legs on the board; HOWEVER, I became impatient toward the end as you watch me walk the length of the board with him.......progress.......not perfection.

Let Web do the Work

TARGET L2 working on Metal for the 1st time

What a unique opportunity to work on Metal for TARGET L2, so we took advantage of it.

Parking Lot ZEN

Webster and I have a goal to visit every parking lot in the city of Orange, as each has something new to offer. We are at the back of a mall where the large trucks are unloading their stock. Webster has no problem with DURATION on a DOWN, however, he DOES have problems SITTING with any DURATION; this is what my goal was in this session, to let him know I wanted him to SIT.

More Parking Lot ZEN

This was a unique situation we found in the back of a parking lot; a massive dumpster, so we decided to make it a DISTRACTION. You will see us DOODLING, as there were some different DISTRACTIONS. We also tried working L2 STAND, yet again.

Oceanside Harbor-Puzzle-Come Game-5 25 10

Oceanside Harbor-Nad & Puzzle-Parking Lot Zen-5/25/10

Oceanside Harbor-Nad & Puzzle-Parking Lot Zen-5/25/10

We started out warming up our dogs ourselves with whatever we thought would get them used to the area.
Criteria for Nad: Down/Stay w/Distance

Playground Zen-SP-5/26/10

Playground Zen-SP-5/26/10

I made a very conscious effort to click when he was LLW AND looking away from me. When Nadador stopped to look at the playground, he was actually looking past it at the dogs running in the dog park. If I had clicked before he got too far away, I probably could have kept him from wondering away from me.

Can your dog SIT where?

It's difficult to appreciate all of the DISTRACTIONS our dogs are training with, but the Hummingbirds were zipping around just above his head.

He will learn to recline in our next session.

...not sure Ace wants him sitting up here

I missed the shot of his half-SIT before he changed his mind. We will continue to work on this.

or almost in a basket

Webster plays the Come Game L1 Challenge

I just love Webster's enthusiastic SITS and DOWNS. We have a default SIT upon returning to me. What fun!

Come Game Challenge

As Rooster and I were working, so were the gardeners. Twice his attention was drawn to them but he was able to get back in the game.

Rooster, Webster, Nad at Oceanside Harbor Level 1

How amazing that all the dogs were all working closely together below threshold doing Level 1 as the world passed by.

Oceanside Harbor Car Zen

Barking is a ticket back to the car. Once there Rooster practiced his "Car Zen" with positive rewards until time to rejoin the group.

Oceanside Harbor May 25, Webster, Rooster, Nad Level 1 all below threshold

Webster was doing PUPPY PUSH UPS, SIT, STAND, DOWN.

Oceanside Harbor May 25, Levels and Car Zen

Webster's criteria was L2 DOWNSTAY, building DISTANCE and DURATION.

Coaching Session 5/25/10

Our goal was to work our dogs in L1 behaviors within a highly distractive area. You will see Jan and Cathy starting very close together with Rooster. What the flip doesn't show is all of the people walking by; ALL of the dogs being walked closely by us, some off leash; pigeons flying in and out of the parking lot, just 50 feet from Rooster. This was a great session with Rooster.

Rooster had an interruption during his L1 Come Game; here Jan and Karen start the game again.

Since there were birds flying overhead, in and out of the parking lot, dogs and people walking by, bicyclers, skaters, cars, and new smells, we started our session with Doodling. Webster and Rooster USED to be quite reactive as soon as they saw each other. You will notice them both looking at each other and turning back to Cathy and me....LOOK AT THAT. I am working on building DURATION L1 SIT in public settings with Webster. When we have a solid L1 SIT for 30 or so seconds, we will add DISTANCE.

We all moved our cars to the other end of the parking lot due to the sun. We are now closer to the boats, water, bird and pigeon activity, so we started over again with getting our dog's attention before our training/coaching session started again.

Rooster Tennis Court Therapy

Rooster Tennis Court Therapy 2

Rooster and Hannah

LLW-5/19/10

LLW-5/19/10 a

I found a quiet area by a pet store I had stopped at. Little did I realize that the boxes were all filled with dog food...

LLW-5/19/10 b

I decided to find another spot and do it again

L2: Down/Stay - driveway

L2: Down/Stay - driveway

This is a behavior we had worked on previously.

L2 DOWN/ Building Duration

During our training session at Camp Pendleton, Webster and I continue to build Duration and Distance with Distractions. He is doing quite well. Now we need to take it to other public places.

Stand Stay: L2

Lynn is explaining that once your dog moves his paws in a STAND when building DURATION, you start back at the beginning.

L2 DOWN, working DISTANCE

Webster and I have done DOWN in many different locations with distractions. I can see how solid he is becoming.

Adding Distance to L2 TARGET

After training TARGET in the living room, we took it outside to a vertical wall.

L2 Surface, attempting to break it down

Webster and I eventually want to incorporate walking up and down a ramp as part of his everyday life. I am hopeful it will help with our 10 year old Golden to utilize a ramp on those days she is unable to jump up.

Webster and I tried to put all 4 paws on the board with it elevated; we will work on it more tomorrow.

What is obvious to me after watching this flip is that Webster and I have an invisible leash and he is feeling my low energy level at the other end of his leash. The other observation I made is my timing with the C/T is slow. Webster puts his front paws on the board and I wait for the third paw rather than continuing to reinforce at least two paws. These flips are so revealing.

I watched Sue Shape Lily on the "Surface" and am trying to break down the steps for Webster.

Manners: Waiting Their Turn for Breakfast

Manners: Waiting at Open Gate

Manners: Waiting at Open Gate

I like to train all the dogs to not automatically go through the open gate or doors. I will purposely leave the gate or doors open so we practice this often.

Manners: Getting In and Out of Car

Grooming: Brushing Teeth

Grooming: Brushing Teeth

This is our morning ritual before they get let out.

Manners - from Mat to Door

Manners - from Mat to Door

I use their name to get their attention and then use the cue. I like to wait until they don't flinch in anticipation when I say their name before I give them the Come cue.

Distractions - Gardners

Distractions - Gardeners a

Nadador had been reacting to the gardeners previously so this was a big step for him. When I had him Down is when he barked, so I took him away for a 60 sec Down.

Distractions - Gardeners b

This was immediately after the 'time out' period. When he would start to look at the person behind me, I would say 'Yes' and treat him. You can see he really gets that. I only put him in a very brief Down since that was uncomfortable for him previously.

Target: Level 2: Adding the Cue, Adding Distance

Webster and I started working with low-valued treats. You will see how much more responsive he is when I upped the treat value.

We continued to work in the parking lot on a post.

L2 SURFACES: Shaping Contact Board: no leash

L2 SURFACES: Shaping Contact Board: no leash

I noticed that I was using my body as a cue. I would also click when he stopped on the board (not just on the end as I wanted), so no wonder he kept stopping. Next time I'll have to try shape it sitting down.

Webster and I have been adding Distance in Paws Up. We took this outside and could not get beyond 2 feet....we will continue to work on Distance.

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