Slow mo catch. Let’s see them if you’ve got one!
Management vs training
Sometimes it’s easier to manage a situation to prevent the unwanted behaviour from occurring than it is to train the dog out of a behaviour. Take this example with Louie and the bath mat.
1. Louie grabs bath mat
2. Me getting up to interact with Louie
✅ Consequence of his actions achieved: I engage with him.
Now, one might say with distain that he’s attention seeking, that he’s being a ‘brat’, manipulative. Those words are a human construct and don’t say much about his motivation. And we always have to look at motivation if we’re going to learn about our dogs and what we can do to get most, if not all, their needs met. Food and a warm place to sleep isn’t enough!
Getting back to the bath mat…this is on ➡️ me ⬅️.
1. I left the door open
2. I left the mat on the floor
To prevent this familiar behaviour from occurring I need to manage the environment better.
✅ pick up the bath mat OR ✅ close the door to the bathroom.
These are simple measures to take to prevent Louie taking the bath mat.
If your dog is performing a behaviour you don’t want to see then take steps to prevent it from occurring ( management) or get training or as in this case, I need to notice when Louie wants to engage and do something and engage with him.
#Doberman #kelowna #enrichment #enrichmentfordogs #enrichmentfordogsvideo
Mat Training with Annie
Newly adopted Annie is having issues when the leash and harness come out.
So in lesson 1 we started ‘stationing’ to a towel. Her guardian plans to have Annie on the couch on her Mat so she can get ready for walks… which she enjoys.
Annie was quick to get the mat concept in the floor so we then ‘transfered’ the cue (towel) to the couch. No problem for Annie. Next is the continuation of desensitizing the leash and createing a good association to it. We start with a new skill like stationing and progress from there.
Super cute for Saturday work. #matraining #kelowna #dogs
Engage in the park
A beautiful Sunday morning with Goose.
His guardians have stopped taking him out a while back because the outbursts were so aversive for them and not good for Goose. He’s friendly and enthusiastic…too enthusiastic 🤩
This is lesson #4 and the first lesson off property. Up to this day, we introduced new coping skills (pattern games), mat work and cleaned up the leash walking and with some self regulation skills learned and practiced in the house and yard, we headed out to an ‘easy’ location. I’d say this was a 'High school’ location. If you've worked with me you’ll know what I mean. 😉
We’re exposing Goose to dogs and kids. Watch for:
Loose body to still body.
Wagging tail to still tail
Panting to closed mouth resulting in shallow breathing not breathing
Fixation or sticky observation
Shaking leg
Raised head to sniff (information gathering)
Some of the signals/communication he is offering to tell us about his emotions in that moment. All are signs of a dog focusing too hard on something that may upset them.
I'm not saying dogs can’t look BUT we want them to look and have a loose body, continue panting if they were and/or tail wagging if they were tail wagging. These are all signs of a relaxed dog and signals that communicate the dog is OK with the stimulus.
In this scenario, for this dog, stillness means brain is in gear a little too long with something that may create emotional upheaval. Therefore, you can see that Goose isn't taking in information we offer because his focus is elsewhere; think 'tunnel vision'.
Sooo…his guardian creates distance to help Goose manage his emotions and to remain in a state of learning (intake of information). No tugging, but verbal encouraging, loose leash and reinforcement when he does the wanted behaviour: looking up or away from the stimulus or looking and displaying a relaxed body.
Helping dogs with emotions requires them to be calm when we expose them to the trigger. NOT avoidance bu
Step up to out on the collar
Roku is a 10 wk Moyen Poodle. He’s come to live in an active environment where he’ll be living with many people coming and going and all types of objects like wheelchairs.
Lesson 2 was the start of ground work training:
✅ handlers learn and fine-tune their mechanics of reinforcement using a simple Pattern Game
✅ Roku learning spacial awareness; Where his body is in relation to the environment around him including a wheelchair.
✅ I learned another benefit of Pattern Games 💡
I use targets to help the visual learning process… for people and dogs. The target is predictable and intended to keep the learning easy for both participants. Use targets in your training to be consistent thus helping your dog know...
▶️ where they should be
▶️ where they are going
▶️ where you are going
▶️ eliminating unknowns
✅ helping to make the learning easier and faster
*Notice towards the end that Roku moves to the target after a few reps have been completed. 👏🏼
Remember.. the dog is the learner. Help them learn! 😉 #kelownadogtraining
Dog recall
There are 3 steps to teaching a recall. And lots of practice in an easy environment.
Excited dogs learning mat training
Shyah and Ryder are so cute together. They’re happy and friendly dogs that get very excited about guests arriving.
The training plan includes teaching mat training (stationing) to help them focus on a target and give them something specific to do instead of mugging and jumping and barking. These new skills will help them process those big emotions when people arrive. Currently, they do what they know which is unwanted by their guardian. Not Bad but unwanted!!
Being with their guardian is sooo much better than seeing a guest.
Next up is to teach them to ‘go say Hi’ on cue so the greeting is more controled than it is now; cute but loud and out of control. They get so excited and feed off each other so we are teaching them skills and structured ways to say Hi and manage those big emotions.
10! pts for synchronized tail wags. 🥰
*Clicker as the marker
