â¨ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING â¨
As Rumple is beginning his journey into becoming a cardiac alert dog for me I need to make more of an effort to check his behaviour in built up public paces - this has only slackened because I donât like public spaces however I CANNOT put my own dislike of it onto either of my dogs which means you have just got to get over it and get out there and put your own feelings aside.
From day one with both dogs we have got them out in loud and busy environments with to desensitise them to the noise and vibrations and last night we took them with us to the pub where it was gig night.
They both did amazing. Tink especially - she really doesnât like loud noise and often wonât lie down but she has recently started to.
Rumple we have done this from day 1 with him so he doesnât care and will settle immediately.
As you can see we were right by the stage which was not really where wanted to be but the only table available đ with this in mind we didnât end up staying long so after an hour or so we left and then took the dogs for a decompression walk.
REPS
Reps of your training are the only way to achieve consistency in the outcome from your dog. I do reps everyday with both Tink and Rumple. Simple things like down, recall and heel with other commands mixed in as well. However for me these 3 are the most important and the first things I teach.
If you want your dog to do this, get out there regardless of weather (unless itâs hot) and train your dog. The only reason your dog wonât do itâŚis you.
Different memory retrieve
Little bit of distance down work for Rumple
Quick clip from the pack walk
Brilliant pack walk today, Rumple smashed it! We have been working hard on neutrality around dogs as this is his hardest obstacle
âď¸EXPOSUREâď¸. Rumple had his first trip to the pub (we very rarely go to the pub but dog training is a great excuse for it đ) it was hectic there but he did well. He did end up lying down and relaxing of his own accord.Now, I donât ever cue a down when Iâm in these situations as this will keep him alert and he is not practising relaxation only his commands. Relaxation needs to be a choice he makes rather than a conditioned down which is really him relaxing. I would much rather have a dog I take out that when I sit down will naturally lay down and chill. If Iâm always telling him to âDownâ then 2 things are happening here:1. He isnât learning by his accord to chill.2. Giving verbal cues for this will actually only heighten both of us - handler will generally get more and more agitated therefore the dog will get more and more wound up. This will set you up to fail.In actual fact, when I go out with Rumple I barely talk to him. I need relaxation to be an expected behaviour and something that comes naturally to him. There is nothing wrong with ignoring your dog when you are out and about, dogs do not need constant input as you will just wind them up.
âď¸BREAK TIMEâď¸. I think itâs really important to:1. Have a cue to tell your dog go and do what you want.2. Let them do what they want!Rumple is still in the foundational aspect of his training and people get very hung up on the obedience that they forget one really important thingâŚthey still need to have free time to sniff, pee everywhere, run around (as long as it is appropriate to and you can get them back. In a higher stimulus environment he would be either in heel or on a long line).In this break time donât stress about obedience. Rumple finds a game of running ahead and running back a great bit of fun so thatâs how we play but Iâm not giving him strict cues at any time. I do know however that in this environment if I needed to get him to do something then he would do it thanks to A LOT of practise.Iâll say it again as itâs really important - PUPPIES ARE NOT MADE OF GLASS let them run around, granted not for too long, but let them run and trip over, let them pick up some grass and a favourite of Rumples - eat the dandelions
