Good morning groans from Wynnie (volume up). 🥰
#stayandplay
#dogboarding
Practicing some of our homework from Week 1 of the Predation Substitute Training Instructor Course. We're practicing the check-in game at a point on our hike where there are always some particularly good animal smells off to my left.
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#predationsubstitutetraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
Mom spent too much time doing her homework and it got late so instead of our sniff walk we did food puzzles. She has gotten scary good at this one. 😄
What did you do for enrichment with your pup today?
#dogenrichment
#dogpuzzle
#foodpuzzle
Follow up to last night's video - this is the same day. We took a break and then when our neighbor texted that she was on her way back, we headed back out. We did a few rounds before the video starts. This time she completely ignored the car. 👏🏻
Note that I switched out one toy for her favorite big snuffle mat, which has a LARGE history of reinforcement. That was because she didn't seem overly enthused with the lickimat. Very pleased with how this went for only a second try!
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#reactivetorelaxed
#LATTE
#dogtraining
#dogtrainer
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
We've been practicing LATTE in the yard quite a bit, hoping to catch a car driving by on our gravel road.
When we were unsuccessful, we recruited neighbors, asking them to give us a heads up when they were about to drive by. FINALLY we managed to time it well and were able to be out already practicing when a neighbor went by.
So this clip is the first time she's ever had a car go by during LATTE. She has a moment where she pauses eating, but she's able to easily resume sniffling, and what I really love most is the lack of tension when she looks up.
I'll share a second video soon from the same day when the neighbor goes past again.
Questions? Has anyone tried LATTE with their pup?
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#reactivetorelaxed
#carchasing
#LATTE
#dogtraining
#dogtrainer
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
Check out how happy Oscar was to see Skye again. The little tippy taps kill me. 🥰
Our awesome online Control Unleashed class with Angie Madden of @dogspeakllc at @yourdogsfriendtraining ended tonight, but we're hoping for round 2 soon!
In the meantime, here's Skye practicing Superbowls after class on our deck. I've angled the bowls so that we are moving closer to the end of the deck (e.g. the distractions). If you watch until almost the end, you'll see her hear a critter in the woods while at the 4th bowl and then quickly resume the pattern, which is exactly what we're looking for! 👏🏻
I also Iove how sometimes she looks at the next bowl before looking up at me to let me know where we're going in case I forgot. 😅
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#superbowls
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
We also added the 'Up Down' pattern game in our Control Unleashed class this week. We use this pattern in our puppy & beginner classes to help the dogs begin to learn how to settle on a mat when their people are seated and listening to me.
Here, I'm practicing again with the open door. If you watch Skye closely, you'll see times where she looks or moves her head toward the door and then reorients. Those are times when she is hearing something outside that she might otherwise bark at.
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#updown
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
This week we added Ping Pong to the pattern games we're learning in our Control Unleashed class with @dogspeakllc at @yourdogsfriendtraining . This one was a new one for us and Skye thinks it's just the most fun!
We've been practicing out in the yard when there were minimal distractions, but tonight it was starting to rain so we just practiced near the open door, which when you live in the woods and it's dark is plenty of distraction. 😬
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#pingpong
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
We've practiced Look at That with a few neutral objects so the next step was a neutral dog (and said dog was happy to participate and get some snackos too! 😄). It's amazing how immediately Skye realizes the game we're playing.
Our goal is to practice this a good bit with things that aren't triggering for her before we add those in, so that "Where's the ____?" remains a cue associated with relaxation and not a reason to start frantically scanning the environment. 🤞🏻
#controlunleashed
#patterngames
#lookatthat
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
Skye learning "Look at that" for her Control Unleashed class with @dogspeakllc at @yourdogsfriend . Since we didn't have an in home helper at the ready, we worked with a few different objects so she could get the concept.
It's amazing how a dog with a history of training like this will change their behavior when you start adding the cue. Suddenly we don't just need to look at the object, we need to try to get to it (or in one case target it). 😄 Thankfully being on her mat is helping her to stay out and frankly, the paws are adorable. 😍
#controlunleashed
#lookatthat
#patterngames
#reactivetorelaxed
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
What do trainers mean when they say "change the environment so your dog can be successful"?
Here's one example. When teaching a dog to touch the end of a target stick with their nose, it's easy for the dog to start touching the stick instead of the target if not trained thoughtfully. There are a number of ways around this - start with the stick very short and gradually extend it, angle the stick so that the target is at the bottom at nose height for your dog, and so on.
Here, I'm using a physical barrier so that only the target is accessible initially. As she's successful, I gradually start to make some of the stick accessible as well. If she were to start targeting the stick, I would simply back up, but if I plan well, I shouldn't need to do that.
If your dog is struggling to make the desired choice in a training session, hit the pause button (remember to give your dog an "all done" cue) and think about what you might change in the environment to make it EASY for your dog to get it right.
When have you made modifications to the environment to help your dog succeed? Share your successes in the comments.
#dogtrainer
#dogtraining
#targettrainingard
#errorlesslearning
#positivereinforcementtraining
#positivereinforcementdogtraining
#rewardbasedtraining
#rewardbaseddogtraining
#forcefreetraining
#forcefreedogtraining
Skye and I are taking an online Control Unleashed class with Angie Madden of @dogspeakllc through @yourdogsfriend. Here we're working on 'Take a Breath'. I inhale, Skye mimics me by inhaling, and I reward her. Can you tell how I know when she inhales? Watch until the end when I slow down the video to see if you figured it out!
#controlunleashed
#takeabreath
