We started with a short attention warm-up. I'm going to do the videos a little different; they'll be about behaviors, not sessions. I think it'll make a better reference for me.
"izzy" & "otto" video -
This was the first thing we worked on after attention warm-up, so it took her a couple tries to transfer from offering attention to listening and responding to cues. After the mistake she needed a little reassurance and of course, the moment I had her get down she was distracted by a Great Dane walking by (her last distraction for the day). I got her back, cued "otto" and she did it flawlessly. She seemed a little concerned about the guides (some avoidance), but got over it quickly. Maybe residual from last time when she may not have been feeling well. Even though she backs into the guide the first try on "izzy", she doesn't show any more concern. She's just a little more careful and does a nice "izzy". Note she wants to show me a "bacon" on the guides - she does love her "bacon" behavior. The last "izzy" is easily the best one she's ever done. She is finally realizing this isn't a two part behavior. YAY!!!
Backwards walk-on video -
My plan was to use the yellow mouse pad as a foot target. It starts out well, but when I try to get more distance, she starts treating it as if it's her "mark" target, so I abandon using it (they are similar). Then I try using the row of carpet samples with some success, but even though it's better, it still doesn't seem clear. I try one of the step platforms and find Gimme is still stuck on stopping as soon as she's done what she thinks is "bacon". She doesn't continue moving back unless I put pressure on her space. My attempts to encourage her to continue backing leads to frustration and offered behaviors. I try J'Anna's longer platform and end up with pretty much the same things I got last night at our practice in the parkour building. It was a valiant effort on Gimme's part, since they started playing with another dog in the next ring. I decide to add the carpet square as a foot target in an effort to backchain the behavior, but I start with it too close and didn't use small enough increments of the amount of platform. This actually is where we end the first session, because I needed to think about it.
When we come back, I increase the distance between the platform and the carpet square, so I can get a stronger back up going. It also enables me to use smaller increments when she starts stepping on the platform. When she gets her feet on more platform, she goes into offering... I think it's just a huge physical cue for her and I decide to wait her out. While she doesn't back to the carpet square, she does go to it, so I click. My goal was to get her to back off the platform, so I could shape her backing the length of the platform. I thought this would give me an opportunity to click her early before she went off the end, thus clicking backing up while still on the platform. She was doing well, then seemed to lose her momentum. She gets frustrated, but works through it and we end with a jackpot. I think we now have something to work with. YAY again!
Training "mark" video -
This is the behavior we need for stunt dog and there could be a trick in there too. The requirement is for Gimme to go away from me to the target and stay with her feet on it. I've decided to train her to lay down on it and place her head down. So it only takes a moment for us to get to where we were two weeks ago, then she gets to head down quickly and we go on to distraction proofing. My treat tossing is to set her up so she goes straight to it instead of backing onto it. When she starts offering down on the "mark", I move in to toss treats right on it, for duration. If you are wondering why I don't click some of the head down, it's because she's hovering with her head just a bit up. By the way, there is some debate about whether you work distraction or duration first. In my training I used to work duration first, but then changed to distraction first. I find working distraction gets you duration as a byproduct, but the opposite is not the case, so distraction first is more efficient. I love the subtlety as she starts to understand what is happening and her head comes up less and less when I move my hand, until it doesn't come up at all.
"cane" with handler circling opposite video -
The goal behavior: handler holds a cane, dog circles in one direction, while handler circles in the other direction. Gimme and I dabbled with this once years ago. J'Anna is trying to get it with her dogs and having difficulty with the method she chose, so I showed her how I'd done it before. This is only the second time Gimme and I have trained this. With all the backing around we've done, Gimme is certain I'd want her to back around here. My clicker is stuck and so I'm getting only half a click. I let her do the backing version, then when I put my hand on the "cane" top, she starts going forward. It amazes me the things she remembers. Isn't she the best demo dog on the planet! I'd been trying to explain to J'Anna how we'd done it and she couldn't visualize it. After seeing this, she tried it with Glory and made more progress in one session, than she's gotten in many sessions before, with my coaching on specifics. I guess we'll both have this behavior for our next intermediate entry.
Heeling & misc video -
I borrowed J'Anna's clicker for this session. I wanted to end on a simple note. We started with heeling (aren't you proud of me for remembering to start with "side"?). Then "behind", "turn", "around", and "spin". I did a quick "center"-front-pivot in each direction, then ended with finding positions. After all the "izzy" and "otto" work, Gimme sometimes makes an assumption about what I want instead of listening for the actual cue. Imagine my surprise...
This was a great training session. Two weeks ago here Gimme was so off her game and lacking confidence; by comparison this one was so much better. I feel really good about it and Gimme was having a lot more fun.
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