Review week 34, plan week 35

In the life-skill category I’ve actually got around to a muzzle session (running around in the house a little with it on), and a few harness sessions. I can lay the back piece on his back while feeding him, but we are definitely not out of the woods yet.

“Your end of the lead”, by Janet Finlay (will add it to the resource list). Read through the book – plenty to work on.

Skill reviews

Wrap and Counter: Still a lot of trial and error.

Pivoting and Heel-work: Practice, practice, practice. Including practice with no props/cones at all. Left turns and sidestepping. Right pivot on a low platform is coming along nicely, and he will stuff his toy and nose into whichever hand I present him – including swapping mid-exercise.

Focus 2: I counted to 10 on Thursday. It’s far from perfect locked gaze, but it’s a very good start.

Come 2: “Here” at 3 meters. Managed to combine it with a ‘Leave It’ for a treat on the ground between us. He stared longingly at the treat, but still came. Got a gallop out of him for dried duck treats.

Settle: He will lie completely on his side even if I stand up and walk around him. This is enormous progress for the puppy who ‘couldn’t/ wouldn’t/ refused to’ learn Play Dead (and still rarely rolls onto his back even of his own accord). He even seems to have a certain understanding of the verbal cue Settle. He is, however, the only dog I’ve seen where relaxing is an active behaviour… Sure, head and tail are on the floor, but I can feel the tension and awareness!

Week 35

This is supposed to be a grace week, with a new monthly overview coming out next Sunday. Next weekend we are having visitors, and there will be some socialising work – and some sheer management.

We definitely need to continue with the directional wraps, with different directions every other day. Also continue proofing that Focus.

Steps to success:

Come 2: Step 2 is actually collar grabs, and coming 3 meters to get the leash on. A 5-sec collar hold has been tested and confirmed (unless he is over aroused, in which case all bets are off, and he’s about as aware as when all his triggers are pushed at once).

“In Level 2, Go To Mat, Crate, Relax, Sit, and Down all complement each other, so work them alternately.” This is all duration and some distance work. He probably has the basics in most of these, but one minute stays are more than we’ve done so far. Some quick testing confirms a nice 10 sec Sit-Stay while I put on shoes.

• Down 2 step 1 is 10 sec duration. Step 2 is 1 minute. Step 3 is a 10 step distance. Cleaning up the duration. Walking away and back is no problem.
• Sit 2 step 1 Dog sits while you walk 5 feet away and return. Step 2: Dog sits while you walk 5 feet away, stay for 30 seconds, and return. Step 3: Dog sits while you walk 10 feet away, stay for 1 minute, and return. Step 4: Dog sits as you walk around her. Step 5: Applying sit to life. Cleaning up the holes in this one, particularly the long durations.
• Go to mat 2 Step 1: Dog goes to his mat. Step 2: Dog goes 2 feet to her mat and lies down on it. Step 3: Dog goes 5 feet to lie down on his mat. Checking on this, and making sure it’s where I want it.
• Crate 2 Step 1: Dog a enters crate with no lure. Step 2: Dog enters a crate and lies down. Step 3: Dog lies down for 10 seconds in a crate. Step 4: Dog lies down for 30 seconds in a crate. Step 5: Different rooms, different crates, different activities. He walks happily into his kennel at night. Working this in daytime probably adds some complexity, and I’ll see if I have some boxes we can use to generalise the cue to different ‘crates’.
• Relax 2 Step 1: Dog relaxes. Step 2: Dog gets excited and then relaxes. Step 3: Dog settles and stays relaxed for 1 minute. I think this is plenty as a part goal for his Settle.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Weekend
Wrap	Counter	Wrap	Counter	Wrap	Counter
Focus Come	Focus Come	Focus Come	Focus Come	Focus Come	–
Down Mat	Sit Crate	Relax Down	Mat Sit	Crate Relax	–