It’s been a while since my last blog post because I didn’t know what I wanted to say. I have been training dogs and doing behavior work with them as well for nearly two decades. I am at an interesting time in my career, thinking about what’s next for me and what direction I’d like to go in professionally. I love agility, I love animal welfare work, and I love behavior work. At the same time, I am not sure how I want to tie it all together.
I have been attending educational training and behavior seminars for years. It’s been a while since I have learned something new and innovative. Two weekends ago, I attended a seminar with Dr. Amy Cook, PhD. She blew my mind; Amy has taken what I know about Play (yes, capital ‘P’) to a whole other level. The reason I capitalized the word ‘Play’ is because she uses it as a therapeutic tool to rehabilitate a dog with anxiety or fear. Play is used to reduce, and sometimes, even eliminate stress. She shared anecdotes of dogs being worked with using her ‘The Play Way’ protocol. This protocol resulted in a reduction of stress and anxiety, even in situations not related to the original issue. Truly magical!
She made me think! Perhaps I have just taught Marvel incredible coping skills, and perhaps he isn’t comfortable in situations that traditionally caused him stress. How can I find out how he is really feeling? What would be possible if Marvel was actually comfortable? Mind blown.
Amy explained that one way to determine if the dog is comfortable in a specific situation, is to use a ‘fragile’ behavior, such as play, as a barometer to see where the dog is emotionally. This is just one of the many things that I learned this past weekend. I will be exploring this with my dogs, as well client dogs. I am still simmering…and I am excited! This might be the missing piece to the training journey I have been on with Marvel these past 4 years.
Something I talk about in my Face the Fear courses is similar to what Amy talked about her in seminar: it’s important to give the dog the ability to process what is going on in the environment. Let the dog check out the trigger and solve the problem he is experiencing internally himself. The difference is Amy takes it further by saying let the dog do this without you managing the dog. Mind blown again. By asking the dog to turn back to you, or cueing the dog to look at the trigger, or giving him treats while he is looking at the trigger or turning away from the trigger, doesn’t give the dog the opportunity to process the possible trigger. And the key to allowing him the opportunity to process is distance—be as far away as possible where the dog notices the trigger and can dismiss it (look away on his own), but not obsessively focus on it. This type of behavior modification work is called B.A.T., short for ‘Behavior Adjustment Training for aggression, reactivity, and fear in dogs.’ The protocol for this was developed by Grisha Stewart.
I have been incorporating the B.A.T. protocol in the work I do with shelter and client dogs for years. Amy takes this one step further. She believes that if the dog can look and dismiss something in the environment that is causing stress or fear in the dog (such as another dog or a person) and then return to play with the handler, the dog is letting you know he has solved the problem of this trigger. Over time, the distance between the dog and the trigger can shrink. The magic of this goes further…this technique has been successful in building confidence in dogs overall, not just in situations involving the trigger specifically. Amy shared a testimonial of someone who used this technique of ‘Look and Dismiss’ followed by ‘The Play Way’ to address a trigger. The person then found that her dog’s reactivity inside the car when driving around town completely disappeared. Magic! We can’t really know what the dog is thinking in any given moment, but Amy has reminded me that we can keep asking them if they are okay.
There are three major things I took away from this seminar that has me reinvigorated about the field of dog behavior:
- Getting consent is an important piece of training and behavior modification for a dog, especially if the dog is anxious or fearful.
- There is a distinct difference between coping techniques and rehabilitative techniques.
- It’s always important to be open minded—as soon as you say you’ve seen it all, you could very well miss something revolutionary and mind blowing!
I look forward to exploring these concepts with my own dogs, clients’ dogs, and shelter dogs in the upcoming months. I will keep you posted of my journey!
At the beginning of every year, I celebrate both the new year and my dog, Tricky. She turned 9 years old on January 2. For me, each dog is associated with a chapter in my life or a journey that I am on. Instead of measuring my life in the years of each decade, I do so with each dog. The journey I have had with Tricky has been a meaningful one for me. Our life together started during a difficult time. Within a year after adopting her from the shelter where I worked, I had lost two dogs to cancer, and, separated from my now ex-husband. It was a time of loss and transition for me–I couldn’t have done it without this little dog. After my divorce, Tricky was the reason I got out of bed when I was depressed. The healing power of an animal can be miraculous.
I posted this originally on my DogCentric Facebook page. I received so much interest, I figured blogging would be a good way to continue sharing the message. I’ve also expanded on it a bit.
Sometimes when you have a dog with behavioral issues, such as reactivity, you can’t always do what you want to do…sometimes you have a picture in your mind about how you think things will go with your dog and what your life together will look like. And then your dog develops behavioral issues and that changes things.
When I adopted Marvel at 5 months, I had this vision in mind that he would be a rockstar agility competitor and that all I had to focus on were skills supportive to agility, other than general manners to be part of a family. He also was friendly and social with people and other dogs–really lovely. As he matured, all this began to change–especially so in the last 4-6 months. Marvel started to charge at dogs, barking and nipping to get them to go away. He also barked at people close to him when indoors. He no longer wanted people that he didn’t know extremely well petting or handling him.
I’ve finally embraced who Marvel has become in the past month. As a result of embracing the journey and not focusing on the end goal, Marvel is teaching me so much about living with and training a dog like him for agility. I learned a LOT about Marvel this past weekend in regards to his reactivity. He improved in his impulse control and demonstrated better understanding with the training. Most of the time, our focus was working on Marvel staying with me in that environment rather than working the agility sequences. We had to skip a few exercises because it would have been too much for him to handle at this time. The result of managing his threshold throughout the workshop: a couple of smokin’ fast runs, staying with the momma, at the end of the day!
The universe works in interesting ways–made me chuckle today. I received a call for a new client who has a dog with the same exact issues as Marvel. I’m clearly the right dog trainer for her.
Clarity & harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
With the recent behavioral issues and medical concerns we have been dealing with around Marvel, my trainer brain has been on overdrive. One of the things I’ve been thinking about is whether his recent reactivity is a behavioral issue, rather than a medical issue. And if it is, was there anything I did to contribute to it.
Tricky is being worked on for a sore muscle–handling.
As a trainer, and a terrier owner, I distinguish petting as different from handling. Petting is about stroking the dog in a way that is pleasurable for the dog. It’s often solicited by the dog in some manner. Handling is different. Handling can include: inspecting the dog, manipulating their body parts, and moving the dog physically. Examples of these handling maneuvers can include baths, vet examinations, grooming, inspecting for ticks, putting on clothes, pulling the dog off the couch, picking up and moving a dog from one spot to another, picking up a dog and holding him in your arms…you get the picture. It’s often NOT solicited by the dog nor enjoyed by the dog.
There is something many of us in the dog training field call SDS, “Small Dog Syndrome ”. It’s the sassy-ness and ‘bad attitude’ that people believe small dogs can have. It’s not a real thing–but rather a way to label the possible result of what many people, including myself to some degree, do to small dogs: things that they would not do to a large dog, such as an 80 pound Rottweiler. Small dogs are often physically managed and manipulated against their will simply because of their size. This can create frustration in the dog and/or distrust of hands reaching for them. This can result in an aggressive display by the dog when he or she feels ‘invaded’. Not all small dogs feel this way but in my many years as a dog trainer, I have met many dogs who do.
Although I have been good about not letting strangers reach for Marvel and pick him up, my fiance and I have been guilty of doing this. I have put clothes on him when the weather is cold and he doesn’t like to wear them–he tolerates them and I’ve done some work so that he does tolerate it. So even though these are not huge things, they could become completely intolerable when the dog is in pain. Perhaps this is what happened with Marvel last week.
Marvel in my arms after I cued him to jump up.
Some of the things I have done so that I don’t have a dog struggling with “SDS” is to teach Marvel to jump into my arms instead of me reaching down to pick him up. I have also taught him to Hand Target (touch his nose to my hand) to get him to move from point A to point B. He also knows specific words and hand gestures so that he is moving on cue versus being physically managed. There is so much more to living with a small dog and how to prevent them from becoming aggressive to handling that I will address in a future blog. I will also continue to share our journey, both medical and behavioral, with you as we try to help our little guy feel relaxed and comfortable.
Clarity & harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
Happy Labor Day!
Well…it’s official. Regardless of what the thermometer might read, the summer is just about over. And that means the kids are back at school and it’s a perfect time for you and your dog to be back in school too!
Whether or not you have children of your own, nieces or nephews, or kids of friends that are in your life, it is important to know how to best support your dog while around children. A wonderful relationship between kids and dogs can be facilitated by knowing what your dog is saying when interacting with kids, while teaching kids how to respectfully and safely interact with your dog.
I don’t yet have children of my own, but I made sure to introduce my dogs to children at a young age simply because kids are everywhere. It’s a wonderful thing to see Tricky just light up at the sound of children laughing–her whole body wiggles as she orients to that sound. At the same time, I don’t take her liking of children for granted. I make sure the kids greet her appropriately and listen to her communication. I want to do everything possible to make sure that Tricky keeps on liking children. In addition, I make certain the kids are learning from the experience by explaining what Tricky’s body language is saying, so the kids can use this knowledge to help them when they meet other dogs.
There are so many dogs, especially small breeds and sized-dogs that develop handling issues and sometimes fear of children, simply because kids do not understand how to respectfully interact with them. Many of the calls I receive as a behavior consultant are to help the family dog learn to like the kids in the family again. Sometimes I’ve had to work with rescue dogs that have to learn hands are safe. From the dog’s perspective, hands reaching to them are scary.
Dr. Sophia Yin has created posters to illustrate ways that children should and should not interact with dogs. The poster is a very helpful visual aid for kids and I recommend all parents and school teachers post it on their wall. Enjoy and encourage safe handling and communication!
For links to be able to print these posters:
SY HowToInteract poster Proof3
SY HowToInteract poster Proof3
Clarity & Harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
In previous blogs, I shared the many challenges I faced with my dogs when we lived in Manhattan. I wanted to take some time to address where we are now. The relationship between Charlotte and Tricky was under a lot of stress because of the high levels of anxiety Charlotte was experiencing in the city. Her herding (controlling) tendencies had increased to the point that Tricky felt unsafe around her. It was causing tension between the two girls–even a couple of fights–in the home. I see myself as an effective problem-solver for people and their dogs, yet I could not fix a problem in my own home with my own dogs–I was very disheartened and frustrated.
On top of that, I was experiencing regret about moving into the city in the first place. I felt that I had taken a happy country dog, brought her into the city, and made her very unhappy. As you can see, I was being really tough on myself. This was preventing me from thinking clearly and developing a behavior modification program to address the issues. It took me a little while to realize that just because I couldn’t quickly fix a behavior problem didn’t mean I was a failure. The situation in my home was a real learning lesson for me as a professional dog trainer. One important lesson was that sometimes it’s difficult to see the picture when you’re very close to it. Sometimes you have to take a few steps back to see the whole thing. I reached out to well-respected colleagues because the problem was too close to home. Through many conversations, I was able to create a plan.
Several things happened once I was able to see the situation with my dogs without the emotional attachment. I could understand the problem and work to resolve it. The first thing that happened was that Alex and I moved out of Manhattan and into the suburbs. We also bought a car. I then restructured my work schedule so that I could bring my dogs with me three days per week and no longer work weekends. I hired the most amazing dog walker for the days I worked in the city. The weather improved so I started running with the dogs on trails 2-3 days per week. I scheduled agility training for Tricky and Marvel 4-5 times per week. All of this, plus the gift of living in the quiet of the suburbs is what shifted things for the dogs. These changes confirmed for Alex and me that we are ALSO all about the ‘burbs!
I’m thrilled to share that at the end of April, while I was away for an agility workshop, Tricky and Charlotte played for the first time in a year. I was sitting in the hotel room working at my computer after a very fulfilling day of agility training for Tricky when I heard some activity behind me on the bed. I turned around to find Charlotte play bowing and Tricky returning the stance. It was truly a victory! In general, Charlotte has relaxed so much living in a house with a yard versus an apartment in the city that nearly all of her herding-like behaviors have disappeared. She hardly notices now when Tricky and Marvel play–and let me just say, these two terriers know how to rumble! We still follow some basic management to support their relationship, such as dog gates and crates.
So does this mean that all dogs living in the city are miserable? Absolutely not. In fact, if Tricky could blow kisses to all of the people she passed when walking on city sidewalks, she would have. I’ve seen many dogs that appear stressed by city living and I’ve seen many dogs comfortably living in the city. It all depends on the individual dog. Charlotte struggled with the noises and level of activity in the city. She needed more space and less people or dogs around to manage. In the end, it was the right decision for us as a family and we’re excited for what else the future holds.
How Tricky Got Her Groove Back:
PART 3 – LESSONS LEARNED & NEXT STEPS
In the sport of agility, as well as other dog sports, we often hear the word ‘drive’. Sometimes we hear that a particular dog has a lot of drive or could use more drive. Sometimes we hear that a particular dog has increased drive or lost drive. When I attend agility training camps, the registration form asks about the level of drive in the dog: low, moderate, or high. So what is drive? It’s simply the dog’s desire to perform a certain behavior. In ethology and behavioral ecology, “fixed action patterns” which were renamed “motor patterns” as they can be modified, have been in the scientific literature way before dog trainers used “drive” as a way to define a dog’s personality and behavior.
In an article written by Daniel Estep, Ph.D. and Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., they say: “There is no scientific evidence that dogs have traits like prey drives, pack drives, or defensive drives. The studies of dog temperament that have been done have not identified such simple and all-inclusive traits… Drive traits are often used to make predictions about the later behavior of dogs.
Some puppy tests and adult temperament tests are used to identify certain drive traits and then to predict the abilities and future performance of the dogs. None of these tests has ever been shown to identify these traits and to predict future behavior. In fact, at least two studies have found that puppy tests do not predict later behavior of adult dogs.” This is actually very good news because it creates freedom in training with your dog. What we call ‘drive’ is more fluid than we may realize. It is not fixed and can be modified. This means that training can create the agility partner you want in your dog. Defining your dog’s drive is not meant to be a limitation or a lid on what’s possible in your dog’s agility career. In agility, handlers channel a dog’s drive into the game using various forms of reinforcement, thereby creating enthusiasm for the game.
By recognizing your dog’s level of drive, you can look at what’s missing that could make a real difference in how you train. That’s what I did when I accepted that Tricky has moderate drive. It actually freed me up so there was more space to be creative in how I trained with her. Tricky needs 110% from me, whether we are at a Regional trial or we are training the backyard. What that looks like is being totally present, goofy, loud, playful and on the ground with her tugging like a fool. I learned what she needs through trial and error, along with lots of coaching from instructors who’ve been there, done that.
A dog’s drive tells you how motivated the dog is to play the game with you in that moment. If the drive is there that means the dog is in the perfect state of arousal for him, and therefore more focused on you and what you’re asking versus possible distractions in the environment. There have been countless Clean Run articles addressing arousal and drive so I am going to bring the focus of this article back to what I did with Tricky, my Terrier Chihuahua cross. Yup, there’s Chihuahua in there!
I spent the first two articles of this three-part series talking about Tricky’s drive, what I did that caused her to lose it, and the things I did to build it back. Now I will talk about what I’ve done to keep it and suggestions to help others to do the same.
Part of any good training plan includes a strategy to continue to move forward and prevent the same issues from developing…again. It’s about catching yourself before you find yourself at the “bottom of the ravine.” In this third and final part of the article, I will share the aspects of training that helped me catch myself. These ideas also helped set me up for success when training Tricky, allowing our sessions to continue to be effective and fun!
In this shot, Tricky received a reward after wrapping around the wing, as was planned beforehand.
Look for Opportunities to Reward
Sexy handling is always more fun and getting through a challenging sequence is a huge reward for the human. But there is our canine counterpart to think of too. I fell short as Tricky’s teammate when I didn’t look for opportunities to reward Tricky within the sequences. All I cared about was the end goal, missing all of the glorious accomplishments along the way.
Two and a half years ago Tricky’s drive was already faltering, but I still wasn’t paying attention. I would work her through challenging sequences, only looking to get it done right, saving the reward for the end. I was focused on working out my own timing, getting in and out of position, and giving Tricky information on where she had to go next. I remember a seminar where I was struggling with a particular part of the course. After several attempts Tricky just left the course and started running around, sniffing. At the time I totally missed the training breakdown. While I repeated the sequence again and again, just thinking about my job, I was also inadvertently withholding reinforcement from Tricky. I was so busy thinking about ME I didn’t take the time to plan opportunities to reward my canine partner.
When building drive and value for the game it is important to plan and execute rewarding the dog for areas on the course that are challenging as well as areas that seem more simple. Plan on rewarding points along the course where you KNOW the sequence will go right. As an example, one easy reward point is on the opening line with three straight jumps in a row. By surprising the dog with a reward it increases their desire to keep playing. Tricky taught me this even though my instructors had been saying this all along.
The instructor is explaining how to best handle a course.
Be Coachable
The most difficult part of this journey for me was accepting the current situation, letting it go, and then accepting the coaching without taking it as a personal failure. My other suggestion: Take the emotion out of training—literally emotionless training. Yes, celebrate when you execute a difficult transition on course or your dog finally weaves 12 poles, but don’t let yourself be bogged down by negative emotions. That negativity clouds your mind and interferes with your ability to be successful. It is difficult to accept coaching and adjust accordingly when your mind is not clear. It’s human nature to get caught up in the negative. Believe me, I’ve been there! I used to compare my dogs to others—wish my dogs were faster, wish I was better, wish I had more time to train, wish I had more money to attend workshops and compete in trials. I wasn’t paying attention to what I actually had in my life so I wasn’t able to hear and receive so much of the coaching that was given to me. This wasn’t fair to my dogs, to me, or my very patient and persistent instructors.
Sometimes a little tough love is offered by your instructors because they can see the dog training deteriorating long before you can. I suggest that you accept that ‘tough love’ and let yourself get back on track and play the game. Our instructors have our best interest at heart, pulling for us to be the best team possible. We handlers can become emotionally attached in a way our instructors may not be. That ability to be a little less emotionally invested is what gives our instructors the ability to give helpful feedback on how to move forward. In my case, I needed the proverbial butt-kicking to sharpen up my training. My instructors were “kicking my butt” for about 8 months before I finally heard them. I had to check my ego at the door and recognize that it’s all just a game. As one of my instructors often says, we’re not curing cancer.
Three years ago because of my pending divorce, walking away from a business I spent ten years building, and starting over financially, my life felt heavy and even unbearable at times. Two years ago, I began participating in a personal development program, giving me the ability to be coachable. It was truly a gift. I learned to be present, to let go, and most importantly lighten up. Life began to occur to me as one big game and I was glad to be playing again. I learned that being coachable means understanding that you don’t have all of the answers and you’re never done learning. And sometimes doing things that are out of your comfort zone—because that’s where you stretch and grow! Agility is always evolving. That requires us to evolve as well as dog trainers and competitors. We can even learn things from those folks who handle or train differently than we might. Sometimes it’s about trying a new handling move or training our dog in a different way. Sometimes it’s about just doing what the instructor says because as humans, we can get caught up in the ‘weeds’. Being coachable means being open and taking action.
Dog Training is NOT a Checklist
I remember teaching a pet manners class years ago and on graduation day, a student came up to me at the end to thank me. She then asked me if she was done training her dog since she had graduated from Basic Manners II. I smiled and said you’re never finished training because your dog is always learning! She was initially crestfallen at this news. After we discussed this a bit more, she better understood what I was saying. She recognized the opportunity she had to continue to build a relationship with her dog through training. But that’s just it, isn’t it? Every interaction with your dog is a learning opportunity. I knew this conceptually, but I really got it in my bones during this journey with Tricky. Just because I taught a solid sit stay with Tricky as a puppy didn’t mean I would always have one if I neglected it. It wasn’t a task to be checked off the “training list.” The way to keep a solid sit stay was to continue reinforcing it in a variety of ways, in different contexts. Sounds so simple and yet so many handlers lose that sit stay once they start competing.
I now think of each behavior I’ve taught Tricky as a precious commodity. I honor each one by treating it accordingly. For example, we recently moved out of New York City and into a house in New Jersey on a lake (hooray for backyards full of agility equipment!). Tricky hasn’t had the practice of being off leash around critters in a yard in almost two years. She’s been off leash in a variety of settings, but not this particular context. During our first week here, she twice ran to chase geese in the neighbor’s yard when I let her out for a quick bathroom break. I’ve been down this road before so I knew exactly what to do. After figuratively kicking myself in the bum for allowing it to happen twice I implemented my game plan to set Tricky up for success. For the next month, as the snow and ice begin to melt, Tricky will be on leash at all times in the back yard. I will take her off leash only when I know that she is ready to play with me. I will know she is ready by playing the various relationship games with her that I described in Part 1 and 2 of this series, BEFORE I unclip the leash. When I see that Tricky is once again choosing to play with me rather than chase geese, squirrels, and rabbits, I will start to give her more freedom in the backyard.
We’re never done training our dogs—and I’m not just referring to new handling and obstacle skills you might learn in a class. I am also talking about the day-to-day interactions that support your agility dog in being an awesome family companion, because that’s the way to create a solid teammate.
Create a Training Plan
It takes time and planning to create workability. Like many agility competitors, I have a very busy life, so making the most out of my training time is important. When one of my instructors told me to create a training plan for Tricky after losing her drive, little did I know at the time that it would turn into a three-part article in Clean Run.
Perhaps you’ve lost some drive in your dog or perhaps you want to build more drive. Here are some of the things to think about when you create your plan:
• What does your dog love that you already know about?
• What are some new things to try to see if your dog loves them (new treats, new toys, new games)?
• What does your dog look like at his/her peak of drive? What is he like now? What changed?
And most of all have fun with your dog! Each of them teach us valuable agility AND life lessons. All we have to do is pay attention.
“How Tricky Got Her Groove Back”
PART 2 – EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT TUGGING
Drive it Home
There are many great articles already written on how to teach tugging, how to keep tug drive, and the benefits of tugging in agility. Rather than repeating what has already been written, I’m going to talk about my experience with my dog, Tricky.
Tricky is a 12 pound terrier mix. She is now 5 years old and has been with me since she was 8 weeks old. Up until Tricky was a year and a half, she had pretty good tug drive. Tricky tugged as a puppy, but she didn’t come with built-in, insane tug drive. I had to build upon it through a variety of games. I knew what she valued most out of all of her toys: balls, specifically Cuz balls and tennis balls. Her ultimate tug toy was a Cuz ball attached to a rope, but she also tugged on a variety of furry toys. She has been playing the game of agility with me since she was itty bitty. During a difficult time in my personal life (which I talked about in the first article in this 3 part series), I ‘dropped the ball’ with Tricky for about a year. One of the things that happened during that time was that Tricky lost interest in tugging. As part of our return to competition, I wanted to rebuild strong tug drive with Tricky. I will share the strategy I used to get Tricky back up to speed!
The Power of Tug
I have been an instructor for several years and I never really got the value of tug until I no longer had it with Tricky. Isn’t that always the case—you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone? I taught all of my students about the value and mechanics of tugging, but in hindsight, I see that I was simply repeating what had been told to me by my instructors.
While I understand the value of food training in agility, I believe many food rewarded dogs do not reach their full potential because they don’t develop the same drive from food rewards that they could develop if they were tugging maniacs. Don’t get me wrong—there are plenty of teams out there that compete successfully using just food and there are plenty of dogs out there that are naturally high-drive, but Tricky is not one of them. Science shows that play brings up a dog’s arousal while food brings down a dog’s arousal—as my instructors used to say: “Don’t put your dogs into a ‘cookie coma’ by using too many treats and not taking any play breaks.” You might want to bring your dog’s arousal down a bit if your dog is naturally high-drive, but again in my case, Tricky is not that dog.
So much of agility training is about how and when the dog is rewarded. For example, if I am teaching independence on a pinwheel, I want to reward the dog for independent thinking that leads to a successful outcome. A dog that is passionate about toys gives me more freedom in training behaviors and skills that require the dog to work away from me. In other words, when training independence on a pinwheel, I want to reward the close as close to the location of the second jump as possible. If I toss a treat, it could get lost in the grass or bounce away on the mat. If I toss a treat pouch, the dog has to wait for me to run over and open the pouch with my very helpful thumbs, so that defeats the purpose of rewarding independent behavior. And rewarding with the treat from my pocket definitely does not create independent thinking because the reward is happening next to me, not on the line. In addition, the dog is receiving the reward a couple of seconds after finishing the pinwheel behavior. Instant rewards help to build drive. Who likes getting paid late for a job well done? Not me!
Today, there are lots of toys available that allow the dog to pounce on and access food without waiting for a pair of thumbs to assist. And although I use these toys intermittently in Tricky’s training, my particular dog drives hardest for toys that she can chase and tug. Unless you have a foodie for a dog who literally loses his mind for a treat, most dogs don’t appear insane over a treat. They can get pretty excited over a meatball, but there’s nothing like a dog that ‘attacks’ a toy as if it were prey. Ever see a dog with tug drive? His eyeballs are popping out of his head! That level of arousal makes distractions fall into the background, allowing the dog to focus on task. Ever play a sport in high school? I was part of a nationally successful track & field team as a race walker. There is a state of mind sports psychologists call ‘in the zone.’ That’s the perfect state of arousal where all you notice is the game because you are fully present, body and mind working in sync. I achieved that state of mind almost every time I was in a race. And when I was “in the zone” I consistently placed. With a dog like Tricky that naturally has moderate drive; I have to use everything I’ve got to rev her up. I want to teach her how to get ‘in the zone’ and to love the zone!
The Art of Tugging
Tugging is actually a mechanical skill. There is a way to turn off a dog to tugging, especially a dog that has moderate to low drive about the tug toy to begin with. And just like training any skill, whether it is for obedience or agility, you can inadvertently reward something you don’t want.
Keep Your Eye on the Dog
So much of agility training is about maintaining a connection with your dog. That means that you are watching your dog with both eyes and with your full attention. This applies to tugging too. Any time you turn away from your dog, it’s like a ‘Time Out’. Think about what you do when a dog jumps on you or barks at you and you want him to stop doing that; you turn your back to him to disengage him. Any time you run a sequence with your dog and something goes wrong, what do you do? You very likely turn to your instructor for feedback. But by immediately turning to your instructor, you also probably turned your back to your dog—‘Time Out’ for your dog who worked so hard in that sequence. Your dog doesn’t understand that something went wrong and you need to discuss it with your instructor! He just knows that you removed your attention from him. Maybe you gave him the toy and played for a moment before turning to your instructor. As far as your dog is concerned, we were in the middle of having a great time and then you left. He doesn’t know you are getting information on how to be a better handler and trainer for him! He thinks you blew him off! With a low to moderate drive dog, this is one of the ways to kill tugging. Instead of turning away immediately; stay fully engaged while playing with your dog, then end the game by asking your dog to lie down or hold his collar, and then turn to your instructor. Your instructors will wait for you while you practice great dog training.
Getting low to the ground at his level can help increase a dog’s tug drive. Just be careful not to lean forward and hover over him. Give him room to tug.
Keep your eye on your dog while playing tug as well. Your dog knows when you are there with him in the moment. If you are distracted, you can possibly miss behaviors that can weaken tug drive over time, such as re-latching. One of the things that I used to do was tug with Tricky to the start line and then look down the line of obstacles to see where I wanted to set her up. Tricky’s view of this was that we were having a great time tugging and then we stopped for no reason that made any sense to her. That disconnect was one more rehearsal of not ‘being’ with my dog in the moment. Again, for a low to moderate drive dog, any disconnect counts. I remember a number of occasions when I was actually talking on my mobile phone while tugging with Tricky—that’s how much I took it for granted! Now what I do is tug with her, pull the toy out of her mouth while holding her scruff or collar or chest. I ‘talk dirty’ to her while checking out the line, then I give her back the tug and we play some more while I get her into position. It has to be all about the dog when building drive.
How Low Can You Go?!
Keeping the toy low on the ground is way more exciting than waving the toy over the dogs head or in his face. This allows for the dog to more easily latch onto the toy as well as engage prey drive. If you cannot bend over or get on your knees to tug, then modify the toy to work with you. You can tie a few toys together or attach a toy to a leash or rope to create length. This will allow you to keep the toy low while you stand up straight.
The toy in this image is laying still on the ground…boring!
Make it Come Alive!
Dogs are naturally prey driven. Ever see watch your dog chase a critter or cat, or perhaps another dog? You can engage this natural drive (or re-engage this natural drive) using a tug toy. It all comes down to the mechanics. Move the toy away from the dog in quick, jerky movements. Drag it side to side, a few feet this way and a few feet that way. Smack it against the ground. Make it dance! Shoving the toy in the dog’s face will likely cause the dog to shut down and not want to play. For example, Tricky will turn her head away from me if I shove the toy in her face. Teasing her with the toy is how I get the terrier in her come alive!
Play Keep Away!
Were you ever the victim of the cruel game of keep away by a big brother or sister? Or were you the one that teased a younger sibling? I am the oldest of four girls, as well as the tallest of my sisters. I was very good at playing keep away. The more I held the coveted item away from my sisters, dancing and bouncing about, the more they wanted it. The same technique can work for your dog. Really channel that inner big sister/brother when playing this game. Make a big fuss about waving the toy over your head. You can even yell out “na-na-na-na poo-poo!” Pretend to offer it to your dog, and then whip it away before he can grab it. Make your dog really nutty and then give it to him to grab. This game always gets Tricky going. Once again, it’s so important to watch your dog and find the magic place where you keep the excitement level high enough to keep your dog involved, but not so high that your dog gets frustrated and ‘quits’. After a few moments of teasing, let your dog grab that coveted tug toy.
Tying a few toys together or using a toy with lots of fun things to grab can entice a dog’s interest.
The Longer the Better
Long toys, especially long furry toys, are great for engaging prey drive. They also allow you to tug with your dog without having your hands too close to the dog’s muzzle. Looming over the dog while tugging could also be a turn off for him, especially a little dog. I am 5’8” and Tricky is only a little over 14” at her withers—there is a significant height difference between us. When I play tug with her, I make sure that I am not looming over her, but instead am giving her room to tug her best.
Naughty or Nice?
I liked to encourage Tricky to be completely naughty when I was re-building her tug drive. Tricky currently doesn’t have a ‘drop’ cue for the toy. I don’t want self-control when it comes to tugging because I want her to be crazy for the toy. I rip the toy out of her mouth, which is in line with the games of keep away and making the toy come alive—it’s all about building passion for the toy. Tricky is allowed to jump up for the toy and grab at it (sometimes being careless with her teeth hitting or scratching my hands). I also get down on the ground with Tricky and let her climb all over me to try to grab at the toy. Basically, all of the ‘good’ dog trainer skills you have should go out the window. Pretend to be a ‘bad’ dog trainer, allowing the dog to practice naughty, pushy behaviors to get at the toy.
Accidently Rewarding Non-Tugging…eek!
I was really good at rewarding Tricky for weak tugging or refusal to tug. I was so caught up in getting the tugging, I was not aware of my mechanics and the actual dog training that was going on. Any time Tricky let go of the toy, I offered it again. Oops—just rewarded letting go! Any time Tricky re-latched on the toy, I made it more enticing by turning on my excitement during the tug session. Oops—just rewarded re-latching! Any time Tricky turned her head away when I offered the tug toy, I made the toy seem more enticing by smacking it on the ground and offering it again. Oops—just rewarded refusing the toy!
Physically stimulating your dog while tugging can increase your dog’s state of arousal. Start with tapping and see if you can get to a gentle “smack.”
So what did I change in these specific examples? Any time Tricky lets go of the toy, I now play keep away. Any time Tricky attempts to re-latch, I revert to the keep away game here as well. I also play a couple of physical arousal-building games while tugging with her to discourage re-latching. One of the games is where I gently tap (or smack) the sides of Tricky’s body. The other game is the muzzle grab. I gently take hold of Tricky’s muzzle, sometimes blowing on it, while she’s tugging. Whenever Tricky turns her head away and refuses the tug toy, I use the good ole’ game of ‘keep away’ to get her back in the game. It also helped to have Tricky on leash so she can’t bugger off after refusing the toy.
Make Time to Tug
While building tug drive, don’t pull out the tug toy only when training for agility. I have tug toys tucked away in different parts of the house so Tricky never knows when we might go into an insane game of tug. Also, there’s less pressure when you’re not working equipment. Popping out a game of tug will be just about play, short and sweet. Tugging is not a duration behavior, such as a Sit-Stay. End the game before the dog does to keep him wanting more. And most of all, just play!
Clarity & Harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
As posted in my last blog, I am spending these next few weeks sharing articles I have written for an agility magazine called Clean Run. One of the main reasons I am an effective dog trainer and have strong mechanical skills when teaching and handling dogs is because of my many years as an student of agility. This dog performance sport takes the science of behavior and learning and puts it into practical application. I am regularly challenged by the sport and by my own dogs to be clearer about the information I am giving and how I am communicating. Here is the first article I wrote for a three-part article published in the magazine:
“HOW TRICKY GOT HER GROOVE BACK”
Life events happen that can interrupt our plans, even in the game of agility. I experienced a very difficult period after my marriage ended three years ago. I was not motivated to do anything. This included activities that normally brought great joy to me, such as agility training with my dogs (Tricky and Charlotte). More importantly, when I did train for agility I was a lazy dog trainer. I took for granted the solid foundation I had built with Tricky’s early training and wanted to focus on the ‘sexy’ handling skills. As a result, Tricky’s once sharp skills dulled and her desire to play the game of agility with me waned. As we know, every interaction with our dogs make a difference in the kind of athlete and agility partner we have—it’s truly about the relationship we develop through training. It was clear that my motivational issues were impacting her as well.
After a year of her behavior deteriorating and six months of my being in denial about it, I finally accepted some serious coaching from my instructor and began repairing my relationship with Tricky. Of course, at the same time, I continued my own process of recovery from the ending of my marriage.
This three-part article is about the journey back, including the game plan I made and the training exercises and techniques I implemented to recreate an awesome teammate. Tricky turns five years old on January 2 and we are tighter than ever and will be strong competitors. The best part is that we are enjoying our work together and enjoying the game of agility.
THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
One of the things I let go of during ‘the dark times’ was Tricky’s tug drive. I knew Tricky’s highest value reinforcement was a ball so when I trained, I used it in our training sessions. It created the most drive and therefore more speed. Because Tricky was more motivated to work with me when I had a ball in my hand, it allowed me to practice sloppy handling and poor dog training. I often didn’t plan the details of my training session: I did not walk and mentally visualize the sequence with the same kind of intent I did at trials; I wasn’t sharp with my transitions from point A to point B, allowing Tricky to rehearse sniffing and leaving even before we started the sequence; I didn’t prepare the with right tools, such as sneakers to properly run and pants with pockets to hold treats (I was that lazy). So I used a ball. And all the while, there was a nagging voice in the back of my head that kept telling me this was all going to catch up with me at some point.
At the same time I was concerned with looking good, so in class under my instructor’s watchful eye, I didn’t use a ball nearly as much as I did when training alone. When I did pull out a tug toy, Tricky was no longer diving on it with the same intensity that she used to as a puppy when driving out of the crate. When I threw the tug toy to reward Tricky on the line during sequencing, she sometimes wouldn’t go for it. She clearly told me she didn’t find the tug toy reinforcing at that moment. I switched back to a ball, fooling myself into thinking I was slick in making the switch from tug toy to ball mid-training session. I often felt as if every tug session was a negotiation where I had to work hard to convince her that the tug toy was fun. Not only was I frustrated with my dog for not tugging the way she used to, I was also inadvertently rewarding her for not tugging! Every time Tricky refused the tug toy, I would bang it on the ground and move it around even more, to make it more enticing. It was usually after this Tricky would show interest in the toy, so I was actually rewarding the initial disinterest. Basically, my actions in classes and clinics were inconsistent with how I was training at home and Tricky was totally ‘ratting’ me out on that. She was probably thinking, ‘Dude, where the heck is my ball?!’ What a good dog!
When Tricky was really young, one of my instructors told me that being a good dog trainer includes being a student of your dog’s behavior, meaning being totally aware of how your behaviors influences your dog’s behavior at that very moment and then adjusting your behavior accordingly. Unless you are keeping this in mind, it can take some time to realize you aren’t paying attention to your dog and you have a problem. That’s what happened to me. Tricky’s behaviors deteriorated, plus I was in denial about the downward spiral. How could a then two year old dog make it to Steeplechase finals at 2011 Northeast Regionals if she were not a brilliant dog? Unfortunately, 5 months later, Tricky could not even stay in the ring with me: if I made a handling error, Tricky had no tolerance for it and left the ring; if she caught a scent of something more interesting than agility, she left the ring; if she saw a person she knew, she left the ring. That was the reality. But I didn’t really take responsibility for it until March of 2012. Taking responsibility of the breakdown of Tricky’s behaviors meant no longer being in denial about it. I stopped kicking myself for allowing this to have occurred and for allowing it to continue for so long. I was done making excuses. I was now completely committed to creating the partnership that Tricky and I deserve.
BACK ON THE (RE)TRAIN
Of course I wanted to get started ‘doing stuff’ as soon as possible, but I forced myself to first spend time thinking through our goals for us and developing our re-training plan. While I knew that our long term goal was to get us back into competition, I realized that the first and most important goal was to reignite her enthusiasm for high intensity controlled activities with me. ‘With me’ was the key component. After all, agility is a team sport and I needed us to become a team again. I selected several games to help us accomplish that.
Good Ole’ Restrained Recalls
The first thing I started doing was practicing restrained recalls everywhere, pretty much every day. It only took me a few minutes each day —it wasn’t about drilling the dog, but rather rebuilding value in the dog wanting to play with me, no matter what. I initially played restrained recalls with Tricky leading out only a few feet so as to build value for her to chase me and play with me. What I wanted to recreate in Tricky was the look on her face of ‘let me at her!’ as she is fought to get out of my training partner’s hands holding Tricky. Once I saw that she was really amped about playing the game again, I varied the recall games by starting at different distances from Tricky, working in different environments, and throwing in some front crosses or pivots on the flat once she caught me.
This next game built upon playing restrained recalls with Tricky. Tricky already saw the value in racing to me when I ran away and called her. To really rev her up, I took Tricky by the collar, talked ‘dirty’ to her, pushed her back, and ran away from her. Tricky then raced to me, slamming into me when she caught me. I played this game a couple of times per day inside and outside. I often chose to play the game at random times, such as in the middle of folding laundry in the bedroom or setting the table for dinner. I turned to Tricky, said some key words to cue her that I was about to take off running, and then ran around the bedroom or dining room table. Tricky ran after me, excitedly barking the whole time. It was a blast! And made remedial tasks like laundry folding more interesting! If I played outside, I made sure her leash was dragging behind her just in case she chose to run off. Again, it was all about using interactive play to rebuild our partnership.
Tricky weighs about 13 pounds so I was careful not to shove her back so hard that she tumbled tail overhead, thereby possibly shutting her down. I chose to let Tricky slam into me when she caught me, but because she weighs 13 pounds, it didn’t feel like much. If she were a 60-pound dog, I would likely still let her slam into me because I was working on building drive, but that was my choice. I varied how I rewarded Tricky by engaging with a game of tug, feeding super yummy treats, or sometimes I just ran away again. I chose to vary the rewards to spice up the game and keep it interesting for Tricky.
Another important part of the mechanics of these games is to stay connected to the dog the entire time you are running away. I did this by looking over my shoulder to give Tricky eyeball-to-eyeball contact. This rehearsal of connection is so important for handler and dog because not only does it build drive in the dog, it also carries over into the ring once the dog is sequencing. Connection with the dog will allow you to give timely information on when to turn, how to turn, and where to go because you are actually watching the dog as she approaches each obstacle.
Tag! You’re it!
We played our version of the classic childhood game of tag where I had to ‘tag’ her. As soon as I did, I ran in the opposite direction until Tricky ‘tagged’ me. I played this game in a small area, such as the family room, so as to not rehearse too much of the keep away game that could have gotten me into trouble. This game is not a good idea for dogs that absolutely will not come when called—it only works if the dog enjoys chasing YOU.
Downward Dog
Another game was Downward Dog, where I got down on my hands and knees to mimick a play bow. I then moved my hands from side to side, and bounced back and forth, engaging Tricky to play with me. This is the same way one dog will engage another dog at the dog park. I even rolled onto my back and wiggled around, arms and legs extended. I tried to be as silly with my dog as possible! Just play the way you might with a toddler.
Bite Me!
I was slightly horrified when I was first told to let my terrier bite me. I had been working so hard on teaching her not to bite me since she was a puppy. Then I realized what the instruction meant—it was about building drive through interactive play and not having so much control over the dog’s life. Basically, let the dog be a dog. And for my terrier, that meant some play biting. I put the word in italics because I’m not referring to the kind of aggressive biting that require the expert support of a behavior consultant, but rather the inhibited biting you might observe when dogs are playing with one another.
So how do you get a dog to bite you, especially when they have learned teeth on skin is out of bounds? You bug the heck out of ‘em! It started with me grabbing at Tricky’s feet, swiping my hands underneath her. Initially she just kept stepping out of the way. I kept at it and eventually she put her lightly put her teeth on me. Score 1! (Disclaimer: I would never recommend any biting games with dogs who lack bite inhibition, cannot be told to stop on cue, or have aggression issues.)
Pits and Privates
Another game I played is something my instructor calls ‘pits and privates.’ This game is similar to the tickle games you may have played with a younger brother or sister—or perhaps an older sibling played with you! Ever been tickled until you literally can’t breathe and you’re kicking and laughing, trying to fight the other person off? And at the same time you are totally ticked off? That’s how ‘pits and privates’ works. To play the game, I got on the floor with Tricky and gently poked her under her front legs and then under her back legs (not literally her private area). I kept poking in the front and then again in the back, until Tricky finally became irritated enough that she put her teeth on me. Score 2!
These games continued to build to the point that now if I get into a specific stance, crouched down with my hands extended like claws about to grab at her; Tricky immediately goes into “game on” mode. I can now use these games at the start line if there are timer issues and I no longer have her leash to tug. Tricky will play with me. Plus all of the barking she does while playing with me this way gets her state of arousal up—which is exactly what I need before putting her over equipment. And the cool thing is I can turn it on and turn it off like a light switch so it never gets out of hand. Another benefit of these ‘biting’ games is that I was able to redirect that energy onto Tricky’s tug toy. But more on tugging later!
Tug
I will cover this in Part 2 of this series.
LESSONS LEARNED
So what did I learn from this retraining strategy?
- Sometimes it’s best to let all reservation fly out the window when it comes to dog training.
- To lose myself in the moment and just PLAY with my dog.
- The more I energy I invested into a training session, the more the dog gave back to me.
- Getting down and dirty with Tricky is what turned her on to playing with me.
- Dogs have a so much more fun when things are not prim and proper.
- Whooping and hollering made the game more exciting for Tricky. If I wasn’t panting at the end of a game, I wasn’t giving it my all.
- Regularly revisiting all of the games I played with Tricky as a puppy maintains a higher level of drive throughout the dog’s life. Once a puppy, always a puppy!
And the biggest lesson I learned was that I was my biggest obstacle. Once I got out of my own way, I was able to create a training plan for my dog and execute it while having fun!
Clarity & Harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
Hello folks!
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged–many apologies for the radio silence. It’s been a whirlwind of events between getting engaged, moving, and settling into my new life. Ups and downs and having fun all the while!
I am going to spend the next four weeks sharing articles I have written for an agility magazine called Clean Run. One of the main reasons I am an effective dog trainer and have strong mechanical skills when teaching and handling dogs is because of my many years as an student of agility. This dog performance sport takes the science of behavior and learning and puts it into practical application. I am regularly challenged by the sport and by my own dogs to be clearer about the information I am giving and how I am communicating. Here is the first article I wrote for the magazine:
Terrier Shmerrier!
I thought I knew how to train dogs. Then I adopted a Terrier/Chihuahua mix puppy and named her…..Tricky! People warned me when I named her Tricky, jokingly and affectionately telling me she would likely embody the name I gave her. They weren’t kidding. Tricky pushed and continues to push my training knowledge, understanding of learning, and mechanical skills to the limit! And I thank her every day for it. Every agility dog offers a variety of training challenges specific to the breed or the individual. In this article, I am going to talk about some of the lessons I learned in my experience with Tricky.
When Tricky was six months old, I attended an agility training camp. On several occasions, Tricky ran off to play with other dogs. Her eyes and focus were often elsewhere, even if I had a hunk of steak between my fingers. During one of the lectures, I had a “lightning bolt” moment and a whole new level of understanding occurred for me. The presenter told the group that herding dogs were bred to work dependent on people, whereas terriers were bred to work independent of people. Duh!! After that simple but very profound statement, I completely changed my training plan with Tricky. I was already working within the concept of ‘Nothing in Life is Free’; meaning just as I had to work for my paycheck, Tricky had to work for things she wanted. I realized that I had to take this concept to the next level and get creative with training this little terrier.
The Premack Principle
This principle is also known as Grandma’s Law because it comes down to one simple rule: you have to eat your veggies before you can have your dessert. This technique was helpful in training my older dog Claire to recall off a squirrel. Food was not valuable enough when she was about to take off after a speedy critter. So I taught Claire that if she came running to me when I called her, she would be released to go chase that squirrel: dessert after veggies.
Transfer of Value
As a puppy, Tricky wasn’t very food motivated. She preferred toys, especially tennis balls. Her eyes would literally light up when she saw a tennis ball. To make training easier, I needed her to love food the way she loved tennis balls.
I started out by offering a really yummy treat. If she didn’t take it, then I offered it again. If Tricky refused a second time, I moved her back a few feet from what she really wanted (another dog or a toy) and offered it again. If Tricky took the treat, I immediately rewarded her with what she wanted, releasing her to the dog or toy.
Eventually the behavior grew so that I was able to ask her to SIT, give her a yummy treat, and then reward her with a tennis ball. Essentially, I was rewarding Tricky for eating treats. Soon, the value of the toy transferred to the treats. Now Tricky will accept anything I offer her as a reward.
Think about different things your dog LOVES. Maybe it’s other dogs, freedom, a specific toy, other people, sniffing the ground…ask your dog to perform a behavior, then reward your dog with what he really wants. If you are trying to get him to love food (the way I had to do with Tricky), then ask your dog to perform the behavior, offer a treat, and then reward him with what he really wants.
Ooo…clouds!
For a while, the start line became my nemesis. Not because Tricky couldn’t hold a sit/stay–those were solid as a rock. Her focus-or rather her eyes-were the issue. I would put Tricky in a sit/stay and walk to lead out position. When I turned around, she would literally be watching the clouds. Her focus was everywhere except on me. If I led out just a couple of feet, Tricky was intensely focused on me. Anything past that, she was looking at the clouds in the sky. This was a problem because I knew that I didn’t have her focus. As a result, I wasn’t sure if she knew where she was going, especially on more complex lead outs. Not to mention she was clearly not very interested in the game if she was picking out shapes in the clouds.
Going Back to the Basics
I addressed this issue in several ways. The first foundation game I pulled out of my toolbox was Crate Games (developed by Susan Garrett). I knew Tricky had great focus and impulse control understanding in her crate. When she was younger, I used the crate in her foundation handling drills as well, allowing Tricky to practice sit/stays with focus. I put the crate in front of a short sequence, practicing a skill called focus forward. The plastic-sided crate prevented rehearsal of environmental scanning. Plus, Tricky already knew that she should look at me when in the crate because of all of the Crate Games we had been playing since she was 8 weeks old. So, no more opportunities to pick out shapes in the clouds!
Control Reinforcement
Practice makes perfect, so I tried to think about all of the places Tricky could be rehearsing scanning so that I could keep the behavior to a minimum. For instance, during downtime between training sessions, I started covering Tricky’s crate with a blanket. Dogs find the outside environment incredibly reinforcing-it’s like watching television. I’m sure Tricky would have liked critter watching to turn into a hobby, but this technique helped to prevent that from happening. I also thought about what she was doing during the rest of the day. For example, I had a huge picture window in the main living area of the house and Tricky was spending a lot of time watching ‘TV’ there. Tricky was no longer allowed to ‘watch TV’ through that window.
Rethink Your Rewards
I also became conscious of how I was rewarding Tricky’s sit/stays on the start line. Instead of the usual peanut butter and jelly routine of walking back to Tricky to reward her with a treat, I spiced things up a bit by being unpredictable with how and the types of rewards I used. Because Tricky had great impulse control understanding, I could throw toys back to reward her sit/stay and focus on me, without her getting up for the toy until released. This kept things interesting for her because Tricky never knew when the crazy momma was going to chuck her toy at her. I made sure to only reward her when she was watching me lead out because again, the goal was not just to reward the sit/stay, it was to reward focus on me and the game.
Mix it Up
Another way I added some pizzazz to our start line routine was by adding relationship games before leading out, raising Tricky’s level of arousal. These games included tugging on her leash, shadow handling in a small area, and some tricks. Then I ran out to position. My playfulness and motion kept Tricky’s eyes on me the entire time. Basically, I had to show her that I was where the party was at.
With the combination of these games, and preventing Tricky from practicing ‘sight-seeing,’ I was able to resolve her focus issues on the start line.
Go be a Dog
There is such a thing as too much control. Everyone needs a balance of fun, freedom, and letting loose-even dogs! If the thumb of self control is pressing down too hard on the dog, he will eventually pop. I equate it to a studious teenager under serious parental control that basically goes wild once in college. Too much partying isn’t good for anyone. What that may look like for a dog is running off and having a ‘party of one.’
I was lucky to have this lesson pointed out to me very early in Tricky’s training. I had heard stories of dogs that regularly ran off, stealing reinforcement. This was often the result of too much self-control and too many boundaries. Not having access to the things that dogs enjoy can actually create problems; such as running off, visiting, and the ever frustra
ting but laughable ‘zoomies.’ Tricky was about 5 months old when she had enough of my ever oppressive thumb of control. We were walking in the woods and I called her to me. Tricky was about fifteen feet away from me, sniffing some grass. She picked up her head to look at me, and then ran in the opposite direction. Yikes! I could have ended up heading down a slippery slope, but thankfully I was training with people that had already been there, done that and had shared their lessons with me.
I started incorporating free time into Tricky’s training. One of the things that she enjoyed was taking her tug toy for a victory lap around the yard. During our training sessions, I sometimes let her have the tug toy and told her ‘Free’, which simply meant ‘go be a dog’. This also meant she could go sniff things, hang out, roll in something gross, visit another dog or person-it was her choice. I balanced this with calling her out of the ‘Free’ mode to return to training as well as teaching her to not run off during our training sessions unless told she could.
Terriers Gone Wild
Before I got Tricky, you might have thought I spent years in etiquette school by the way I trained and the perfection I strived for. And I did this to a fault. All of the fun was sucked out of the game and the process of dog training. My first agility dog allowed me to get away with this and we still performed decently together at the local level. Tricky was a whole other ball of wax. This little terrier brought out the wilder, sillier side of me that I never really knew I had. And I brought that into our training sessions together. I laughed more and learned how to be lighter about training for agility. The goofier and more engaging I was with Tricky, the more she wanted to play with me. Silly is so much more fun than perfection!
Clarity & Harmony…a better way of living with your dog.
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