Hey all, here's another quick post from the Ring Confidence Facebook group:
I've recently changed how I do Ravioli's ready to work routine when I'm training with him out in the yard or in public.
Ravi can really struggle to get going. Sometimes not opting in at all. Although typically once he starts, if he starts, he does a pretty nice job of staying engaged! I know that some of this is due to his GI issues, and some of it due to his lower confidence in general (and really a vicious cycle between the 2 issues that keep feeding each other!).
My typical routine for my dogs has been cueing them to go sniff/acclimation and then, when I think they might be ready, I change my posture and essentially "cue" them that training is available. I don't give them any verbal cues or expect them to react in that moment; I'm just communicating that training is an option.
So even though my dog is still the one to "offer" the start of the routine by giving me sustained eye contact and then some type of movement towards me, I am always the one to really give them that green light.
And I've historically done that for a few reasons:
For my more pushy dogs, I want to make sure that they have a very clear "off switch" routine and aren't trying to constantly beg me for treats or beg me to start work. They need to learn that they just aren't going to get rewarded when I'm not giving them that posture.
For my more sensitive dogs who might take a while, I want to avoid having them check in and out of work. Having a very clear off cue and then an on routine makes it so they have pretty clear rules on when I want their full focus and when I don't. And I do my best to try and cue them to take breaks before they disengage themselves.
And I still want those things for Ravi. But what I'm experimenting with right now is letting him be the one to turn on that green light and make the switch from acclimation to work.
My goal is to remove any pressure from me from willing him to start because there's no change in body language or cues from me. He can begin at any time and it's 100% in his control on the timing, without me having to guess.
I don't know that this is going to be the solution we want long term, because if we ever get to a group class or a trial environment, he is going to need the ability to stay in off-switch mode, and I will be the one to start the sequence.
But I am also not too worried as this is also still something all of our dogs need to learn before trialing. This ready-to-work routine is ideally still done outside of the ring before we begin our warm-up, and then we have a different routine for our actual ring entrance!
Here is what I am currently doing differently with Ravioli:
I bring him out to the working area on a long line to somewhat limit his ability to range. And I set down a foot target or platform several feet away from me. He can sniff, watch the world, get snuggles from me, and do whatever he wants. And then, when he chooses to step up onto the foot target, that is when he gets a cookie, and we begin a ready-to-work routine. This routine is also food-based, unlike my routine with most of my other dogs, because food definitely does not suck him into me!
The foot target gives him structure, and essentially acts as a start button.
We do several cookie tosses off the target and see if he'll offer it right away again without needing to pause or look around. And then we start moving away from it together as I let him jump up on me or do hand touches, and I'm still evaluating his ability to move with focus. And usually, we will run back to the platform a few times in between these reps. And then finally, I will test a little bit of easy work, such as cueing a jump wrap or some pivots in heel, etc.
This routine would not work well for my other dogs because they would just run to the platform instantly. And while in our yard, they might legitimately be ready to work as soon as they come out. In public, that's not the habit I want them to form. I want them to be able to settle into the environment, and also wait for a signal from me!
here is a link to another post on this topic.
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Learn how to teach the dog to leave the reward to get the reward! Build an eager partner without rewards in your hand. Dog sport prep for training skills (like sends!) and getting ready to trial with the reward at a distance. |
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