And a pass. Niko knows what to do, Kat know how to help Niko do what she was commanded to do. The bridging piece we used for Niko's breakdown (she was fighting Kat on a double EC) AND Niko 100% believes Kat CAN and certainly WILL do a double EC as needed, was to backwash a smidge. We did so by simply reminding Niko, with a modified pseudo-EC touch, what would happen should she fail to launch on command.
This bridging piece is the same one we used with Trina/Zoey. It's a very small step backward, to give a dog the CHOICE to follow the command. It gives a dog the choice to respond as the dog learns it has the ability to 100% avoid an EC (a real one) should it fail to obey. In Zoey's situation, Zoey being hesitant, leary and oh such a soft temperament, it helped Zoey to move past her Point of Contention.
In Niko's mind, she 100% believes Kat CAN AND WILL do an EC, but Niko, being a working dog, choose to charge Kat to avoid a double EC. So, by using the bridging piece, we simply reminded Niko what would happen should she fail to obey. It took only a few minutes for the dynamics to shift and for Niko to grasp she had the power to avoid a double EC by choosing, wisely, to obey.
In Piper's mind, today in class (videos soon), on the grass, Piper was quite slow to launch as Kellie was struggling to remember to remain standing tall/straight and to cease giving Piper unnecessary extra cues. The really tough part of the EC is timing, knowing your dog, knowing when to require promptness, and knowing HOW to toggle between what you THINK your dog will do and then to correct as needed. Piper is brilliant, an amazingly intelligent dog that requires precise, clean, clear, consistent mechanics for her success. It takes time to train the owner to provide what their dog needs to succeed. In Piper's case, she requires Kellie to come up to a much higher standard of mechanics. It is not easy having a brilliant, intelligent, lightning-fast dog as one's first obedience dog.
In Riley's video which Buck will upload, it took me working her nearly 15 minutes for her to obey. In the case of a natural genetically wired sporting dog, the instinct to retrieve is OFF -THE-CHARTS. In Riley's video, I invest far more time working Riley on her obedience than on her heart's desire - 'I will go get IT (whatever the 'IT' happens to be). Because of her genetics, by taking AWAY her ability to 'go get IT' UNTIL I GET THE COMPLIANCE I WANT FROM HER, Riley has to acquire self-control. When she doesn't demonstrate self-control, she isn't allowed to retrieve. For me, retrievers (or any dog with a good Prey Drive), this technique of training is called Attrition. That is the handler DOES NOT reward the dogs desire (to retrieve) without obedience. There is a reason I call my business Dog Obedience 1st.
Finally, today working RoF with Jessi/Nova was another new challenge. YUP, Nova would Sit/Stay until told to "Fetch". But her pickup was high energy as she was in Prey Drive and so the db kept moving. THEN, Johnny bar the door, she LAUNCHED as warp speed 100 back to Jessi, past Jessi and still very much in Prey Drive. The video shows the fix for this as we had to shift her from Prey Drive (after the pickup) into Social Drive.
I share the above to say EVERY dog, EVERY handler has their own challenges by the time we get to RoHJ and RoF. Do notice that I couch each of you a smidgen different based on what is showing up in THAT moment with THAT dog. And Jessi's coaching today of Kellie/Piper doing RoF was perfect. No worries, I will coach you through all challenges and get you & your dog all the way through to graduation. One step at a time. One day at a time. Breathe, this training will very quickly, all come together. We are so close to completing the Retrieve Course. Hang in there, wait n see, the best is yet to come. Really.
That is why I only teach the Retrieve Course in a group setting. The Pack Dynamics are in full effect when the retrieve is taught in a group setting. The dogs learn more, faster, because of the other dogs going through the same retrieve process.
In the same way, the group dynamics of the owners are increased. The owners learn more, faster, as they observe the rest of the group working their dog.
And so you know, every Retrieve Course I have been involved in while at Applewoods, and every Retrieve Course I have taught, I have learned something new. The years of retrieve classes have taught me volumes, I continue to learn.
The Retrieve Course is my favorite Course to teach because of the transformation that occurs, because of the challenges (there are always challenges), because of the reality I don't have all the answers so I go to God in prayer and ask for a solution (He always shows me the way), and because of the fellowship. Each class creates its own community and their own unique bonding with their dogs and with each other. I know from years past, and classes past, the investment a student makes into their dog, and themselves, learning the FC, Retrieve Course, and TS changes the two, in the best way, into a team. Having many such Advanced Graduate Teams (owner and their dog) creates a local community of trained handlers/dogs that work, train, and interact well together.
And a pass. Niko knows what to do, Kat know how to help Niko do what she was commanded to do. The bridging piece we used for Niko's breakdown (she was fighting Kat on a double EC) AND Niko 100% believes Kat CAN and certainly WILL do a double EC as needed, was to backwash a smidge. We did so by simply reminding Niko, with a modified pseudo-EC touch, what would happen should she fail to launch on command.
ReplyDeleteThis bridging piece is the same one we used with Trina/Zoey. It's a very small step backward, to give a dog the CHOICE to follow the command. It gives a dog the choice to respond as the dog learns it has the ability to 100% avoid an EC (a real one) should it fail to obey. In Zoey's situation, Zoey being hesitant, leary and oh such a soft temperament, it helped Zoey to move past her Point of Contention.
In Niko's mind, she 100% believes Kat CAN AND WILL do an EC, but Niko, being a working dog, choose to charge Kat to avoid a double EC. So, by using the bridging piece, we simply reminded Niko what would happen should she fail to obey. It took only a few minutes for the dynamics to shift and for Niko to grasp she had the power to avoid a double EC by choosing, wisely, to obey.
In Piper's mind, today in class (videos soon), on the grass, Piper was quite slow to launch as Kellie was struggling to remember to remain standing tall/straight and to cease giving Piper unnecessary extra cues. The really tough part of the EC is timing, knowing your dog, knowing when to require promptness, and knowing HOW to toggle between what you THINK your dog will do and then to correct as needed. Piper is brilliant, an amazingly intelligent dog that requires precise, clean, clear, consistent mechanics for her success. It takes time to train the owner to provide what their dog needs to succeed. In Piper's case, she requires Kellie to come up to a much higher standard of mechanics. It is not easy having a brilliant, intelligent, lightning-fast dog as one's first obedience dog.
In Riley's video which Buck will upload, it took me working her nearly 15 minutes for her to obey. In the case of a natural genetically wired sporting dog, the instinct to retrieve is OFF -THE-CHARTS. In Riley's video, I invest far more time working Riley on her obedience than on her heart's desire - 'I will go get IT (whatever the 'IT' happens to be). Because of her genetics, by taking AWAY her ability to 'go get IT' UNTIL I GET THE COMPLIANCE I WANT FROM HER, Riley has to acquire self-control. When she doesn't demonstrate self-control, she isn't allowed to retrieve. For me, retrievers (or any dog with a good Prey Drive), this technique of training is called Attrition. That is the handler DOES NOT reward the dogs desire (to retrieve) without obedience. There is a reason I call my business Dog Obedience 1st.
Finally, today working RoF with Jessi/Nova was another new challenge. YUP, Nova would Sit/Stay until told to "Fetch". But her pickup was high energy as she was in Prey Drive and so the db kept moving. THEN, Johnny bar the door, she LAUNCHED as warp speed 100 back to Jessi, past Jessi and still very much in Prey Drive. The video shows the fix for this as we had to shift her from Prey Drive (after the pickup) into Social Drive.
I share the above to say EVERY dog, EVERY handler has their own challenges by the time we get to RoHJ and RoF. Do notice that I couch each of you a smidgen different based on what is showing up in THAT moment with THAT dog. And Jessi's coaching today of Kellie/Piper doing RoF was perfect. No worries, I will coach you through all challenges and get you & your dog all the way through to graduation. One step at a time. One day at a time. Breathe, this training will very quickly, all come together. We are so close to completing the Retrieve Course. Hang in there, wait n see, the best is yet to come. Really.
Roxanne
I love this summary. I never imagined this course would give me the opportunity to learn from not one, but five (plus!) different dogs.
ReplyDeleteKat,
ReplyDeleteThat is why I only teach the Retrieve Course in a group setting. The Pack Dynamics are in full effect when the retrieve is taught in a group setting. The dogs learn more, faster, because of the other dogs going through the same retrieve process.
In the same way, the group dynamics of the owners are increased. The owners learn more, faster, as they observe the rest of the group working their dog.
And so you know, every Retrieve Course I have been involved in while at Applewoods, and every Retrieve Course I have taught, I have learned something new. The years of retrieve classes have taught me volumes, I continue to learn.
The Retrieve Course is my favorite Course to teach because of the transformation that occurs, because of the challenges (there are always challenges), because of the reality I don't have all the answers so I go to God in prayer and ask for a solution (He always shows me the way), and because of the fellowship. Each class creates its own community and their own unique bonding with their dogs and with each other. I know from years past, and classes past, the investment a student makes into their dog, and themselves, learning the FC, Retrieve Course, and TS changes the two, in the best way, into a team. Having many such Advanced Graduate Teams (owner and their dog) creates a local community of trained handlers/dogs that work, train, and interact well together.
It's a win-win-win for all.