Week 6 Homework and Notes

 NOTE 1:   WE ARE WORKING SOCRATES ON LEASH AND TRAINING COLLAR, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS YOU CAN INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE.  

  • Start working on goals outside in medium distraction (yard, dirt roads, quiet parks, quiet beach areas, and so forth).
  • Work on distance gradually by working to the end of the 6' leash and then working to the end of the long line (inside and outside).
  • Have him drag the leash inside after you have had good success with goals on leash on exercises.
NOTE 2:  REMEMBER TO REALLY ANALYZE WHERE YOU ARE IN TRAINING.  IT IS OKAY TO GO BACK A STEP OR TWO IF REACHING YOUR GOAL BECOMES HARDER AND TAKES LONGER THAN 15 MINUTES FOR MOST EXERCISES.   THIS IS A SIGN YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAST, PICKED A BAD TIME TO TRAIN POSSIBLY (LIKE AFTER A LONG WALK WITH YOUR DOG OR TRAINING TOO LONG), DOG OR HANDLER ARE NOT FEELING 100% OR ARE ASKING TOO MUCH WITHOUT REACHING YOUR EARLIER GOALS.   THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOU AND YOUR DOG WON'T JUST OCCAISIONALLY HAVE AN OFF DAY FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NOTE 3:   WHEN MID DISTRACTION GOALS ARE EASY TO MAKE, THEN IT IS TIME TO WORK WITH MORE CITY DISTRACTIONS.   PLACES IN PORTSMOUTH ARE GREAT, AND YOU OFTEN FIND A LITTLE PLACE OFF TO THE SIDE TO PRACTICE.  THE SIDEWALKS ARE BIG THE SHOPPING AND RESTAURANT AREA.   

Chill or calming exercises you may want to start in public before it gets to cold (especially sit on the dog, place and behavioral down can wait for now).   We had done these his first three weeks here, and went forward on his week 4 with advancing his other exercises.   These can help him get ready to hear and see traffic, pedestrians, and other dogs in a calmer state.  It is not something you see immediately, but over time the improvement is quite significant.

  1. Sit on the Dog [video] 30 + minutes  Note:  You can do these on days that you are not doing the Behavioral Down or Long Place.
  2. Behavior Down [video] 15 minutes + changes based on environment and what is happening around the dog  Note: You can do these on days that you are not doing Sit on The Dog or Long Place.
  3. Long Place Leash Dropped [video] 30 minutes  Note:  You can do these on days that you are not doing Sit on The Dog or Behavioral Down.
Obedience Exercises (you can combine some of these into little routines as well as work these alone and separately):

(Some changes noted below)

  1. (Small Change from Random Sits) Focus on Auto Sits with Heeling [video] 15 minutes if outside in mid distraction setting  Goal:  To get three sets of four in a row (without correction or food reward) auto sits while heeling.
  2. Send to Place from increased distance [video] and Circle Place with increased distraction bouncing ball [video] 15 + minutes for both of them (usually takes 5 minutes to get 3 sets of 4 in a row send to place, and then the balance I do 1 minute circle places)  ***Note at the lesson today, it looked like you first session or two might take 15 minutes for the send to place or at least longer than 5.  Once you get him going though, it should get much smoother and end up being 5 minutes or less.  Also note, you can start off giving treats for each one at first, but remember the goal is to get four in a row without treats for the send to place.   Goal:  Send to place from increased distance of possibly 2 feet four times in a row before giving him a food reward.  You will want to get four in a row send to places three times in each session by the end of the week.   For circle or stay on place with more distractions (ball), by the end of the week you will want to go for a minute of bouncing the ball.   Remember to do this one bounce at a time though, and only increase when you can get four in a row easily doing that.   You can release him for food or toy reward (we did not go over toy reward though).
  3. Recalls [video] 5 minutes This remains the same.   Goal:  Potentially, you could work to get three sets of four in a row, with food only being given on the fourth one now.  Otherwise, if you are having problems with him coming in close, three sets of four in a row coming in the correct position and ending with the sit.

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