Whaile

I think yesterday's #TrainingTuesday photo might actually be the best photo I've ever taken of Corsair at work, lol.

Go look at it if you haven't already! Then come back here, because here's the writeup:

As noted, that photo was taken in the ultra high difficulty boss level of grocery store locations: the freezer aisle.

What's interesting here is that on the 30th of January, we were at that same store and we approached that exact same freezer aisle.

Up until that moment, I'd completely skipped that part of the store because I knew it was a huge obstacle and the goal was to develop comfort and confidence, which meant NOT making the outing harder every time. We'd only JUST gotten back to walking most of the store in GENERAL, and really we'd only just gotten back to walking on store floors at ALL.

But on the 30th, I had a pharmacy situation to solve.

Feb 4 at 6:14pmWeb
Show threadWhaileFeb 4

The pharmacy is right next to the freezer aisle, and has carpet. The freezer aisle being nearby wasn't an issue, to be clear: we didn't need to go anywhere near the reflections it threw to visit the pharmacy.

But we did have a 10-15 minute wait, a ready "safe zone" for him, and the freezers were right there.

So I invited him to play the game with me on and off the carpet, and he was happy to do it!

We did that for a bit, then I walked him to the freezer aisle and initiated the game again.

Nope.

He would take food from my hands, but he was sharky, refusing to put his feet forward, and stretching his neck out instead of moving his body.

He wanted the food, but the freezer aisle was too scary.

So I turned him around, we went back to the pharmacy, and played more in a safe area. Then we practised a long, long down for the rest of the wait, we got my stuff, and left.

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

Yesterday, we had a COMPLETELY IDENTICAL PHARMACY SITUATION which was extremely vexing but it gave us a similar opportunity.

It was our first time back at the store since the 30th, and I almost didn't take him to the freezer aisle at all--but he was less stressed yesterday, more eager and more confident. He gave the freezer aisle a glance or two but he didn't... er, "freeze up" or anything.

So I did some other, more familiar stuff with him, and then we headed to the freezer aisle again--though I was fully prepared to turn around.

No need! This time, he was all in.

He was a little nervous, but he was loose-bodied, moving his feet freely, eager, and going for the kibble in my hands enthusiastically but not in a sharky way.

So we played in one aisle, then headed back out and did some walking elsewhere and got some rest in the pharmacy.

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

Then we went back to the freezer aisle. He went further, he did some light positionals (mostly me keeping him out of people's way), we left and did a DIFFERENT freezer aisle, we went back to the pharmacy, we rested, etc... we mixed pattern play, rest, and confident and "scary" areas. We did this for almost 20 minutes!

He was going hlfway down the freezer aisle, he was still excited and happy and confident... and I called it there. We went back to the pharmacy, he got praised and tucked himself under the counter for me to pick up my actual prescription, and we left.

Why did I do that? And why was he able this time and not last time?

Well.

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

In MY case, I ended the game because we had made a LOT of progress VERY quickly, and I did not want to burn him out! Pattern games like that are a tool, not a cure-all, and for them to be effective, they need to be easy to opt out of (as seen on the 30th) AND they need to not be something the dog thinks will go until it's too much or will take him someplace (mentally or physically) that's NOT fun.

Which means you don't go until the dog says no, or even "I'm not sure now."

If the dog says no, you stop. Obviously. But if the dog associates the game with something that goes until it's not fun or it's hard or w/e, the game loses its power and its appeal. The game becomes daunting. It's not really any better than trying to directly lure the dog over flooring he's not confident on with food. It's pushing the dog until the dog can't and that builds INtolerance.

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

On Corsair's part... well, a few factors! One, he was noticeably brighter and more eager and confident yesterday--on the 30th he was a bit tired.

But two--when I invited him to play on the 30th and he noped out, I took that "nope" and respected it. We walked away. The game wasn't an obligation. It isn't a chore. That could have had a very real effect on his confidence yesterday! He knew the floor was scary on both days, but one day he went in and it added a lot of pressure that he couldn't handle.

The next time he went in, the floor was still there--but he'd already had it demonstrated that it was OPTIONAL. That no one was going to force him to do it. That he could play, or not, and it wasn't going to be a source of conflict--internally OR externally. Luring a dog over scary floors builds conflict just like correcting a dog for being scared. In both cases, the dog is in a situation where there is still only one right answer.

A nice cookie doesn't take that stress or fear away.

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

This is actually something people get wrong a LOT about positive reinforcement--simply using food instead of corrections isn't necessarily positive. ALL dog training involves forms of pressure--the desire for a cookie vs an adverse environmental factor is still pressure! Using a cookie in a scenario in which there is only one right answer is still pressure! And pressure in a situation where a dog is already stressed IS AVERSIVE.

What reduces pressure? CHOICE. The ability to say yes OR no, and not "lose" the reward (or receive punishment!)

When Corsair said no, I didn't try to force him to say yes. I also didn't take away the fun, or the opportunity to do things, or even the game! We just did the game in a different place, and we continued to work together (this is inherently rewarding for him!) and he continued to receive praise for the work he did!

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

This is ESSENTIAL for confidence, both for a dog who has had adverse experiences in a situation (as with Corsair and his bad fall) and for dogs in general!

Dogs don't get a lot of choice in life! We decide where they go, who they meet, what they eat and what they get to play with and how they play with it and when they sleep and whether they're leashed and we're CONSTANTLY making demands of them!

A big part of training a working dog (correctly and positively lmao) is giving them plenty of opportunities for choice. This includes giving them time to be a dog--not just via play, but via off-leash or long-line outings where they can explore and play and sniff and maybe be naughty without constant intervention!

But it also includes their work life. Opting into a game, or opting out. Approaching challenges with "no" as an equally "right" answer. ESPECIALLY when SAFETY is the dog's concern!

Show threadWhaileFeb 4

This is already running long (I am still very tired) but I'll leave it on that note.

Corsair succeeded yesterday because I scaffolded skills to enable him to be successful, yes... but also because I gave him freedom to choose and he could CHOOSE to try when he was ready, and choose NOT to when he was not. The pressure to be "right" was off. The "have to" was lifted.

Something to think about next time your dog won't do something for the cookie you know they want!