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| Jack practices relaxing on a mat while I work on the computer. |
Jack and I have started a routine of watching Ronda go back to her car while he sits on a loose leash and watches her drive off. I don't want to pull or drag him away, but give him the time to process that she's left for the day and decide to come with me. By the time she starts to drive away Jack has concluded he's here for the day and turns to walk into the house with me. It keeps his stress levels lower and makes coming to my home for the day more pleasant when the person caring for him isn't yanking him around by his neck.
He's also ready to start training and today we decided to work on testing where he is. I am happy to announce that Jack has passed Level 1 Sit and Down today! He still needs work on Level 1 Come, but with my son visiting weekly again we'll begin work on that behavior and strengthen his recall.
This means that Jack, for all rights and purposes, is a Level 2 dog! What a great development. He's starting Level 2 Zen, Focus, Sit and Down with visits on Go To Mat and Crate to improve our ability to work as a group. What a trooper Mr. Jack is.
Jack startles a bit easily when something unexpected happens around him. Most of this is due to inexperience with such things as falling canes and dropped bowls. He used to jump and run for the hills when I dropped something, but has lately jumped and then watched to see what if anything would happen next. I have been, by accident, dropping my cane a lot lately and most of the time almost on top of his head. Part of this is due to my bracing it somewhere and when he lays down by me he hits it and knocks it over onto him. At first this scared him a lot, but today when he knocked the cane onto him he just jumped up and then came and sniffed it. It is a wonderful development that he's checking out starting things instead of running from them.
With my son he's leery of him and aloof, but is slowly starting to accept that Walter is part of his life. I am going to talk with Carol and Dana and ask they build some trust and then work with Jack as a demo sometimes in class to improve his ability to go with barely known or unknown people to help him become comfortable with strangers in general.
Next week I would like to start taking Jack on his first major outings with me so I can see how he's doing in his public access. I would like to take him to Big R and the local truck stop and see how he does. I will need his vest to do this so people know we are training.
Today's Lessons:
Zen
Jack is working on Level 2: Step 2 Zen. In this step Jack is asked to leave an exposed treat on the floor alone for 10 seconds. I want eye contact when Jack is told to leave something alone - so I am backing up clear to Level 1 Zen and reteaching the concept with him making eye contact as the criteria for the click. Why start there? I have made one part of Zen harder, so I am making the rest of Zen easier so Jack can succeed and learn.
Jack is now making and maintaining eye contact for up to 5 seconds when I am offering a closed Zen hand and up to 3 seconds with an open Zen hand. I have also gotten eye contact when a treat is on the floor, but no duration. His eye contact is not steady, like it is with Focus, but general where he is looking up and at my face and away from the treat being offered. Now that he understands I want eye contact when told to leave something, I am building up duration while a treat is exposed on the floor and he's looking up at me.
Flat
Jack is working on Level 2: Step 1 Flat. In this step Jack is asked to remain in a down for 10 seconds. I am currently working Jack on this behavior while he is laying at my feet and I am sitting in my recliner. Jack is able to do a 10 second down when we work up by 1 second intervals. I started to "randomize" the count by clicking for every odd number or every even number or ever number or every 5th of 6th number up to 10 seconds. Jack was relaxed and In The Game during the lesson and only fidgeted once during a 5 minute lesson.
Homework
This weekend Jack needs to practice all Level 1 Comeafters for Zen, Sit, Down and Target. They can be done as part of his daily living - such as hiding treats around the house to teach him that you don't need them on you for him to get a reward for good behavior. If you are working in the yard and haven't asked him to sit or give a flat there, cue him to do so and note where he's not sure what you are asking and then plan to train there later. Use the bathroom, shower and tub to your advantage. If your back is to him while your cooking cue him to Sit and reward when he does. If he doesn't, note it and train it. The more Jack uses these known skills the better he'll be at them and the more strange and new locations the better he'll understand them. Use your lives together during the evenings and weekends to improve on Jack's understanding of learned cues.
Jack is ready for training class - sign him up for a Headstart class in May or June so he can begin his group class lessons!
Observations
I have been tethering Jack when I need to work with Emma to keep him from bothering her while she's trying to learn a lesson. He tethers extremely well and doesn't fuss or complain when tethered. He generally lays down and naps while I work Emma. This is wonderful and should make Jack easier to take to work and tether when needed.
He's also starting to understand the concept of waiting the more we work Zen. I am starting, for once, to see Zen applied to his overall daily life. He's patient waiting for me to release him to go outside, for me to give him treats and even for me to finish something I am doing before addressing him. I am glad to see Jack is learning to use Zen to get the rewards he wants in life.
| Zen | Target | Come | Sit | Down | |
| Step | Completed | Completed | 2 | Completed | Completed |
Level 2
| Zen | Come | Sit | Down | Target | |
| Step | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Jump | Relax | Handling | Tricks | Communication | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Level 3
| Zen | Come | Sit | Down | Target | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jump | Relax | Handling | Retrieve | Communication | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Level 4
| Zen | Come | Retrieve | Target | Relax | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Focus | Lazy Leash | Go To Mat | Crate | Distance | |
| Step | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Handling | Communication | ||||
| Step | 0 | 0 |
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