14 Months: Training - Day 34

Max Demos Level 2 Target

I know I don't talk about Jack going on field trips much and that is because Ronda has been taking him to scheduled locations herself and reporting back how he's doing on each one.  Jack, as an older dog, can handle longer and more distracting field trips than Emma currently and like most adult dogs who are learning how to become a service dog, he's able to do a lot of On The Job (OJT) training that would otherwise be taught to a puppy in the home before ever taking it on the road.  Such things as duration and positioning actually seem to make more sense to an adult dog when learning while training in the field than they do in the home - though I am uncertain why this is so.

Yesterday Jack was pushed a little harder on his OJT by going to two different locations for training public access.  One location was a previously known location that he's gone to three separate times, thus making it a low stimulation outing, and the other was a high stimulation outing to Burlington Coat Factory.

I attended the second outing with Ronda, since I was shopping for clothing for job interviews and watched how Ronda and Jack work in public.  Jack is still rubber necking in a new location, which is typical of a dog who is early in public access training, but he's staying by her side, handling the stress well and listening and responding promptly to cues.  She did a great job of keeping him on track, teaching him that when she's "looking" at something he's to stay at her side and wait for her and even helping him deal with staying quietly with her in an open changing room while I changed my clothing and tried out the new duds.

Jack was worried when I closed the door between him and I and I could hear Ronda clicking and treating him at a fantastic rate of re-enforcement until he calmed, learned to stay in a small room with her and sit by her.  When I had finished trying on clothes Jack was curious, but not showing high stress signs.

At one point Jack and Ronda went to the car to retrieve my ID for me and when they returned Jack displayed the "been here, done that" behavior I would expect for a dog who'd already been in a new location and returned to it.  Overall, Jack's learning curve was challenged, but not pushed beyond his ability to deal with a new setting and helped him learn he can handle more than he thought he could before.  It was a very successful public access outing and I am pleased with how Ronda has been working Jack in his public access training.

I will continue to access Jack's public outings and every so often attend with him, but for the most part, I believe that Ronda and Jack are working well together and developing a strong trust.

Today's Training:

Target

Jack is working on Level 2: Step 4 Target.  In this step Jack is asked to touch a post it note on a wall with his nose.  Yesterday I introduced Jack to touching a post it note and quickly worked it to the wall. Jack was worried and lacked confidence with the lesson and though we managed to get several good touches on the post it note, he was doing his "I am not certain" behavior of laying down and looking about or tuning out when doing the lesson.

Today I returned to the lesson, but removed the wall from the equation and instead brought out a training board and put the post it note on that.  Again I was seeing some avoidance behavior and lack of confidence he knew what I wanted of him.  I worked both his breakfast and lunch on this lesson today.

He's getting the idea that I want him to use his nose on the board, and is starting to take note of the post it on the board, but hasn't fully gained confidence in the lesson.  By the final lesson he was touching the post it 85% of the time with his nose and using some good pressure, but I was doing a lot of cheer leading to keep him up on his feet and really engage him in the lesson.

I'll continue to work this lesson until Jack is confident with it and then work to him closing a cabinet door with his nose.

Observations

I love Jack's tail.  When I click it flashes with a wag, telling me that sound means happy things to him.  When I talk to him or say Yes in a lesson he's again wagging his tail rapidly.  When he's confident it's up like a flag and when he's uncertain it varies from even with his spine to all the way down.  The tail tells me how he feels about a lesson and how confident he's feeling. 

Last night I was watching an upright tail which was waving or wagging madly most of the time.  He was happy and enjoying our outing.  During out lessons today his tail told a different story.  It was down, briefly going into action with the clicks, but otherwise tucked tight and telling me he has zero confidence in what I am asking of him.  By the end of the day it was even with his spine - it's the start of "I think I know what you want" and soon will be up.  I love Jack's tail.

There is another factor in play here and any Poodle owner will tell you I am not far off in reading this dog.  Poodles, in general, like to know WHY you are asking them to do something and may find our silly human games unworthy of their energy.  Jack hasn't seen WHY I am asking for nose targeting on a post it note, and thus is uncertain that what I am asking is worth his energy.  He's not blowing me off or giving me the paw, he simply has a sharp enough mind to wonder what the final picture is and without the picture on the puzzle box to refer too, tends to be leery I know what I am doing.  Jack is willing to try out my silly games, but it takes a bit to get him into them and show him the rewards for him are worth his effort.  He's just figuring out that touching a note on a board may pay well enough to join me and figure out what I am asking.

Gotta love a dog's logic!

Level 1

	Zen	Target	Come	Sit	Down
Step	Completed	Completed	2	Completed	Completed

Level 2

	Zen	Come	Sit	Down	Target
Step	3	0	1	1	4
	Focus	Lazy Leash	Go To Mat	Crate	Distance
Step	1	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