13 Months: Training - Day 14

"Sit for kibble? I can do that!"

Last week ended with me so exhausted I didn't even get my normal blog posts completed by the time Jack and Emma were transferred to their owners.  Friday was the end of Jack's second week of training and he's come a long way in his training since that first day.  Though not fluent in any behaviors, Jack is picking up and learning how to be part of a family and living in a home.

He's gone to several field trips now and enjoys wearing his vest when Ronda puts it on.  He's learning to focus on and pay attention to the person on the other end of the leash when walking and has learned some basic skills to make life with humans easier.

He's also learned that when I or Ronda leave him he won't die.  He has separation anxiety and it is bordering on mild to moderate at this time.  I told Ronda I would start 300 pecks with him and work him up to my leaving the door and his remaining calm.  To help him with this, I need to crate him if I am going to leave for any length of time.  He's not happy in his crate, but not nearly as panicked as he is left in the open house.  This will be a slow and careful process to explain to him that our leaving doesn't end his world.

Ronda and I left him in the open house for about 15 minutes on Saturday and when we returned he was on the edge of full panic.  He was panting heavily and drooling.  This means he needs small blocks of explanation when possible and security when not. Crating him will help with the security - my working 300 pecks with him will help with explaining he can be separate and not have to worry.

Today's Lessons:

Zen

Jack is working on Level 2: Step 1 Zen.  In this step Jack is to leave a treat exposed on the floor alone. I started with Level 1 Zen and gave him full refresher course before starting this step.  Jack did well and quickly remembered Level 1 Zen.  I then started by putting a treat on the floor and letting him see it.  When he looked at it and then away I would click and then slide the treat to him.

Jack will need continued refresher courses on Zen and worked up to exposed treat on the floor Zen until he's fluent in Level 1 and start of Level 2 Zen.  I am doing this both standing and sitting and I am doing it in different rooms in the house.  Next week I will start with Level 1 Zen and retrain it outside.

Observations

Jack is becoming comfortable with training and his new routine.  His center of gravity is still off kilter, so he's not fully settled into everything that has happened to him so far.  It's been only 3 weeks since Jack was placed in his new home and 2 weeks since he started full time training.  It takes a dog about 30 days to settle into a new home and Jack is close to that point now, but all the way there.

Next week I'll split his training between in the house and outside and build his understanding and confidence by giving him differing levels of distraction and new locations to practice his known skills.

Level 1

	Zen	Target	Come	Sit	Down
Step	Completed	2	2	3	2

Level 2

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