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⭐️Trainer’s Challenge!⭐️Cc/DS
Wondering if anyone would like to join me in a CHALLENGE for the rest of July?
I’ve met a few pups/dogs recently who I think could use some help in counter conditioning and/or desensitizing to a new or scary object. This could mean: opening an umbrella on a rainy day, person wearing a large sun hat, a garbage truck, the scale at the vet’s office, etc.
????????????The CHALLENGE is: find out what your dog “isn’t sure” about and post it here, by the end of this weekend. If it isn’t your own dog, just post name, age and breed/mix of said dog and what the THING is that they need help with! Oh, and whatever response/BEET you’ve noticed in them so far to said object.
⭐️Next step of challenge will be posted on Monday morning, 7/10!
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10 Replies
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Super idea, @bernerlabreclectus ! I hope lots of people join in on the challenge. It’s nice to have both support and a bit of accountability when tackling an issue.
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This is a really fun idea, @bernerlabreclectus – I’m going to pop it on the featured page and see if anyone takes you up on it – I hope so!
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Thank you, @catherine ! Yes, please join me, if you like. Or this will be a documented solo experiment. Ha!
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Hi!
I hope so, too. ???? If I don’t, no worries. I just thought it would be a work in progress and fun!
I am picking the umbrella for my client’s dog, Abbey. She’s at that suddenly anxious age of 6-7 months.
Name: Abbey
Breed/mix: Border collie/Catahoula Leopard dog
Age: 6-1/2 months old
Object of Cc/DS: Umbrella
1st week Challenge!: Intro Abbey to the umbrella, folded up, on floor. Treat for any interaction/curiosity with umbrella on ground. Work up to popping it up by the of week?
This is just how I am perceiving the first week going! My umbrella is a large golf-style umbrella I use for walks. If it doesn’t go well by midweek, I may drop to a child-sized umbrella or parasol. I plan on using high value cheese or Fresh Pet crumbles to reward. I will see Abbey 6 of 7 days this week and plan to work for 5-10 minutes on their patio, without the owner, for my daily walks.
I’ll Check in by end of the week!????
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@bernerlabreclectus i really like how you said starting with “this” size umbrella and bringing it down to a child size as needed. This sounds like a great plan!
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Sounds like a good project/plan, @bernerlabreclectus
It’s all about the association, not the behavior, right? Remember to use distance as your friend for getting started with this, and give Abbie as much choice as possible. Sometimes dogs surprise us with “getting over it” a lot faster than our training plans can account for, when we just give them the time and space to realize it’s not a big deal, after all!
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Can’t wait to hear how it goes with Abbey, @bernerlabreclectus !
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Here’s what I mean…
Bliss is my 19mo old Aussie. She had come through her adolescent fear period pretty solidly. But we had a large set back when we lost our bestie, Joy, just a few weeks ago. Bliss has become edgy and barky as she experiences a bit of anxiety in her new role as Chief of Security.????
Last week, Bliss and I were out and about and came across these SCARY statues. It was a safe, fenced in area so I felt comfortable dropping her leash and giving her total agency.
I didn’t interfere with her process. I gave her all the time she needed. I didn’t ask for any behavior. I didn’t lure her or prompt her in any way until AFTER she’d relaxed on her own. You can see the shift in her focus and body language when she chooses to come to me and sit (a nice default, trained behavior that means, “ready for whatever’s next!)
There are 2 videos here – the first one is her initial response, within 30 seconds of seeing the statues.
Check out the body language, too. Talk about piloerection! Now you’ve seen it on a floofy dog. lol
The second one is only about 30 seconds after the first one ends… I just was trying to keep the clips manageable.
I wish I’d captured her complete release just a minute later, when I decided to let her loose and play some retrieve games. Such a full body release with lots of leaping and contorting as she shook her toy.
Do I need to DS/CC? I don’t think so. By letting her figure it out on her own, I think we shortened the process. I’m not saying that will work for every dog!! Bliss has nice resilience, genetically. Her bounce-back is usually pretty quick, and I knew that, going in. With a different dog, I may have handled this completely differently. But I think it’s good to step back from “train all the things” and remember that some dogs can adapt quickly when given freedom to choose.
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Bliss is SUCH a cool dog!!! Way to go, @catherine . Something scary and she had time and space to figure it out for herself. THAT’S HUGE!!!
I agree, not necessary to CC/DS. She is a resilient girlie.
I love the bison statues; that there was a big one and a smaller one…It looks like Bliss checked the smaller one out and determined the big guy was OK, too.????
Thanks for sharing and the background of her placement at home, as well. Those changes can be hard and scary on dogs and shake up their confidence, as well as how things look, without the others dogs help. Hope you are both finding some peace.
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Thanks for your kind words, @bernerlabreclectus – it’s been rough around here lately. Bliss is enjoying the company of our guest dog, but at 1/4 her size, he’s not offering much in the way of courage. lol
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