Best practices for each training session include warming up with easy exercises, such as hers whats (our coach calls this game "it's yer choice"), sit, down, or any other behavior the dog enjoys, knows well, and has about 100% chance of getting right the first time. I like to do "Bravo" with Gunner since the play bow is an excellent stretching exercise. While out for a walk with Jackie is always a great opportunity to get in several seconds of teaching after Jackie is warmed up and engaged.
Once the dog is thinking and has warmed up, then it's time to begin to teach a novel behavior. For Jackie, each training session lasts about 20 to 30 seconds, and never more than a minute. Since Gunner is further along in his education, I may work with him for a minute or just a bit more, depending on what we are learning.
Once I've worked a few seconds with Jackie or less than a minute with Gunner, then it's a good opportunity to work on established behaviors that need to progress or improve. I may work with Gunner on his perch or platform to reinforce heel position and improve body awareness, or work with Jackie on her platform or send to a perch. This part of the training is also just several seconds.
In the end I always like to finish again with something the dog enjoys and finds very easy. For Gunner "Be a bear" where he sits up on his haunches, or even just sit or down or any behavior that is both fun and easy for the dog.
Our coach has reminded me that warming up is such a necessary part of the dog's success. Even though we're in the building during class for an hour, the way our coach structures each class more-or-less follows this warm up with easy behaviors, play novel games, fun easy behaviors, take-a-break progression. On my own, I want to be mindful of an intentional warm up and a fun, easy closure after a learning session.
As always, if there has been a breakthough behavior offered, or a behavior happens that was especailly desired, big celebrations with whatever it is the dog finds most rewarding is in order!
To end the session, I simply go to another room or area. If we've been playing outside, I go inside. Or if we've been in my study, we'll go into the living room. In the building during class, we'll move to a crate or onto the settle mat. Physically moving to a different environment is a clear signal we're all done for the moment.
Interestingly, and not coincidentally, this is a similar formula for a schooling session on a dressage horse.
While working with our coach on platform training, she helped me measure the best size platform for Gunner. The platform should be only just wide enough to accommodate a very straight sit, and long enough for him to lay down; for Gunner it's 9 inches wide by 24 inches long. I'm pretty happy with this platform I ordered from K9 Play Products:
- Incorporate warm up with something very easy for a few seconds
- Then begin to play a new game from just a few seconds to under a minute
- Move on to reinforcing previously learned behaviors that need sharpening for a few seconds
- Ending up with something fun and easy for the dog then take a break
- Always end while the dog still wants to play
- For new adoptees and puppies, it's best to keep education sessions very short, well under a minute
- For more established pupils, it's still best to keep it as short as possible, occasionally working up to a minute or more depending on the behavior
