Class Is In Session

Jackie had her first agility lesson today! We’ve enrolled in foundations for agility, and today we took our first steps. We worked on settling in a slightly more distracting environment, on the beginnings of body awareness over novel substrates, and body awareness while moving on a wobble board.  We also began stand-stay and continued learning being reinforced for nose-touching a hand target.

Jackie handled the training environment like a champ, and she did great around her classmates, among whom were a Portuguese Water Dog and a beautiful white poodle.  She handled the slightly longer car ride to the training facility very well, and settled nicely in her travel crate.

When we got to Cowtown Dog Sports, we were greeted by a friendly deer. I was glad to observe Jackie’s reaction, which was only very mild, if any, interest in looking at the deer. Today must have been our day for wildlife sighting because on our morning walk we saw a snake along the Trinity river!

Continuing with our red letter day, Gunner had a great report today at his cardiology check-up.  His blood pressure, pulmonary pressure, blood levels, lung function, echocardiogram, electrocardiograph, and radiographs were all stable compared with his last cardiology visit, which is great news.

Do you see a snake here?  Neither did I

Not the biggest snake I’ve ever seen, but certainly not the smallest

Jackie, ready to run:

Jackie being a good girl on the way to her very first agility lesson:

In case you were wondering, deer scat is apparently fascinating and fragrant; Jackie enjoyed sniffing it in the grass. We were greeted at Cowtown Dog Sports by this gentle and curious deer:

Gunner got a good report at the cardiologist today, making it a red letter day! Gunner on his way to see Dr. Rebecca Fields Bennie, his veterinary cardiologist, also his first time in the new travel crate:

Pearls:

• Jackie took her initial steps toward her agility career at our first ever class in Foundations for Agility
• Wildlife sightings seemed to be a theme today
• Traveling with a secured crate is a good idea
• Gunner’s heart condition is stable, and I’m grateful

Inspiration

Today I attended as a spectator an all breed agility trial sanctioned by the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA).  So many great dogs, and interesting to see the differences between ASCA agility and that of the American Kennel CLub (AKC) and North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC).  It was inspiring to see some excellent dog and handler teams.

Jackie’s training is continuing too; we’re currently working on proofing her sit stay, down stay, and recall by taking it outside to add a layer of distractions.  At every opportunity that presents itself, I reinforce Jackie for coming to me at a high rate of reinforcement.  I’ve only just started putting the “sit” cue on a variable reinforcement rate, but for now, especially while Jackie is still learning everything new, I’m keeping cues to a high rate of reward, and of course new skills in process of being learned are reinforced at 100% rate, with occasional jackpots for novel behavior, extra challenge, or extra effort or speed offered.  Eventually we will go to intermittent reinforcement, but for now the cues she knows are still being rewarded at a high rate to keep Jackie’s motivation high, and new learning is reinforced at 100% for the same reason and to ensure clarity.

Gunner is working on handstand.  He already knows the cue “feet” to put his hind feet up on a platform or step since this is how you teach contacts for agility.  We have progressed to walking backwards up stairs and putting his back feet up on a pillow stack and then onto the sofa.  The plan is for this to progress to backing up a platform, and then to straight up a wall until it is a full handstand along a wall with no platform or pillows.  Aside from being a hilarious parlor trick, this is building front end strength and hind end dexterity as well.

Gunner demonstrates what will become handstand

Between the two of them, I feel like there could be a circus act

Pearls:

• Inspiration was abundant today at the ASCA all breed agility trial
• Jackie is beginning to proof sit stay, down stay, and recall with minor distractions
• Gunner continues to add to his already impressive tricks repertoire 

Jackie’s Crate Arrived

We love these Omlet Fido Studio crates, and Jackie’s one arrived today. Three of them line up nicely to act as a low cradenza in the bedroom, and the dogs seem to really like them as well.

Speaking of beds, I’m working with Gunner to get him used to sleeping with his head propped on a pillow.  While I sincerely hope that Gunner is one of the many dogs with heart disease that do not go on to develop heart failure, dogs that do, often try to sleep in a sitting position on their chest in a sphinx posture if they are having trouble breathing, and can often be restless sleepers.  So I’ve begun experimenting with roll shaped and triangle shaped pillows to get Gunner used to propping himself up comfortably.  

If it comes to heart failure, and of course I hope it doesn’t, however I’d rather Gunner be familiar with and comfortable sleeping propped on a pillow long in advance.  Prissy used to like to prop her head up against the side of her crate or on the armrest in the truck or sofa, and I have observed Gunner and other dogs do this as well.

I like how the three crates together form a low credenza

I’m experimenting with these shaped pillows to get Gunner comfortable with propping up his head to sleep on his chest in the sphinx posture if he wants to do so now or in the future:

So far the best has been this little triangle shaped fox; Gunner uses it to prop up against the side of his crate:

Pearls:

• Omlet Fido Studio crates work well in our space and the dogs like them
• Hoping for the best but planning ahead to get Gunner comfortable sleeping with his head up on a shaped pillow should he want to do so
• Heart disease can kindly consume a phallus

Eureka!

Tomorrow will be four weeks that we’ve had Jackie.  Just now for the first time Jackie really opened up and started truly working for me, and I wanted to sit down and talk about what happened.

I’ve been experimenting with all different forms of reinforcement, and so far the best has been running and play, with the best hand-held treat reinforcement chicken.  Other than while running, which Jackie loves to do, I haven’t yet found a way to really motivate her to focus in the sharp way that I have done previously with Gunner and other dogs.

Today I experimented with cut-up hot dog medallions, which I haven’t used since Jackie’s first few days with us because she was sort of “meh” about them.  Looking back though, Jackie’s been “meh” on a lot of treats, and I think it is because everything has been so new that she’s still acclimating to her life shift.  

Today the hot dogs were a huge success!  We started playing the recall race game outside today, where Jackie starts in a sit-stay in heel position, then sends out to a target on cue, eats a cookie off a ceramic target (I use a small flat Fiestaware saucer because I have literally hundreds of them, and they are the perfect size, sturdy, easy to see in the grass, and easy to clean), then turns around and recalls back to my front for another reward.  We’ve practiced this game indoors, and Jackie always performs it correctly and obediently, but she walks or at best trots out to the target and then back, and has lacked sharp speed.  

Today when we took it outside, Jackie found a new gear, RUNNING out to touch the target and DASHING back to me on the recall.  I placed the target a bit further away, and then a bit further away again, and so on until she could really build up some speed between me and the target. What helped as much as anything is that I had plenty of room outside to make a big fuss and celebrate each “win,” and Jackie really responded to that, running and even leaping with joy around the yard to celebrate.  My enthusiasm at her opening up helped her to open up even more, so we had an awesome positive feed back loop going.  

Passion is key; I need to remind myself to bring my own zest, to celebrate and praise enthusiastically to the point of silliness.  As Jackie truly started working today, my genuine happiness exploded out of me, and Jackie in turn really responded to that zeal.  Lately I’ve been hyper-focused on my own management, on marking exactly the precise behavior I want to reinforce, and accuracy and timing on my part. Today though I was animated and effervescent, using a squealie-high-pitched voice, clapping and running, and Jackie really responded to that energy— of course she did!

These 5 inch diameter Fiestaware plates make great target practice, good thing I have about a million!

Enthusiasm is infectious!

Love how her whiskers pop out

Pearls:

• Even the best reinforcement can be “meh” unless the job at hand is play, not a job
• Hot dog medallions were a favorite today
• The dog’s joy and enthusiasm is mirrored by the handler’s joy and enthusiasm, and vice versa into a positive feedback loop
• Accuracy, precision, clarity— all that is fine and good, but above all it has to be FUN!

Observation of the Handler's Behavior

Gunner has been working on weaving so I previously ordered a set of six weave poles. As someone who has been strongly reinforced by excellent results from using positive reinforcement training, I am always keen to learn new behavior, on my part as much as the animal's with which I'm working. So when Gunner makes a "mistake" (offers a behavior in which I'm not interested-- for example waiving goodbye when I ask for stand) I've simply ignored it, kept moving and either waited for the "correct" behavior I wanted to capture, or gone back a step to ask for something I can then reward.

I recently observed a trainer in action that said the word "oops" when her dog made a "mistake" (by mistake I simply mean the dog offered a behavior in which the handler is not currently interested).  I thought saying "oops" was a nice idea to remind the handler that it's no big deal, to keep moving, and search for the behavior that I will eventually want to reinforce.  

So during our next weave pole session, if Gunner missed a correct entry to the weave poles, or skipped a pole, I simply started saying "oops," not reinforcing, and moving back a step to repeat a behavior that I could reinforce.  Quickly though, Gunner began to offer the "I've been shot in the chest" look: stopping and shrinking, looking dumbfounded and apologetic, when I said "oops."  It was perceived by Gunner as a punishment, which of course goes against everything I'm trying to do here.  It took a few repetitions for me to notice Gunner's "shot in the chest" behavior was linked with the word "oops" rather than just thinking, as I did at first, that he was confused by the task being too hard or that I had asked for too much too soon. 

The "oops" had become a marker for "you didn't do it right and you're not getting a cookie" in the way that "yes" means "you're doing it right and you will now get a cookie."  Since Gunner understands this way of thinking, he learned the meaning of "oops" even before I caught on! But it went too far, and was not just a game of hot-cold (where "yes" means hot- keep going and "oops" means cold- keep trying), rather the "oops" was perceived by Gunner as a punishment that was in turn shutting him down. 

A valuable lesson for me to learn, and I'm glad I noticed it relatively quickly (though not as quickly as my Border collie I must admit). I continue to make a knowing effort to display neutral emotion without any disappointment or other marker if a mistake happens.  Energetic celebrations, jackpots, and precise marking for behaviors that I want; and behaviors that I don't want are met with the same emotion with which I buy a loaf of bread, ignored; then the next behavior I can mark and reward is sought, found, and celebrated.

I like these Trademark Innovations weave poles as they can be configured two-by-two, and later I can add another set to make a full set of twelve weave poles, plus they were relatively cheap (about 50 dollars for the set of six), they came with a canvas carrying bag for clean storage, and they've been perfect for home use:

Gunner, often the smartest one in the room:

Pearls:

• Weave poles are challenging, and I'm grateful Gunner has become my trial-and-error schoolmaster dog
• I'm not at all interested in punishment, and am grateful for a patient and intelligent dog who teaches me to do better
• Some trainers do well with event markers to indicate "cold, keep trying" but my focus remains on rewarding the behaviors I want and ignoring "mistake" behaviors to become extinct 
• There is a plethora of information out there on the world wide web, in books and journal articles, but sometimes you have to get past the lecture and into the lab of life and break some eggs to make an omlet

Long Line

A new experience for me today: I worked with a dog on a long line for the first time.  In preparing for the ongoing training of Jackie, about a week ago I purchased a 30 foot long line.  I’ve worked several horses in long lines, and lunged several more horses with lunge lines, and even written blog posts about equestrian long-lining, however tonight was the first time I’ve worked a dog on a long line.

I LOVE IT. It seems so common sense, but the dog having the freedom to run a fair distance away, and have one hundred percent error free recall practice was brilliant.  Jackie was able to run along with Gunner (Gunner has had off-leash privileges where appropriate for many years now), sniffing and exploring the levee and river banks, and each and every time she lifted to look at me or paused her sniffing to look back, I was able to recall her for a high value chicken reinforcement, thus loading the recall bank with error-free practice.  

Since we were out during high traffic time when the weather is finally decent enough for folks to venture outside, any time Jackie got too involved with staring at another dog, bicycle, stroller, horse-and-rider, or whatever, I could easily recall her back to me enthusiastically running the opposite direction knowing full well that I had complete control if she should decide not to recall.  Only twice did I have to give the slightest reminding encouraging pressure on the leash to re-direct her focus to recall to me, and other than that the leash was fully loose.  The brilliant part was that I was free to focus on my actions, because I knew I had the lifeline of the 30 foot leash if anything distracting should occur. 

In addition to the reinforcement of a bite of chicken each time she recalled, the releasing her with an “ok!” to go back to her exploring walk was a huge reinforcement as well. Long have I loved line-driving and long-lining horses, and now I am a convert to long lining my dog as well!

Loving this Hi Kiss purple (of course) long line:

Jackie was able to run alongside Gunner, investigating new smells along the levee:

One hundred percent error-free recall practice, and I can reinforce each time, building toward a strong, reliable recall:

Pearls:

• New experience with a long line for a dog, and I’m a fan
• Completely error-free recall practice establishes a foundation for a solid future recall
• The handler has the luxury and safety factor knowing I can control my dog in the event of anything distracting or unexpected happening in a more distracting environment, while still working to install a strong recall
• The reinforcements of running toward me as I run in the opposite direction, getting a cookie when she gets to me, and being released to continue sniffing, running and exploring are triple reinforcements for the all important recall

Preparing the Basics

Today I enrolled Jackie in basic dog obedience with Robin Barber at Cowtown Dog Sports to begin preparing Jackie for agility foundations.  The class begins in a couple weeks from now, and will be held once weekly for a series of six weeks. 

In preparing for the upcoming classes, we’re working on sit, down, recall, and stay.  Today for the first time I began teaching Jackie to send out to a ceramic target from a sit-stay, touch the target with her nose, and recall back to me. It’s a fun game to practice and reinforce all the behaviors of sit, stay, send to a target, and recall.

I first learned this as a college student as the “paper plate recall” game with my beloved Australian shepherd Roo, who loved this game so much she went on to become the recall race champion in my class.  The dog starts in a sit next to you in heel position, then stays as they watch you walk about twenty feet out and place a cookie down on a paper plate.  Then the handler returns to the dog in heel position, releases the dog with “okay, target!” The dog runs out to the plate, eats the cookie, then the handler recalls the dog back to their front to land in a sit for another reinforcer cookie.

Since Jackie is only just learning the target recall race game, we started indoors with no distractions, and it is going well.  We need to increase speed but she is learning the basics in an error-free environment.

Jackie, reaping the benefits of several dogs before her:

Here is the Recall Race Champion plaque Roo earned.  In 1999, I was very proud of this achievement (still am, truth be told), and it hangs in my study today:

In 1999 I was being introduced to R+ training, with grateful thanks to my Australian shepherd Roo, who went on to become a Delta Pet Society Therapy Dog, which allowed us to visit nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals together.  Here she is with her faithful sidekick Scarlett; I’ve had a Cocker spaniel my entire life, from in the womb through currently:

Scarlett and Roo, circa 2005

Hurricane Ida

We certainly know what it feels like to survive a bad hurricane.  This week we watched our neighbors and loved ones in Louisiana deal with Hurricane Ida.  Our hearts go out, and we were grateful to be able to team up with our church in Houston to help with donations for recovery.  

Currently we are hosting a dear friend of our family who evacuated from New Orleans to Fort Worth with her sister and two friends and Zeke, her little Maltese/Yorkie cross.  Zeke is such a good boy, and is adorable.  In just a couple short visits we have grown to love his momma and her family and friends.  

Zeke and his momma, whom we have easily grown to love

Rosco and Jackie investigating Zeke.  Before Zeke had to evacuate his home in New Orleans due to hurricane Ida, he was scheduled for surgery to repair a luxating patella. Zeke will have the necessary surgery once he gets back home, and for now he is making good use of his stroller:

Pearls:

• Hurricane Ida has been scary to watch; we are grateful for the safety of our loved ones
• Zeke is adorable; my first experience with a Maltese type and I’m in love
• Zeke’s momma taught me how to make authentic New Orleans bread pudding, and cooked shrimp and grilled oysters, all of my favorite food!

A Trip to the Veterinarian

Jackie has been with us three weeks! Yesterday I took her for her first appointment with our veterinarian Dr. J. Scott Mellina at Mellina Animal Hospital. He did an adoption exam and listened to her heart and lungs.  Dr. Mellina prescribed her ongoing heartworm and flea and tick prevention.  Since Jackie has been treated for heartworms recently, it is likely that she is still heartworm positive, so we will wait to do another occult heartworm test for another few months.

Due to concerns over covid and the new viral variants, Mellina Animal Hospital is continuing with their curbside service which I fully support and applaud. Dr. Mellina’s first comment (I stayed in the car and spoke with him over the phone from the parking lot) was what a nice dog Jackie is.  He wants her to continue on Heartguard (ivermectin) due to probably still being heartworm positive.  

When Dr. Mellina listened to Jackie’s heart and lungs, it sounded clear and healthy, with no indication of damage.  Of course that was great news to my ear.  Dr. Mellina took a radiograph of Jackie’s heart and lungs so we will have a baseline if anything changes in the future. 

When Kristen, Dr. Mellina’s veterinary technician, came out to the car to take Jackie in to see the veterinarian, Jackie calmly and confidently trotted in with Kristen.  After the appointment was over and Kristen returned Jackie to me in the parking lot at the car, Kristen reported that Jackie did great, wasn’t timid or scared at all, and received lots of pets and belly rubs from everyone.  It was good that Jackie only got petted and examined; she did not have to have anything invasive like shots or blood tests which helped add to the positive experience her first time in her new vet’s office. 

Since it was also Jackie’s first car ride with me, I had my treat pouch and was sure to reinforce Jackie for lying down quietly in the car.  Jackie handled the whole ride, visit, and return home brilliantly, and it was a positive experience for her first visit with her new veterinarian.

As a little positive reinforcement of my own to the veterinarian staff, I brought Dr. Mellina’s office a goody bag of apples, a variety of chocolates, some mixed nuts, my favorite chocolate dipped cookies, and a card expressing my sincere gratitude.  I am so grateful to the hardworking veterinarians and their staffs out there, keeping our animals healthy, caring for our family members, and adding value to lives every day.

Jackie being loved on by Vet Tech Kristen at Mellina Animal Hospital

Pearls:

• Another milestone: Jackie has been in our home three weeks!
• Jackie’s first veterinary visit went very well and was a positive experience 
• Ongoing heartworm, flea and tick prevention were dispensed, and Dr. Mellina took a baseline radiograph of Jackie’s heart and lungs 
• R+ works on people, too!
• Any time I have the opportunity to do so, I thank my veterinarians and their staff 

Herding Instincts

We’ve had our first casualty due to overly exuberant herding instincts.  Jackie loves to run, fast and hard, and she runs up to Gunner and bumps him with her snout.  It is an invitation to play, but yesterday things got a bit too boisterous and Jackie bumped into Gunner’s head too forcefully.  

While I don’t want to discourage Jackie’s high herding drive, I am also keen to control it for the benefit of all.  We have stepped up our efforts with recall training, sit, down, and stay.  I want to focus Jackie’s high drive, so am working with her on the basics while thinking ahead to foundation games for agility, such as touching a target or following a hand signal to walk over different surfaces.  

High herding drive can be awesome to work with in a dog, with the emphasis on work with.  Herding drive is not something I want to lay dormant to figuratively explode in my face later or be used for behavior in which I’m not interested. So I am working with Jackie to reinforce calm behavior between her brothers, allowing her to play with Gunner but only when he gives consent and only with no physical contact that is so rough.  

To reinforce gentleness I stand near Gunner and manage his personal space, reinforcing gentle behavior on Jackie’s part around Gunner.  It is definitely management at this point, with reinforcement added when applicable for gentle behavior near Gunner.  It is interesting to observe that Jackie is interested in bumping into and chasing Gunner, not Rosco; conversely, Gunner is only interested in bumping and chasing Rosco, not Jackie. Rosco likes to chase toys much more than chasing another dog.

Jackie has to have other possibilities to exert her herding drive, like running, and luring exercises where Jackie follows a target to get onto a mat or elevated surface.  Continued basic obedience training will also stimulate her brain, turning glucose into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which will tire out a girl!

Gunner is going to be fine, and his eye is already less red than pictured here. Good old triple antibiotic ointment is always on hand for the rare bumps and scrapes life doles.

The best I could do at home without a microscope slit lamp camera— though I am a trained ophthalmic photographer, this is the first time I’ve documented eye pathology on a dog!

Pearls:

• Hard play versus more sensitive nature = management required and work on reinforcing calm interactions
• Gunner loves to herd Rosco, but is never forceful or rough; Rosco is quick to stand up for himself with swift retaliation in the form of a strong snarl and lunge if activities get too rough for his liking. Gunner on the other hand is more passive and shrinks when aggressive behavior is displayed toward himself; keeping Gunner and everyone safe and feeling confident is paramount 
• Outlets for herding drive as well as brain games continue to be important
• Triple antibiotic ointment has been a go-to solution for small scrapes in people, horses, and dogs