Clarity

Organizing my training this week around clarity, I have been throwing too much at Jackie too soon. I have such a huge desire to consistently do the right thing, teach with the best practices, and educate Jackie toward continuing to be a great companion as well as looking forward to an agility career, with the ability for a career in obedience should we choose. 

In order to be 100% consistent, it is impossible to teach all of this, all the time.  Starting Jackie in basic obedience class this week has helped bring some much needed clarity.  It seems obvious, but as an example I want to reinforce Jackie 100% of the time for coming to me, in order to teach a strong, reliable recall.  My observation was that if Jackie is interested in sniffing a snake, for example, and I call her off it to me, that praise and piece of reinforcing chicken in that particular moment is not reinforcing, but now rather I’ve punished Jackie for coming to me since she had to leave the much more interesting investigation of the snake.  

When I asked this question in class, I was given the permission to not get so much in my head.  Sometimes the handler cannot get into this negative loop of over-analyzing. One can bog down in the semantics and over-study of reinforcement theory, and miss the point.  And sometimes you just can’t allow the dog to do the thing, so recall her back and move on with your lives. Instead of trying to teach ALL THE THINGS RIGHT NOW, I’ve given myself permission to focus on just the basics to be learned this week: sit, down, and nose-touch-a-hand-target. 

Of course when the opportunity presents to reinforce other behavior I want, I will reinforce for that behavior when it is reasonable and clear to do so. Common sense goes a long way. However, for example Jackie knows to wait at the door before going outside, that should be enough.  I cannot dwell at the door, asking her to “sit” then reinforcing that, and then waiting for eye contact and reinforcing that, then reinforce releasing on an “ok” signal without me moving my body….. aaaaaahr! so Jackie is still at the door just wanting to go outside, which she does probably 100 times at day; it is a recipe for frustration! 

Instead, I need to pick one thing, she waits at the door then is allowed outside with a release word.  It is seemingly a small differentiation, but in the idea of making behaviors easy (for both handler and canine!) it is a BIG difference.  

Using the clicker more often has also been suggested to improve clarity, as much for me as well as for Jackie.  Using our marker word “yes” is fine too, but the clicker is a good skill for a handler to have, so I am making an effort to incorporate using the clicker in our weekly training.  

This week I’ve lessened my intensity in training, by focusing on only a couple three to five minute sessions a day, on the core elements from basic obedience class homework and basic foundations for agility class homework only. Slowing time down to speed up the training— a principle I learned  from dressage training during many years of ongoing clinic lessons with Jeff Moore, and a principle that I am still learning to apply with my dogs’ education as well.  

A dog, a person, a horse, can best learn only one specific skill at a time, so narrowing the behavior down to the lowest common denominator and consistently reinforcing that behavior will prevent frustration for the learner, and instill stronger skills in the long run. Eventually behavior will be stacked, but I need to avoid stacking behaviors when teaching.  I’m giving myself permission to choose A behavior, work on that for a few minutes a couple times a day, and otherwise give Jackie and myself time.

Pearls:

• True clarity and consistency occurs by focusing on one small  individual behavior at a time
• Studying theory is great, but leave it in your head while following best practices
• Jeff Moore often talked about how to “slow time down” to speed training
• Reinforce one simple behavior at a time; avoid stacking behaviors when training a new skill
• Give yourself permission to go slowly; work few times a day for few minutes only 
  
  
  
  Jackie being beautiful