Wag along with me
Using a target stick in times of stress
I have been frustrated and depressed working with Batman since our last dog trial. As those of you who have been following my training issues already know, Batman has nerve problems when it comes to the gunfire that is part of the next phases of Schutzhund. We tried fixing the issue using an ecollar, which did not work with Batman in this instance. I’m not saying ecollars are the work of the devil. I have seen them do some great things in the hands of a skilled person. But, in this instance for Batman, it was not the right tool.
Since then, whenever Batman is on our training field, he just quakes. I call him jello dog. But, I think I may have had a training breakthrough and I want to share it as it may help someone else.
For the last 4-5 months, when I take Batman onto our training field for obedience work, I’ve had nothing. He won’t heel, sit or down without lots of about turns, frustration, repeated commands, treats, etc. And he shakes continually. Now, bitework on the field was different. He would still come out and do a hold and bark. But, any obedience turned him into jello dog as it was during the obedience that the gunfire occurred.
Laura of Canines in Action had suggested I try teaching Batman to relax. So, I started in some place non stressful and quiet and would click for stretching out of toes, resting of chin on the ground, relaxing of tail, etc. Then I worked on that some on the field.
But, frankly, I had kind of just given it up as a lost cause because I’m not good at long term behavior fixes. I lack the patience needed for finesse work.
On the other hand, I’m one extremely stubborn person. I spent 8 hours over the course of two days removing a virus from a friend’s computer because I refused to be defeated by it. So, last week I took Batman back onto the obedience field. Again, I had jello dog. So, I just went to the middle of the field and was working on the relaxing, but I got bored. So, I decided to work on tricks instead. I’ve been using a target stick to teach Batman to crawl. I hold the stick a few inches from his nose and he crawls forward to touch it. In a matter of minutes we had “crawled” about 10 feet. In the process, I noticed something I hadn’t seen for awhile – a happy, excited, willing to work Batman and no signs of jello dog.
Last night, I took Batman out onto the field again and while he wasn’t quite as trembly as last week, he was still not willing to work. So, I got out my target stick and asked if he could touch it while sitting on my left side. He could indeed. So, I just started walking and after about 5 minutes of Batman trying to decide what was going on, he decided he could walk on my left side, with his head up, touching the target stick and he could do it happily. I had a totally different dog. I heeled up and down the field. I did about turns, both right and left. Suddenly I noticed my automatic “sit” had come back when I stopped. My dog was happy. He was willing to work. He walked off the field with his tail up and curled rather than kind of hanging down his back.
Laura says the target stick is a totally different behavior to Batman. It isn’t “heeling” it is walking beside me touching a target stick, so it has no bad memories associated with it. She suggested I no longer use the word “heel” but that I give the same behavior a new word and retrain it. So, “heel” is now no longer in my vocabulary and I’m going to use “forward.” I think I’ll have to use “forward” for Condor too because I’m not good at even remembering the name of the dog I’m currently working, let alone if I try and give each dog a different word for the same behavior. I have a hard enough time walking and chewing gum, I don’t need to further confuse myself.
So, my little Bat dog had a good experience. I had a good experience and even if Batman still never progresses further in Schutzhund, at least I can say he can work on the training field again.
Good Bat!
Here is a photo of a happy Batman playing with foster pup, Chippers.
Since then, whenever Batman is on our training field, he just quakes. I call him jello dog. But, I think I may have had a training breakthrough and I want to share it as it may help someone else.
For the last 4-5 months, when I take Batman onto our training field for obedience work, I’ve had nothing. He won’t heel, sit or down without lots of about turns, frustration, repeated commands, treats, etc. And he shakes continually. Now, bitework on the field was different. He would still come out and do a hold and bark. But, any obedience turned him into jello dog as it was during the obedience that the gunfire occurred.
Laura of Canines in Action had suggested I try teaching Batman to relax. So, I started in some place non stressful and quiet and would click for stretching out of toes, resting of chin on the ground, relaxing of tail, etc. Then I worked on that some on the field.
But, frankly, I had kind of just given it up as a lost cause because I’m not good at long term behavior fixes. I lack the patience needed for finesse work.
On the other hand, I’m one extremely stubborn person. I spent 8 hours over the course of two days removing a virus from a friend’s computer because I refused to be defeated by it. So, last week I took Batman back onto the obedience field. Again, I had jello dog. So, I just went to the middle of the field and was working on the relaxing, but I got bored. So, I decided to work on tricks instead. I’ve been using a target stick to teach Batman to crawl. I hold the stick a few inches from his nose and he crawls forward to touch it. In a matter of minutes we had “crawled” about 10 feet. In the process, I noticed something I hadn’t seen for awhile – a happy, excited, willing to work Batman and no signs of jello dog.
Last night, I took Batman out onto the field again and while he wasn’t quite as trembly as last week, he was still not willing to work. So, I got out my target stick and asked if he could touch it while sitting on my left side. He could indeed. So, I just started walking and after about 5 minutes of Batman trying to decide what was going on, he decided he could walk on my left side, with his head up, touching the target stick and he could do it happily. I had a totally different dog. I heeled up and down the field. I did about turns, both right and left. Suddenly I noticed my automatic “sit” had come back when I stopped. My dog was happy. He was willing to work. He walked off the field with his tail up and curled rather than kind of hanging down his back.
Laura says the target stick is a totally different behavior to Batman. It isn’t “heeling” it is walking beside me touching a target stick, so it has no bad memories associated with it. She suggested I no longer use the word “heel” but that I give the same behavior a new word and retrain it. So, “heel” is now no longer in my vocabulary and I’m going to use “forward.” I think I’ll have to use “forward” for Condor too because I’m not good at even remembering the name of the dog I’m currently working, let alone if I try and give each dog a different word for the same behavior. I have a hard enough time walking and chewing gum, I don’t need to further confuse myself.
So, my little Bat dog had a good experience. I had a good experience and even if Batman still never progresses further in Schutzhund, at least I can say he can work on the training field again.
Good Bat!
Here is a photo of a happy Batman playing with foster pup, Chippers.
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