Meet Marti! A sweet and energetic three year old Goldendoodle has joined Off Leash So Cal for our Two-Week Board and Train Program. She comes to us struggling with a few unwanted behaviors such as barking excessively, often demanding for attention which results in her jumping as well. She picks things up from the floor, not dropping it when told. When on walks, she pulls heavily on the leash.
Over these next two weeks Marti and I will expose her to plenty of new environments as we work on building her confidence. We will provide plenty of structure, clear communication, and leadership to help Marti become a well mannered pup. Stay tuned for her Two-Week transformation!
Marti and I explored our new surroundings today as we strolled around the park. I tested what she knew, cuing a few different commands. She responded to Sit here and there, Ā however ignored her name when being called as her environment had her attention. Marti felt confident enough to jump onto new surfaces when asked, which is a great start for her!
Ā Ā Once we got to her new temporary home, she explored for a while before she got settled in and went into the crate with ease, ready to eat her dinner. We will introduce her to new obedience commands tomorrow!Ā
Marti and I started our day by introducing her to a few communication tools such as the slip lead and e collar. The slip lead is used to guide Marti with directional changes of the leash. I apply leash pressure in the direction I want her to go and the second she follows the path created for him, I turn that pressure off. Any time I apply leash pressure, I apply stimulation from the e collar as well. Marti at first resisted the leash pressure. Once I marked and rewarded the few steps she took in the direction I wanted her to go, she began to understand how to turn the pressure off and followed my lead quite nicely.Ā
I introduced her to Come to Sit which is the action of Marti coming around behind me to Sit on my left hand side ready to Heel. She was a natural at this and learned quickly that all of the good stuff came to her when she Sat on my left side. This is how I begin to build value with Marti in a specific position. I Cued Martiās name frequently, rewarding her when she offered me her attention. This is called the name game and is a great game to practice around distractions to build engagement during training. A focused dog is a dog that is ready to work!Ā
Marti and I spent the day working on our Heel, as we strolled around the neighborhood. I cue Heel before I move forward from a stationary position and anytime there is a change of pace or direction. She is expected to walk with me on my left hand side, checking in frequently until released with the cue Break. She should not be sniffing the ground looking for items to pick up. If she becomes distracted or veers off track, I cue Off then Heel. Off is a cue that is used to tell Marti that something is off limits. It can be used to stop her from excessively barking, or jumping. Cuing an alternative behavior to offer instead helps Marti find more productive ways to spend her time and gives her a job to do. If she is expected to jump due her to over stimulation , being proactive is key to preventing unwanted behaviors. If I suspect that she is going to jump I cue Sit right before she jumps which she is responding to fairly quickly. Marti has not barked for attention yet can be demanding for attention by jumping. I immediately correct this by popping the leash upwards and cuing Off. It is important to correct this every time. Petting her when she jumps is never recommended as that will only reinforce the unwanted behavior.Ā
Marti and I explored the neighborhood together as we practiced her Heel, making frequent turns, having her Sit whenever I stop walking. We emphasized our work on her Extended Sit, and Come to Sit. After many repetitions she demonstrated consistency with holding her Sit for up to a minute and a half long, which is almost at our goal!Ā
After working on what she has already learned, I then introduced her to a new command at home, which is Place. Place is great to use to help create a calm state of mind, gives dogs an alternate behavior to perform, builds confidence in a dog, Ā & prevents unwanted behaviors for example, jumping on guests or begging for attention/food . ItĀ can essentially be practiced on top of any elevated surface. Dogs are naturally more confident while on elevated surfaces. I recommend purchasing a foldable elevated dog cot to practice with both inside and outside the house. Having something familiar for Marti to Place on while adapting to an unfamiliar environment helps bridge the transition much more quickly.Ā
Marti and I had the opportunity to train at the park today, as we practiced all of her commands near other trainers and their pups. We started our training session with a walk around the park as we worked on her Heel. Whenever Marti tries to take the lead, I take a few steps back and call her to Come and Sit by my left hand side. This helps condition Marti to correct herself, positioning herself in the Heel position again. At times Marti tries to veer off track, walking the opposite direction when held accountable to follow through with commands. I counter condition this by guiding her with the leash towards me, as I apply stimulation from the e collar until she comes back towards my side. After a few repetitions Marti began to understand that the only way to turn off the e collar stimulation was to follow through with what was requested of her, as she is in charge of when that stimulation stops. If she follows through without any guidance needed from me I mark it with a Yes and reward her with affection or a tasty freeze dried treat!
Marti and I ventured out to the park together where we Ā proofed her commands near various distractions such as wildlife, other dogs, kids running around, etc. Marti was intrigued by her surroundings initially, as she sniffed around soaking it all in. After a few minutes of exploring, and going on a potty break, we began our session.Ā
After a few repetitions of Come to Sit, and Heel, I noticed Marti was very engaged in training, ready to perform the next task at hand. She was consistent with her commands, however needed extra communication during her Heel to help her maintain position. I cue Heel whenever she tries to pull ahead, or whenever there is a change of pace/direction. I cue her name before any command, as that is the best way to grab her attention. Marti has hit her goal of two minutes for all of her commands, demonstrating she is ready to begin dragging the leash, as we are one step closer to our Off Leash goal!Ā
Marti and I built distance between us for all of her commands while out at the park together, exploring our new surroundings. There were quite a few distractions to work near, as we focused our work on building her confidence while she maintained positioned in the Sit or Down. I walked away from her, gradually adding more steps away. Initially she wanted to follow me, but after a few reminders to Sit, she Ā did great with this, waiting for the release word Break! We dragged the leash on the floor as we practiced her Come to Sit from a distance of 10 ft or more. We then Ā Heeled around the park, with the leash dragging as well.Ā
Marti is a sweet pup who can be too dependent, seeking attention if she is bored without a job to do. It is important to meet her exercise needs, preferably in the morning to start the day off with exercise. Marti receives love and affection the most, while working. If we are not working, I will call her to come and be pet, however I never pet her when she demands it. This is the key part in preventing demanding barks, or jumps for attention. Since Marti mainly works for her attention, and is pet more so on my terms rather than hers, she does not demand attention from me at all. Instead, she waits for my cue to come and work or receive love. If I stop petting her, she does not ask for more attention. If she were to do this, I would simply give her an alternate behavior to perform such as Place or Down. As long as there is consistency with this relationship dynamic when she goes back home, she will be set up for success, knowing that demanding does not get her what she seeks, only working does!
Marti and I have been primarily focusing our work on creating distance between us for her commands as we Ā increase the level of distractions while training as well. She has met our goal of two minutes minimum for her Extended Sit, Down and Place. We are working on cleaning up her Come to Sit, as sometimes she stops halfway. When she does this, I create distance between us to have her repetitively perform the command requested of her, correctly. Once she correctly performs it, I mark it with a yes paired with lots of love. I have attached a video our trip to The Outlets which was busier than usual. This was great exposure for Marti to work through!
Marti and I practiced her commands utilizing a 15 ft leash as we increased distance between us for all of her commands. We are working on weaning her off leash pressure, as she is now following visual cues paired with the stimulation of the e collar. Marti is consistent with her commands, performing the requested task on cue. She did well with performing her Come to Sit, Extended Down, Place and Sit while distractions were present. We are one step closer towards our off leash goal!Ā
Marti and I ventured out to the mall where we have began to prepare her for off leash work utilizing the 15 ft leash. She is problem solving more often, following my visual & verbal cues paired with e collar stimulation. She does not rely on leash pressure, yet at times needs help with a few steps forward or back to help her into position on my left hand side. We then Heeled around the mall, practicing her Extended Sit, Down and Place on top of different surfaces. Marti is very engaged while in public places, checking in with me quite often.Ā
Once we got home she met friends and family that were visiting, practicing her Greeting Manners and Place command as we hung out by the dinner table. Marti did great with holding her Place command, as we added a few breaks in between.
Marti and I had an eventful day of training both on & off leash while we worked on her Come to Sit, Heel, Extended Sit, Down, and Place. We began to film content for her final video as she received tons of attention from friendly people that noticed her good behavior. She practiced her Greeting Manners and held her Extended Sit while being pet. It is important to communicate to whoever is petting her, that she should only be pet if all four paws are on the floor. Petting her while she is jumping is rewarding demanding behavior, which can lead to demand barking as well. Marti has done well with not demanding attention anymore, waiting for her cue to come and be pet. Amazing job Marti!
Marti and I began to film content for her final video while out at the mall. She absolutely killed it as she fluently performed all of the behaviors requested of her. She jumped onto Place as we practiced on different surfaces, holding her Place for a minimum of two minutes but has even hit a record of four minutes as distractions are present. She practiced her extended Sit as she received love from friendly new people, and did great with maintaining engaged during our session. Fantastic work Marti!Ā
Marti and I ventured out to the park where we worked on proofing her off leash commands near a few new pups. She remains very fluent with her commands, responding quickly to every task requested of her. As long as she is held accountable for her actions at all times, she will always behave accordingly as she knows what we expect of her. If a pup is given an inch they will often take a mile, so it is up to us as her handlers, to remain consistent with having her follow through at all times. Finding a great routine that works for your schedule with Marti helps create structure, dogs are creatures of routine after all! Training sessions are recommended daily with Marti to keep up with her training. Short and effective training sessions go a long way!Ā
Marti has learned boundaries, not jumping on the door to open it anymore. She has learned that when she sits and waits patiently, the door will open. If she gets up, the door closes on her. The door is an important threshold to remain consistent with so Marti wonāt have a habit of being the first one out.Ā
After Heeling together around the neighborhood and working on her Manners, we played together in the backyard with the other pups. Playtime is a great outlet for Marti to release her energy. She loves to play fetch! Since she is a very energetic pup, this is highly recommended.
We emphasize our work on distance away from each other, which I recommend keeping up with to prevent his separation anxiety from escalating. It is best to never make it a big deal when you come and go so Blink doesnāt see it is a big deal either. Crate training also greatly helps with separation anxiety, especially when at home with Blink. Periods of time alone throughout the day helps prepare him for time apart.Ā
Marti has overall become more confident, can hold her Place and Extended Sit for a minimum of two minutes, and can Come to Sit from about 15 ft away. I recommend constantly taking Marti to new environments. Since she can be a nervous girl at times, desensitization to new places will only further improve her training. She is a loving girl who needs a lot of guidance, structure and leadership to thrive and follow instructions. She has come a long way and we can not wait to show you what she has learned. Thank you for trusting me with Marti!Ā
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