Good lessons from poor trainer choices

I wanted to start shaping Fizz's retreive today.   She already likes to pick up her dumbell and carry it about, including up and over the BOSU (blue side up, non-rocking).   Normally to start shaping a retreive, one would start with rewarding even a glance at the db, and then increase criteria to a sniff, a lick, a bite.   Because I know she likes to play with it and carry it, I was starting with the criteria of grabbing it with her mouth.   No clicker, b/c it's simply too much for me to work (clicker, food, db).  So just a verbal marker and feed (today's treats are scrambled eggs.......one of her favorites!).

I had planned to start this an hour earlier.  However, as I started gathering stuff, I looked up and there she was, sitting tight on the rocking BOSU.   So I decided to work with what she gave me.  Got the bowl of eggs, and rewarded any movements or position changes on the BOSU.   We had fun playing this game for about 5 minutes.  Finally snapped a leash on her, gave her a release cue, and led her off.  She really seems to like the rocking BOSU (maybe she wishes for a sailboat rocking on the seas??).

After the BOSU work, we spent some time outside, both potty break and playing.   I should have put her up at that point, it was a natural break point in her day.  However, she came back in still zipping around, so I decided to pursue my original goal:  shaping the retreive.   You can see the lower level of "oomph" in her work, due to my poor choice to not put her up, and push forward.  Bad trainer!

We had several distractions going on here: 3.5yr old James bouncing from chair to chair, across an end table and jabbering away.   The flag outside was whipping in the wind and thwacking the screen (I'm surprised that didn't pick up on the audio feed!), and hubby shows up twice.  I had NO idea he'd pet her until I watched this video.......will have to work on that.  "No petting puppy when Mommy's training!"   :)

There's a DWDH moment to work through b/c of my poor choice in timing.  She wasn't showing me great frustration, so I didn't want to end it, I wanted to see her come through it, and she did.   I was even happier with her choice to keep working with me the second time George showed up.   It had to be her CHOICE, and not me being enticing..........thus no big prey object game with the db to get her back.  I want her to work with me because she desires too, and because there is joy in it.....not because of "have to."

Finally, in playing tug, we have a few learning games within the game.  Thanks again to Susan Garrett for her awesome leadership and allowing us to watch Swagger in Puppy Peaks.  I've learned SO much!!!