Crate games rock!

We've been working on Susan Garrett's Crate Games (DVD), and today I saw a lot of things starting to come together in her head.....awesome to watch! :)   Susan uses CG to teach duration sits, sit under distraction, and it builds very nicely into startline stays, sit at the door before going out, and sit "stays" (if you use the word "stay", I don't).

One of the criteria is that the dog sit at the back of the crate, in order that they are further back from the door (and thus have a better chance of maintaining the criteria of "no part of the dog breaks the plane of the door").   Fizz usually starts in the back, because she's run into the crate to start the games.  However, if we have a rep where she breaks, and the door is closed, she's often in the mid or front section.   I've been waiting her out and rewarding any movement (head turn, foot starting to move) towards the back of the crate for the past 2 sessions.

Today, we took the crate outside, a new environment, so I was expecting to loosen a few criteria.   Boy did she show me.  She upped the ante! :)   I only got her to break her sit once, by putting a whole bowl of treats down inside the crate.   After that, she was sitting in the middle of the crate.   She didn't just think about moving back, she very forcefully pushed her whole self back, still in her tight sit.   Really cute to watch, and exciting to see her thinking so much about it.

Today's distractions included: being outside, Emilie standing nearby (Emilie is ADORED by Fizz)....neither of these factored very much into "Yer Out, Yer In!"   Individual pieces of treat placed in the crate, a bowl of treats, me being 10-12ft away (door open), me running away for 5 full-stride paces, a tug dropped to the ground in front of the crate (open door), a tug being wiggled in the crate.   She actually hopped up and back at that one as if to say "I am NOT falling for it, see me, I'm FAR FAR away!"   The beauty of this is that it is all HER CHOICE.  No force, no "have to."  It is her choice to stay sitting and earn the reward, despite the distractions.    

Because she's doing so well with both the tight sit, and working through distraction, a name will soon be put to the behavior (sit), and we'll bring it out of the crate (working distraction elsewhere, and also start line sits).  Susan had amazing success with Swagger, and it's just the best feeling to see the same "coming together" in Fizz!   :)

Beginning scent discrimination work - 11 wks

Susan Garrett highly recommends video taping your session work, so that you can review it, see what really went on, and have good information for your training log.   As I worked this session, it felt like a  *huge* fail to me.   I felt like we had very few correct responses, and all she was doing was grabbing the empty 'wrong' container.   In watching, I see far more correct responses than it seemed when I was training.   I'm very thankful for having the video (even if James knocks the camera to the ground), and being able to see that it was better than it felt.

We started last night with working a series of plates, building from 1 to 5.   She did very well with that, but not so well with the plastic containers.   She kept grabbing empty containers and just settling in to chew on them.  I had her on leash last night, so she couldn't really go anywhere with them.   Today, while off-leash, we are enclosed in an ex-pen.   I did one round of plates this a.m. to warm up, and then tried to work the containers.

Some background info:  Fizz had a vet appointment yesterday and received a vaccine.   She ate little dinner last night, and even less breakfast this a.m.   B/c she's missed 2 meals, she looks rail thin, her metabolism is so high, she can't afford to be skipping meals right now.  :(   Her energy and attitude have still been good, so I don't think she's ill, though maybe a bit flat from the vaccine yesterday.   I would prefer to see a stronger search for the right container, I know she can follow a scent trail and be very focused in doing so.    After seeing how today's session went, I will wait a few days before trying this again, AND try using a different treat, perhaps something more enticing.

I've never seen her just go lie down on the floor, and she does several times in this video.   That is what makes me think she's a bit flat from the vax yesterday.

A night out

For months before Fizz arrived, I worked on putting together (and revising!) my "Insane Puppy Socialization Plan."   Fizz is to be my obedience partner, among other things, and I don't want to worry about ANYTHING that may come our way in a trial.  I don't care if the judge is on stilts, with a toy train running about her wide brimmed hat and her wig falls off.   That's fine, we'll still be working.   I want Fizz to think that's an every-day occurrence, and not worthy of note.

So....we're going out everywhere that we can, finding anything and everything to experience, and basically trying to see the whole world and all its oddities.    Tonight, we went out to a local Catholic facility who has a few acres of walking paths, and an amazing light display at Christmas time, complete with beautiful Christmas hymns.   I had hoped that on such a warm night (65F), there would be a lot of people out.   However, it's early in the season, and I wondered tonight if not many people realize that the shrine is open for lights.

Fizz had a grand time wandering about, met a few people including 2 young girls (sisters) who have an 8mos Boxer pup at home.  Because we were so busy sniffing things, hubby and the kids got ahead of us.   At one point, she put her nose to the ground, and I could hear those deep inhale/exhale sounds of a dog working a track.   She pulled me right up a steep hill (in the dark), and around to where the kids were.   Big praise for that!

As we were finishing our tour, the rain started, at a fairly steady pace.   Fizz's nose shot straight up in the air, and she started biting at the rain, I haven't laughed so hard in ages.   Never have I seen a puppy "attack" the rain....but I tell you, this girl's prey drive.............she's a dream!    Again, the kids and hubby got well ahead of us, and this time, she tracked solidly on a hard surface (paved sidewalk).   The focus and intensity were awesome to see.   The tracking history behind Fizz is amazingly strong, and I look forward to having her out one day on the TD/TDX/VST fields.

So tonight's experience brought us:  new people to meet, scent work, new environment at night, areas of loud music, lit/moving things (taller than me), and some simple work (hand targets, name game) in a very new and different environment.   There is no such thing as too much socialization!!

Learning Susan Garrett's stand

Fizz turned 11wks today.  I need to get her on the scale, but I'm guessing she's 20+ lbs.  We're in another "loooong" spell and whereas Wednes she looked quite fine, on Thurs, she looked as if I hadn't fed her in a week.  Egads, I'd pay for that kind of metabolism!!

A few weeks ago, I posted video of Vikka learning a new method to Stand, as taught by Susan Garrett.  Fizz is familiar with hand targets, and today I decided to work on teaching her the stand.   Her natural "leapiness" fed right into the method, and I have no doubt that once I get my mechanics figured out, this will come right together.

We've been working a lot the past three weeks on value for me, attitude and focus during work, and the fact that work = play = work (Thank you S.G.!!).  Fizz is showing me a love of playing and working, and a willingness to take this journey in AKC Obedience with me.   I'm so excited!!   Here are 3 photos from this afternoon which embody all that we've been working on.