Perch work - first shaping session

One thing I need in Fizz, as my future obedience partner, is lots of body awareness, rear-end movement and proprioception.   This is why we're working on the BOSU, I have balance disks to work with, and, we are starting to work on a perch.   For now, the perch is a book, as she grows and gains weight/size, the perch will change.   The idea of the perch is to teach the dog to move it's hind end in a circle, while maintaining the front paws on the perch itself.   You want to see a crossing over motion with the hind feet.   This will greatly help during heeling where fine body control is needed in turns, and in the figure 8.

Today's video is our first shaping session.  I have not done much pure shaping with her, and was curious to see how willing she is to offer behaviors.  Earlier today, we'd been out to "Open Gym" at Em's gymnastics gym.  There were 100 kids signed up for the 90min session, plus all their in-two sibs and parents.   Hundreds of people.......and you know we had to use that as a socialization opportunity.   We hung out at both drop off and pick-up, Fizz met probably 70-80 people:  men, women, teens, little kids....it was fantastic!    This shaping session is conducted after her post-visit nap.

I have an ex-pen set up in the den, in order to control her access to "fun" things (cords, the rug liner pad, sticks for the fire, etc).   This allows both of us to focus unfettered on work, rather than having to re-direct from distraction.   Efficient training is good training!