K9 Focus-Bring FOCUS to Life – Week 2

Get It Game -ADDING Distance in Toss

While playing the “Get It” Game with your dog, INSIST that your dog leave your side briskly, after getting the treat he turns promptly and returns to you with intensity, drive, and focus.

The foundations for this great game can be found on this page. Get It Game

While you play the Get It game with your dog, be sure to regain his focus after he returns to you by jumping for a treat or toy in your hand or talking to him while you get ready for another game!

Goal – To continue to build on the HABIT of fast out, grab, fast back.  The skill of refocusing and returning quickly should become a HABIT.  Only wean of extra cues WHEN you see the HABIT.

Get It Game -ADDING Distance in Toss Reminders

• When adding distance in your toss for the first few times, use extra encouragement to get your dog to grab and come back quickly.
• Always greet your dog with the KK/tug game when he returns. Having FUN games when your dog returns to you will help build DESIRE to get back to you quickly. Keep it FUN for your dog to come to you.
• Only start to wean off the extra verbal encouragement IF your dog shows that he has the HABIT built in the skill.
• FAST OUT, GRAB THE TREAT, FAST BACK and LOADS of FUN!
• MAKE the out, grab and back a HABIT!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• Hang on to your dog and toss a treat out further then in your last session and send your dog.
• Make coming back to you quickly FUN and DESIREABLE by playing KK/tug game when your dog returns.  Having FUN games when your dog returns to you will help build DESIRE to get back to you quickly. 
• Repeat the sequence a few times before ending your session.
• Only start to wean off the extra verbal encouragement IF your dog shows that he has the HABIT built in the skill.  We want your dog to quickly FOCUS on your location as he grabs the treat.
• FAST OUT, GRAB THE TREAT, FOCUS on you/FAST BACK and LOADS of FUN!

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Accepting a slow pick up. Insist that your dog grab the treat quickly. Use verbal words and walk away from your dog to get him to hurry.
• Allowing the dog to stop and chew a treat. Haha. Your dog can eat and run at the same time. Make it urgent for your dog to hurry and get back to you. If needed, teach your dog to hurry and eat before starting to teach the Get It Game. While he is close to you, feed him small treats one after another in a rapid fire progression.
• Letting the dog do a loop or wide return after grabbing the treat. When your dog is bending to grab the treat, start to immediately call and insist it urgent for him to get back to you quickly.
• Letting the dog do a run past you instead of coming to you directly. Make sure you play KK or tug with your dog when he comes to you. Make coming to you fun!

Bad trainer, I used an area that was too narrow, and treats kept bouncing off into the grass. This is not an area I will use again with treats as it broke the “flow” of our training.

I LOVE the NEW LOCATION DRILL.  It teaches your dog that new places are fun and rewarding.  It also will begin a new journey in non-acclimating in new locations.  That is, to start working anytime or any place!

GOAL – To teach your dog to focus in new places and that training out and about is fun and exciting.  Stay engaged from the second your dog comes out of his crate when at a New Location all the time until he gets back to his crate once training is over. 

New Location Reminders:

• At least 1 or more days this week, take your dog to 3 NEW locations.
• Pick a Medium distraction location, such as an area with a few noises, maybe a few people moving around, or being at a distance from a store.
• Simplify to Low distractions area if you see your dog can not immediately engage and easily with you.
• Each time you go to a new location, PLAY for 1-2 minutes. Don’t forget to set a timer!  This can be tug, KK, or chasing a toy or you.
• When your time is up, keep engaged as you put your dog up and go to another location to repeat 1-2 minutes of play.
• Start in areas that will be less distracting for your dog.  That is minimize the number of people, no dogs.
• Practice your Leash O/O skill every time you are getting your dog.
• NO other additional training added.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• This week, take your dog to 3 NEW locations and PLAY for 1-2 minutes.  Don’t forget to set a timer!  This can be tug or KK.
• Pick a Medium distraction location, such as an area with a few noises, maybe a few people moving around, or being at a distance from a store.
• Simplify to Low distractions area if you see your dog can not immediately engage easily with you.
• When your time is up, engage with your dog all the way back to his crate and go to another location to repeat 1-2 minutes of play.
• Keep your sessions fun and build up a reward history and successes.
• Practice your leash on/off skill every time you are getting your dog.
• No other training.  Concentrate of the focused play and engagement.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Letting the dog look around.  The second your dog gets out of the crate, insist on engagement of either KK or tug.  This will create the HABT of focusing on you when coming out of his crate and in all new locations.
• Accepting no engagement the minute the dog gets out of the crate.  Insist your dog engage with you. If he will not, either his motivation isn’t high enough OR the location is too distracting.  Simplify, we need success to build a reward and fun history.
• Losing engagement going back to the crate.  Keep the game going even when FEEL you are finished!  REMEMBER – training/showing/performance starts when your dog comes out of his crate and isn’t over until he goes back in!

The “With Me” command is basically loose leash walking with indirect focus.    This is NOT head’s up focus or staying in an exact heel position.  “With Me” implies that your dog knows where you are without the need to look directly at you.  In addition, your dog is close to you when he is on a “With Me” command and will not leave UNTIL you give him permission to do so.

Goal – To teach your dog to always stay in your space UNTIL he is given a command to do otherwise.

With Me Adding Movement Reminders:

• Rewards/toys are not needed with this drill.  Praise is a great reward and gives your dog information.
• When add motion to this skill it is easier if your dog is standing opposed to sitting.
• If your dog doesn’t move with you OR moves away from you, use your negative marker, and calmly take your dog’s collar, apply pressure on his collar either back or toward you while you take one (1) step away from your dog.  We want to communicate to your dog that moving with you is key.
• Praise your dog when he moves toward you due to the pressure.  NO TREATS.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• Have your dog on leash and standing next to you on either your left or right side.  This is NOT a formal stand command, rather your dog is just relaxed and standing next to you.  
• Give your “With Me” command and take ONE (1) step forward.
• Stop and stand still.
• If your dog stays “with you”, that is he moves the step, praise.
• If your dog doesn’t move with you OR moves away from you, use your negative marker, and calmly take your dog’s collar, apply pressure on his collar either back or toward you while you take one (1) step away from your dog.  We want to communicate to your dog that moving with you is key.
• Once you have moved your dog next to you, LET GO of your dog’s collar and again give your command and take a step.
• Praise your dog when he moves with you.

If your dog moves away from you – the sequence is:

• Use a negative verbal to “mark” his mistake.
• Calmly take your dog’s collar.
• After you have his collar, back up or move away from your dog in a slow, deliberate manner, bringing your dog with you.
• Once your dog is next to you, LET GO of his collar.
• Praise your dog for continuing to move towards you or staying “WITH YOU”.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Using rewards/lures to keep your dog with you.   This drill really doesn’t need treat rewards, rather use your praise and petting to reward.
• Your dog resists when you take his collar.  Before continuing with your training, condition your dog by taking his collar and immediately feeding him a treat.  Repeat this several times until your dog is comfortable with your taking his collar.
• Your dog will not move with collar pressure.  This concept often takes a dog a bit before he catches on to the criteria.  Make sure your dog is standing up and your pressure is backwards opposed to up when applying pressure to his collar.  Be consistent and persistent while training.
• Holding onto your dog’s collar AFTER moving your dog back to your space.  The best way to know if your dog will stay in your space is to have your hands off your dog and the leash is always loose.
• Not giving verbal praise when your dog is giving effort.  Verbal input when your dog is right or wrong is a great way to communicate your wishes to your dog.   HAHA.  Just do not be excessive!
• Waiting too long to mark your dog is incorrect.  That is, the first inch your dog leaves or doesn’t remain in your space, ACT!

Goal – To balance the value between treats and toys so a handler can use either and have options during a training session.  

This section is about “focusing” on the “balance” between toys and treats. This process might take longer than a month BUT it is worth your effort in the long run!

Reminders Balance – Food and Toys

• If your dog prefers food over toys, gather a few HIGHLY desirable toys and LOW value food.
• If your dog prefers toys over food, gather HIGH value treats and a LOWER value toy.  Use games like KK which will make the food more interesting and make sure your dog is hungry.
• When switching from desired toy/food to less desired toy/food, insist on your dog engage.   You MUST persist.
• If your dog will not tug/KK, keep insisting and do not give up. Interaction of any kind is good.
• If your dog is a tug lover, do just the opposite of the above with treats and KK.
• My preference will always be use of toys over food to the point that I will let any training with treats slide altogether if my puppy will not play with me. In the long run, the behaviors I will teach will be easily taught if I can build and maintain the “balance” between treats and toys.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• First gather appropriate treats and grab your dog.
• If your dog loves treats, first play tug for just a few seconds with a high value toy.
• Stop playing and give your dog one (1) treat the tug again.   INSIST he tug.   If your dog will not tug, keep insisting and do not give up. Interaction of any kind is good. I.e. step on or chasing toy counts BUT DO NOT give any more treats. End your session.
• Do NOT move to the next step until he will tug engaged and happily.  That is you do not have to insist rather your dog will readily tug the first time asked.
• Next, ask for a Simple sit. Give your dog one (1) low value Treat for the sit, and tug again.  Insist on your dog tugs.
• If your dog tugs HAPPILY, play for a few seconds, stop, ask for a sit and give one (1) treat, then tug again and end your session.   END on TUG!
• If your dog is a tug lover, do just the opposite of the above. Use HIGH value treats and lower value toys.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

• Giving your dog a treat for tugging. totally fine to give treat and play KK after a commanded skill. Avoid giving treats in conjunction with tug. When building a balance, we want our dog focused on the tug and not distracted by the treat.
• Giving up trying to get your dog to play/tug once you have given a treat. Letting your dog decide if they will play or not is most likely the biggest reason dogs do not tug.
• Your dog doesn’t like to tug. When teaching tug, avoid pushing a toy at or putting a toy in your dog’s mouth. This is often demotivating. Think SQUIRREL. A squirrel will run away from your dog, not jump in your dog’s mouth. Haha.

K9 Focus-Bring FOCUS to Life – Week 2

• Take into consideration, the Level your dog is currently performing at in training.
• FOCUS on building DESIRE in ALL engagement!
• Once your dog loves a game, use them to reward simple skills.
• Desire, SPEED, EFFORT!   Look for all 3 when training.

Below are training skills for the week. Make your training plan, write it down, and after make notes after of successes and results.  The skills this week are done in your home or yard OR a NEW Medium distraction location. :>)

TRAINING SKILLS THIS WEEK

Get It Game

• Hang on to your dog and toss a treat out further then in your last session and send your dog.
• Make coming back to you quickly FUN and DESIREABLE by playing KK/tug game when your dog returns. Having FUN games when your dog returns to you will help build DESIRE to get back to you quickly.
• Repeat the sequence a few times before ending your session.
• Only start to wean off the extra verbal encouragement IF your dog shows that he has the HABIT built in the skill.  We want your dog to quickly FOCUS on your location as he grabs the treat.
• FAST OUT, GRAB THE TREAT, FOCUS on you/FAST BACK and LOADS of FUN!

New Location

• This week, take your dog to 3 NEW locations and PLAY for 1-2 minutes.  Don’t forget to set a timer!  This can be tug or KK.
• Pick a Medium distraction location, such as an area with a few noises, maybe a few people moving around, or being at a distance from a store.
• Simplify to Low distractions area if you see your dog can not immediately engage easily with you.
• When your time is up, engage with your dog all the way back to his crate and go to another location to repeat 1-2 minutes of play.
• Keep your sessions fun and build up a reward history and successes.
• Practice your leash on/off skill every time you are getting your dog.
• No other training.  Concentrate of the focused play and engagement.

With Me!

• Have your dog on leash and standing next to you on either your left or right side.  This is NOT a formal stand command, rather your dog is just relaxed and standing next to you.  
• Give your “With Me” command and take ONE (1) step forward.
• Stop and stand still.
• If your dog stays “with you”, that is he moves the step, praise.
• If your dog doesn’t move with you OR moves away from you, use your negative marker, and calmly take your dog’s collar, apply pressure on his collar either back or toward you while you take one (1) step away from your dog.  We want to communicate to your dog that moving with you is key.
• Once you have moved your dog next to you, LET GO of your dog’s collar and again give your command and take a step.
• Praise your dog when he moves with you.

If your dog moves away from you – the sequence is:

• Use a negative verbal to “mark” his mistake.
• Calmly take your dog’s collar.
• After you have his collar, back up or move away from your dog in a slow, deliberate manner, bringing your dog with you.
• Once your dog is next to you, LET GO of his collar.
• Praise your dog for continuing to move towards you or staying “WITH YOU”.

Balance Food and Toys

• First gather appropriate treats and grab your dog.
• If your dog loves treats, first play tug for just a few seconds with a high value toy.
• Stop playing and give your dog one (1) treat the tug again.   INSIST he tug.   If your dog will not tug, keep insisting and do not give up. Interaction of any kind is good. I.e. step on or chasing toy counts BUT DO NOT give any more treats. End your session.
• Do NOT move to the next step until he will tug engaged and happily.  That is you do not have to insist rather your dog will readily tug the first time asked.
• Next, ask for a Simple sit. Give your dog one (1) low value Treat for the sit, and tug again.  Insist on your dog tugs.
• If your dog tugs HAPPILY, play for a few seconds, stop, ask for a sit and give one (1) treat, then tug again and end your session.   END on TUG!
• If your dog is a tug lover, do just the opposite of the above. Use HIGH value treats and lower value toys.