K9 Focus-Bring FOCUS to Life - Week 3

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Get It GameNew LocationWith MeBalance - Food & ToysTraining Skills

Get It Game – Distractions

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. 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 while adding distractions to ensure a reliable HABIT or out and back quickly. The Get It Game is one of the most important foundation skills, it is important to test criteria so your dog will generalize the behavior and maintain criteria in ALL locations and under all situations.

Get It Game – Adding Distractions Reminders:

Once your dog can successfully do the Get It Game in new locations and with tosses at a distance, it is time to add more distractions. This will help TEST your dog’s understanding of the skill as well shift responsibility to him. Some ideas to use might include, an empty dog bowl, a chair or trash can, etc. DO NOT use toys as this will be something we want our dog to get in the future.
When adding distractions, toss short for the first few times and use extra encouragement to get your dog to grab it and come back quickly.
Always greet your dog with the KK/tug game when he returns. Keep re-FOCUSING and running back to you rewarding!
Wean off extra verbal encouragement ONLY IF your dog has shown that he has the HABIT to get back to you quickly.
While playing the “Get It” Game with your dog, INSIST that your dog leave your side briskly and after getting the treat he turns promptly, re-focuses on you and returns to you with intensity, drive, and focus.
MAKE the parts of this SKILL a HABIT!

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

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Grab a few distractions such as, an empty dog bowl, a chair or trash can, etc. DO NOT use toys as this will be something we want our dog to get in the future.
Place one (1) of your distraction out at a distance and over off to the side. Keep the distraction at a distance from your toss and only increase the difficulty (tossing closer) once your dog is maintaining criteria on the GIT game.
While hanging on to your dog, toss a treat out shorter and to the side of the distraction and then send your dog. Always simplify by tossing a short distance for the first few times and use encouragement to get your dog to grab it and come back quickly.
As your dog grabs the treat, look for him refocusing on you. This is the HABIT and our GOAL.
Wean off extra verbal encouragement ONLY IF your dog has shown that he has the HABIT to get back to you quickly. I look for my dog anticipating the turn back to focus and come to me.
Always greet your dog with the KK/tug game when he returns. Spend time engaging before repeating the process as this will build DESIRE in coming to you.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

Placing a distracting too close. Keep distractions at a distance and gradually decrease only once your dog is confident. Doing so will build your dog’s confidence.
Accepting a slow pick up. Insist that your dog grabs 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 wide return or run past you 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. Make sure you play KK or tug with your dog when he comes to you. Make coming to you fun!

Video Notes: This session, Poe and I have bumped up the Get It Game by adding an empty food bowl. Tosses are done at a short distance to start and then we upped the difficulty by tossing closer to or past the bowl. Each time Poe showed effort and the start of the “habit” to quickly grab and turn back toward me. One bad toss that I really should not have sent Poe, but when I saw the problem I moved in to show him where the treat was and just aborted the repetition. Overall it was a great session.

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The NEW LOCATION DRILL teaches your dog that new places are fun and rewarding. It will build the HABIT of FOCUS anytime you are in a new area. NEW LOCATION = FUN = FOCUS!

GOAL – To teach your dog to focus and engage in new places and learn to ignore distractions. Focus is from the second your dog comes out of his crate to the minute he gets back into the crate after training.

New Location drill Reminders:

- The new locations this week are a Higher level area with noises, people, and or dogs in motion.
- If you release your dog from his crate and he will not immediately focus and engage with you, the area is too much! Simplify by moving further from distractions OR moving to a new location.
- The GOAL is to stay engaged for the entire time your dog is out.
- When your time is up, put your dog up and go to another location to repeat 1-2 minutes of play.
- Practice your Leash O/O skill every time you are getting your dog or putting him up.
- Resist adding any additional training.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

At least 2-3 days this week, take your dog to 3 NEW locations in each session.
Pick a Higher level area with noises, people, and or dogs in motion.
If you release your dog from his crate and he will not immediately focus and engage on you, the area is too much! Simplify by moving further from distractions OR moving to a new location.
Each time you go to a new location, PLAY for 1-2 minutes. Set your timer! This can be tug or KK.
The GOAL is to stay engaged for the time your dog is out until he goes back into the crate.
When your time is up, put your dog up and go to another location to repeat 1-2 minutes of play.
Practice the Leash O/O skill every time you are getting or putting your dog up.
Resist adding any additional training.

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.
Increasing distraction difficulty BEFORE your dog is ready. If you release your dog from his crate and he will not immediately focus and engage on you, the area is too much! Simplify by moving further from distractions OR moving to a new location.
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!

Video Notes: High distraction location for play. I switch between tug and KK game just to show how both can be done. I will use the highest value to engage when teaching my dog. Overall Poe did well. It was a good test to see where he is in training. Again, comments on videos. HAHAHA. I need to work on this “out” command.

The “With Me” command 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. This command is given ONCE and your dog is expected to stay in your space UNTIL you give him permission to leave.

Goal – To teach your dog to stay in your space UNTIL given a command to do otherwise. Once your dog is comfortable and easily moving with you, add additional steps forward, while your dog stays in your space.

With Me – in Motion Reminders:

Your dog should stay in your space and on either your left or right. No switching sides. Pick the side he will do this skill on.
If your dog moves out of his “With Me” position, use a negative verbal to “mark” his mistake. Then calmly and slowly go to him and take his collar and move toward your previous location a few steps with your dog.
ALWAYS let go of your dog’s collar once you have gone a few steps. PRAISE as you continue to move IF he is moving with you.
When practicing, DO NOT “remind” your dog to stay with you by continually repeating the “WITH ME” command. Say the command ONCE!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Get your dog and go to a non-distracting location. We are still teaching the skill and want to build understanding and confidence before moving to more distractions.
Give your dog the “With Me” command and slowly start walking a few steps forward. Praise for your dog staying “with you”.
If your dog moves out of his “With Me” position, use a negative verbal to “mark” his mistake, calmly and slowly go to him and take his collar and move toward your previous location a few steps with your dog.
When you have gone a few steps, but while you are still moving, LET GO of his collar. PRAISE while he is moving with you and your hands are OFF his collar.
Say the command ONCE! DO NOT “remind” your dog to stay with you by continually repeating the “WITH ME” command.
REPEAT the skill until your dog consistently moves with you and will remain at your side while you are walking around in a non-distracting area.

COMMON ERRORS – Handlers Make

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!
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.
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.
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!

When you are out with your dog, training or not, use the “With Me” command to teach your dog to be aware and to stay in your space. Hahaha. That means NO MORE TIGHT LEASHES!

Video Notes: Poe and I are working on his With Me while moving. I explain the consequence as we are practicing. We add a leash to the mix only moving a step at a time. Poe needs to understand the process before we add distractions. NOTE: I am not giving him treats, rather I am using praise and petting. Often times, treat/rewards can distract and make it harder for a dog to learn his responsibility.

Video Notes: Karrde and I are working on adding steps on the “With Me”. Karrde has learned to move with collar pressure, and he will stay “With Me” when standing still. While working on this video, Karrde continues to try to move in front of me. I reward a lot for focus in front which explains the issue BUT he needs to learn the difference. Anytime he moves in front, I mark the incorrect behavior. Then I take his collar and move back a bit while moving Karrde into correct position, and praise. I am very persistent about continuing to mark and move him. Toward the end of the video, he is starting to understand PLUS his focus on me improves too. During “With Me” training, reward is only praise or petting for effort. In this session, I felt Karrde really gave me loads of effort.

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A balanced dog will work for any reward!

While training a dog, I will work with food, so I can build desire in work while still working and building desire in tug. If my dog will not tug, all training stops so we can focus on tugging.

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 adding Visible Treat/Toy

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

Place a bowl with low value treats on a chair or on the floor. HAHA. Then 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 and then 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 with the tugging.
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.
Play tug for just a few seconds. Stop playing, this time ask for a sit, and give your dog a treat from the bowl for a fast sit. Tug again. Remember, insist that your dog tugs. No wimping out. HaHaHa.
Out the toy and ask again for a sit. Give your dog a treat from the bowl, and tug again.
If your dog tugs HAPPILY, play for a few seconds, stop, ask for a sit and give one (1) treat from the bowl, then tug again and end your session. END your session on TUG!
If your dog will not tug, keep insisting and do not give up. Interaction of any kind is good. e. step on or chasing toy counts BUT DO NOT give any more treats. End your session.
Repeat this drill 1-3 times throughout the day.
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.

“Everything in life… has to have balance”. Donna Karan

Video Notes: Poe and I are progressing in our balance work. Remember I had said that Poe has a VERY high food drive. This was a great challenge for him. He thought about helping himself to the bowl and I just swished my hand over the bowl. Then a few times you can see him really thinking about the treats in the bowl. HaHaHa. Love to see him thinking. We do a few different commands with rewards of tug or treats from the bowl.

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