Training Ambitions and the Protocol for Relaxation: Day 1

After thinking more about how I need to change the way I handle when I switch dogs, I realized that agility isn't the only place I'm inflexible. Of all the dog training and behavior books I've now read (not a few, considering I'm so new to dog sports) I read them each with Sadie in mind. Control Unleashed - How could I use it to reduce her reactivity to other dogs? On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals - How could I help her understand canine body language better, and help me read her emotional state? The Other End of the Leash - How can I understand what makes Sadie, Sadie?

All this wonderful knowledge that I've accumulated, and I only have an inkling how to apply it to Maxwell. I'm starting by re-reading Control Unleashed. Hopefully incorporating some of the CU games into agility class will help him focus better. Having not even gotten through the first chapter, the author mentions the Protocol for Relaxation. Look, a way to teach a dog to relax! Sounds perfect, right?

So my new goal is to work through the PfR with Maxwell. No matter how long it takes, and this could be many months, I want him to eventually learn to relax in the presence of livestock. That is his ultimate trigger. Achievable, as long as I set realistic steps along the way. The plan is to do this at least 6 nights a week until success. And if Sadie gets to do it, too... so much the better!

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Day 1

Right off the bat, I'm not sure if I'm applying the protocol correctly. I know it says the dog can change positions (sit/down/stand) at will... but what if the dog is throwing himself into the new posture? My dogs are so incredibly operand that they both sat nicely on cue, then started offering behaviors when I didn't ask for something new immediately.  Nose bop the clothes hamper? No? How about pawing it? Lie down hard? Flop on my side? Stand up and do a circle? Maxwell offered an impressive string of tricks. And even once I convinced him to stay in one spot, I still didn't know what to do with the very physical and enthusiastic downs and sits. Definitely not relaxed.

He also had trouble with the long sits. Note to self - work on duration. I ended up using a down instead, since he would hold it longer. But I still had to reinforce much more frequently than the PfR called for. And even in a down... maybe CRAWLING will get him the treat?!?!  *Sigh*

We'll be doing the first set of exercises again tomorrow. As a related tidbit, we worked on focus tonight. I get a direct look in the eyes, he gets the tennis ball. Hopefully these two efforts will be complementary.

So here are my questions for the day:

• What do I do about the completely not relaxed exercises?
• How about stifling the offered behaviors?
• Should I use a no-reward-marker, like the protocol calls for?