Calmer at the new spot

25/11/08

I started my day slow with french toast, a bag of treats and Amika in the sun on the front porch. Apart from being a good way to dry a damp dog, we got to play LAT. The neighbours helped by walking and running past the front fence. A couple of neighbours were chatting across the street too. Amika was mildly interested in them, which was perfect! At one stage late in breakfast, she was laying facing me with kids sprinting past behind her. Only her ears flicked at them. This was a really good way to practice LAT.

Amika had some excitement today. Mom came over to swap mice, and I had to drag Amika out of the front room where she was wiggling and crooning at the screen door when she arrived. Amika is not allowed in there unless we call her in, and certainly not when people come to the door. Amika went in her crate and we tried leaving the door open, but she couldn’t contain herself. So the door got shut, Mom came into the kitchen, the kitchen door got closed for a moment until the dog-yelling got less.

We swapped mice and then my partner got Amika on lead. He was prepared to let her run up and scream, I wasn’t. So I took over (what can I say, I’m a bossy bitch). Starting back at the crate, I asked for a settle, which I got fairly quickly. Then I called her out of the crate and she shot out an Mom. No dice: back in the crate for more settle. This time she came out and oriented to me with a sit (default). I would take a step towards the kitchen and Mom, and Amika would surge ahead. I’d stop and once she figured out she was restrained, she would ‘get behind’.

We got up to Mom, and the behaviour was too over the top for my liking, so we went back to the crate and started over. Each time Amika got quicker at calming herself and stayed more in control while greeting. After a few reps, she “pointed” at the laundry and I let her off to go have a drink, giving her the cue to do so. She was pretty good after that.

Not long after Mom left (but after a break for me and a relaxing tummy rub for her) we went back to the new spot. We went earlier so school was still in. There were some guys with trucks doing garden / mowing stuff, but we were able to park down the end away from them. No one else showed up.

Amika did well on orienting during the walk. I did much better at giving release cues for box work / GMAB, and was heaps better at moving purposefully. (I guess humans go slow when stressed, just like some agility dogs.)

We also did a little LAT with the distant gardening guys, though I’m not sure Amika either really got it or really cared (high distraction stuff, grass). My stress level was still high, but I was able to look at things. Amika really wants to get into that creek! She is doing very well at respecting the leash with just a collar on. The only pulling she does is to reach a nearby smell, to get to the creek, and when moving and coming to the end of the leash. I have been rewarding reorienting when she gets pulled on, and that seems to be sticking for the reaching end of leash. I also got a few orients from wanting to catch up to my partner, which is really great.

I need to add orients / whiplash turns for when she gets near the end of the leash, start moving in another direction without cue so that she keeps her eye on where I am, and practice release cues.