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Sarah83 wrote:I know I enjoy it and given the fact I can't even put the towel we use as a mat on the floor before he's trying to get on it I assume he does too
I love it when stuff like that happens, like when Popmonster starts playing 101 things to do with a "thing" when she's out and about with Bendog. Or when I put Ted's dinner down in it's plastic box it's been defrosting in, turn around to do something before I open it up, turn back and Ted is diligently working on trying to open the box himself like it's a cardboard box puzzle (even though it's clicked shut and he has no chance)
ClareMarsh wrote:I love it when stuff like that happens, like when Popmonster starts playing 101 things to do with a "thing" when she's out and about with Bendog. Or when I put Ted's dinner down in it's plastic box it's been defrosting in, turn around to do something before I open it up, turn back and Ted is diligently working on trying to open the box himself like it's a cardboard box puzzle (even though it's clicked shut and he has no chance)
I took delivery of a flat-packed garden bench in a huge cardboard box the other day - it wasn't easy opening it because Jasper kept putting his front paws on it and waiting for me to click and treat
I think I need to address Jasper's issues from several directions, but not in too regimented a way from any one direction. I've been doing a little bit more 'training' on walks - the odd 'sit' or 'wait' - just so he doesn't wonder what's going on. At the moment he tends to do as I ask, but gives me a funny look as if he can't work out why I'm asking. I've also been calling him to me and treating when we see any dog. But I also think I have to be very careful not to appear to be 'on alert' at the sign of any dog... I'm concerned that he's now actively interested in every dog just in case it happens to be one he feels he has to duff up. It also means that he's missing out on a lot of 'good' interactions and the chances to practise appropriate behaviour, but I know that this is less important than preventing the bad interactions.
ETA: And overall (no pun intended), I think it's a case of either making him listen to and obey me more when he's reached a certain threshold of arousal, or lowering his arousal in a specific situation. Or, even better, both. But thinking about which of these each aspect of training/management addresses helps to clarify how it's going to help.
And most of all I'm hoping that as he matures he'll stop feeling the need to try to appear big and fierce to any young pretender....
Sarah83 wrote:I've kind of used the protocol for relaxation to help teach Spen self control. It's been absolutely fantastic for doing that and I certainly wouldn't throw the whole idea away because some of what is written is outdated. I sort of adapted it to suit what I wanted though. Rather than Spen simply lying there (he prefers to be in a down and I see no reason to insist on a sit) while I did stuff around him, which seems a very boring exercise for both dog and handler, we turned it into more of a game. I wasn't after relaxation so much as him learning to control himself around exciting triggers so I'd often release him from the mat to get a toy I'd thrown or treat I'd dropped or just to come have fun with me for a minute or two before sending him back to his mat for some more self control work. It's actually a lot of fun for both of us. I know I enjoy it and given the fact I can't even put the towel we use as a mat on the floor before he's trying to get on it I assume he does too
But I wouldn't expect it to help with Jaspers attitude towards young, intact males or anything like that. And I think the way it's written is too regimented and robotic for it to be a fun exercise for most people and dogs without being adapted in some way.
Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for Dr. Overall. she is a VERY vocal critic of shock collars and other highly aversive training tools and techniques. But from my own playing around with this protocol, I have to wonder if much of the "overhead" couldn't be stripped away and if we can't achieve much of the same thing simply by providing a high rate of reinforcement to start while your dog just lays on his mat while you sit next to him and you both watch the world go by. Sub threshold of course. Then slowly extend the time between reinforcement and increase the time your dog is in a down.
That is kind of how I have modified the concept for Jack. he and I will sit out in front of the house and just watch the world go by. And if one of his triggers is observed coming closer, I just start providing food to him...ie classical conditioning/counter conditioning.
So like Sarah, I haven't thrown the baby out with the bath water, I just took the concept and figure another way to apply it.
We've used similar to the relaxation protocol to work on getting a decent sit/down stay, similar to kikopups method http://youtu.be/Vk4PPcE1CqY
However, i dont believe it helps the dog really relax. Maybe just might take some stress off in scary situations if the dog knows whats expected of it and the mat feels safe (if pops is worried about something i have her bouncing from side to side doing nose touches and this helps give her a "job" to do and helps her stop worrying) but i know we havent tried it properly (and dont have the discipline to stick to a rigid day by day programme anyway!) but for my dogs if i put them in a stay and start dancing around they are waiting to see where the next treat is coming from and so dont properly relax.
