Private Training Session Progress

Ask Your Question: My daughter and I, along with our pups had another private session where we train (For now, we are not currently in classes and are only doing privates). During this session, my daughter and her pup practiced first, then the trainer did a bit with her dog (training where my dog could watch, which he did and remained calm) and then it was Virtue’s turn. He did great for his first turn but when we repeated the training cycle for our second turn, he got distracted and or we had a disconnect on the way back to his crate and he ran over to the trainer. He did come back to me the second time that I called his name. We then played our way back to his crate. At one point as we headed to his crate, he was retrieving his ball and glanced at the trainer but came back to me for more play before being crated. He never did run over to the other dog crating area to check out the other pup...yay!

In this video, I only show his last sequence of his second turn and us heading back towards his crate and him running over to the trainer as well as some of our discussion about his behavior. The trainer had moved her chair for our second turn to the middle of the agility area instead of her usual place near the wall, by her crate. She was also being very verbal as we trained. After I crated Virtue, I went to discuss what happened with the trainer. I am including parts of that discussion in this video that she wanted me to share with you. The recording device was on a tripod next to the trainer so you don’t actually see what Virtue does as he gets to the trainer but she describes it when we discuss the incident. She felt that he appeared more curious and less edgy than he had in the past.

What worked - playing agility with known skills, being connected, playing with his favorite toys, cheese

What didn’t work - Right before I lost connection with Virtue, I looked at our crating area to see the best way to get back as there were many obstacles/things blocking our way (disconnect), next time, I should probably either clear a path prior to our turn and/or not look away until I have sent him to retrieve his ball. I also was slow to verbally reconnect with Virtue even though I had turned back to him. It would have been better to turn back and cue a behavior or at least speak to him. My first name call failed so we need to put more value into recalling.

Adjustments for next time - clear path to crate, send on a retrieve if I need to look away, throw ball in a direction away from others and stay connected, play recall games

Do you think that we pushed for too much in this training session since Virtue ran off to the trainer? Should I leash him up to walk back to his crate (Normally, we play our way back to the crate)? Do you think the trainer got too close too soon moving her chair to the center of the training area? Do you think that she was too verbal too soon? Do you think that we are on the right path and some failure is ok for now with the above mentioned adjustments for next time but if we have another similar failure that we may be moving too quickly? I think we are making progress and I sure don’t want to go backwards.
https://youtu.be/eBy3dFIpGGY

Answer:

Go back and ask and answer your questions. How is it true that you pushed too much and how is it true that you didn’t? Resubmit your answers for additional coaching if needed.

Based on Virtue’s behavior it your trainer in the center talking was too much of a distraction him to be able to maintain focus on you and respond to your cue to recall. You can see where his focus shifts as you walk toward the crates. You are looking at him, he notices the trainer. How was this a failure and how was it a success?

I watched frame by frame of his body language through out the video and at slow and regular speed. He ran to her like he runs to his ball. Tail up and looped over his back, bouncy, tongue hanging out and to the side, his ears a back but not stiff and flat, they flop when he runs. He does that with his ball as well.

When he does return to you he focuses right back in. He does show less interest in the ring but he is very focused on the ball. I absolutely love love love that you reinforced a ring pull with the ball toss.

Your trainer is a circumstance that you and Virtue are working around as a team, with her direction. When we add distractions sometimes we make the jump too big for our own skills and our dogs. As long as the safety plan is intact (it is here), failure is just a data point to learn from.

Redo your evaluation.
Tell me every skill, every cue he did well. Tell me even as your recall failed, what he was doing well in that moment.
I agree with your adjustments, I would also have your trainer repeat the scenario and move in more gradually so that virtually learns to stay focused with increasing proximity to people.