Resubmit with answers and another question (Follow Up. Does Virtue Look Stressed)

Q: I did not think that Virtue appeared stressed. He readily responded to cues in a fairly typical manner. He seemed eager to play with response time to cues as usual. I felt good that he did not appear stressed and acted like the boy I see at home.

I am including a video link of our second turn to ask, what did you think of the training plan for both of our turns (short sequence, reinforcement, play, send to “check out/go smell” crating area)? The trainer stayed in the building for our second turn and her rationale for sending him to the crates was so that he could see that it wasn’t a scary place. In hindsight, I hope we didn’t muddy the waters for him by sending him to the crating area when he was happily engaged with me during agility and play. Sending him during this private session to where we don’t want him to go during our regular classes (to “check out” the crating area) feels like the opposite of what we want for his behavior which is to focus on working with me. Also, at 1:10 , shortly after I sent him to “go smell” the crating area, he turns to me to engage but I was told not to engage which didn’t feel right. I loved that he had a quick sniff at my cueing but then wanted to engage with me instead of sniffing which is what I want, him choosing to play with me. What are your thoughts on this? Video link below.
https://youtu.be/fVlIkWV_DWM

A: Summing up your evaluation on what you saw that lead you to describe Virtue as relaxed: Responds to cues, eager to play, normal response time for him, behavior consistent with training at home. That is why you felt good. And I agree, those behaviors are consistent with a relaxed dog.

Second video:
You have two circumstances in here. You have his work in his ring and then his work with the crates. I’m going to focus on the crate work. You released him to go sniff and he did (responsive), he checked back in with you (turned your direction). What was your evaluation of his body language (tail up and looped over his back, sniffing, exploring, soft muscles, looking back at you) while sniffing? Why? How did you maintain relaxed, engaged, and responsive behavior with him while he was exploring? (You did). He returned to you (on cue).

Virtue’s behavior and your working of Virtue is separate from your response to your trainer in this circumstance. Your trainer says words. What are your thoughts in response to those words?

Circumstance: Sending him to crates
Thought: We are going to muddy the waters.
Feeling: How were you feeling while cueing and observing him at the crates.
Action: How did the above affect your training of Virtue?

Sending him to the crates is neutral. How could sending him to the crates “muddy the waters” and how could it clean up his behavior in this area?

Side note: Putting a dog in a potentially stressful situation doesn’t automatically teach them it’s not scary. They still in need to be in a trainable mental/emotional state. In Virtue’s case, based on observed behavior, he was relaxed and engaged throughout (how is this true or not?). However, if Virtue were stressed or became stressed at at being cued to the crates, you would want to adjust your plan (emotional state > skill set). If you had noted stress behavior at the crates, how might you have adjusted?

Answer the questions for yourself and feel free to submit additional questions for coaching.