FE335: Spaces In Between

1st step of Loose Leash Walking!

Collar Grabs-dog shoves

Steps:

• Collar grabs
• Lateral movements
• Move into pressure
• Increase distance
• Add a verbal cue

Collar grabs

We need to make sure the dog LIKES collar grabs!

Use the highest reinforcement available (food, tugging, or opportunity to chase)

Make sure you have a clear marker cue signifying the reinforcement and clear mechanics (verbal proceeds the delivery of the reinforcement.)

Start right next to the dog, reinforcement in the right hand, and extend your left hand to grab the collar. Grab collar, pause, verbal cue, reinforce dog

Here is Bayles showing this:

After 5 repetitions of that, put reinforcement behind your back or in your pocket and repeat the steps, making sure your mechanics are clean.

Our target behavior to move to the next step is a dog that gives “I like this!” behavior when you grab the collar. Make sure you can describe to yourself what that looks like so when you see it, you recognize it.

Lateral movements:

This is not absolutely necessary but a good skill for the dog to have, since sometimes we’ll be expecting him to move laterally into your hand when cued. Most dogs have no idea how to move their bodies sideways. If your dog knows a lateral movement, it’s a good idea to practice some laterals (cued or offered) before practicing this next step. It might make it easier for the dog to understand!

I prefer to do this from the front….

Move into pressure:

Go back to step 1, a couple collar grabs, and then place your hand an inch from the dog’s collar. Look for any lateral movement from the dog towards your hand, and instantly cue your verbal marker when you feel the neck fur or the collar in your hand.

Here is Bayles first session learning this:

Repeat, gradually extending your hand’s distance away from the dog’s neck.

Increase distance

Throw a reset treat to get the dog some distance away. You can either extend your hand as the dog comes towards you or leave your hand extended so that the dog is not attracted to the motion of the hand and has to make the choice. Most dogs will at some point offer a nose touch, so keep to the criteria of neck touches.

Extend distance and arousal by either throwing the reset treat farther, or sending the dog around a pole.

Here is Ones showing his enthusiastic neck shove: