This is a training post, prompted by questions about focus asked on one of our Facebook training sites — but it is also a post with relevance to the upcoming K Litter.
The questions were about what to do when a dog loses focus and what to do when there is focus and one wants to keep it. Great questions!
As I thought about it, I decided focus sounds like a one-way street — dog must be attentive to me at all times regardless of my potentially boring or obnoxious or terrifying behavior. That is not sustainable or fair in any relationship.
What we want is not so much focus but engagement, and that requires things from both partners in the relationship. This matters.
Claire at the 2019 Specialty
If we blame the dog for lack of focus, the solution is more/different training of the dog.
If the issue is lack of engagement, the solution is in the relationship.
This is not about blame — it is about context. Engagement is gained or lost in the context of relationship.
Training — or showing — should not exceed the limits of a dog or human. If the human has disengaged — and you will know this because she will be chatting with a friend or watching another team or having an emotional meltdown or in some way no longer paying attention to her connection with the dog — we know her capacity for engagement has been exceeded.
Therefore, the answer to the first question (what to do when focus is lost) is pretty straight-forward — don’t lose it. Train only to the edge of the relationship’s ability to maintain engagement.
So what should one do when engagement capacity has been exceeded?
Take note so it can be avoided in the future. Build engagement capacity over time with play, fun, connection, intention, and yes — treats. Be more interesting than dirt. In other words, train/play and strengthen engagement capacity in a variety of settings and circumstances over a period of time — engagement is the foundation of everything else we do with our dogs.
Also, pay attention to your emotional state when considering disengagement behaviors. Are you nervous? Angry? Worried? Disappointed? Depressed? Those are “check-out” cues to a dog. If emotional stuff is getting in the way, address it with a competent, trained professional. Mental health matters in all things, including Life with Dogs.
Harper at the 2019 Specialty
What you do not want to do when engagement capacity has been exceeded for whatever reason is run after the dog and beg her to pay attention, waving a cookie in front of her face — that simply rewards a behavior chain that started with disengagement. It is also unfair to berate a dog who disengages since it was probably the human’s fault anyway.
Just quit the session, or you can wait until the dog offers to engage again and carry on a bit, ending the session happily. Do, however, note you pushed things too far, too soon in the engagement capacity department so that you can adjust during the next session.
Don’t beat yourself up about it — nobody is perfect, after all.
If you find yourself falling into despair over things like a dog who is off snacking on deer poop instead of happily engaged with you, take a break and take care of your mental health.
When a dog — or human — is engaging in ways we want (another of the questions that prompted this post), we need to take notice and thank them.
A lot.
Dogs tends to chew up thank you cards and so skip those and instead tell them with smiles, play, treats, and your complete happy, silly, joyful attention.
Make sure to end the session on a good note — all great parties get long and boring after too much time.
And how is all this related to the upcoming litter?
Daisy last night.
Don’t think for one minute those first weeks with the breeder do not matter — they are pretty darn significant in laying foundational capacity.
We have always raised litters in an “enriched” way — but because I have the time and interest, I am using my research access/skills and existing expertise to formulate a structured (and documented) program for the litter; I am calling this program Puppy U.
The goal of Puppy U is to produce confident, engaged, happy, and intelligent canine partners for confident, engaged, happy, intelligent — and kind — humans (within the limits, moods, and imperfections of being human, of course).
Based on developmental realities and always with positive methods, puppies will be learning and growing and mastering key competencies in the weeks they are with us — and beyond. Puppy U will continue remotely — within the new litter community — for an additional ten weeks.
I am super excited to do this. I will be creating my own future Rock Star Puppy — and some additional ones for Rock Star Humans. You are, of course, invited to follow the journey and see what is possible in those early weeks.
Engagement is only the start.