Can't get this video to enlarge, but let me answer your questions. Whereever Maggie is, if not within a 5' invisible Safety Zone to your left, countermove the opposite direction. For example, she heads left, you go right. She lunges forward, you turn around 180 degrees from her. She heads backwards towards an interesting squirrel chattering at her, you take a few rapid steps forward as you let out the Safety Loop. That Safety Loop is YOUR leverage so you don't have to use your upper body so much. The Safety Loop, dropped as soon as she is outside the Safety Zone AND the momentum of your body moving AWAY from her, does the work for you. The learning dog comes to understand comfort is next to you and discomfort is away from you (outside the Safety Zone). All this is communicated to the learning dog quietly, no commands, no LOUD mechanics, no staring at the dog and getting upset. Just drop the Safety Loop and move away from her, the Safety Loop and momentum will do the work for you.
And Maggie will not know the 'correction' came from you, she will come to believe the correction occurred because she choose unwisely. THAT is the beauty of Longe Line work done well, the dog CHOOSES comfort by being next to their handler. AND the dog learns to choose that distractions (anything other than their handler) isn't worth a correction so they instead CHOOSE to remain close to you. Really, it's a phenomenal way to train a dog to CHOOSE you, CHOOSE comfort, CHOOSE to pay attention to you.
Mickie,
ReplyDeleteCan't get this video to enlarge, but let me answer your questions. Whereever Maggie is, if not within a 5' invisible Safety Zone to your left, countermove the opposite direction. For example, she heads left, you go right. She lunges forward, you turn around 180 degrees from her. She heads backwards towards an interesting squirrel chattering at her, you take a few rapid steps forward as you let out the Safety Loop. That Safety Loop is YOUR leverage so you don't have to use your upper body so much. The Safety Loop, dropped as soon as she is outside the Safety Zone AND the momentum of your body moving AWAY from her, does the work for you. The learning dog comes to understand comfort is next to you and discomfort is away from you (outside the Safety Zone). All this is communicated to the learning dog quietly, no commands, no LOUD mechanics, no staring at the dog and getting upset. Just drop the Safety Loop and move away from her, the Safety Loop and momentum will do the work for you.
And Maggie will not know the 'correction' came from you, she will come to believe the correction occurred because she choose unwisely. THAT is the beauty of Longe Line work done well, the dog CHOOSES comfort by being next to their handler. AND the dog learns to choose that distractions (anything other than their handler) isn't worth a correction so they instead CHOOSE to remain close to you. Really, it's a phenomenal way to train a dog to CHOOSE you, CHOOSE comfort, CHOOSE to pay attention to you.
Make sense?
Roxanne