Hand holding, general support and best of all a place to brag about the successes. Share with words. Share with photos. Share with video. This is your home place for the next 14 weeks. Let the retrieve journey begin.
Do reread Deb's article on 'The Battle of the Dumbbell'. You will see exactly what Deb was experiencing with Red at that time. Red IS a soft dog, like Mabel, and this is simply a battle of wills Alice. You stick to it, keep on doing exactly what you are doing, and one of these training moments, when you least expect ANY success, Mabel will give up her hesitation and LAUNCH like a rocket to get that DB and AVOID ANY EC. But, until she figures out that she has the control to avoid ANY EC, by obeying, just keep on keeping on.
Didn't know this course was about YOUR acquiring patience, diligence and persistence, did you Alice?
You are doing EVERYTHING right, this is on Mabel. Don't quit on her, stay the course, require her to perform and then, she will when you've given up on her. Don't give up on her nor on yourself.
And I really don't care HOW LONG it takes for Mabel to get this lesson. I've had dogs in past Retrieve Courses that didn't graduate until months later. So, take that mental stress off your mind and just stay the course. I'm not worried, so you shouldn't be either.
Have a thought at 4:30 am while feeding dogs since Wayne is gone at a Men's Leadership Conference. What are you "oUting!" Mabel for? Avoidance behavior? If so, she MAY be taking the "Out!" as a total STOP! and it MAY be confusing her enough to cause her to hesitate to launch on your "Fetch". So, instead of an "OUT!" for anything except a redirect (which Mabel hasn't done, has she?) do a 'set' of her shoulders if she paws at your, or simply reposition her head away from you if she turns into you, or do the "good Sit" thump on her chest after repositioning her is she's collapsing on her Sit. The point is let's find a non-verbal way to shift any avoidance behaviors (other than a redirect) and THEN do set-up, "Fetch". I suspect Mabel is not connecting the mental dots out of misunderstanding and confusion right now.
She isn't redirecting, just avoiding. Her avoidance is lessening with Alice's consistency setting her head.
Alice, you have our total confidence, take the time line you've set in yourself and throw it out. There is no need to put time expectations on you or Mabel. You're both improving. Let go of the stress, Mabel can sense it. Roxanne will give you all the time you both need as long as she sees effort (which you have given A LOT) and improvement (which we all see). So breath, love that sweet dog. Be proud of yourself and keep pressing forward.
Well, Alice do non verbal corrections and see if that helps Mabel understand..shorten the amount of retrieves to only 5, praise after you say "Give" for every retrieve done without an EC, breath.
When Stephanie took AvA, Redd's littermate, through the RC 2020-2021, Ava got an ear infection that took months to heal. We had yo do an alternative EC.Even so, Ava did NOT pass when that course ended as she could not connect the dots and pick up dB from ground on her own.
Stephanie kept using "yes-yes" when she would launch, and then Ava would quit and not complete the job. So, I had here cease ANY verbal communication after "Fetch" and until she commanded "Give". And Stephanie added praise for whenever Ava did pick up and complete the job. It worked as Ava finally connected thr mental dots and graduated in thr NEXT Retrieve Course, your RC, Brad and Brooke.
So.....let's change some things and find thr 🔑 key to helping Mabel succeed.
Thank you for your support. Mabel hasn't been connecting the dots lately, so this advice goes a long way. I have been outing Mabel for her avoidance behavior because it makes it really hard to set up. I will try not speaking to her during setup and retrieves. Mabel gets distracted easily so it makes sense that the outs and praise might be confusing her. Thank you so much. I'll keep all of this in mind. Your confidence in me is helping me keep my confidence in myself throughout this retrieve course. Thank you for everything you have helped me and my family with.
7/10 ECs. I feel like every time I do this It gets worse. Mabel's avoidance behavior makes this really hard to set up.
ReplyDeleteAlice,
ReplyDeleteI don't care how many EC'S it takes, just keep doing them until Mabel is as tired of getting them as you are giving them.
Patience and more patience is the way to get Mabel to understand the only way the EC'S cease is for her to obey.
Roxanne
Do reread Deb's article on 'The Battle of the Dumbbell'. You will see exactly what Deb was experiencing with Red at that time. Red IS a soft dog, like Mabel, and this is simply a battle of wills Alice. You stick to it, keep on doing exactly what you are doing, and one of these training moments, when you least expect ANY success, Mabel will give up her hesitation and LAUNCH like a rocket to get that DB and AVOID ANY EC. But, until she figures out that she has the control to avoid ANY EC, by obeying, just keep on keeping on.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know this course was about YOUR acquiring patience, diligence and persistence, did you Alice?
You are doing EVERYTHING right, this is on Mabel. Don't quit on her, stay the course, require her to perform and then, she will when you've given up on her. Don't give up on her nor on yourself.
Roxanne
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd I really don't care HOW LONG it takes for Mabel to get this lesson. I've had dogs in past Retrieve Courses that didn't graduate until months later. So, take that mental stress off your mind and just stay the course. I'm not worried, so you shouldn't be either.
ReplyDeleteLove you girl. Hang in there.
Roxanne
Alice,
ReplyDeleteHave a thought at 4:30 am while feeding dogs since Wayne is gone at a Men's Leadership Conference. What are you "oUting!" Mabel for? Avoidance behavior? If so, she MAY be taking the "Out!" as a total STOP! and it MAY be confusing her enough to cause her to hesitate to launch on your "Fetch". So, instead of an "OUT!" for anything except a redirect (which Mabel hasn't done, has she?) do a 'set' of her shoulders if she paws at your, or simply reposition her head away from you if she turns into you, or do the "good Sit" thump on her chest after repositioning her is she's collapsing on her Sit. The point is let's find a non-verbal way to shift any avoidance behaviors (other than a redirect) and THEN do set-up, "Fetch". I suspect Mabel is not connecting the mental dots out of misunderstanding and confusion right now.
What are your thoughts?
Roxanne
She isn't redirecting, just avoiding. Her avoidance is lessening with Alice's consistency setting her head.
DeleteAlice, you have our total confidence, take the time line you've set in yourself and throw it out. There is no need to put time expectations on you or Mabel. You're both improving. Let go of the stress, Mabel can sense it. Roxanne will give you all the time you both need as long as she sees effort (which you have given A LOT) and improvement (which we all see). So breath, love that sweet dog. Be proud of yourself and keep pressing forward.
Love you!
Well, Alice do non verbal corrections and see if that helps Mabel understand..shorten the amount of retrieves to only 5, praise after you say "Give" for every retrieve done without an EC, breath.
ReplyDeleteWhen Stephanie took AvA, Redd's littermate, through the RC 2020-2021, Ava got an ear infection that took months to heal. We had yo do an alternative EC.Even so, Ava did NOT pass when that course ended as she could not connect the dots and pick up dB from ground on her own.
Stephanie kept using "yes-yes" when she would launch, and then Ava would quit and not complete the job. So, I had here cease ANY verbal communication after "Fetch" and until she commanded "Give". And Stephanie added praise for whenever Ava did pick up and complete the job. It worked as Ava finally connected thr mental dots and graduated in thr NEXT Retrieve Course, your RC, Brad and Brooke.
So.....let's change some things and find thr 🔑 key to helping Mabel succeed.
Alice, what dates are you performing in the play?
ReplyDeleteThe 29-30th of April. I will figure out times as soon as my class gets informed on ticket sales.
DeleteIt's actually the 28th and 29th.
DeleteThank you for your support. Mabel hasn't been connecting the dots lately, so this advice goes a long way. I have been outing Mabel for her avoidance behavior because it makes it really hard to set up. I will try not speaking to her during setup and retrieves. Mabel gets distracted easily so it makes sense that the outs and praise might be confusing her. Thank you so much. I'll keep all of this in mind. Your confidence in me is helping me keep my confidence in myself throughout this retrieve course. Thank you for everything you have helped me and my family with.
ReplyDeleteThursday the 28th and Friday the 29th?
ReplyDeleteWe were wrong; it's Friday the 29th and Saturday the 30th.
ReplyDeleteI know I have Judges Dinner Friday night, perhaps can attend Saturday?
ReplyDelete