Here are a series of videos backtracking to Lesson One then Two and then Three, now with the dumbbell. I feel like we got past the wall, there's progress and were not stuck but we still need practice. Mable is such a different dog than Kimber. Kimber needed stanch correction when she was avoiding, Mabel needs gentle condition-relaxation and then praise. Changing approach, taking time with the setup, giving positive reinforcement during the setup was key to getting here to "know" she was where she needed to be.
I'm sorry for my weird attire (we had just gotten back from skiing).
RoxanneFebruary 1, 2022 at 8:05 AM
ReplyDeleteThere is so much powerful education in these videos! One of the hardest things to train a student to do is to 🤔 THINK in terms of the dog they are handling in that moment. A skilled handler learns to think and ask themselves these key questions:
1) What am I seeing?
2) Have I been thorough, consistent, and in steadily teaching the dog what I expect it to do right now?
3) What do I need to do to help this dog succeed right now?
4) What is missing?
5) And I pray and ask God for His wisdom and direction. Really, I do 🙏 and often when a handler and their dog is stuck, I ask for God's help at 2:00 am in the wee hours. And God has always given me insight and a way to help a student and their dog succeed and go on.
So a skilled KMODT handler not only looks their mechanics, but they are thinking the entire time they are working a dog. The other thing that happens with a skilled KMODT handler is they are 'working the dog in front of them'. They are not expecting the dog they are working to be what it was yesterday, what they believe is SHOULD be, nor comparing it with another dog. They are focused on 'working the dog in front of them' in that moment. You have all seen me do this countless times as when I work a dog, mine or yours, in that split nano second when my hands put a leash on a dog, I am 100% focused on THAT dog. The dogs recognize I am focused on them alone, they have my undivided attention, and my heart is for their success and understanding. I always seek to get a dog to want to work FOR me and WITH me and strive to end on a high note of success in that moment. Dogs recognize a handlers attitude, mindset and attention.
And once I start working a dog, my hands and focus can then instantly tell me what I need to do to help that dog succeed in that moment of teaching.
Case in point, without having Mabel physically here, I was not able to assess exactly what she needed to succeed. But Brad, who is now a skilled KMODT handler, especially in the arena of the retrieve, did what I could not do. He is deeply invested in Alice/Mabel's success in this RC. We talked yesterday evening prior to this teaching session with Mabel. I thought she needed the rapid fire retrieves to get past her Point of Contention. But Brad, once he understood what needed to happen and started working Mabel recognized instantly that she needed patience, quietness, and that key 🔑 was Conditined Relaxation between the retrieves and requiring Mabel to maintain a Sit without collapsing or falling apart. So, Brad shifted his approach based on what he was seeing. I am THRILLED with his choice to do so as it was exactly what Mabel needed to understand she is going to work, regardless, but Brad (and Alice) were there to help her. FABULOUS. This is the exact approach Rebekah took in the last 2 weeks with Kratos. But when Rebekah had to do an EC, she made it count and now Kratos believes AND trusts her handling.
All thr above being shared that my main focus is NOT training a dog, any dog. My main focus is training the handler. KMODT is way past mere mechanics, it is a psychology and a mindset of THINKING.
And Brad, you did all of the above without me Zooming. I knew you could after what we went through with Kimber last year, I knew you didn't need me to coach you, you needed to trust your own handling with Mabel. Which you did so beautifully. Hats off. So proud of you Brad.
Alice got to watch, learn and see you succeed with Mabel and Alice now knows what to do to help Mabel succeed.
These are life lessons. And will always be remembered.
Onward, Alice I believe you CAN do The Lesson 3 EXAM and pass now. Do so, post, and let's see if you are ready to go onto the 6" retrieve. I believe you and Mabel CAN do so and get caught up this week.
So pleased 😀
Thank you! I needed you and my dad to help me succeed. By the end of that session, I felt as glazed as the dog, but I felt I gained knowledge at knowing how to help the dog succeed. Some dogs need different things, and with how different Mabel and Kimber are, I honestly didn't think that conditioned relaxation was what she needed. Thanks for helping me and the dog succeed.
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BradFebruary 1, 2022 at 9:56 AM
ReplyDeleteI'm speechless. THANK YOU for your kindness, patience and confidence in me and Alice. This was big for me. I have felt my confidence grow with Kimber but last night I started to see all the hard work transfer and apply to a completely different dog. I honestly didn't know I could do that.
I have to thank Brooke too. I travel quite a bit for work and Brooke is the consistent handle in our home. I would have never gotten here without her.
Brooke is the constant steadying rock your entire family revolves around. Love you Brooke. And how are you feeling right now?
ReplyDeleteThanks Roxanne!!! I am starting to feel big and sore but other than that I feel great. We appreciate you so much. Love you Roxanne.
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