Week 4 Notes Homework and Videos

 ALL WEEK 3 NOTES REMAIN THE SAME.  IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE CONCENTRATED ON IN WEEK 4'S LESSON, THE OTHER HOMEWORK REMAINS AS WELL.

IN THE LESSON, WE CONCENTRATED ON THESE THREE THINGS.  YOU CAN USE THESE AND OTHER DISTRACTIONS INSIDE WHEN PRACTICING THESE THREE THINGS AND THE REST OF YOUR HOMEWORK.

A.  The YouTube Daycare Dog Video

B. Rolling a chair or something else around the room with you

C. Moving furniture

D. Doing chores or cooking

E. Food on the floor in a plate that you do not let him get to

WHAT WE PRACTICED IN OUR LESSON ON 9/4/2026 AND NEW GOALS:

1.  CIRCLE SIT STAYS LEASH DROPPED INSIDE WITH DOG DISTRACTION.  

It took us about 8 minutes to get 4 in a row at 30 seconds in the lesson.  Then we increased it to 1 minute and brought out a dog distraction, Chewy.  Getting 4 in a row at 1 minute took 22 minutes.  We want to get the time down with inside distractions and the leash being dropped to 5 minutes.  You can rotate through the distractions above and any more that you can think of.

Time:  6-10 minutes  (if you have made the goal, stop)

Goal: Easy peasy 4 sit stays in a row with dropped leash and distractions in under 6 minutes for the end of the week.  Meaning that you may not get to your goal on days 1-4.

2.  CIRCLE PLACE LEASH DROPPED WITH DISTRACTIONS

Mickey stayed on his place for all 4 in the lesson.  What I would like to see next is for him to become calmer while these distractions, especially the daycare dog video playing, are around.   I would also recommend playing that video during the "Long Place Exercise" listed below. You can also rotate the other distractions listed above and any others that you can come up with.  

Mickey did this in 5-6 minutes, which was the goal last week. This week we want to add that he becomes calmer on the place when this distraction is playing.

Time: 6-10minutes (if you have made the goal stop)

Goal: This week is for him to become a lot more relaxed by practicing this while a distraction like the daycare dog video is playing.

3.  SEND TO PLACE

So we are working on actually sending Mickey to step onto the place on his own.  This is important as it is a powerful tool to be able to send your dog away from a distraction that is coming.   We got 4 in a row, but it took us 20 minutes of practice to do it here.

Time: 5-10 minutes (if you have made the goal, stop)

Goal:  With you holding the leash, we want to get 3 sets of 4 in a row successful places where Mickey walks on all by himself in under 5 minutes.  **Don't use distractions with this until Mickey can do this in the goal amount and time without distractions.

OTHER HOMEWORK TO PRACTICE THAT WE DID NOT PRACTICE IN THE LESSON:

CALMING EXERCISES (TO ROTATE ON OPPOSITE DAYS WITH DISTRACTIONS THAT CAN BE USED AS YOU PRACTICE THEM):

1. SIT ON THE DOG 

Time: 30+ minutes

Goal: To habituate your dog to challenging but not overwhelming distractions, ideally outside in different environments.  ***I don't think Mickey would take an hour, but I have not seen him working outside with distractions. 

VIDEO EXAMPLE OF WHAT I MEAN:

2. LONG PLACE

5 minutes if there is an opportunity on "Sit on the Dog" days, but otherwise 30 minutes. Goal:  For your dog to remain on their place 5 minutes at least, and eventually 30 minutes, with indoor and outdoor distractions used.  Start with indoor distractions first.  If the visual is too much, you can start with just audio.  Week 3 Notes:  If it is not too soon, you can use benches at Ellis Park or at the Long Sands Bath House, but do not use a long line there instead, use the 6' leash and have a really firm grip on it with focus so you are not caught unawares.  You can use the long line at your cottage to practice place outside if you have enough room.  I ALWAYS DO THIS WITH THE LONG LINE ATTACHED TO SOMETHING THAT CANNOT MOVE, A FENCE POST (WITH THE HANDLER OVER IT), A TREE (I PUT THE LONG LINE AROUND THE TREE AND THREAD THE LEASH THROUGH.  THEN I ATTACH THE CLIP TO THE COLLAR OR THROUGH THE HANDLE OF A SLIP LEAD), OR IF DISTANCE AND TIME OR TOO MUCH A 6' LEAD THAT I HOLD.

Time: 5 minutes if doing "sit on the dog"that day, 30 minutes on the non "sit on the dog" days.

Goal:  For your dog to get used to staying on their place for half an hour while you move around or sit doing something else (but keeping an eye on him. Just look like you are doing something not involving your dog)

THIS VIDEO IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I MEAN:

OBEDIENCE EXERCISES:

1.  RECALL OR COME COMMAND (this is not the most important this week if you are pressed for time) 

Time:  5-10 minutes 

Goal:  To have your dog come towards you, stop close enough to touch them without stepping forward, and then sit.   The quantity and time goal is 3 sets of 4 in a row under 5 minutes in low to mild distractions.

NOTES FOR RECALL:  THIS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT EXCERISE TO COMBINE WITH YOUR WORK ON SIT STAYS FROM A DISTANCE WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS (SO THAT WOULD BE A GOAL OF 4 IN A ROW FOR 1 MINUTE IN UNDER 6 MINUTES).

This is a video example of what I mean.   It is too difficult at this point for you to practice both getting to the goal at the same time (though it might happen), so you would want to rotate your concentration on the goal.  1 day you are practicing both, but just concentrating on staying at a distance, for example.

Also, you will note that I am working with food in this video.  You can do that as well, but we did not go over the exact process for that to get the best results.  I use food to get them to come in closer to me and sit (when they start to know to do that).  These days, I hold the food at my waist in a closed fist.  I keep my hand against my body; this helps with getting your dog in closer in time.  When they have sat at the close distance I want, then I say yes and open my hand.  If my dog is further away than I would like (and I am working on that), I still do this, and this gets most dogs to come step closer for their reward.  Over time, since they want the reward, they learn the distance that I want.  Also, if your dog will step forward again, you can repeat the "come" command after they sit the first time to move them in closer.

2. SITS FIRST COMMAND (You have reported that this is going well, so this is not a priority this week)

Time: 5-10 minutes

Goal:  Three sets of four sits in a row without correction in under 5 minutes, ideally in outside distractions.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

IF YOU HAVE TIME TO PRACTICE OUTSIDE ON A 6' LEASH OR 15' LEASH IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT SAFE TO HAVE MICKEY OFF LEASH, HERE ARE SOME IDEAS ON DISTRACTIONS AND PLACES TO TRAIN.

OUTSIDE PLACES THAT I USE TO TRAIN:

1. Long Sands Beach Grassy Spot Near the Bath House:  You can sit on one of the picnic tables that is further away.  
2. Ellis Park at Short Sands.  There is plenty of grassy space to have distance.  Also, the gazebo towards the road usually has benches in there and is shady.
3. Nubble Lighthouse:  There is a grassy area there next to the gift shop that I use to work the dogs for outside distractions.  There is probably a granite bench somewhere a little away from people, but I am not sure.  It may be too congested to do a "Sit on the Dog," and unless there are no people, the barking could be a bit much.
4. Dunne's Ice Cream:  This might be a little early for Mickey, and I have never used it.  However, when a dog gets really good at impulse control and regulating their reactions, I have always thought this would be a good place to do it.

OUTSIDE AND INSIDE DISTRACTIONS THAT YOU CAN USE:

1. Moving furniture around 
2. Something fast-moving (maybe grandkids as long as it is safe and he won't lash out OR he is far away to be safe)
3. On the Long Sands boardwalk (grassy part near the bathhouse), working around people and/or dogs walking by.  FYI, it does not have to be the perfect day with many dogs.
4. If you are on the beach during a walk, have your dog leashed (6' leash or 15' leash), doing a session of leashed training for 5-10 minutes.

I would put more, but remember that at distances, Mickey is not good at these distractions.  As the distractions increase, the most important part is to be able to get to the goal at the times AND just being able to get the number goal (4 in a row OR 3 sets of 4 in a row) in 15 minutes is the MOST IMPORTANT PART.  The time and the distance DO NOT matter as much right now.  We are working on the behavior.  So as we work on the behavior, the important part is that he is getting better adjusted.  You want to look at his body language and other signs that tell you he is still stressed or reactive about the distractions.  You want this to change to a dog that looks and acts a lot more relaxed.