Training Public Access at Mission Valley Mall: Part 2

The Video Arcade

Exposure to lights and sound.

We had the entire arcade to ourselves

so we explored and practiced L1 and L2 behaviors.

One video game startled Webster,

so Karen found his threshold where he would focus and give her L1 behaviors

and then gradually worked him to walk calmly passed it.


DISTRACTIONS
THRESHOLD
L1
BMO

On Line Ticket Kiosk
at the Movie Theatre

Level 1 and more Level 1
Sit Sit Sit
Using Target to move and position the dog
Down Down Down
Again, look at the positioning
There are 4 ticket machines here.
Imagine a busy weekend
Lines behind each machine.
How to fit your dog and not disturb the person beside you.
What about those tails?
What about those repeated cues?


L1
BMO

What's a visit to the mall without visiting with Santa?

Practicing Team Footprint

and

Public Awareness

on the pedestrian ramp from the underground parking garage

L1 and L2 BMO

Underground Parking Garage

10. OFF LEAD: Sometime during the test, the handler will be instructed to drop the leash while moving so that it is apparent to the service dog. The handler must show the ability to maintain control of the service dog and get the leash back in its appropriate position.

Performed repeatedly throughout the mall.  Not Flipped.

12. CONTROLLED UNIT: The team will leave the building in a similar manner to entering, with safety and control being of prime importance. The team will proceed across the parking lot and back to the vehicle. The service dog must be in appropriate heel position and not display any fear of vehicle or traffic sounds.

13. CONTROLLED RELOAD into VEHICLE: The handler will load the equipment and the service dog into the vehicle, with either entering first. The service dog must not wander around the parking lot but must wait patiently for instructions. Emphasis is on safety and control.

After leaving Mission Valley Mall, we drove to Gordon Bierches for lunch.  Lily and Webster remained in their cars.  Nadador and Rooster slept inside the restaurant.




DURATION OF MENTORING SESSION: 
2.5 hours


DURATION OF LUNCH:
1 hour




from Trainers:


LIST OF TOOLS NEEDED FOR BASIC VESTED PUBLIC ACCESS WITH TRAINER

• Target: L1
• Sit: L1
• Down: L1
• Stay
• Zen!!!  L1-6
• LL/SDW (both sides)
• Target: L5 (Follow)
• Left Side/Right Side: L5 (swing finish)
• Right Side: L6
• Leash: L5
• Leash: L6
• Change
• Distance: L5
• Station (Place)
• no shaking (body)

WOULD BE HELPFUL

• Distance: L6
• Down: L6
• Go to Mat: L6

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:


Cathy and Rooster


Observations of another day well spent:

• Time goes quickly when you are focussed by clear goals, criteria, and Lynn
• Criteria are not only related to the expectations for the dog but for the trainer also.
• I can only repeat the enormous value of Target and Place (Station) which Rooster and I will continue to work on. 
• L1 behaviors are the foundation to everything that follows. The hours, days, and months, spent working to make them solid is time well spent.
• It never hurts to review L1 again and again. 
• The ongoing need to always be aware of a small footprint, no matter if we were in the parking lot, inside a store, or just walking between destinations, is something I need to continue to be mindful of.
• This type of training  is a great way to find those holes that need to be plugged, that way making movement between tasks seamless and efficient.
• Supervised training is necessary, powerful, and important.  
• It is valuable when the dogs are ready, to have the opportunity to train in as many locations a possible.
• Working with a dog in public is a huge responsibility.
• Yet again the value of KO's RP.
• There is something to be said for a dog without a tail, especially a big whonking tail.

Karen and Webster

Our Observations of a GREAT Training Day

     I am continually amazed at the value of flipping our training sessions.  While watching ourselves on video, and coaching one another, it is so much easier to understand the holes in our training.  My observations of MVM training:

     The simple Level 1 behaviors are invaluable during public training.  Not only does it continue to solidify the behaviors, but Level 1 gives Webster grounding when he is either at threshold or unsure of what I want of him; it brings his focus back to, "Oh yeah, this is what I know and am comfortable with."

          TARGET! TARGET! TARGET!  We need much more practice with this behavior. While watching Web and I 'purchase tickets' at the kiosk, how many times did I ask for a TOUCH?  Well, let's not count; we'll just say I did not get it on the first time.  I could tell you that Rooster was in Webster's space, but now that wouldn't be the Freedom Dog way.  Our dogs need to be able to 'tuck-in'  in all situations. (Besides, these yellow boys are pretty good friends).

          DOWN!  I said DOWN! and how many more times did I have to say DOWN to Webster while washing the bug out of my eye?  I believe it was four times before my coach, Lynn, suggested I re-teach DOWN in this new bathroom (to him), and guess what? It took all of one minute or less to re-teach it in this setting.

          DOWN, and stay DOWN until I release you.  I don't know how many times Webster popped back up after giving him a command to SIT or DOWN.  I will go back and work on DURATION while re-teaching these behaviors in every and all training sessions.

          WATCH!  I see the need to work on WATCH every time we are in a new place.  This is a great way to get his attention.  I plan to use KO's RP OTR to help with WATCH DURATION, and as seen in Cathy's blog, mixing it up with SIT, STAND, DOWN.

          SMALL FOOTPRINT!  We were taking up way too much room in the isles.  Lynn suggested I use the tiles to keep Web close to me.   I seem to have a SDW on the Right side, but not the LEFT.  More practice; practice; practice; training; training; training! (Oh, and Flipping, Flipping, Flipping)!

          I believe Webster received an A on his LL, thanks to many hours of working on this.

We're off to train!



Jan and Nadador 

 

Observations of our day at MVM – thank you Lynn!

Walking through the parking lot: It was not a conscious decision to walk so far from the parked cars.  In thinking about it, I’m not sure if I wanted to make sure Lynn could see us or if I was just giving more room with the dog.  It was a good lesson on being aware of the environment around you, that keeping a small footprint doesn’t just mean you and the dog (and also that cars do come from behind :).

Elevators:  Maintaining position until I move. 

Arcade:  Nad handled the sounds and lights really well.  I  noticed giving a cue twice.

Ticket Machine: Even though we had the machine by the wall and he was put in front of me, the smallest footprint would have been to put him next to the wall.  Need to work on Target an maintaining position.  Again, multiple cues given.  Really watching  where Nad sits/lays in relation to me so that he’s in a position to minimize the space around me.  To figure out the difference between using Target hand and Target fingers!

Ramp:  Footprint, footprint, footprint

Overall:

• Be aware of footprint, both ours together and in relation to the environmen
• Let Nad do the work
• Criteria for both parts of the team
• L1 with L2 duration
• Training is a very focused behavior
• Things look much different looking at your dog on a Flip than when you're standing looking down at your dog

NOTES:  C,J,K.  Remember when we were walking back through the mall, headed for our cars?  We were walking single file and Lily and I were leading?  I stopped 3 or 4 times and backed up twice. An example that by the time we are working vested and in public, we no longer have the opportunity to back up to correct a tight leash.  Another example of always needing to be aware of the public and our responsibility to not interfere with their progress.  Another way of keeping our SD unobtrusive in public.


We continuously were reminded of this throughout our session - walking through the parking lot to Target, practicing footprint by the cash registers and throughout the store, waiting for the elevators.  Practically everywhere we went, you were acutely aware of the public.  (Just imagine what the Video Arcade experience would have been had it been filled with teens!)