How to Build Focus in the Dog Sport Ring Using ‘Control Unleashed’ tools (clicker training) reactive
building focus in the ring training with
ring gates using control Unleashed tools
this is the first session I did in the
ring to see what would happen I had a
vague plan in my mind but was flexible
to what might happen
by big goals for training using the ring
gates our Jessie feels safe in the ring
no other dogs the ring is where we
always have fun together and the ring is
a place where jesse is focused on me
I start by clicking for any attention
just outside the entrance I want her to
be with me before we ever step in the
ring we have practiced this exercise a
few times at our front door getting out
of the car and yeah coming out of crates
all about a year ago so she picks it up
faster than a dog who’s never done it
she clearly needs more practice on this
alone we will do that in other sessions
she offers giving me eye contact in heel
position which is what my mini objective
was watch her nose target the ring gate
as we go in this is left over from the
last training session which means she’s
still comfortable with it and offering
behavior she knows gotta click in the
past once in the ring I clicked for
attention in any position this is how I
start to build a history of attention in
the ring
next I experiment was moving around the
ring in small steps to see if she’ll
stay with me
I throw the treats to change their
position in relation to me
my criteria are low and the rate of
reinforcement is high to keep her
interest on me and to help her
experience that the ring is a positive
place to be
because she is giving me great attention
the distraction level is low and she’s
comfortable I think she’s ready for well
known behaviors using just my body
language she correctly gives me a front
with eye contact
a tiny tail wag and a default sit is
next
you may not be able to see it but she
offered a chop lick which I should have
clerked instead I click for her looking
back after a stress release and glanced
away
I realized my mistake and started
clicking again for simpler behaviors
here you can see that we’ve previously
done some mat work on calming behaviors
laying down etc and she defaults to it
when she’s not sure what to do I decided
to go with this and let her offer some
more self calming behaviors head down
that didn’t get us very far so I took a
step to the side hoping to get her
moving and the rate of reinforcement up
again
missed an opportunity to click
she goes back to offering them out
behaviors I could have clicked this
lightweight shift as well but I get a
head down
her attention starts wandering after
five minutes
here she goes through several clickable
behaviors what was I looking for how
many can you count I get at least six
clearly my own attention span has hit
the limit as well I start moving again
and she’s right with me
we end this session on a high rate of
reinforcement and her focus on me
I dropped a treat and she voluntarily
left it with minimal sniffing so I
clicked her we are working on leave it
for drop treats as a separate behavior
out of the ring I send her back to it as
further reinforcement
I want to focus when we leave the ring
as well more practice is needed with us
to a calm all done signals the session
is over I closed the ring gate after we
were done I lived a couple of things
from filming our first session have a
clear plan for each session keep
sessions short I lose her attention when
I’m not clear what I’m asking
she’s focused when I do ask she has
amazing duration for focusing on me
despite me being boring seven minutes is
more than double what she’d be asked for
in a rally ring despite my mistakes this
is what she was doing when I came back
out after a short break she wanted to do
more this accomplished my objective of
making the ring a desirable place for
her to be please sir I want some mole
she was treating this like a Gimme a
Break game so I obliged her with another
shorter faster paced session
