Welcome back and kudos to all of you who have worked through Challenge #4 of this series! Challenge #4 involved a huge context change – moving outside – and introduced a world of potentially novel distractions. Assuming your dog is consistently responding to SIT cues in a familiar outdoor space such as your front or back yard, you’re ready to move on to Challenge #5, in which we will be moving your dog’s training further from home. If not, please keep working through Challenge #4  before continuing.  Be sure to post any questions for me below the blog post.

Challenge #5, the final challenge of this series, will help you navigate the outdoor environment from whatever vantage point your training is currently at. Whether your dog is new to neighborhood challenges, or you walk frequently, there’s always room for improvement. So don’t be afraid to slowly rebuild your outdoor SIT responsiveness and to refer to the trouble-shooting solutions when you need them. My goal for you is to acquire the ability to adjust to the environment when and as needed

Since an outdoor “classroom” is in a constant state of flux, you will want to gain fluency in adjusting on the fly.  With amped up senses of smell, sight, hearing and the need to forage, dogs undoubtedly experience their surroundings differently than humans do.  Novel distractions and unexpected circumstances outside of your control will inevitably cross your path as you move about the real world. But did you know that appropriate distractions can also be potent reinforcers in training?

What if your dog isn’t food motivated or if interacting with his immediate surroundings is all your dog wants?  Give it to him!  You can creatively incorporate distractions so that they work as potent reinforcers.  For instance, most dogs love to explore with their noses!  So next time you’re near one of your dog’s favorite sniff spots, queue a SIT (no treat) and, when he does, run him over to that spot.  With a bit of practice your dog will begin to understand that through you, he can gain access to more than food.

Image by Foto-RaBe from Pixabay

Challenge #5:  Moving Your Dog’s Training Further from Home

Goals

• To build a consistent response to SIT cues in less familiar outdoor environments.
• For you to learn how to adjust criteria as necessary to promote success in more challenging environments.
• For your dog to learn that you and he/she are always in training mode in outdoor settings.

Setup

• Break soft, smelly treats into tiny pieces. Place treats directly into a treat bag, fanny pack, nail pouch or pocket, so that they are easily and quickly accessible to you, yet out of your dog’s direct sight. Avoid working from a plastic bag or directly from a bag of treats. You will need to have both hands free for other things.
• You and your dog will begin working together on your driveway or a sidewalk abutting your home and slowly enlarge the training area after 5 successful repetitions of SIT sprinkled throughout that area.
• Be aware of the distractions that are present with each position change. This will give you valuable insight into your dog’s needs for adjustment.

Rules

• You may use verbal and/or hand signals to cue SIT, but no physical contact.
• Only cue SIT one time (no repeating) and wait patiently for your dog to comply. If using a hand signal, hold signal in place until SIT happens.
• If SIT happens on first cue, immediately say “YES,” then reach for a treat and reward your dog. Move to another location within 5-10 feet and ask for a SIT. Reward for success, move another 5-10 feet and ask for SIT.

• If your dog does not SIT (on the first cue), return to the last position where your dog was successful, and queue SIT again. If still unsuccessful, make a note of your surroundings and move to a more familiar (less active) outdoor area and see Troubleshooting options below.

Troubleshooting

◊  Distance is Your Friend

If your dog is too distracted to comply with a SIT cue, taking distance will always help you out and allow your dog to learn despite what’s around.  Increase distance and try again. Once you’ve determined the optimal distance your dog needs from a given distraction, you can begin to close the gap.

◊  Is Reward (Still) Valuable to Learner?

Remember, it doesn’t matter if you think a reward is valuable if your dog doesn’t. Sometimes, you’ll simply need to up the potency of the food rewards you’re using.  But other times, the environment will be more alluring than food.  For this reason, it’s important to recognize other sources of reinforcement in your immediate surroundings, such as access to sniff opportunities.  Discover what your dog enjoys and use that to your advantage.

◊ Is Dog Unable to Learn in this Environment?

Dogs live in the moment and so should your adjustments. If adding distance or changing reward value does not change your dog’s behavior, the current environment/situation may simply be too over-stimulating for your dog right now. Knowing when to take a step back is crucial to avoiding pitfalls in your training as you strive for consistency.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking part in our SIT HAPPENS learning series.  A couple of human skills to keep in mind as you encounter real-world distractions – be observant and proactive! Try to anticipate the need for adjustment before your dog gets lost in the moment.  This will take practice on your part. As you continue to move your dog’s training further from home, you will discover more instances in which simple adjustments, made in advance, will ensure that your dog is not learning to tune you out. As you progress toward your ultimate training goals, the Challenge #5 troubleshooting solutions will always be the “meat and potatoes” to success and consistency. And remember… training is a journey, not a destination!