MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF "DOING NOTHING"

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

A few months ago I did a discussion about how powerful I found "just waiting" to be with Murph.  Because he's excitable, giving commands with constant corrections for non-compliance wasn't the best training answer for him.  As an example, today it took us almost 50 minutes to get from the car to the dog park entrance with both boys.  There were dogs running and barking inside the park and that just set off both of my guys.  We got out of the car and just waited until they calmed down....which meant that Guinness had to stop crying and Murph had to lose that "stiff body".  Eventually Murph gave it up and just lied down and Guinness stopped the whining.  So we started to move forward.  Every time they got too excited, we stopped and just waited.  After 45 minutes we finally were able to walk in...it was reinforcement to them that "nothing good happens when your in that excited frame of mind".  This is something that our trainer has worked on with us for months.  Anyway here's a video that explains this philosophy way better than I ever could.  It could me my trainer saying these words.  What do you think?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think it's that "cannonballing" out the back door after being kept behind the back door threshold that Suzanne is talking about in this video.  It's all incremental...little increments.  She describes people that calmly walk their dogs through the process of getting ready to leave and then once through the door the dog bolts to the car.  That's because the training stopped at the other side of the door.  It might involve taking a step or two and then waiting....or bringing the dog back inside (over and over) when they go back to the excited state of mind, until they finally "get it".  I never allow my dogs to be on the stairs at the same time as I am.  It's a safety thing for me.  So they've been taught they have to sit and wait (at the top or bottom) until I get where I'm going and then I release them.  They're great about waiting, but I'm still working on having them then come down calmly once released.  That's step two of this training exercise...we're making progress and I rarely have to correct at this point.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Here's a little video that shows this training.  They know that they have to wait at the top or bottom of the stairs, but now they're learning they have to be calm after I release them...I'm using "easy" for this.  When we first started this training they were NOT at all calm waiting for that release which meant they were wild when I did release.  I never release them at the top or bottom of the stairs until I see calm body language....it used to be a long wait and now it's seconds.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

aah, I'm so in awe of this, it is wonderful to watch. I love that they are really trying so hard to get it right all the time.

Today we went to daycare and Riley in particular gets very excited the minute we walk in the door so I calmly stood and waited until he calmed down and he walked quietly to the staff member who took him from me. Boris who is only 7 months old is calm by nature, never ruffled. Riley is very smart and learns very quickly. It is me who needed to take the time to help him to be the best that he can be. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thanks Nicky....they do try so hard to get it right.  They are very "engaged" students. LOL.  Good for you for taking the time to wait for Riley to calm down at Daycare.  When I take the "boys" to Daycare we don't go through the door unless they're walking calmly....when Dad takes them it's a whole different story.  It's a good thing they're "contextual learners".

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

How was he once you entered the daycare? I can make them calm before we enter, but then it's just pure craziness once we enter.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

They're fine until I turn the leashes over to the Daycare workers (that's when the party starts)...but then it's their problem.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Same here, I have them calm until I hand them over.....It's party time as far as the boys are concerned the second they leave me. Riley always turns to look back at me, Boris doesn't give me a second glance lol

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

LOL Nicky...at least one of your boys looks back at Mom....my two are "woo hoo ing" that for the next several hours there will be no "down stays".

[BG and Gavin]

I just knew Murphy was going back for a toy.  Also love the two stair sit.  They are both so cute.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Too cute and very nice. I agree, it's a safety issue. I will need to show you my two on the stairs, especially in the morning. It's a hazard.

[Adina P]

You're right.  Makes sense.  It is the crossing the back door/steps thresshold that needs work.  Ugh...I don't see me being able to do this for a very long time.  I have thought about making the doodles wait for me, but usually I send them out without me or send them out first and then follow because I have to close the door behind us anyway.  It doesn't make sense to go out first, for me. 

I have done some heeling through the threshold or sits in the threshold but I don't have that kind of patience right now.  Someday...when kids are both in school we might get back into training.  Right now, it's not really a problem except at certain times.  I just find cannonballing annoying.  I don't enjoy that kind of out of control response, it's unnerving.  It makes me want to scream "CHILL OUT DOOD."  Really it's only Boca that does that.  Rosco has always been a slow poke.  Even as a pup, I'd open his crate door and he'd meander out in no big hurry.  I mean if there is something really exciting out there, he'll bolt through the yard, but his knee jerk response is ... to not knee jerk and pace himself.  He can plow ahead and lunge with the best of them, but more like a football player (occasional all out moves) rather than a sprinting, spinning, bouncing, zooming, knocking down, pogo stick.

But besides my personal reaction to it, it doesn't generally cause problems unless the kids are trying to exit the back door at the same time as the dogs.  So I generally make the dogs wait for the kids or send the dogs out first so they aren't getting knocked down the back steps.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Adina, remember that I'm retired...I have all the time in the world for this "stuff".  With all that you have on your plate, I'm impressed that you get showered and teeth brushed every day....LOL.  You need to do what works best for YOU and your family right now...your Doodles are doing just fine the way they are.