Category: Performance Events ¤
  Author: Ron Harris ¤
   Title: Building Concentration ¤

Reflecting on the "training/warmup, ringside distration" thread, it occurs
to me that while we can't do much about what other competitors and
spectators do, we certainly can work on our own dog's concentration.  At
the risk of describing a "work-in-progress" and later finding out it's not
quite as effective as I expected, I'd like to describe one of the things
I'm currently doing with Keely and Lars to build concentration and attention.

An instructor with whom I worked in my previous (compulsion) life teaches
classes in a community center near me.  The classes are mostly
inexperienced dogs and trainers, and he teaches a combination J&P and food
method.  The room is about 30' by 60', and they have mats around the
perimeter.  About 6 weeks ago I got permission to sit in with my dogs.  I
explained that all I wanted was the distraction.

The 1st session I attended was an extremely chaotic beginners class.  I
brought Keely in on a 10' line on the dead ring of her fur saver.  I sat on
a step in the corner and allowed her to sniff and watch whatever she
wanted.  After about 1 min at the end of the leash trying to investigate
the other dogs and handlers, she finally looked at me.  Click, which
immediately brought her to me for a very fine treat!!  Then back to
watching.  After a few more minutes she would alternate between the end of
the leash watching the class, and returning to me for c/t.  I moved several
times to different corners of the room. We quit after about 15 min.

Over the next 2 sessions I repeated the exercise.  Each time her attention
to the class diminished and her concentration on me increased.  I didn't
ask for any behavior at all, I just reinforced attention to me.   (One
student in the class, while restraining her lunging dog, asked me, "Why
aren't you training your dog?")

After a few minutes of the 4th session, Keely planted herself in front of
me, staring into my eyes.  I c/t'd, then waited.  She then dropped.  I
interpreted this as a declaration that, "OK, you've got better stuff than
they have, let's work!"

I then did about a minute or 2 of attention sit, front sit, down, and got
out of there.

Tonight we went back for the 1st time in about 3 wks.  She came
*immediately* into attention.  We worked in our corners for only a few
minutes, graduating all the way to 4 or 5 steps of heeling!

None of this is particularly original.  Every trainer with whom I've ever
talked spoke about practicing under distraction.  What never occurred to me
until I began to try to do everything +R was that I should teach
concentration as a separate exercise.  When I took Keely into that chaotic
class for the 1st time, I set her up for success, since I had no intention
of asking for behaviour at the risk of being ignored.  I knew that sooner
or later she'd look at me.  When, in the 4th session, she told me she was
ready to work, we worked.

We will take this show on the road as weather and opportunity permit. By
next Spring when we hope to be ready to trial, I expect her to be ready to
work with very little lead-time.

As I said, this is a work-in-process.  We'll see whether a pure +R approach
will produce reliable performance.


Ron Harris
VA Jello v.d. Wienerau SchH III KKL 1a(normal) lbz
VA Lars von Wilhendorf SchH III, FH KKL 1a(normal) lbz
Boening's Pemi von Wilhendorf CDX
Keely von Wilhendorf BH (Lars x VA Fanta v Wiesenborn)

ronhar@netaxis.com