Working Multiple Dogs | The Working Dog and the Distraction Dog

Ron November 26, 2010

We have the Working Dog, the dog holding the duration behavior and a Distraction Dog(s) that is doing stuff.

Distraction Dog

The Distraction Dog, the dog not working on the Spot behavior at present, will be “worked” by the handler. Consider this work to be ‘shining the Distraction Dog on’ giving them lip service or limited attention during our interaction. Essentially we’re going to allow ourselves to be sloppy and inattentive here with the Distraction Dog in order to focus on the task at hand, which is adding value to the Spot for the Working Dog.

Working Dog

The Working Dog is the dog that is performing the Spot Behavior. All efforts should be made to keep the Working Dog in position. We should expect our dog to fail in new environments and situations and be proactive in helping them succeed. Which means increasing the rate of reinforcement to a level that is guaranteed to keep the Working Dog in position. It also means that we’ll need to release early and often.

Remember that we are not working duration unless the Working Dog is Released. ReleaseRelease has many meanings in disc. Throws and throw variations can be referred to as releases. Sometimes you talk about the dog releasing something, the toy, or the environment, as in to stop... More defines Duration

Categories: Dog Training

Tags: Multiple Dogs, Off Switch, Spot and Pedestal

Patron’s Choice : Shaping a Leaping Catch | Leaping Functions

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Ron December 21, 2019

4 Comments

Spot Training as Set Up Move

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Ron December 17, 2009

Pawsitive Vybe S2E5 – Rate of Reinforcement

Rate of ReinforcementRate of Reinforcement can be expressed in terms of Cookies Per Minute (CPM). How many cookies delivered over time has a great impact on dog training. Traditional positive training says you should shoot... More is well understood in dog training. We consider it one of the Four Principles of Positive Dog Training. Below we focus on Rate of Reinforcement as Cookies Per Minute (CPMCPM means cookies per minute. It is a fun expression for rate of reinforcement, a very important dog training concept. CPM should be between 15 to 30 CPM when learning or adding value... More) via some training and disc dog jam sessions and relate Rate of Reinforcement to the teaching, handling, and performance of dogs.

Ron July 26, 2013

1 Comment

What Is a Duration Behavior?

Ron Watson lays out the concept of Duration behaviors and discusses how they work.

Ron August 9, 2021

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Patron’s Choice: Shaping a Leaping Catch | Leaping Concepts

Patron’s Choice Sneak Peek | Public Access Dec. 26
Key concepts of the canine leaping skill and behavior chain that shape and reinforce a leaping catch.

Ron December 19, 2019

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Pawsitive Vybe S2E6 – Duration Dissected

Duration Behaviors are behaviors that happen for an extended period of time. A Down Stay is a duration behavior, as is chilling out on a pedestalSpot is a “go to a place”, or “go to a mat” behavior. This means that the dog seeks out and performs a duration behavior on a spot of the handler’s choosing. A... More, prolonged AttentionUnsolicited eye contact or Attention is a great way to hook up with a dog. If you have something the dog wants he should give eye contact in order to get access to... More, a lingering nose or foot Target, and working a ThresholdA dog’s working state can be said to be over or under Threshold. A dog that is over Threshold has trouble working. A dog that is under Threshold is in good shape to... More.

Ron July 27, 2013

Distraction Dog

Working Dog

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