Lesson #8: Uncontrolled Distraction, Controlled Dog
Your dog will need to be on leash for this lesson. Because your distraction won’t be contained, make sure that when you set up for each step, the distraction is at least one foot farther away than the length of your leash.
For this lesson, ANY tightening of the leash should be considered a failure. Handle failure in the usual way: go to the distraction with your dog, admire it (but do so in a way that your dog CANNOT get it), move away, and go back to work.
Procedure:
- Place your dog on leash and take the distraction out of the container.
- Set the distraction out of reach, request a behavior. Reward your dog using the two-treat method if she’s successful.
- Increase the value of distraction, keeping it out of reach, and request a behavior.
- Move around the training area requesting a behavior in a new location each time.
- Stay in the same place in the training area, but move the distraction around the area.
- Move the distraction closer to your dog.
Lesson #9: Uncontrolled Distraction, Uncontrolled Dog
This lesson will have both your dog and the distraction off leash, so you’ll need a helper! If your dog goes for the distraction, your helper’s job is to get to it first and pick it up. Your helper will then hand it to you, you will admire it, and you’ll start again.
Procedure:
- Bring your dog into the area off leash. Put the uncontrolled distraction at a distance from your dog. Request a behavior and reward success with the two-treat method.
- Increase the value of the distraction and request a behavior.
- Move around the training area, requesting a behavior in a new location each time.
- Stay in the same place in the training area, but move the distraction around the area.
- Move the distraction closer to your dog and request a behavior.
- Repeat all steps with a variety of helpers.
For more advice on training your dog to listen anytime, anywhere, purchase Beyond the Back Yard from Whole Dog Journal.
