Finished my box...

[Drea]

And Tucker P Macaroon does really well with everything "on the box" unless Buddy Rodella is in his yard and barking at the fence.

I'm just now watching (again) DVD #2 and am wondering what I can do with Tucker (and where) that will reinforce me being the moose and him wanting to push with me when we are in stressful (for him) situations. Typically, we will be working on the box in the yard, either our own yard or the kennel yard (Buddy Rodella has fence access to both). Tucker will be focusing on me for most of the time, but suddenly, and often without warning, Buddy will become the moose and I will become a stick in the mud. My question is how do I become the moose, every time?

I play tug, I push, I 'try' to be the focus of Tucker's world, but in reality, I own a kennel, and groom dogs, so I can't always be 'with him'. He's in the office, or in the yard, or in a run (if there is room available).

I'm in the process of making all the fence lines at least visual barriers, meaning either wood or vegetation barriers. I can only control my own dog in these parts.

[neilsattin]

A few things that come to mind, if I understand you correctly:

1. Time. And, correspondingly, repetition.
2. And by repetition I mean ensuring that Tucker is on lead so that you can rechannel his energy (redirection on the DVD) when he is attracted to those other things.
3. Giving Tucker "down time" in an out-of-the-way place where he's not getting stimulated by all these other things. That will help him stay focused on you when you take him out and start working/playing together.

The trick is to remember that the times Tucker is attracted to something else are actually great opportunities to simply rechannel that energy back to you. You're telling him "that's cool that you're attracted to Buddy. But give all of that to me".

And just a reminder - when you do redirection make sure you wait, wait, wait for your opportunity. It's okay for Tucker to be at the end of the leash (with tension on the leash), focused on Buddy. The point is to simply not let him get to Buddy (or whatever) - and then, in the moment when simply "wanting" to connect with that other enticing thing isn't enough, to seize the opportunity by calling Tucker for a push (or a tug) and reminding him that's what you're there for!

[Drea]

Originally Posted by neilsattin

And just a reminder - when you do redirection make sure you wait, wait, wait for your opportunity. It's okay for Tucker to be at the end of the leash (with tension on the leash), focused on Buddy. The point is to simply not let him get to Buddy (or whatever) - and then, in the moment when simply "wanting" to connect with that other enticing thing isn't enough, to seize the opportunity by calling Tucker for a push (or a tug) and reminding him that's what you're there for!

This is a difficult task for me as Tucker weighs 97.5 pounds and if there's more than 4 feet of leash, he'll pull me with him. I made the mistake of tethering him to my waist and he literally pulled me so hard (getting to Buddy) that I fell backward and hit my head hard enough to give me a slight concussion. And once I'm down (he pulls hard enough to knock me over, if Buddy is the prize), it's hard to get back up. And I'm not a small person, either.

Okay, nuff crying. I'll keep at it.

[Heather]

It sounds like you are OK, otherwise I wouldn't be smiling, but your description of Tucker pulling you down was funny. I am making a mental note never to tie Happy to my waist...

[Drea]

But it was pretty darn scary at the time. I had a goose egg on the back of my noggin.