Success!

[donnieo]

Today I was able to successfully redirect Jinxsie from a squirrel for the first time! Actually, I should say she redirected herself...

For the past week and a half I've been scaling back the intensity of her training and really tried to keep a playful mindset. I started taking her to a tiny park near my house that doesn't have any distractions, focus on the pushing and heeling as opposed to a lot of box work and take time out for more tug and massage breaks. Also, on Sang's advice, I've started to roughhouse with her a bit more: sweeping her front paws out from her and pushing her around a bit. This really intensified her attraction to me. Thanks Sang!

Today, I decided to change it up a bit and go to the large park that I usually take her to. It's a pretty big park and has a natural area, full of squirrels, other dogs and a pair of resident great horned owls. I usually try to go there before dawn when the squirrels aren't out because she normally goes nuts for them. However, I took her out a bit later and it's a warm day so the squirrels were out in full-force. I was mixing it up quite a bit with her: heeling, pushing, tug, rest, whatever. We were walking toward the end of the park and Jinxsie was ahead of me. Then she spotted a squirrel. She started to stalk forward, and I decided to stop and let the full length of her lead play out. I slowly stopped her and decided to do nothing but watch her. All of a sudden, she turns and runs right into me for a push, from 50 feet away! Without me saying a word to her! I petted her up really good, we then kept walking forward and I heeled her past the squirrel.

Right now I'm very proud of Jinxsie and myself. I really feel like we're a team. I have placed all of my trust in this process and have seen a lot of breakthroughs with her, but this is by far the biggest one yet.

[ellesbell]

wow donnieo,
thank you so much for sharing your success! that's gotta be such an amazing feeling... sadly i can only imagine right now.

since this is the first successful redirection, i was just curious how long it's taken to build up to this point? how long have you and jinxsie been working together with the ndt techniques?

[Sang]

That is awesome! That must have felt soooo good when she turned and looked to you. Congrats and keep up the great work! You are well on your way now

[Lee Charles Kelley]

Kudos to you too, Donnie O! Way to hang in there, change your mindset, and let her make the "decision!"

LCK

[Chris]

Wow that's just wonderful, so pleased for you. Keep up the good work.

[donnieo]

I really appreciate all the advice and kind words I get from the folks on this site. It has certainly helped my resolve in using this method....

Originally Posted by ellesbell

wow donnieo,
thank you so much for sharing your success! that's gotta be such an amazing feeling... sadly i can only imagine right now.

since this is the first successful redirection, i was just curious how long it's taken to build up to this point? how long have you and jinxsie been working together with the ndt techniques?

Well, I started pushing with her in mid-October, but i have definitely not pushed with every meal. I'd say about 75% of her meals come through pushing and training, and for the past month I've been giving her one meal inside her crate. Once I'm not working the crazy hours that I have been for the past month, I am definitely going to make every effort to push with every meal.

Don't get discouraged: trust the process, trust your dog's good nature.

[BrownieNJoyce]

Originally Posted by donnieo

Today, I decided to change it up a bit and go to the large park that I usually take her to............I usually try to go there before dawn when the squirrels aren't out because she normally goes nuts for them.

I am still more than willing to be up extra early to walk my dog in the dark in the a.m. in order to avoid cats and squirrels since they are huge triggers for him (we are 6 weeks into NDT and I push for 90% of his meals--i.e. twice a day most days) It's also really cold where I live so not many people out with their dogs either. But winter won't last forever and so it's awesome to hear about your experience of your dog spontaneously coming to you over the squirrel! My dog sometimes looks at me now if we come to a corner from where we don't always go the same way. And if I just stop and wait, sometimes he'll eventually turn his head to look for me. It's amazing.

[neilsattin]

So great to hear about your progress, donnie-o!

Once I was practicing a redirect with Nola on a city sidewalk, with a squirrel who was about 5 feet up a tree. This was in the "early days" - Nola was on a 6-foot lead, at the end of it, totally focused on the squirrel. And the squirrel was totally focused on her.

I was getting ready to "Ready, Nola!" when all of a sudden, the squirrel charged us! He ran at Nola (who was completely bewildered), darted through her legs, jumped at me and ran halfway up my body before he sprinted away to another tree. Attack of the squirrel!

All I'm saying, everyone, is be careful out there!