KMODT Week 3 – Why It Works by Deb Kidwell

                                                       KMODT Week 3 – 

                      Why It Works by Deb Kidwell

This week’s objective is to establish that you are the disciplinarian of the team that you and your dog are forging together.  In order to establish self-discipline in your dog, you will need to be very consistent in your application of the consequences of your dog’s wrong behavior.  This means that you will hold your dog, and yourself, 100% percent accountable as you work together.  

The skills we are working on this week include:

Heeling within 1 foot of you

Establishing the AS (auto-sit)

Sit/Stay (with Sit Correction)

Stand (and laying the groundwork for Stand/Stay with the Conditioned Relaxation Stroke)

Place (dog learns self-control in a specific location)

In addition, we are increasing distraction levels to moderate to high.  Your dog has experienced increasing levels of distraction in the first two weeks of instruction and should now be able to learn in moderate levels of distraction.  Other dynamics of the Week 3 training environment include time, distance, mechanical placement, direction of pressure and the certainty of a correction (discomfort) for wrong behavior choices.  This does not mean we are harshly correcting the dog each time he or she makes a wrong choice, but it does mean we are making sure the dog faces negative consequences of discomfort and even confrontation (placing your dog in the correct position face-to-face).  We will seek to maintain a mindset of CCC (cool, calm and collected), but at the same time absolutely PIC (Persistent, Insistent, Consistent) in our relentless pursuit to establish the positive aspect (praise) of right behavior and the negative (social and physical discomfort) aspect of wrong behavior.

Let’s break that down into specific tasks to accomplish each skill and explain why each works to contribute to this critical Week 3 goals.  For the heeling work, we are simply using the techniques of the previous lessons (right about training turns, left turns and right turns – including the new Right About Turn), to establish that the most productive and easiest course for the dog is to walk at your side in heel position.  This week that “magic” area shrinks to one foot.  We use the Heeling Post to force the dog to make a quick decision to either remain in position next to you, or to face the negative uncomfortable consequences of the incorrect choice.  

As discussed before, the AS (auto-sit) works because the first handler movement stops the dog’s forward motion, and the second (KISS principle) movement puts the handler in a strong position for a Sit Correction should it be necessary.  For the Sit/Stay, we are teaching that pressure from the top means that the dog should stay put (no feet movement at all, nor allowing the head dropping below the chest) and the handler moving out with the right foot first cues the dog (along with the Sit command) that they are to remain sitting.  Over the course of the week, we will increase both distance (our distance from the dog) and time (duration of stay).  This works to establish the desired behavior because dogs learn in very short increments and we are slowly achieving our goal of 6 feet away from the dog for 60 seconds by the end of the week.  

If we don’t break these skills down for the dog OR if we increase our standards too quickly, the dog cannot comprehend what we are asking them to do.  It’s almost like teaching algebra before learning basic math; advanced techniques are too difficult to master without the proper foundation.  Moreover, the Sit Correction works to make the dog uncomfortable as the handler moves directly in front of the dog while making the correction.  This is a direct (social, pack ordering) challenge and our reinforcement of the position (with the additional discomfort of the chain collar tightening), ensures that the dog begins to understand the proper relationship between dog and handler both physically and socially.  

For the Stand, we are teaching that pressure from under the chin (along with the Stand command given on Days 4-6) means the dog is to stand, and later to remain in position for the Stand for Exam.  Also, it is imperative the handler maintain the ‘hovering’ over the dog’s head shoulders as this is dominance in the dog world. Our application of the Conditioned Relaxation Stroke is done lightly on the withers and/or from top of head to the withers. This calms the dog and reminds him or her that the handler remains in control.  Remember to place your right foot in front of the dog to obtain the desired Kick-Back Stand; your foot placed thusly prevents forward movement while applying pressure from under the dog’s chin and giving the verbal command to Stand.  Also, the Stand taught on an elevated surface helps the learning dog to stabilize. Remember that we are conducting this week’s instruction in moderate to high levels of distraction, which requires the dog to remain focused on the handler no matter the environment.        

For the Place, we are teaching the learning dog that its comfort CAN also be experienced by following the handler’s command while away from its handler. The Place taught during Week 3, because it has an IMPLIED, never spoken Stay command within the “Place” command, strengthens the learning dogs understanding of Stay. And the Stay command is strengthened this week with the Place command. The dog learns it CAN hold a stationary position “Stay” = don’t move at all, while Place is a specific location position “Place” = remain in this specific area/location. Place strengthens the learning dogs understanding that it CAN be responsible in a designated area. Place is also where directional are introduced for future learning application.