Video # 1: Intro to Longe Line and Jacque is nippy
Jacque was full of himself and a bit nippy so I was hustling, moving briskly, and doing a lot of 270 left turns around him as he doesn't yet know my left side IS the Safety Zone. And can't have him mouthing the leash or he'll chew right through it and be gone so it's a safety issue. He has to learn that putting his mouth on a human or a leash, longe line, etc., is going to result in something uncomfortable happening.
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Video # 2: Jacque learns that moving away from handler is an unwise choice
Jacque is vocal about his complete SURPRISE! when he experiences the result of choosing to be outside the Safety Zone. Also, he's not acclimated at all to the new pressure of the chain slip collar which is a radically different feel/communication than the puppy flat buckle collar he's been on for weeks.
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Video # 3: Jacque is learning he has the power to choose comfort or experience discomfort
Here, literally in just a few minutes of the Longe Line lesson, you can see Jacque 'thinking' a bit more. "Maybe if I move away nothing will happen? Nope, that didn't work so well. Perhaps I should reestablish my personal comfort by remaining close to this woman whose handling my leash? Yup...much better." =====================================================================
Video # 4: Jacque is starting to think, measure, check in and figure things out - pronto. Doesn't take long.
There are moments when you can see/watch Jacque's head swing towards my leg while moving. This is called 'checking in' and exactly what you want to see as the dog is literally checking in to determine if its position in relationship to the handler is a good place to be. Despite Jacques' vocalization (some dogs do, some dogs don't), by the end of this 4th video, Jacques is more often choosing to stay with me inside the Safety Zone.
As tough as this was on Jacque, just like Sugar getting after him for being rude and impertinent, the lessons are short, sharp and done with. It won't take long for Jacque to choose to remain in the Safety Zone while being worked on the Longe Line.
This is the VERY BEST method I've ever seen to train a dog to take responsibility for its position. Longe Line training is the foundation for loose-leash heeling. Longe Line training is ALSO the foundation for off-leash heeling. The dog gets to choose - comfort by remaining close to handler, discomfort whenever it moves away, and then comfort restored again by choosing to remain close to handler. =========================================================================================================================================================
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