Fixing Bad Play Habits Part 3 of 3

This Video is part 3.

If you have not seen part 1 yet go Here first: https://youtu.be/vFn0yOuvG1E

If you have not seen part 2 yet go Here first: https://youtu.be/xPwsYTchGDQ

In this episode you will see clips from session 5, 6 and 7 with JJ working on these play exercises. During this time we have also worked on his obedience skills with food rewards. We are NOT trading JJ food for the tug toys. JJ would feel cheated by that strategy and likely blow up the progress we are making.

During session 5 we reintroduce obedience as the source of the game. The beginning of tug. JJ struggled for a few reps with this added stress included in his game. As he realized the rules we had established in the prior sessions still applied during obedience he took to it very quickly. you will see in the later two sessions in this video that his out has gotten cleaner, his tug game has improved drastically and he is actively trying not to do the behaviors that have earned him losses in the game during the prior sessions. including biting the handles, hands, corners of the tug, letting go when not commanded to out and not letting go when commanded to out.

JJ shows a lot of promise that we will be able to incorporate tug play into his obedience work on his path to IGP working titles. All of these changes were accomplished without the use of punishment or social pressure. Just pure play with an intention toward the finished game. Using reward in this way is essential to preserve the use of correction and the sensitivity of the dog for finishing work.