Training Tails: Dallas - Week 2 Update

Handlers: Cevallos and Bell

Week 2:

This week we are focused on teaching and reinforcing all the basic commands of which are expanded onto more intricate commands later on. Dallas did come with some previous training, so getting her to pair SIT and DOWN to the appropriate command has not been too difficult. Her challenge is obeying when she is tired or when there are competing motivators. Ideally, we want to Dallas to obey the command using either the verbal or nonverbal cues. Dallas is doing well when working on the Front or Block command. We completed her entrance evaluation and she does accept brushing, ear cleaning, and nail trimming. Her training goals is to make her successful on all her specialty commands and teach her five tricks. She appears to offer some nice tricks already such as roll, paw, and bow. Free shaping allows us as handlers to capture those behaviors that we want to add a cue to by reinforcing it when it happens. Dallas has shown to be a very confident dog. She is not startled by other dogs or situations. She showed a little hesitation towards carts, but not enough to call it a fear. We will continue working on areas of distraction to help reinforce her commands.