More Thoughts on the Fronts

HERE'S MY PLAN - Right now as to the positions I will still only work on two - left heel and front (until I am comfortable with what I'm doing, what my physical cues are and am seeing progress I don't want to add too many "new" behaviors.)

For the left heel position - I will continue as last time only I won't have the board in-between us. I will also put down multiple broad jump chutes set at different angles, in different locations so that Wynn doesn't think this only happens in one place facing one direction. I will try to be careful that Wynn doesn't put too much emphasis on the boards those are only there to make it more likely Wynn will stand straight but in reality the only criteria I am actually looking at this stage is the position of his front feet in relationship to mine.

MUST REMEMBER - I can only have "one" criteria change at a training session - no lumping!!! And for now it is front feet in position. In addition to clicking while I'm inside the boards, I will also take a step forward outside the boards and click for position. His back feet will still try to avoid the boards so he will most likely be straight. After Wynn has 90+ % accuracy of the front feet where I want them I will begin to look at the criteria of straight - fading the boards as he shows me he is able. (This means it is set up so that Wynn is most likely to be correct and get clicks/treats so he will want to stay in the game, BUT, with enough challenge that he will have to think and be an active participant in making the correct decisions so that learning will occur.

PLAN for "front" - I have decided to hold my arms loosely at my sides. This could be helpful down the road if I choose to do any type of Obedience. The verbal will be "front" and I will want a stand. (I only compete in APDT Rally, CDSP and C-Wags Obedience so I will have the ability to say "sit" when I need a sit in front for those venues, but for freestyle I want a stand to be the default.) My problem with Wynn is by just doing come-fronts he wasn't "getting it". You could see him, follow mom, eat cookie, follow mom, eat cookie. I need him to realize he is responsible for something so Plan "A" - I will begin this training by allowing Wynn to get distracted and then call him front. When he gets to front and stops I will click and toss a treat. While he's getting the treat I will move my position and call him again. This will allow me to shape the front. My criteria will be close enough to touch and look at my face. (He knows how to do both, he has just never had this set-up before - the change is that I should be standing still instead of walking backward).

Things to watch for - by tossing the treat Wynn may decide there is no reason to come close (if food is being delivered only from 10 feet away - he is a pretty smart Whippet after all) - if that begins to happen Plan "B" will come immediately into play - Wynn will get random cookies for being close and then an extra tossed cookie to move him so we can repeat the front.

HOW TO PROGRESS - After I have quick responses to "front" with quick responses to "attention" (QUICK is a critical response - must never click "slow" - quit session before "slow" starts to happen.). I will then need to be more aware of "straight". If I see that straight is "way, way off" in the initial stages I don't want bad habits to become too ingrained and I will use my randomly placed broad-jump boards (that I have put closer together to form tighter chutes) as props to encourage a straight habit. After tossing the treat I will run into the middle of a chute so that the only way to get to my "front" is by coming straight front. This is where randomly placed cookies front and center will encourage him to come to me from "front" and not from the side. Clicks/cookies won't be dispensed unless he is in some semblence of front from the beginning. Running away from the Whippet will also encourage quick responses to "front"

Thats the new plan. I will post the results as soon as I have the opportunity to put it into play.