Notes: Day 6 – Bad Dog Agility Academy

Notes: Day 6

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  • gacwofva@aol.com says:
    April 28, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    What is the goal of having the pup get into a box? I get having an indoor platform (eventual table behaviour), but inside a box? How big is the box relative to the size of the pup?

    • Sarah Baker says:
      April 29, 2020 at 1:12 am

      It is all about growing body awareness, offering behaviors and confidence. Specifically, collecting the limbs together to eventually get in a small box and confidence interacting with something that might shift around. I start with a low box that is easy for my pup to get into then gradually move to smaller and smaller boxes and possibly higher walls.

  • piperjan says:
    April 23, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    What is your feeding strategy if you have a dog who is not interested in kibble? Beacon frequently refuses kibble (hand-fed, from a bowl, scattered on the ground, or from food puzzles, even when mixed with real meat. He will literally walk away from food, in which case I remove the food and try again later. Suggestions appreciated!

    • Sarah Baker says:
      April 23, 2019 at 7:17 pm

      One of the best ways is to have another dog that does want the food. Offer the food to the other dog and *most* dogs will then want that food. Also when using food for training you can try to make it more fun and active by tossing the treat away for him to chase.
      How long will Beacon not eat for? If it is not dangerous you can certainly put him up and try again later.

      • piperjan says:
        May 3, 2019 at 11:15 am

        Sorry my slow response! I forgot to subscribe to the comments:). Your suggestions were/are helpful.

        My goal is to get Beacon to eat 1/3 – 1/2 cup of kibble and 1-2 ounces of fresh food per day but this has been a struggle. He does poop 3 times per day, so maybe I’m just trying to feed too much? I intend to ask my vet about this when I see him on Monday for 3rd shots.

        Beacon will spit out kibble when and wander away when I try to train with it, except if he is in his bag on a walk with the other dogs. The only foods I’ve found that consistently keeps his interest are hot dogs, cheese, freeze dried liver, and wet cat food (his love for cat food
        was discovered by accident…sigh).

        Every evening while I make dinner, I separate the dogs with barriers (combo of ex pen/baby gate/crate) and give all dogs a food puzzle that has one of or a mix of yogurt, peanut butter, and/or meat. Beacon will work on the puzzle for 3-5 minutes, at which point he walks away from his puzzle and stands at the edge of his ex pen, barking at the other dogs. If I take him into another room with me (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and give him his puzzle there without other dogs in sight, he will walk to the baby gate or door, and bark and scratch at the barrier until the other dogs come over (baby gate at kitchen or bedroom) or until he is “tantrumed out” (behind closed door in bathroom) and falls asleep without touching the puzzle. This is embarrassing to admit, but when my husband has been on food puzzle watch, he put Beacon up onto the couch and held the puzzle, and proudly proclaimed that Beacon ate it all. However, this is obviously NOT what I want, and I have asked my husband not to try this again, since I want the food puzzle to be an occupier for Beacon so I can be free to do other things.

        Maybe I’m just expecting too much attention duration of a 14 week old puppy? Not sure what is typical, as he is my very first puppy. I’ve had him for about 5 weeks, and the behavior I describe has been consistent.

        • Sarah Baker says:
          May 5, 2019 at 12:55 am

          You could try crushing freeze dried liver (or cat food!) and mixing it into a baggie of kibble… I would definitely use plain kibble when you can but do what you need to so you can do some training. Will he work for the fresh food?
          As to the amount, if his weight is good and he is pooping multiple times a day then the amount you are giving him is fine.
          With the food toy, maybe having him eat it on the couch is a way to start. First on the couch, then next to it, then back to Xpen? Is the kong frozen? If so I would try a thawed out one. If it is not frozen is there another way you can make it easier for him? Is it the duration he can work on it alone or does it get too hard? I would also try after the 1st 3 minutes to give him another kong. If he works on that maybe the first one was getting too difficult (not a high enough reward rate…). I think that 14wk old puppies can certainly work a whole food toy. It might be more difficult for Beacon because he is not super food driven…

  • Josephine Grin-Yates says:
    April 19, 2019 at 2:03 am

    What is IYC?

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