I have been working with Harley on being calm. He made BIG progress in fake calm. He will stay at his place for very long put his head down but he is not CALM. Treats arer very exciting and being released from the place is like reasing a tornado.

He gets a lot of play, ob, run and I am trying to teach some tricks. He sleep well over night and does not bark in his crate.

My thing is that if I don't order him to do calm stuff he will not volonteer easily. If he does and I walk to him as calm as I can andjust drop low value reward he gets all up.

I am trying massage and control unleashed but he is not really calm but behave kind of calm and undercontrol just waiting to exploded.

He can play fetch for hours and I make it tough by asking for all sort self control activity. That really work on short term.

He run full speed most of the time and everything is so exciting. He is easily amused. A kung keeps him bussy but needs to be crated of the kung can fly around.

I was thinking of very low value reward so he does not get too happy but what are low value reward?

At the moment he is pretending to be sleeping but if Iput the laptop down he will be ready for action. His breathig does not lie he is not asleep but kind of calm. Is that good enough?

Ariane - Are you familiar with Dr. Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol?

It might work for Harley...worked wonders for my Kira.

http://dogscouts.org/Protocol_for_relaxation.html

Thanks Melissa, sound like what I need

I just want to say thank you to Melissa and Jenny for helping find a calmer Harley.

Controle unleashed and the protocol for clinical calm are really working for my boy.

He will now sleep while I fix luch or dinner.
Today at agility he just laid down and waited for me to organize the jumps. He used to sniff around, run, jump, so I use to have to put him on leash. He just offer to chill while I move the stuff. How cool.

Thanks

Hi, can you please elaborate on how exactly you taught "Calm for real"? I would greatly benefit from it. Plus if you can post a video, I would be much obliged.


Regards

Ram

Yay! I am so glad to hear that Harley is learning to relax.

Ram, it is easier to find the book as it is well explained. (control unleashed by L. McDevitt) and follow Melissa's link also.

It is, in a nutshell, rewarding relaxation behavior (free shaping). I would spend my tv time with my cliker and some low value treats. Click reward every eye blink, yawn, down on the side. Not asking for it. I also reward him for not following when he is calm.

There is also the default behavior. What I want him to do when he does not know what to do. Find me, look at me. What he did today in agility. Down relaxe and watching me calmly. Got rewarded for doing nothing. He has learn to re orient to me.

We still have a long way to go. He comes out of his crate at full speed in the morning but then comes back to me and sit and look at me. At least we have an off button coming.

It is boring for me to teach the calm, I am just like Harley. Lack focus, learn fast then get bored and got to move.

Harley is very good at doing the place commande but he is always ready to go waiting for the next move. Now he can be free and choose to go to his crate or mat and sleep.

I sometimes think that he is sick when he choose to sleep during the day. It is nice not to have all the nervous energy around

Yes, I have Leslie McDevitt's book. Actually she was kind enough to send me a free signed copy. It has a few zen like concepts apart from actual training like Look At That Game, which I use a lot. When I ever I take my dogs to the obedience ring, I do not train any thing. I will make them lie down and actually stroke them till they almost fall asleep. I love the effect it has on me , more than my dogs.

Many of the things in her book was geared towards agility. I have zero knowledge about agility.

Also I like her concept of , it is OK if you do not do well on that particular day. I love that , it is a very eastern way of thinking , if I may say so.

I did not know what you meant by "Calm for Real". Just wanted to double check to make sure I was not missing out on some thing new.

PS: I wish my boy Kaiser had a bit more "desire" in him. He is too laid back.