Secrets of a Stunning Performance

Linda Sperco

Even before they were done, a light breeze of applause began to rise up, breaking out into thunderclaps as the pair finished their performance.  At the end, confident that they had brought out the best in each other, the shorter of the pair leapt up onto the taller one, tail wagging and wiggling with happiness!  You've seen this team, cheered for this team, wished you and your dog were this team and perhaps even been this team.

Performances need not be fast and flashy to catch the eyes of the judge and onlookers.  Many veteran dogs and dogs with disabilities give dazzling performances.  Veteran and junior handlers give eye-catching performances.  The secret to success is not a secret at all; it's attention and teamwork.

At-Home Attention

Attention starts before you even attempt to teach your dog the first rally exercise.  Attention has gotten a bad rap in recent years simply because people think they have to hurt their dog to get the dog's attention.  Attention can and should be taught as something fun, through games and exercises that make your dog want to pay attention to you because it's enjoyable.  Attention is earned and if you are truly soul mates, it will come quite naturally and with ease.

Attention starts at home.  Next time you're sitting in a chair or on the couch, watch your dog out of the corner of your eye.  When she looks at you - and she will - give her a big fat smile.  When you do, most likely she will get up and come to you.  When she does, praise, ruffle her hair, get on the floor and roll around with her or take out a toy and play.  Even if she doesn't come right over, still get down on the floor or take out a toy and encourage her.  Once she begins to pick up on what her behavior got her, you can get that your dog your dog will decide that you are definitely more fun than barking out the window.  Now it's time to take the game to the backyard.  Don't expect her to think you're more interesting than squirrels just yet!

Building on Attention

Once you and your canine companion have mastered the basics of at-home attention, it's time to put it on cue and into your training sessions.  You'll need treats and/or toys.  If you're using treats, make sure they're really something out of the ordinary - preferably something you can but in your mouth and not gag on.  Put a leash on for safety only (not control) and ask you dot to sit.  Have a treat in your mouth.  Step in front of her - she should be watching you move - say her name and when she looks up at you, smile, click or mark with a verbal cue, take the treat from your mouth and give it to her.  If she's looked away while your moved, say nothing.  Simply wait for her to offer you the behavior again.  If she looks, smile and reward.  If she doesn't look at you, release and move to a spot that is not so distracting.  A word of caution here: at this point do not attempt this if there happens to be a squirrel convention convening behind your back.  That's for later.  If you dog isn't turned on by food, then have her favorite toy stashed in your pants behind your back and whip it out and play.

After a few tries, have her sit next to you in a heel position.  Have the treat ready in your left hand, held between your thumb and forefinger, not in your mouth.  When she looks at you, smile, click or mark it as you slide your left hand with the food in it up to the side of your face and back down into your dog's mouth.  Mix up using her name with a cue to look at you such as "Watch" or "Look".

Attention Games

"Cookies From Heaven" is also another great attention game.  This time have a treat in your right hand and hold your right arm in a natural position on the right side of your body.  Say your dog's name and ash her to "Look".  When she does, smile and raise your right arm up over your head and drop the treat or tennis ball or whatever (nothing heavy, please) over and down the left side of your head to your dog.  Don't worry if she can't catch.  The whole idea here is that when she looks at you, good things fall out of the sky.  Wouldn't you just love it if you looked up when someone said your name and hundred dollar bills fell from the sky?

"Here Comes The Judge" is a fun and effective attention game.  Oftentimes the most nerve-wracking part of a ring performance is that moment when the judge comes up and says "Hi, smile, breathe, have fun and are you ready?"  Some dogs thing the judge is talking to them and it would be most rude not to acknowledge the conversation and some dogs think the dog is talking to them and wishes she wouldn't because, wow, that is really some scary hat you're wearing?  This game teaches our dogs that fun things happen when the judge comes up and starts talking, so they'd better pay attention to the human or they miss the fun.  Teach it without the judge first, please.  And have our sneakers on and a toy hidden somewhere on you because you need to be ready to run and play.  Set your dog up in heel position, crouch just a tad and separate your feet a tiny bit.  Say her name or cue her to look.  Don't reward with a treat.  Instead, smile, crouch some more and then run off directly to your right, making sure your dog runs with you being careful not to yank her off her feet of course.   Run a few steps and then whip out the toy and play.  Now add the judge.  Friends, family and strangers off the street - anyone will do.  Set up and as the judge approaches (don't let the judge get too close the first few times), crouch, run and play.  With more repetitions, the judge can get closer and closer and your dog will be absolutely convinced that it's more fun to pay attention to you.

Heeling Games

Heeling games are important.  In the dog's mind, heeling is inherently boring.  Dogs don't walk in a straight line from point A to point B.  Dogs like to wander and weave, stop to check messages on the fire hydrant and generally take the most interesting route between point A and point B.  Instead of trying to convince your dog to heel with you for than say, ten feet, by hauling her around on the leash, break it up and make it fun.  Heel forward two feet, release and play. You get the idea: simply breaking up straight line heeling with play keeps the dog focused and motivated.

Heeling games on the turns are equally important.  Take the time to teach your dog that when you turn to the right, it's actually fun and you'll have a dog that pays attention at those times.

More points are lost on right turns, about turn rights, figure 8 and spiral right than anywhere else and that's due to tight leashes and lagging dogs.  Right Turn and Toss will teach your dog that hey, it's fun to pay attention during these exercises and you won't lose points.  Set you dog up in heel position.  Have a toy or treat hidden in your right hand, with your right arm held against the side of your body in a natural position.  Cue your dog to heel forward with you a few steps. Make sure she is paying attention.  Give her whatever your cue is for turning right and as you both step into the turn, throw the treat or toy directly into the path of your right turn and release your dog to get it.  Needless to say, do this off leash.  If you can't do it off leash, then pull the treat or toy out as you step into the turn and hold it in front of your dog and release her up to get it.  If you dog is what is commonly called a "forger", one who is three steps ahead of you, don't play this game!

Turn and Toss on about turn rights, figure 8's and spiral rights works essentially the same way.  Cue your dog and just about when you are both in the middle of the turn, toss!  With enough practice, you will see your dog brighten up when you cue these moves and actually pick up speed.

Dogs that aren't paying attention on left turns and any other exercise where you both need to move to he left will typically bund and/or get their toes stepped on for forging.  Left Turn Release teaches the merits of paying attention.  Set your dog up in heel position.  Have a treat hidden in your left hand.  Cue your dog to heel forward a step or two then cue her to turn left.  Immediately as you step into the turn, raise your left hand and release your dog, and give the the treat (unless of course, she's not paying attention!)  If you dogs likes to jump, let her jump up at your hand.  If she doesn't then you might want to teach her to target your hand and jump up.  But the bottom line is her head should be up on the release and she should get a reward for it.  Some dogs like to jump up on us and that's also a great reward instead of food on this game.

Practicing Fronts

Dogs enjoy practicing fronts if they think your mouth is a Pez dispenser.  If your dog likes food, your dog should love to pay attention on fronts and be happy to do them all day.  Have a piece of food ready in your mouth.  Cue your dog to front.  When she comes front and is sitting in front of you, lower your head and spit - yes spit - the food from your mouth to her.  Those of you who may be "spitting challenged" might want to practice your spitting skills by yourself.  You need something fairly slippery - string cheese or hot dogs - that will slide off your tongue and out of your mouth.  Just a little "whuu" should push that food off your tongue and out.  You're not going for distance here and you certainly don't want your dog to ask if you serve towels with your showers either.

The beauty of rally is that handlers are able to maintain our dogs' attention by talking to them and encouraging them.  If you haven't taught them that paying attention is fun and they find the distractions of a dog show infinitely more interesting than you, then there's nothing to maintain.  Yes, attention games involve food, toys and anything else that you dog finds rewarding.  Each dog is different and each dog's idea of what is a reward is different.  For some dogs it's Frisbees, hotdogs, squirrels and ducks.  And yes, if you're outside training and your dog ignores a squirrel of duck, release her and let her have a fun run (so long as you're certain she won't catch them.)

As your dog becomes better at paying attention, remember to randomize the rewards.  Always, always praise your dog.  It's critical to let your dog know that she's done a good job each and every time.  Randomizing the food or toy rewards will actually motivate her to work harder.  Randomizing rewards strengthens a behavior.  Dogs are eternal optimists and will always assume the reward is coming as long as there is a prior solid foundation of rewards.

Stunning performances don't just happen.  The team that is stunning on the rally course has practiced attention games in practice and matches and has made attention games a daily part of their lives.  Whether the relationship is human/human or dog/human, relationships thrive on attention.