For the past 3 years, I've been trying to find ways to avoid having Jasmine stand on the top of the A-Frame, watching the scenery, She was also afraid of the teeter, and would stop at about 1 metre from the end of the dogwalk.
With Seebe's help, Jasmine vanquished her fear of heights, does a mean teeter, and no longer stops at inappropriate spots on the dogwalk..... during practices that is. It's a whole new ballgame at fun matches and trials. After consulting our esteemed teacher, and probably trying her patience to boot, it finally clicked! Add distractions!!! My brain already knew this, but my common sense didn't I guess.
Distractions you say? I added distractions in the past, but not "good" ones or the right way as it didn't solve the problem. At the arena, I've been adding rolling balls and flying toys as Jasmine would delicately peck the ground with her nose during contacts. Still, once in a while she would go back to her old habits.
Then, last week, epiphany!!! As we were walking to one of the contact equipment, Jasmine was jumping, and trying to reach the bowl of cookies in my hand...... HELLO???? DISTRACTIONS????
First A-Frame, I put the opened bowl of treats about 1 metre away from Jasmine's nose as she pecks the ground. Right away, she breaks her position and heads for the food.
Jasmine 0 - Lyne 1
Second A-Frame, I do the same thing. I can actually "see" the nuts and bolts working in her head as she heads for the contact zone. She pecks the ground..... and that's IT!!! EUREKA!!!
I quickly give her the bowl, let her stuff her face for 0.5 seconds, and we start again. Every time, the bowl gets closer and closer.... and Jasmine pecks the ground, and waits for her reward... WOOHOO!!!
We repeated more or less the same exercice with all the contact equipement that day. The result? Yesterday's beautiful contacts and Jasmine's dash for the contact zone. Ok, I may be exagerating her "dashing", but it's sure better than before.
Conclusion? Jasmine 1 - Lyne 1.
We're both winners!
No comments:
Post a Comment