Rally class today, with a lot of Excellent/Level 3 signs. I ran Laev through once, with passing fair results. She just seemed a little… distracted. Not even looking at other things, but just kind of slow and unfocused.
When it was our turn again, I asked for lots of noise and movement outside the ring. The class obliged, with running dogs, clapping, loud talking, barking, etc. Laev actually did *better* this time, and I kept the rate of reinforcement very high for correct behavior (no lures, nope! just rewards). I lost her twice; oonce she turned when a dog and handler went by the ring gate while playing with a mobile phone, and the second time when Alena went running down the length of the ring with Laev’s most favoritest tug toy and banged it hard on the ground (one of my ways to fire her up). Both times she came right back when prompted, though I could tell it was tough to ignore that tug toy! But she did quite well, and I was very happy.
Her left pivots and turns are starting to look really good! I’m so pleased with that, since it’s all entirely shaped.
Laev is still severely handicapped by a lazy handler. We need to be doing a lot more tracking than we’re doing, and a little extra obedience in other locations wouldn’t kill us, either. Bad trainer.
