In progress

Juno.

Comes back at the park, almost.

Comes every time in the house, almost never outside. She slipped her collar at the park in August and ran for 20 minutes.

BREED

Pointer and Lab mix, adopted from a shelter at 1

AGE

2 years

OWNER

Maya

STARTED

Sep 1

Park recall, 15 ft line

[2/10]

→

[6/10]

Backyard recall, 30 ft line

[3/10]

→

[9/10]

Time to arrive from 25 ft, indoors

[4 s]

→

[1.5 s]

Juno, a tan-and-white pointer and Lab mix, lying in a stay on park grass on a red long line while the trainer holds up a flat hand signal.

The log

Every session, written down.

Step 6 of 6 · one more park session on Nov 3

Sep 1

Consult

90 min

Come, indoors

Baseline

3 s collar hold

10 ft

quiet room

false

Not yet

Fast indoors, every time. At the end we tested outside: backyard 3 of 10, park on a 15 ft line 2 of 10, and she never looked back.

Step 1: 3 sessions a day, 5 recalls each. Call once, reward at your feet.

Sep 4

Video review

2 min video

Come, indoors

Baseline

3 s collar hold

10 ft

quiet room

true

Passed

Ten for ten in the kitchen, one call each time. Step 1 passed.

Step 2: call from another room, once. No answer in 3 s, walk over quietly.

Sep 15

Private

60 min

Come from another room

Distance

3 s collar hold

25 ft, out of sight

quiet room

false

Not yet

Both misses came when a squirrel was at the front window. We moved practice to the back of the house.

Same step, away from the front window. Send Friday's video.

Sep 18

Video review

2 min video

Come from another room

Distance

3 s collar hold

25 ft, out of sight

quiet room

true

Passed

Round the corner in under 2 s now. Step 2 passed.

Step 3: backyard, 15 ft line on the harness. Call once, mid-sniff.

Sep 25

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Good recalls, but she curves past the fence on the way in. Call when she's facing you this week, mid-sniff next week.

Same step. 5 calls per outing, quiet times only.

Sep 29

Private

60 min

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

Called mid-sniff ten times, nine came straight in. Step 3 passed.

Step 4: 30 ft line. Two easy calls at 15 ft first.

Oct 3

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, new dog at the fence

false

Back one step

The neighbors' new dog was at the fence for most of the video. That's two D's at once, not one. Back to 15 ft for a session.

Step 3 again, on days the fence is quiet.

Oct 7

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Held

Back at 15 ft, back to fast, straight recalls. The step held, so 30 ft again this weekend.

Step 4 on Saturday morning, before the neighbors are out.

Oct 10

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Quiet fence, 8 of 10 from the end of the line. Both misses were the first call: warm up with two easy ones.

Same step, with the warm-up. See you Tuesday.

Oct 13

Private

60 min

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

30 ft passed. We started the hold: she arrives, I take the collar, count to ten, clip. She tried to bounce off at 6 s twice.

Step 5: count the 10 s out loud. Clip on every third recall only.

Oct 17

Video review

2 min video

Arrive and stay

Duration

10 s hold + leash clip

30 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Nine solid holds. The one miss was Maya reaching for the collar too fast: slow hands.

Same step. Send Tuesday's video.

Oct 20

Video review

2 min video

Arrive and stay

Duration

10 s hold + leash clip

30 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

10 s holds on 8 of 10. Step 5 passed. Park on Saturday.

Step 6: two quiet park visits before Saturday, 7 am, 5 recalls each.

Oct 24

Private

60 min

The park

Distraction

10 s hold + leash clip

15 ft line

park, dogs and joggers 50 ft+ away

false

Not yet

First park session: 6 of 10, up from 2 on Sep 1. Two misses were a dog at 40 ft, closer than the step allows. One extra session on Nov 3.

Park twice a week at 7 am. Walk away first if a dog comes inside 50 ft.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

#13 · Oct 24 · Private · 60 min

Coach's note

First park session: 6 of 10, up from 2 on Sep 1. Two misses were a dog at 40 ft, closer than the step allows. One extra session on Nov 3.

Homework

Park twice a week at 7 am. Walk away first if a dog comes inside 50 ft.

Pass: 8/10 on 2 sessions in a row · 5/10 or less: back one step

Sep 1

Consult

90 min

Come, indoors

Baseline

3 s collar hold

10 ft

quiet room

false

Not yet

Fast indoors, every time. At the end we tested outside: backyard 3 of 10, park on a 15 ft line 2 of 10, and she never looked back.

Step 1: 3 sessions a day, 5 recalls each. Call once, reward at your feet.

Sep 4

Video review

2 min video

Come, indoors

Baseline

3 s collar hold

10 ft

quiet room

true

Passed

Ten for ten in the kitchen, one call each time. Step 1 passed.

Step 2: call from another room, once. No answer in 3 s, walk over quietly.

Sep 15

Private

60 min

Come from another room

Distance

3 s collar hold

25 ft, out of sight

quiet room

false

Not yet

Both misses came when a squirrel was at the front window. We moved practice to the back of the house.

Same step, away from the front window. Send Friday's video.

Sep 18

Video review

2 min video

Come from another room

Distance

3 s collar hold

25 ft, out of sight

quiet room

true

Passed

Round the corner in under 2 s now. Step 2 passed.

Step 3: backyard, 15 ft line on the harness. Call once, mid-sniff.

Sep 25

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Good recalls, but she curves past the fence on the way in. Call when she's facing you this week, mid-sniff next week.

Same step. 5 calls per outing, quiet times only.

Sep 29

Private

60 min

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

Called mid-sniff ten times, nine came straight in. Step 3 passed.

Step 4: 30 ft line. Two easy calls at 15 ft first.

Oct 3

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, new dog at the fence

false

Back one step

The neighbors' new dog was at the fence for most of the video. That's two D's at once, not one. Back to 15 ft for a session.

Step 3 again, on days the fence is quiet.

Oct 7

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 15 ft line

Distraction

3 s collar hold

15 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Held

Back at 15 ft, back to fast, straight recalls. The step held, so 30 ft again this weekend.

Step 4 on Saturday morning, before the neighbors are out.

Oct 10

Video review

2 min video

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Quiet fence, 8 of 10 from the end of the line. Both misses were the first call: warm up with two easy ones.

Same step, with the warm-up. See you Tuesday.

Oct 13

Private

60 min

Backyard, 30 ft line

Distance

3 s collar hold

30 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

30 ft passed. We started the hold: she arrives, I take the collar, count to ten, clip. She tried to bounce off at 6 s twice.

Step 5: count the 10 s out loud. Clip on every third recall only.

Oct 17

Video review

2 min video

Arrive and stay

Duration

10 s hold + leash clip

30 ft line

backyard, no people

false

Not yet

Nine solid holds. The one miss was Maya reaching for the collar too fast: slow hands.

Same step. Send Tuesday's video.

Oct 20

Video review

2 min video

Arrive and stay

Duration

10 s hold + leash clip

30 ft line

backyard, no people

true

Passed

10 s holds on 8 of 10. Step 5 passed. Park on Saturday.

Step 6: two quiet park visits before Saturday, 7 am, 5 recalls each.

Oct 24

Private

60 min

The park

Distraction

10 s hold + leash clip

15 ft line

park, dogs and joggers 50 ft+ away

false

Not yet

First park session: 6 of 10, up from 2 on Sep 1. Two misses were a dog at 40 ft, closer than the step allows. One extra session on Nov 3.

Park twice a week at 7 am. Walk away first if a dog comes inside 50 ft.

DateTypeStepCriterionSuccessPassed

Step 01 · Come, indoors

Sep 1ConsultCome, indoors[10 ft]9/10

Sep 4Video reviewCome, indoors[10 ft]10/10✓ Passed

Step 02 · Come from another room

Sep 15PrivateCome from another room[25 ft, out of sight]8/10

Sep 18Video reviewCome from another room[25 ft, out of sight]9/10✓ Passed

Step 03 · Backyard, 15 ft line

Sep 25Video reviewBackyard, 15 ft line[backyard, no people]8/10

Sep 29PrivateBackyard, 15 ft line[backyard, no people]9/10✓ Passed

Step 04 · Backyard, 30 ft line

Oct 3Video reviewBackyard, 30 ft line[30 ft line]4/10Back one step

Step 03 · Backyard, 15 ft line

Oct 7Video reviewBackyard, 15 ft line[backyard, no people]9/10Held

Step 04 · Backyard, 30 ft line

Oct 10Video reviewBackyard, 30 ft line[30 ft line]8/10

Oct 13PrivateBackyard, 30 ft line[30 ft line]9/10✓ Passed

Step 05 · Arrive and stay

Oct 17Video reviewArrive and stay[10 s hold + leash clip]9/10

Oct 20Video reviewArrive and stay[10 s hold + leash clip]8/10✓ Passed

Step 06 · The park

Oct 24PrivateThe park[park, dogs and joggers 50 ft+ away]6/10

#13 · Oct 24 · Private · 60 min

Coach's note

First park session: 6 of 10, up from 2 on Sep 1. Two misses were a dog at 40 ft, closer than the step allows. One extra session on Nov 3.

Homework

Park twice a week at 7 am. Walk away first if a dog comes inside 50 ft.

Pass: 8/10 on 2 sessions in a row · 5/10 or less: back one step

THE STORY

Maya called after the park. Juno had slipped her collar chasing a rabbit and ran loose for 20 minutes. At the consult on Sep 1, Juno came 9 times out of 10 in the kitchen. In the backyard it was 3 of 10, at the park on a 15 ft line 2 of 10, and she never looked back once.

We built the recall again from the living room out, one D at a time: another room at 25 ft, the backyard on a 15 ft line, then 30 ft, then a 10-second hold while Maya clipped the leash. Maya sent a 2-minute video between visits, and every step passed at 8 of 10, two sessions in a row.

Week 5 was a bad week. The neighbors got a new dog, and it was at the fence the day we tried 30 ft: 4 of 10. That was two D’s at once, not one, so we dropped back to 15 ft for a session, picked quiet days, and passed 30 ft a week later.

Juno’s first park session on Oct 24 scored 6 of 10, up from 2. It’s not a pass yet. The 8 weeks are done, so step 6 gets one extra session on Nov 3, and she stays on the long line until it passes.

I used to say her name five times and then go and get her. Now it's once, and she's already turning.

Maya, with Juno

Case files

Other files.

Rook lies calmly on the porch beside his owner, who rests a hand on his back, both watching a person walk a dog past on the street.

Graduated

Reactivity

Rook.

From 70 ft to 25 ft.

Before

[70 ft]

→

After

[25 ft]

Threshold to a still dog

Bea, a black puppy with white paws, lies on a mat by the back door chewing a rope toy while her owner eats breakfast at the table behind, the red leash hanging on a hook.

Class finished

Puppy Start

Bea.

Feet, ears and 58 new things.

Before

[0]

→

After

[58]

New things met, from the list

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