Graduated

Rook.

From 70 ft to 25 ft.

Barked and lunged at any dog closer than about 70 ft on leash. Daniel walked him at 5 am and turned around at the sight of a dog.

BREED

Australian cattle dog mix

AGE

4 years

OWNER

Daniel

STARTED

Aug 1

Threshold to a still dog

[70 ft]

→

[25 ft]

Reactions per walk (10-walk average)

[4.1]

→

[0.4]

Turns back after seeing a dog

[didn't]

→

[within 2 s]

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.

The log

Every session, written down.

All 6 steps passed · Oct 8

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

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

Rook is a 4-year-old cattle dog mix who loves people and couldn’t cope with dogs. At the consult on Aug 1, we walked his street together and found his threshold: about 70 ft from a dog standing still. Closer than that, he stopped eating, stared, and lunged.

The first weeks were about the walks in between: quiet routes with exits, a U-turn practiced ten times a walk before he needed it, and two decompression walks a week on a long line. Then Engage–Disengage, with a helper dog at 60 ft, then 40, then 25.

The Calm Walks class took over in week 5: four dogs, visual barriers, each dog at its own distance. Not every Sunday went well. On Sep 13 Rook held a 20-second look, then stiffened, and we shortened the looks for a week before building back to 30 s.

Rook passed the last step on Oct 8: a parallel walk 40 ft from a friend’s dog, no reaction, still eating. He still has a threshold, it’s just 25 ft now. Daniel keeps the U-turn ready, and Rook comes to the alumni drop-in once a month.

We walk at 8 am now, not 5. I still carry the cheese and I still use the U-turn, but I don't plan the whole walk around other dogs.

Daniel, with Rook

Case files

Other files.

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.

In progress

Recall

Juno.

Comes back at the park, almost.

Before

[2/10]

→

After

[6/10]

Park recall, 15 ft line

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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