Reorienting in Control Unleashed

I wrote a post that I was going to send to the Control Unleashed (CU) list but thought I would think about more and post it to my blog instead.

I have started watching the Control Unleashed: A Foundation Seminar DVD set. It has been a while since I read the entire book.

Taari, who was a singleton puppy, is not very confident around other dogs. She also is very motion driven to the point of not being able to watch agility on TV without getting excited and barking at the dogs. Even while watching the first two CU DVDs she was making low "urrr" noises. She gets very high at trials and in situations with other dogs.

I have a really big problem that is starting to get better with Taari. She will get in front of me on course and bark at me when she doesn't know what to do next - especially if I am not able to keep up with her. See one of her runs for an example of this behaviour especially the last few jumps. I am leery to try the reorienting and encouraging her to come in front of me outside of the ring for fear that it will make things worse inside the ring. I think that I have rewarded her already too much in front of me and that is what has caused the problems in the ring. It got so bad that it was suggested that I do not reward her in front any more (including where she is when I feed her). I would prefer that she stay at my side and just look at me. I will have to think about this some more and see how I can still apply the CU principles without further exasperating the problem of her getting in front of me on course.

I should also mention that she gets in front of my Spice as he comes in the house or comes down the stairs. So it is a bad habit that not limited to me.