Natasha and Prancer, 5 year old Pyr Shep from NZ

I am really sorry it took me so long. I was just about to reply the last comments yesterday when I managed to knock down my computer and destroy it – the genius that I am. :/

The games wen’t really well! He is a very energetic boy when he feels safe and comfortable enough. You played it really well generally. Be mindful about how you integrate cuddling in the mix, because (and that is very typical for dogs in this context) it is not always received well. I never noticed him being really put off by it, but at 1.55 for example, the touching was only a distraction, it didn’t add value to whatever you were doing. After 2.57 however he was going for it. I usually never lean into them to pet them, but lean back instead, touching the side of their bodies first and see if they want to engage in more cuddles or not.
Other than that, I suggest 2 things in regards to this games:
1. Try to find as many different environments as possible to play those games. It can be agility/dog sport related (trials, group trainings, shows,…) or not – in front of a super market, in a park,… Keep the playing very brief – one minute is enough. Try to build up excitement. Starting with engagement and upgrading how lively you get and how many treats you deliver. You can finish with a little Tupperware filled with something delicious as a jackpot, especially when working in a difficult environment.
2. At home/in familiar fields/whenever he is not having troubles with confidence you can try to turn these games into some kind of a routine that resembles what you do on trials. Start with engagement, add some tricks in the mix, upgrade the excitement level… than ask for a stay, walk away and release into a very fast rounds of food throws and/or hide and seek, depends on the place you have available.

“I did a food toy session tonight then mixed things up with another routine. More the sort of thing I would use at a trial except I can’t throw the treats in the starting shoot. I did some practice at the trial this weekend at it went really well. He played the game the same as at home but I still got the diconnect on the start line. I will try to get a video of it for you to see,”
Yes, that would be helpful! Do you always start with a stay or have you done some running starts as well?
It is great that he is able to have fun in the trial environment just as well as at home. But we have to pay a lot of attention to the chain of behaviours leading from when he is still relaxed and focused to the moment you start the course, break it down and find where he needs help.
For now I find it important that getting in position, staying and than exploding in action becomes a regular part of your training sessions. The beginnings look good, now try to slow things down the moment you have him sitting. Tell him wait and walk away slowly and with tension – you can leave the hand with the treat behind for him to focus on. As you are slowly walking away, build some anticipation… ready… steady… and than bam, release into full blown action.
You can also do a different thing – randomly throughout playing ask for sit or down and than alternate between rewarding the quick reaction with a quick release back into throws or chasing or delivering a whole series of rewards to him in quick succession, moving the hand back and forward quickly so he remains focused on it the whole time. When you have only one treat left in the hand, release into action.

Restrain – yes, keep things simple and short! Things the dog struggle with should be well packed into some other fun activities (you did a great energetic combo with food throw(s)) and not done too many times in a row. So keep him close and only do one or two repetitions before switching to some other activity.