Marcela and Catalina, 3yrs Parson , Argentina

“Ok I would prefer staying with lets pkay agility and try to get that consitency. Nevertheless i can do lets play and you tell me how to play thosegames and which ones I should work with her.”

Ok. Yes, it would be great if you had access to Let’s play as well, so I can give you homework from that class as well, to make progress here faster. If you decide for that option you can send the difference to the package deal via PayPal and I will give you access.

“regarding the crazy food throw, I usually do it in the patio or indoors, and she loves it,( I let her look at the direction where I’m going to throw the food, give her the order and then throw the piece)… you mention to do it in an open field and quite don’t get the point of that beacuse of two issues with her: first she would spent a long amount of time looking for the food, and focusing only in that, would be more like a search excercise. Also she is literally a pacman, and has an outstanding nose: Just to mention that during our training Many dogs (10 al least we coubted once) passed through the very same spot that she did, but when our turn arrives she will detect the botsie little thing aroung and just stop there and do the search tille she finds it.”

It is great that she is already familiar with the game. And yes, I understand your concerns, but in reality food throws don’t encourage sniffing, because chasing you and the food is fun, so after they find one treat they are happy to chase after you to get more – it is more fun and also more of a “sure deal” than sniffing and hoping to find more treats. It is no problem if the dog sniffs a little to micro-locate the treat you have thrown, it only gives you time to run further away. And the further you get, the more speed the dog will have to give to catch up with you.
So I would keep doing food throws on small and big fields. When on big field you don’t have to throw super long, but make sure to run in the opposite direction as fast as possible so she really has to SPRINT to catch up with you. You don’t have to do unlimited amount of throws – 2-5 in one round and you can end the round with extra delicious treat from your hand and give her a break.

And I would deliver one meal per day through food pocket. Given that she generally likes to tug and she loves food, it should be a perfect reward for her once she figures it out. After you let her win you can give her some time before you go there and give her food. Give her a moment to enjoy the catch and than before she really starts to destroy it, get there, push her (gently”) away with one hand while you open the pocket with the other and show her the food.

Don’t worry, food pocket will work well as a reinforcer, you just have to build it. She needs to understand that this toy is a combination of 2 things she really loves and they are connected in a very natural way. You want food? You have to catch it and “fight” for it. 🙂 For now the game is not predictable enough for her to make that conclusion. So what to do – fill the pocket and create anticipation – you are doing this well. You can have her sitting or just start running with the toy – move it so you spark interest. As soon as she follows it and makes an attempt to stop it (don’t expect the same behaviour you get when you are playing with a regular toy and she is in the mood – all you need is some kind of attempt to stop/slow down the pocket) – for example at 1.14 and around it I had a feeling that she was “catching” it but not really strongly. So as soon as she opens her mouth around the toy, drop the toy on the ground so it is clear that it is her job to catch it and than it is hers. If you pull the toy up before giving her food, she has no interest in keeping the toy, she knows it is better you keep it if she wants to get food out of it. But if you show her that when she stops the toy, you drop it and it is hers (you just come near to help her get the food out), she will begin to understand the rule of this game and start actually catching it. When that happens, you will gradually be able to make it harder and harder – not letting it go as soon as she bites into it, but after a short round of tugging that will gradually become more and more intense.

No worries! Just insist! Every (or almost every) meal like this and she will get it. It takes some time to build. If she shows no interest for chasing you can just leave the bag rest on the ground, slightly open so the smell is coming out and wait. Like you are fishing. It is best if she observes you when you are putting it on the ground. When she starts sniffing and trying to grab it, just pull it slightly… just for a couple of cm and rest again. Than repeat until she puts a paw on it or something.
But I can see that even if it doesn’t happen immediately, you manage to engage her, so I have no doubt it will work when she gets enough practise. You can also work on other agility games, but use food throws/food ball as a reward.
It is great that she was in such a playful and productive mode after! 🙂

“When I use the food alone notice that she focuses in me and my hand and not the element.
The food ball gives me that committment with the element
Do you think that working with the food throws I will get to that or better committment too?”
Yes, that is good and correct observation. The problem of feeding from the hand is that the dog is not motivated to move away from the hand/you. Throwing can absolutely help that. If you do my “brainiac crazy ball” exercise with food throws instead of balls, it can work just as well.

Food pocket – at the start of the session she was a bit slow to “turn on”. If movement doesn’t encourage her, you can try the other thing I suggested, just leaving the food pocket (slightly open) on the ground in front of her and let her do whatever she pleases. If she knows there is food inside she is likely to go sniff (especially if you do that in some room where her space to wander around is even more limited).
Another option is that you create anticipation while filling the bag. Kind of what you did at 4.50 – talk to her, fill the bag really obviously and walk when you do it, so the whole action makes her interested in what you are preparing for her.
Throughout the session when you see she is more engaged, you can try to make it a bit more difficult for her to win – asking for a slightly stronger (and longer) bite.

You probably already did train on the club this weekend, but in general you can do all my “brainiac” games, using food ball or food throws as a reward.

I am sorry I can’t see the video because it is set to private. You have to change it to unlisted or public.
Will tell you more when I see how it wen’t, but give those games some time. Dogs need some time to fully develop drive for things. It helps if you give her most of her food through games – food pocket, food ball, food throws. If the dog is not seeing the treat maybe also your timing of throws was not the best… I will see and we will find a way! 🙂