The Border Collie Summit 3.0
Look At That
This is a training method brought about by Leslie McDevitt from the Control Unleashed system of dog training and that I am a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor.
Steps to teach LAT:
Step 1: Charge your marker. Use a clicker or marker word and throw a treat to the dog. Repeat over a few sessions until your dog is responding each time to the marker
Step 2: Charge your marker but in a different environment which may be outside rather than inside. If he doesn't orient back to you for the reward on the sound of the marker then is the environment too difficult or does he need more repetitions to understand. At this point you are conditioning the marker and not applying to distractions or triggers
Step 3: Now apply the training to a trigger as I am in the video with Sparkles and my horses. When she notices the horses I use my marker and she orients back to me for reward. You need to start at a distance your dog can succeed at. When they are stationary it is easier for her and I can move closer. If they move it is harder so I move away and increase the distance. Sometimes you may only need to move a metre or 2. Remember working with triggers should always look easy and like you have a non reactive dog otherwise you are too close. Using this method you can systematically reduce the distance towards triggers as the dogs emotions change due to the pairing of the trigger with rewards. It is important with our Border Collies with a strong eye to use your marker early as if they get stuck in eyeing mode then they may go over threshold and not be able to respond.
NB We can progress this training further with cueing the dog that a trigger is coming into view to forewarn them at distances they are comfortable so they aren't surprised all of a sudden.
If you would like help with your dogs reactivity then come and join the Border Collie Academy for further support.
