March 28th
So it has been a full week of running Kenzie over the 10' board with slats...unfortunately, every session has been different, as I am still trying to dial-in how she best learns, and how to set her up for success while still going at the speed I want, and still being able to learn, which is a lot harder than it sounds. If I use a toy, she has a hard time thinking. I teach very very few new things with just the toy, as she cannot think while the toy is around. I have to teach it with food first, then she can do it for a toy. BUT, I need her to go at the necessary speed (fast) while doing this, which she will not do for food rewards.  SO, I am trying to set her up for success, so that she does it successfully enough times without really thinking about it. Then I start being more picky about what she does to earn the click. Her criteria right now is: run the length of the board, FAST. I click when she gets to the end of the board, whether she steps in the contact zone or not. She is pretty consistently in the contact zone, I would say 80% of the time. When she does miss, I still click her because she is meeting my criteria right now: running the full length FAST. I have found that any movement on my part pulls or pushes her off of the board. She does not know how to run with me, and run the board.  I have not decided what to do about this yet.