Video: Training at a Basketball Game

Today we trained at Austin's basketball game. There were a lot of distractions and Bo did really well. He demonstrated good focus and he did not bark or show sassy behavior. He even alerted to a low at the end of the game when we were packing up and getting ready to leave with Austin. Prior to the training session, I walked him off leash for 35 minutes. He also got to run around with other dogs for about five minutes before we started our walk. 

Some of the distractions he encountered at the game included:

• Young children running past him. 
• Adults and children stepping very close to him when he was in a down stay. 
• Basketball players running past him with a ball. 
• Basketballs bouncing. 
• The sound of the game buzzer. 
• A custodian pushing a dry mop up and down the court and the mop coming very close to him at one point.
• The sound of sneakers squeaking on the gym floor. 
• Clapping, cheering and stomping on the bleachers. 
• Children stopping and looking at him. 
• A girl tipping her head over and brushing her very long hair right in front of him.

Some of the commands I worked on with Bo during this session included:

• Down stay with me near and with me walking away from him, as well as with me walking around him and stepping over him.
• Sit stay. 
• Close.
• Walking with me and sitting when I stopped walking.