The Collar Is The Key?

Something I've noticed over the past week with Charlie is that me holding his collar elicits SPAZ DOG.

And SPAZ DOG means amped up, pulling, ready to go go go.

And I'm starting to connect the dots and beginning to wonder if me holding his collar before our runs at trials (once we have the lead off, I have his collar and walk him into position then release before giving the okay to the judge that we're ready) is what sends him just that very last bit over the edge into the realm of absolute uncontrolled insanity.

He already gets locked into this stress/excitement/emotion feeding frame of mind that makes him mental at trials, but maybe I'm sending the wrong message with the holding of the collar then releasing while telling him to wait.

Because let's face it, he doesn't really listen at the start line to what I'm saying anyway.

Explanation: ever since he was nine weeks old, most- if not all- of Charlie's "collar training" has been about pulling against it, anticipating the release. We did lots and lots of restrained recalls, toy drive exercises, things which required him to pull against the collar pressure and get really pumped up- and the reward for getting into that was the release.

And basically the "cue" for the release after being held by the collar was nothing more than being allowed to run. So maybe I'm confusing him, and sending the wrong message by holding him as he's pulling pulling pulling at the start line, then letting him go and he's so ready to just take off, even with a wait command he's not knowing what else to do.

I don't know, it made more sense when it was just in my head.

Anyway. I've got nothing to lose, so I'm going to try out no collar holding or dog touching at our next trial at Logan and see whether that gets something of a result. I really need to sort out a couple of ADAA comps, too, and give them a shot.

I've had a bit of a rough couple of days, and lazy days as well with the rain and whatnot, so haven't done anything much with Charlie, or got around to organising structured training. But tomorrow- if I get time in between fleece shopping and work and composite class- I'll have a look at a program.

If not tomorrow, then Wednesday definitely.