I was just thinking about this last night. I often see my dogs correcting themselves, for example, they'll see something they want to pull towards when on-lead, start to move, but then think better of it and come back to heel, generally with a look at me. They always get a good reward for this, because I'm happy to see them making the right decisions in the face of distractions. Shadow occasionally runs in on a retrieve, but nine times out of ten will stop and come back without any cue from me. There's no real point to this post, I just thought I'd have a little brag that I do see some impulse control in them sometimes
I think a little brag every now and then is good I also see this in Hattie, sometimes she starts to run towards Crows etc. then stops and comes back to me without any cues, she does it on lead too, looks at me when someone is walking towards us walking to heel without any cue from me, if she spots a dog she stops and waits of her own accord, lots of little things that I always reward her well for I even see this in Charlie yes Charlie when off lead he makes the decision to come back and check in without any recall, look at me on lead, just little things with him as he is crazy! but even so it shows a tiny bit of control which is better than no control I think this is a good thread with a good point to make
I think impulse control is one thing that makes a huge difference in my two Labs. Jet had it and as you say, we could literally SEE her controlling an urge. Oban is not the "look before you leap" type at all. I have be constantly on the look out with Oban so I'll see a distraction that might prompt an urge before he does.
That's really interesting. When OH came back from agility last night, he mentioned the trainer was impressed that Benson had been trained to think...what she meant exactly was that a dog trained to make choices often has the ability to think through things as opposed to blindly following a "command".
I think it's a really good thread. Please do brag or is it more that it's a proud moment when our dogs do this. After my turbulent passed weeks, Dexter has this last week been known to self correct on a number of occasions. He then gives me one of those lovely soft eyed looks as if to say 'I did it', I reward him heartily for it too. He looks mightily pleased as punch with himself
