Romulus & Fen Training Portal
Name: Ashley
Dog: Romulus
Breed: Cane Corso
Current Goals: Share videos and updates of engagement in WhatsApp group.
Long Term Goals : To have clarity communicating with Romulus.
Complete all exercises to become an Elite member
Romulus Level - Advance level
Steps to Level-up - Send videos of you practicing the exercises to level-up.
Basic Exercises
Focal Focus -
Loose Leash WalkEngagement - Pay attentionUsing PlaceCrate/HomeUsing touch Pad
Intermediate Exercises
Source Focus -
LuringSpin/TurnPosition Changes (Down, sit, stand)Side Changes (heel, right, middle)
Advance Exercises
Touch Pad - Place Exercises -
One way mirrorLong distance recallLong distance OB (Down, Sit, Stand)
Elite Behaviors
Combos 1a-1eCombos 2a-2dCombos 3a-3d
Basic Exercise
Focal Focus Exercise 1a
Engagement - Pay attention
What is engagement for us?
Engagement is when a Romulus is looking, focusing, paying attention, or sniffing at something. Fen can engage at another dog, people, or the environment. Fen sniffing around a lot (engaged with the environment). Romulus & Fen knows two type of engagement.
Focal Focus - Romulus is paying attention at our eyes and he is in front of us and source Focus - that’s when we have a high value reward in our hands like food and he is paying attention at it.
How to practice engagement?
1. Keep both hands to your side.
2. Say Romulus- when he engaged say yes & then reward him.
3. Make sure to separate the words from the actions.
What to avoid doing ?
1. Saying name too many times.
2. Saying nope and not using the leash.
3. Say yes and pay at the same times.
4. Rewarding him and then say yes.
5. Letting him come to your left side and you are practicing engagement. (Romulus needs to be in the front for now).
Focal Focus Exercise 1a
Crate
Step 1: Practice exercises that requires Romulus to go home and also demands he wait and engage inside the crate.
Focal Focus Exercise 1b
Place
Step 1: Get Romulus engage. Send him to place, Use the marker system to add clarity in your communication (Yes, Good, nope, NO).
Step 2: When he fully engaged ask him to go to place. Use "Yes" as soon as he touch the bed if you want him to run back to you for the reward and to teach him distance. Use "Good" as duration if you want him to remain in place.
Focal Focus Exercise 1b
Touch Pad
Step 1: Say Romulus name and say "yes" when he engages, do that once or more than once. Use the marker system to add clarity in your communication (Yes, Good, nope, NO)
Step 2: When he fully engaged ask him to touch. Use "Yes" as soon as he step on top of the touch pad. Then Use "Good" as duration if you want him to remain on top of the touch pad.
Intermediate Exercise
Source Focus Exercise 2b
Source Focus & Focal Focus
Step 1: Get Romulus engage to the source. Use the marker system to add clarity in your communication (Yes, Good, nope, NO). Maintain stability and duration in the position.
Step 2: Move your wrist to move Romulus rear end . Our goal here is to create clarity by showing Romulus when we want him to focus at the source vs when we want him to focus at our eyes.
Source Focus Exercise 2c
Position Change
Step 1: Get Romulus to engage at the source. Use the marker system to add clarity in your communication (Yes, Good, nope, NO). Maintain stability and duration in the position. Lure Romulus into the down, sit, and stand position without no verbal cue, only luring.
Step 2: Say the word first, then make the action to lure the dog into the position. Give him a break between sets. Avoid making the luring movement before or during the times of saying the verbal cue. We want to say the verbal cue (sit, down, or stand) first, then make the action to lure Romulus into the desired position.
Step 3: Use focal focus, and ask for sit, down, or stand without using luring. Help Romulus if he looks confused.
Advance Exercise
Touch Pad Exercise 1a
One way Mirror
What to know : One way engagement is Romulus focusing on us and mirroring our movement.
Indirect reward is when we have a reward that's not on us and Romulus has to go get it. Example a bowl of food or treats away from us.
Place Exercise 1a
Long Distance Obedience - Indirect rewards
What to know: Indirect rewards is when we place a reward Fen wants away from us and he needs to work to get it. The terminal marker cue for the indirect reward system is "Yup" means go get it.
Step 1: Ask Fen to remain on a down if he is very excited. When you are ready to train say ready and start.
Step 2: Practice step 1 with distractions.
Place Exercise 1f
Long Distance recall
What to know : Everything starts with engagement. To practice this exercise with distractions you need a long leash or e-collar.
Step 1: Practice recall in a control environment first. Call Fen to come in front of you, call him to come into heel.
Step 2: Practice step 1 in a distracted environment.
Routine Exercise 1a
Wait at the door
Step 1: Ask Romulus to wait and open the door. Say nope if his front paw step outside. If he look confused use food.
Step 2: Ask him to cross, when he is waiting calmly and engaging. Repeat the same routine with the door and car door.
Routine Exercise 1b
Prong Collars - How to Use it
Step 1: Practice step one exercises first, before moving to step 2. Practice all the games at home without distractions until you understand how to use the prong collar to communicate with Romulus. (Practice step 1 once a day, twice a week 5 minutes to 10 minutes a day for 1 month in order to have a great understanding on how to communicate using the pinch collar before moving to step 2).
Step 2: When you have a great understanding on how to use the prong collar to communicate. Add consequences by doing a leash pop or adding tension to the leash to help Romulus when he is not listening outside.