LAT
LAT - Look at that. The idea behind teaching your do the LAT games is that they learn that they can see their trigger and not build a strong emotional response. How we create this is all about timing and threshold. First of all, for this to work you have to get the reinforcement to your dog BEFORE they are reacting, when they are still assessing. And for that to work, you have to be far enough away for the dog’s first look not to already have them over threshold.
Playing the LAT is beneficial for all dogs! Even dogs that just get excited and distracted around things even if they are not reactive dogs!
Remember threshold means, our dog’s personal bubble where once the trigger is inside of that space they can no longer control their emotions. So if I tell you my dog’s threshold with a dog trigger was 30feet away, where is my ideal training distance to work on LAT games? 30ft? This is commonly what I see novice trainers do. Train at the edge of their dog’s threshold. My answer is 50-60ft. I want it to be EASY. I want the dog to see the trigger so far outside of it’s threshold that my reinforcement is so much more important than that trigger way over there. I am going to train here until my dog easily offers looking at the trigger and back to me, my dog is calm and enjoying the training. I have done training sessions with reactive dogs where I am the length of a football field away from their triggers to get the response I am looking for.
I don’t worry about moving closer until I have the LAT on cue and have a calm relaxed dog in the presence of the triggers at that distance. And then I will begin my work on moving closer. And I will do so in systematic easy progressions, only moving closer again when I have that criteria- LAT on cue and calm relaxed dog.
Obviously life is going to throw unexpected triggers at me and I will have to adjust on the fly, but in those moments I am no longer training, I am managing my dog until I can get them back into a learning state of mind. My first move is always can I make distance.
So as you head out there to train and you are making the transition from CC/DS to training the LAT when in doubt be further away! Keep sessions short and easy. It is the cumulative effect of many short sessions that build together to create a change at the emotional level.
Let me see you practicing Look at it games with triggers or things your dog is distracted by!