"Puppy Zen"

[deborahjross]

Here I am with Tajji, practicing "puppy zen," a focusing exercise. The dog is being rewarded for sitting very still -- calming herself, keeping her focus on her handler -- while a tasty treat is being slowly lowered. Any movement to grab the treat results in it going away. Once Tajji had gotten the idea, she also "got" that this exercise helped her become less anxious and stressed. You can see she's happy and alert, even though this is the field we use for reactivity training and that's stressful for her.

Comments

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

That's a portrait of a happy pair. I'm glad Tajji is with you.

[equesgal.livejournal.com]

Great pic. Glad to hear she's doing well.