Focus and Engage by Denise Fenzi and Deborah Jones

[Joy]

Full title is 'Dog Sports Skills Book 4: Focus and Engage' but actually I think a lot of the content and exercises in this book could be very useful for anyone with a young pet dog who is perhaps off 'doing their own thing' a bit more than you might wish. The book has no instruction on competition skills per se but is all about how to develop your dog's focus on you and how to build prolonged engagement. Only the very last chapter talks about show preparation.

I bought it specifically to use in planning work with Rajah. I'm feeling guilty as I think he found the show we went to very stressful, which made him unable to engage with me. After reading the book I now have a plan for gradually building his confidence by very gradually introducing him to new places (and I certainly won't consider another 'live' show for him until next summer and only then if he is happy in lots of new places locally.)
In a way I already knew much of what the book said but I found it helpful to read, as both focus and engagement (dealt with separately) have structured exercises to work through, with the emphasis on small steps and building confidence at each level before moving on.

The exercises aren't just geared to nervous/sensitive dogs like Rajah, they also apply to gung-ho 'let's-go-and-meet-everyone' types, and they've given me ideas to use with Tess too.

As I say, could be a good read for owners of puppies/adolescents.

 

[Selina27]

they also apply to gung-ho 'let's-go-and-meet-everyone' types

I think I should have had this on my reading list. Perhaps I still should.

It sounds very interesting Joy. I don't think you should feel too guilty about Rajah, you didn't know he would feel like that until he was in that situation, and now you are doing something about it .

 

[Candy]

That does sound interesting Joy. On our current holiday we have taken GGJ into small market towns on two occasions and it has made me realise how little we've been in crowded places since the advent of Covid. Whereas in 2019 she was quite happy to walk round Norwich on lead with myself and Liz, this time she has been visibly anxious and wary both times and I have ended up taking her back to the car. I have been thinking that this is something I need to work on if we are ever to resume our pre Covid level of travel and this book sounds like a good place to start. Thankyou!