Ivy’s Training Playbook
Gene and Holly, thank you both for today. Ivy is a sweet dog with a lot of potential.
Today gave us a clear starting point:
confidence building, hand shyness, collar desensitization, recall foundations, doorway manners, the Five-Minute Rule, and helping Ivy learn how to succeed on her own.
The goal is not perfection overnight. The goal is a dog who feels safer, responds more confidently,
recovers better, and learns that calm, clear structure makes life easier.
Portal password: Super
Read These in the Super Session E-Portal
This page gives direction. The E-Portal gives the full explanation. Read these sections before trying to do too much at once.
1. ABCs of Dog Communication
Dogs are visual, tonal, and spatial. This is foundation work for Ivy, especially with confidence and jumping.
2. Marker Word Training — YES
Learn what YES means, when to use it, why timing matters, and why “good girl” is encouragement, not the marker.
3. The Five-Minute Rule
Use this around arrivals, departures, visitors, excitement, and emotional resets.
4. Nothing in Life Is Free
Ivy should learn that calm behavior, attention, and simple structure help her access the things she wants.
5. Regular Recall
Practice everyday recall separately from emergency recall. Keep it fun, clear, and highly reinforced.
6. Emergency Recall
Read all emergency recall phases before taking this outside on a longer training line.
7. Jumping
If you do not want Ivy to jump, please read the jumping section and apply the visual, tonal, and spatial rules consistently.
8. Super Sessions “+” Menus
Open the expandable plus signs inside the portal. There is a lot of important coaching material hidden in those sections.
Confidence & Collar Desensitization
One of the first things we noticed today was a little hand sensitivity and hesitation when reaching toward Ivy’s collar. This is common with confidence issues, and we will improve it gradually over the next several weeks.
What We Are Building
- More confidence around hands.
- More comfort with the collar going on and off.
- Less hesitation when people reach near her neck.
- A stronger positive association with training equipment.
The Collar Game
I demonstrated using a larger collar by placing my hand through the opening and encouraging Ivy to voluntarily place her head through the collar to earn a reward.
How To Practice the Collar Game
- Use Ivy’s highest-value food reward once you find it.
- Start with a larger collar opening.
- Let Ivy move her head toward the collar voluntarily.
- Mark with YES and reward.
- Keep sessions short and successful.
- Practice over 2–4 weeks instead of rushing.
Collars, Slip Leads, and Martingales
A large slip lead can also work well for this exercise because it creates a generous opening.
For everyday training and recall work, I like a martingale collar because the small control loop makes it easier to safely guide or catch a dog during recall exercises than a standard flat collar.
Find Ivy’s “Crack Food”
Recall training is only as strong as the paycheck behind it. For Ivy, we need to find the reward that makes her stop, turn, and think, “Okay, those humans are suddenly very interesting.”
Try These First
- Grass-fed beef hot dogs
- Rotisserie chicken
- Turkey pepperoni
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Freeze-dried beef liver
- Small pieces of cooked steak
Emergency Recall Rule
Pick one special food that is used only for emergency recall. Do not use that same reward for regular recall, doorway work, casual snacks, or everyday obedience.
What You Are Looking For
- Fast head turn
- Excited response
- Better focus
- More enthusiasm
- “Whoa, I want THAT” energy
Building Confidence Through Emergency Recall
One of the best confidence-building exercises we will be working on is Ivy’s Emergency Recall. We will build this skill in phases rather than rushing the process.
Phase One: Value First
- Find Ivy’s crack food.
- Keep the reward special.
- Practice in easy environments first.
- Keep sessions short and exciting.
- Do not poison the cue by using it casually all day.
Phase Two: Add Distance Later
- Start indoors or in a very easy location.
- Then move to a 20-foot lead.
- Progress to 40 feet.
- Eventually build to 60 feet.
- Only increase difficulty when Ivy is successful.
Using the Ball as Part of the Game
We will also continue evaluating how motivating the ball is for Ivy. If the ball becomes one of her favorite rewards, we can incorporate it into recall games as training progresses.
We will know more once we get Ivy on a 20, 40, and eventually 60-foot training lead and see what actually motivates her outside.
Why This Builds Confidence
Emergency recall is not just obedience. It teaches Ivy to turn, move toward you, and succeed under pressure. Every successful repetition helps her believe she can make good choices.
Working With and Without Sybil
Today we noticed that Ivy showed a little more confidence when Sybil was nearby, which is perfectly normal. I brought Sybil back into the session because it helped Ivy feel more comfortable and successful in the moment.
When Sybil Helps
Sybil can help Ivy feel safer and more willing to participate. That support was useful today because it helped Ivy relax and gain some confidence during the session.
Why Ivy Also Needs Solo Practice
Long term, Ivy also needs to practice without Sybil. We do not want Ivy relying on another dog as her only source of confidence.
Arrivals, Departures & Doorway Drills
Continue practicing the Five-Minute Rule every time you leave and return home. This also applies when friends or family members visit.
When You Come Home
- Stay calm.
- Do not create a big emotional greeting.
- Let Ivy settle first.
- Reward calm behavior.
- Attention comes after calmness.
When Guests Arrive
- Use the same Five-Minute Rule.
- Do not let guests feed the excitement.
- Wait for Ivy to settle before greeting.
- Calm behavior earns interaction.
- Excitement does not.
If Ivy Jumps
If you do not want Ivy to jump, please review the jumping section inside the training portal. Jumping is usually not solved by talking more. It is solved by clear body language, timing, and consistency.
Visual
Dogs read what they see. Your body position, hands, eyes, and movement all matter.
Tonal
Your voice can calm Ivy down or light her up. Be careful not to reward excitement with excited sound.
Spatial
How you move, step, turn, block, or invite space matters more than most people realize.
How Long to Train
Several short training sessions each day are much more effective than one long exhausting session. Especially with confidence issues, we want Ivy finishing sessions feeling successful.
Do This
- Keep sessions short.
- End while Ivy is still successful.
- Make the work feel like a game.
- Use high-value rewards.
- Stop before she checks out.
Avoid This
- Long drilling sessions.
- Repeating cues over and over.
- Grabbing or forcing the collar work.
- Practicing when frustrated.
- Moving too quickly into distractions.
Ivy’s Homework This Week
Keep this simple, clear, and consistent. Read first, then practice.
1. Portal Review
- ABCs of Dog Communication
- Marker Word YES
- The Five-Minute Rule
- Nothing in Life Is Free
2. Collar Game
- Use crack food.
- Use a large opening.
- No pressure or forcing.
- Build over 2–4 weeks.
3. Recall
- Read recall.
- Read emergency recall.
- Find the jackpot reward.
- Build in phases.
4. Doorway Manners
- Use the Five-Minute Rule.
- Practice arrivals.
- Practice departures.
- Use the same rules for guests.
Portal Sections to Review Next
- Nothing in Life Is Free
- The Five-Minute Rule
- Marker Word Training
- ABCs of Dog Communication
- Recall
- Emergency Recall
- Jumping
- Doorway Manners
Printable Quick Tracker
Track the things that matter: collar comfort, crack food, regular recall, emergency recall, solo confidence, and doorway manners.
| Date | Crack Food Tested | Collar Game | Regular Recall | Emergency Recall | Solo Ivy Practice | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ____/____/____ | ____________ | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ____________ |
| ____/____/____ | ____________ | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ____________ |
| ____/____/____ | ____________ | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ____________ |
| ____/____/____ | ____________ | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ☐ Yes ☐ No | ____________ |
This Is Confidence Foundation Training
Ivy does not need perfection. She needs clarity, patience, structure, and confidence-building repetitions. The more consistent you are with the foundations, the more secure Ivy will become.
Read first. Practice second. Keep sessions short. Keep rewards valuable. Build recall in phases. Practice with Sybil when Ivy needs support, but also give Ivy plenty of one-on-one confidence-building time.
Best results: buy tools to support the plan — not to replace the plan. If you’re not sure what to grab, text me a screenshot and I’ll tell you “yes / no / not yet.”