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Hi Tim
Re: Molly leaving source
Can you film it? Is this a one time thing?
It could be exactly as you have self analyzed or it could be due to other factors. Hard to say until we know more.
Often we call these fly-bys or drive bys… Usually the reason they are happening is an indication of external pressure/ stress of some kind and often the state of the handler has an impact on it. Remember Molly is extremely sensitive and as you up the difficulty level in environments this comes into play more and more. Has this happened in more than one or two sessions? It is good to know it is happening now. Information is power. Don’t worry, and don’t stress, everything has a solution, but it does require you to reconnect and be calm, and to try to eliminate possibilities as to why this occurring.. There are techniques for that.
Seeing it will help us know if that is what is indeed happening (drive-bys) or if it might be something else, such as you do need to build more history on the initial alert because you have been working on precision.
Your truffle source…. Do you have more than 1 truffle (as in actual fruit body) you are using? Did you just switch sources when this happened? Was the weather different. Was she not feeling well? Right now we are trying to eliminate possibilities on this behavior manifestation.
In our Level 3 class we address this more thoroughly as it deals with elements of connection and being grounded and really in sync with your dog. If we could see it, we’ll be better able to analyze.
How was your stress level? If this happens again, try to internally.. take a deep breath and just relax, your heightened tension adds to the situation.
When this happens take a break. In our experience, young excited, highly seek driven motivated dogs will exhibit this behavior when there is a disconnect from handler to dog. And will often exhibit behaviors exactly as you just described. However it also could be as you assume and you haven’t been reinforcing the initial alert as much. So take a step back and for a few sessions- and in general reinforce the initial more heavily for bit. Build that history for a while.
It would be good to know more about the situation so anything you can tell us will be helpful, and if it repeats. But let us more and were can try to figure out why and then provide techniques for resolution.