05/16/2026
🐅 Kobe is making solid progress and starting to show the behaviors we want to see. He still comes in a little pushy at the start, but he’s learning the process and beginning to think through the work instead of rushing it.
Right now we are focusing on a clean, calm take of the dowel from the handler and building a firm full hold. It’s important that the dog carries the dowel correctly, sitting just behind the K9 teeth for proper grip development and control. The moment Kobe gives us the desired behavior, we mark and reward. Timing and clarity matter.
A big part of training is making sure the dog truly enjoys the reward and trusts the process. We don’t rush to take the reward away just to restart the exercise. Building confidence, understanding, and desire creates stronger long term behavior. One of the best signs that the dog is learning and enjoying the work is seeing that tail wag the second the behavior is marked. That tells us the dog understands the game and wants more.
🔥 Building grips, clarity, confidence, and mindset the TigerhillK9 way.