Collies : Masters at Laser Focus

When we ask the dog to Be Collie and use all their inherited instincts, part of that package is the exclusion of stimulus irrelevant to that intense predatory focus. Which is partly why once they tip over into Collie Brain nothing can seem to break through.

This is call “multisensory integration gating’…. The brain stops processing certain types of sensory information through the prefrontal cortex because the prefrontal cortex is expensive for energy and the brain has ‘decided’ that type of information is not going to help with this Collie Brain task. All the processing power goes on the task in hand BUT because the prefrontal cortex isn’t receiving the signals the dog is not consciously aware of those signals.

We might also say that a dog that is easily distracted by non-working events is unlikely to survive – they do not get to fulfil the kill process. Hungry dog.

We call these games but to the dog they are work, or intense predatory behaviours in Collie style (minimal biting).

This can be your best friend when you are faced with a situation that is heading to Collie Brain, such as approach a passing jogger. A short game of Mouse as you walk by will mask the dog seeing the Collie Brain opportunity.

We would not want to use it for long periods or as a long term solution, but it is important to understand that when you ask them to Go Collie, see the ball, anticipate the work, then it “seems” they no longer lose it to Collie Brain. But without the stimulus of Go Collie, the Collie Brain will come back fast.

Do not be fooled. This “multisensory integration gating’ is temporary and dependent on the visual stimulus, or anticipation of the well learned events. A dog walking up to the field to play a Go Collie series of games is in an anticipatory state and can seem to ignore the Collie Brain stimulus.

Our Pet Brain Repertoire will override the fully relaxed, sofa sleeping guy. This is not usually an issue unless we keep them on the Pet Brain Repertoire for too long or too often when we want them to relax. I always set a rule about when Pet Brain Repertoire is going to happen and it is never in the evening when we are settling down to watch TV or I am at the computer.
Be clear about the PBR opportunities as this rule will also need to stand for Work-Games, otherwise you will be plagued by the continual demand for collie games 24 hours. That means you turn over in bed to find your face stuffed with a soggy toy.

Practising Pet Brain Management

This is the long term travelling companion. Asking the Pet Brain to Manage the Collie Brain.
Alongside looking at many different environments when Pet Brain needs to be in charge, you will also be asking for Pet Brain to be an integral part of Collie Brain, your Go Collie Games.

You can see at the end of the Which Brain video, I show you how to insert Pet Brain Cues into Go Collie dopamine rewards. This needs to be handled thoughtfully so that you can blend the two brains together. Mostly it is about the visual stimulus that trigger Go Collie Games, temporarily hiding it from view, asking one Pet Brain Repertoire and rewarding with Go Collie, rather than food.

Not only are we looking for Pet Brain Repertoire practise in many places, but also Pet Brain Repertoire  getting peak dopamine pleasure with the anticipation of Go Collie Games.

Practise means:

• Regular on a daily basis as often as possible
• So familiar that hesitation or uncertainty is forgotten, we want the dog to feel total pleasure for your PBR. It is confidence and competent.
• Small doses of Go Collie introduced with the chase or catch the food
• Integrating single PBR into the Go Collie games

If we let the Go Collie games continually roll without any Pet Brain Management it can quickly become as unmanageable as Collie Brain – this is where we hear the terms “addicted to tennis balls” “obsessed about squeaky toys”, and my particularly teeth itcher: “she is too herdy”.

Long term we want a blend of the pleasures and dopamine for exercising a healthy Collie Brain but with good Management from Pet Brain. It may seem a tall order but it is a very enjoyable journey travelled with a great friend. You will see the very best of your collie, let them Be a Collie, but have confidence that it will be under good management