Speaker 1: 0:09

Welcome to the Absolute Dog Sex in a Squirrel podcast. I'm Lauren Langman. I'm one of the world's leading dog trainers and it's my mission to help owners become their dog's top priority. In each episode, you'll discover how to gain trust and communicate with your dog like never before, creating unbreakable bonds that make you the most exciting part of their world. Okay, so we're talking confidence hoops and I know, jamie, this is a massive passion area of yours and what we've seen through teaching so many different dogs confidence hoops, from Eliza's little dog, katie, through to a young dog, through to an older dog, through to a dog who's a bit naughty but nice, through a dog who's maybe a little bit nervous, lacking confidence in loads of different areas. Actually, hoops and hula hoops we're talking have been really game changer. Tell us about it, like what is it? Where did it come about? How did it come about? What is confidence hoops?

Speaker 2: 1:01

I think I'm not sure where it came about, but confidence hoops, I think I, um, I'm not sure where it came about, um, but um, confidence hoops it is. It's just. I think maybe it was just about building confidence. Um and um, we had a couple of games where we'd use a hoop, so we'd use different, um, different kind of objects and stuff, and a hoop was one of them.

Speaker 1: 1:20

Um, I always used to laugh at Sam when she used to go around with a hoop and tell her like it's, like she's going to circus type thing and she was going to circus, right like she's circus dog, circus tricks, but like Eliza, for example, I know you've done loads of hoops with Eliza and loads of hoops with Katie and Katie's confidence has come on leaps and bounds. And why a hoop? And what you do with the hoop and why does it work?

Speaker 2: 1:42

so, so, originally a hoop. And what do you do with the hoop and why does it work? So, originally a hoop. We used to just I used to.

Speaker 2: 1:48

Well, I just started off just going through the hoop, and then you would kind of notice, with some dogs it was easy, and with some dogs they would be really aware of the hoop even if you held the hoop up or if it was lying flat on the floor in front of you.

Speaker 2: 2:00

That could be a novel item, it could be something that they're just like a little bit suspicious of, um, so it was just really interesting to see how different dogs reacted to the hoop, um, and so then with certain dogs you couldn't even play something like orientation game through a hoop, because they were a bit nervous of the hoop being upright or moving or or whatever the scenario would be.

Speaker 2: 2:23

So taking it back a step and building up that confidence of them playing orientation game, maybe just by the hoop, not even through the hoop or anything like that, and a little bit of pressure release or whatever, so like for some dogs it was that awareness of that novel item, um, and yeah, so just kind of achieving orientation game through a hoop was quite a cool little goal set and it was.

Speaker 2: 2:48

It was. It was a nice thing for them to do and also it was a game that you could take from different into different areas or into different circumstances, so like you could take it. So if you played it in the in your lounge, then you could take it outside and it would mean the same thing and you might have to go back a few steps then when you go to new environments. But that hoop, if you put enough value in it, it means like a good thing and we're going to play this game and we're not going to be kind of aware of our environment and you can take that hoop and give them confidence in lots of new environments Easy, light, simple thing to take about right now.

Speaker 1: 3:31

Tell us a little bit about your hoops, because you've probably got about seven or eight different hoops, because I know you've got a couple that are a little bit noisy, but I won't spoil it.

Speaker 2: 3:36

Tell us a couple of the different hoops that you work with yeah, so a variety of hoops, um I I have got an even um a massive one at home as well. For bigger dogs you can get like a special occasion dancing with jamie. That's hoop dancing I did have that weighted hoop for other purposes, but not that that happens, I probably need to use that hoop anyway.

Speaker 1: 3:58

The hoop that is very large that would work with body sort of games. So you've got the large hoop.

Speaker 2: 4:04

So you've got a large hoop um, you've also got um like just different sizes of hoops um, and then I have got some fancy um diy craft hoops as well, and you have.

Speaker 1: 4:17

You've got something literally covered in tissue paper, and you've got some that are a little bit noisy and you've got some that have got like ribbons and um bows coming off them like it's real fun, like rattles in it, which is really cool and that's interesting for some of the um, like our favorite one is hoop dive isn't it we do?

Speaker 1: 4:33

oh, they and the dogs just look amazing doing. And I'm thinking about it like when people are sat here thinking what, how do I get confidence hoops? Confidence hoops is a course. It's out right now. So it's out right now. But the thing is you actually only need maybe one or two hoops to get started, and I love that. You go to like one of the popular supermarkets uh, in the uk, maybe something like tesco's or sainsbury's or other supermarkets available asda, you're going to pick up a hoop for like one to two pound, like they are really, really cheap. Yeah, so this is something you can take about with you. It's very, very versatile. You can adapt it for dogs who maybe are needing you to take it slower or, and do it lower or, um, do it because they've got maybe some level of mobility struggles. You can still play a lot of the games, just adapt them appropriately. But actually there's, there's a hoop for everyone, right?

Speaker 2: 5:14

yes, definitely definitely a hoop for everyone and you can then get creative with them and make it um, you know, your orientation game then turns into a bit more more confidence building by dangling. And you don't dangle it so they can't see through it. Initially, you know, you just add a few bits like I think I had some toilet roll tubes, the middle parts of them, and then you string them together, so they're just dangling first of all, and then eventually it's like you build up that trust that they can kind of bash through it a little bit then now thinking on some of the games that we filmed doing um, the confidence hoops badge which, like I said, it's released today.

Speaker 1: 5:53

It's it's brand new, if you're listening. Today is a brand new podcast. It's released today. It's on a special offer. It's 77 pound instead of 197, so it's a really, really, really good. It's a pre-order, so go and get it while it's on pre-order. If you're listening later, I'm sorry, I'm sure there'll be a badge sale at some point, or go and grab it anyway, because it's a great badge to have. But, thinking about some of the things that we did on the day when we were filming and putting the content and the learning together, give a few of your favourite examples, some of the things that your dogs, or my dogs, really, really love.

Speaker 2: 6:22

Okay, so Katie has just got a natural bounce.

Speaker 1: 6:26

She just loves to jump, doesn't she leap? She just loves to jump, she leaps. It's like it's ingrained in her to bounce.

Speaker 2: 6:31

And I've got to say Eliza's put loads of value into the hoop, because Eliza quite likes the bouncing too.

Speaker 1: 6:36

Yeah, and I think the hoop for If any of you are training kids or younger people or people who like a little bit of sort of variety and dynamic opportunity, I think the hoop could be really good for that.

Speaker 2: 6:48

Yeah, really cool for, like, confidence building with kids and just like, like my kids love, to just play around with it as well. You know, it's just, it's just a really cool thing to do and I just think that they feel like they're in the circus. They do, they do.

Speaker 1: 7:03

Yeah, yeah, I'm in the circus. High five, she's cool, she thinks she's in the circus and she is with her hoop and her team of dogs. And so I think Zuma, for example, one of his favourites. I love to see him hoop dive. He's got such cool stuff. Now explain for those people who haven't listened, because I such cool. Now explain for those people who haven't listened, because I think if I was going to the badge, that would probably be the first one I would love to teach if it was me and with a new dog, and what I love is you can actually work with puppies on this.

Speaker 2: 7:29

This is a really cool one for puppies, really really cool one for puppies. And um, and also this one. It was really cool for one of the dogs I worked with for this one. Um, she was this kind of. This is what's so nice about tricks and stuff, isn't it? But it filtered across to another trick without me knowing so. Like a hoop dive is basically the hoop is flat on the floor, the dog goes and pushes its nose under the hoop and flips the hoop over and they go through the hoop. That makes does. Can you explain?

Speaker 1: 7:59

that. So basically, um, yeah, the dog is in control of the movement, yeah, and so what I really love is the dog forces the hoop over it and it kind of does it in an eloquent way, where some of them are eloquent, some of them are less so, and typically spaniels are not, um, but they. I love that. They control the movement and the noise. And I think, for dogs who are maybe reactive, nervous, worried, anxious and at times, um, aware of environments, when they start to control the noise and have an ability to make the thing happen, I personally think you're on to a winner with a dog. Yeah, because they're starting to partner with you a little bit more, and when they're partnering with you and understanding how their body and their movements and their adjustments have a way of forcing it to happen, almost, yeah, like they have control, yeah, so you're kind of giving a bit of the control.

Speaker 1: 8:46

I'll give you an example I was in. There's a farm shop close to us. It's called Mole Valley, mole Avon. I never know what it's called One of them, one of those two Mole Avon, mole Valley, something like that. And so there's a close to us and when I was in there earlier with Liza, liza was picking something up and I said to her you can have that, you just need to pay for it. And she went uh, no, I'm not going to pay for that. Actually, I think that we'll leave that and it's the way that they've now got control over it. Now, obviously, if you're doing everything for them, then it's very, very easy. But suddenly, when you give them a bit of a say in the matter, the dynamic changes and.

Speaker 1: 9:21

I think when something is lacking confidence, a dog is lacking confidence. I think one of the best ways to build confidence in them is to give them a say in how it goes. And I remember with one of my um, nervous, uh dogs, tiki, um, 15-20 years ago now. One of the things that really changed the game for her is when she started shutting doors and slamming cupboards. And I mean you can imagine this like this is a dog as well, not a human bang bang, bang, and she'd be slamming the doors. And I mean you can imagine this like this is a dog as well, not a human Bang bang, bang, and she'd be slamming the doors and like locking the cupboards and all those things. But I think she really enjoyed it because she was in control of it. So she started to really push the noise and then all the noises started to get better and better because she was in control of the noises.

Speaker 1: 9:56

And I think that's how the hoop dive works for me the dog controls the movement. Because for a dog who doesn't like being, I'm thinking like an obedience dog. I'm thinking actually, lovely, linda, when linda's down, let's work on this with her. Yeah, because for a dog like this they don't always like themselves being touched. They kind of you can see them going oh, let's touch my back, yeah, and I can see that even with skittle, she doesn't always like something touching her, like when you first put a harness on, and they sort of like yeah, you might walk some dogs and they're completely normal happy labrador. And you walk other dogs and they're like oh, this is like on my body and those types of dogs. So I really like the hoop game for that and the hoop game is just one of like. I think they're like 25, 30, 35 there were loads of games, a lot of things you can do there were a lot of games got anything else that they can we're gonna add it, please, please, let us know.

Speaker 1: 10:40

She's so video. Look how keen she is. The circus lady is keen, but yeah, I think. For me, the hoop dive is one of my favourites. What would be another one of your favourites? I love that one.

Speaker 2: 10:48

So the one that I worked hard on was getting Katie to jump on me have body contact.

Speaker 1: 10:59

I knew you were going to say that as well. I knew you were going to say that as well.

Speaker 2: 11:04

I knew you were going to say that one, but it was hard for me to get to grips with it.

Speaker 1: 11:04

But that's what's really good and actually the mechanics were hard. I think that's what made it hard. When I was watching, you said, do you want to do this or I'll do this, and I was like I'm not going to, and there's safety to it as well, because you don't want to mean it is.

Speaker 1: 11:21

It's a real. It's a real and, like you said, the hoop dive suitable for any dog the game that jamie's talking about not suitable for every dog and I think that's what I really like. There's a real variety, there's a there's a level of up and a level of down and you can kind of pitch in or take out wherever you feel most appropriate. So actually it can, it can go in at any level. Yeah, and I'm gonna say another one of my favourites is when the hoops are moving. So you're moving the hoops and the dog's got to go find the gap in the hoop.

Speaker 2: 11:46

And again.

Speaker 1: 11:46

I really like that. It leaves the dog leading the learning. I think when you get your dog leading the learning, I also think it doesn't matter what job you're doing, whether you're doing agility, obedience, pet dog, guide dog, assistance dog. Maybe you've got a level of competitive sport, fly ball dog Like. I think this builds all dogs. I think it builds, I think it builds mental resilience. I think it builds physical ability. I think it builds some toughness in their trainability and flexibility.

Speaker 2: 12:18

Massive flexibility, because there's a lot of dogs out there that see, see one thing, and this is what we do with that one thing, whereas we were asking them to paw wrap, we were asking them to, you know, do a lot of different things, jump through, put your paws on, like just the variety of different things that you're asking them to do with that, because with some dogs that they find that really really difficult, don't they? To be able to do both directions with everything.

Speaker 2: 12:42

Oh, another one of my favorites is the weaves. So instead of leg weaves, yeah, you weave and that takes a little bit of you know, they need, like you say, they need more of that independence, whereas with leg weaves you can kind of show them a bit more, yeah, but that they had to be independent on their cue to turn and stuff. So, yeah, that was a really cool one to do.

Speaker 1: 13:02

What's, I suppose, for you, one of the most rewarding moments you've had in teaching hoops.

Speaker 2: 13:52

I think that one actually, and Eliza helping me to do it as well, because, like, we did that together, so that was quite a cool one.

Speaker 1: 14:00

And then they loved you know they both, you could see them both light up doing it as well, so yeah, Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks, Like is there anything that could be adaptable for an older dog? Looking at something like this and I know the answer and you've just said the answer, but help us out what could that look like or how could that be?

Speaker 2: 14:23

So one of my staff is 11. She's had a TPLO operation, so she tore her cruciate a couple of years ago, and she's also got elbow dysplasia. But she was on the video and she was doing a carry the. She's so happy and she actually likes doing the weaving um figure of around it because I think that that's all really good for her flexibility and mobility and keeping her strong and flexible while she's while she's getting older and I don't think you think she's 11 no, she doesn't.

Speaker 1: 14:51

I literally said 11 then and you said 11, I was like I would not know it. How old are they both?

Speaker 2: 14:57

Molly's 11 and Stitchy is seven.

Speaker 1: 15:00

God, I would never put Molly at 11. No, you wouldn't, I really wouldn't. I really wouldn't. I'd say they both look similar age, yeah, other than the little bit of grey, but you can sometimes just think that's flecking. Yeah, so no, she looks amazing. So you can teach an old dog new tricks. And then how about a puppy or a younger dog or an adolescent dog?

Speaker 2: 15:18

is it appropriate for younger days like with the puppies doing um the hoop dive is one of my favorite things to do with them because I think that just builds their confidence oh, hugely, and massive resilience and just going through it like orientation game as well. And again then, that's a, that's something, it's a portable one that you can take out around to different environments, so they're focused on it and they see, oh, I see Hoopan.

Speaker 1: 15:39

I also think you end up with a dog who's very, very flexible, versatile, like thinky, like I quite like a dog who has a level of um, that sort of cognitive ability where they're trying to do something for you, like Katie's, always trying to work out what she could do to help you, yeah, whereas um working with Nell, who um came to me as a um later on in life as a sheepdog, it's different because she doesn't have that ability to try so much yet it's not like always there to go.

Speaker 1: 16:05

They're not as operant, no, she's not as operant, she's not going to offer you as many things. And so, for me, where I like it for a puppy is that you start to teach them how to be operant in a really unimportant way. Yeah, like it's not like if they don't make it on the hoop, it's not like they can't be a nice dog, and if they don't make it with the hoop, it's not like they can't and go out and be a great um, whatever, they're going to be a jealousy dog, but actually you've had a go at teaching the hoop, yeah, so I really like it for that reason and it's cool for those mechanics as well, because you're teaching something that's fun and lighthearted.

Speaker 2: 16:37

And if you were going to go into sports or anything like that, where it kind of gets a little bit more serious not that it should- be very serious. It's all amazing, but yeah, it's just coming detaching yourself a little bit from that, isn't it? And it builds your mechanics and builds the dog's skills and it's just, I don't know you. Just if you don't feel like training that day and you see the hoop in the corner, it's always like going hello yeah, you could easily just pick it up very quick, like exactly because some days there are days where you just think, oh no, I should be doing this or I should be doing that, and it's just like.

Speaker 2: 17:10

Actually I would like to do that, I would like to go and play with the hoop yeah, and it's fun.

Speaker 1: 17:16

Yeah, right, it's great to have some no pressure fun in your um repertoire or in your toolbox. And I'm really thinking for Linda. I think this would be very, very good and it'd be very, very good. And I don't know how much she's done, but I'd really like to push her on on this because I think this would be really nice. I haven't either, and I think she would suit a hoop. I think we should glam her one. I think we should glam her one because that lady is glam. Literally, it's bling it, ready for her. Look, she's turquoise. We have to look for a turquoise bling hoop. Um, it's gonna work. And I suppose another one for me. What would be like a real basic hoop game? What would be the like the starting point for someone who's out there listening and thinking? I just want to make a start.

Speaker 1: 17:54

Remember, obviously for some of you that'll be grabbing the badge. So go and grab the hoop badge. It's on the Absolute Dogs store. So, literally, head over to the store absolute-dogscom, go and have a look. It's over there, it's on the store, it's a sale. It's always a really cool time to grab it. Equally, someone who thing and just thinking they'd like to have a go at this. They don't necessarily have the capacity to grab hold of a badge right now, or they don't have the finances to be able to. Um, it's a real bargain, though, right now, so do go and look at it, but if you don't have it, you don't have it. What could they do?

Speaker 2: 18:21

so I'm sure all of you have heard of boundary games.

Speaker 1: 18:24

They could start playing boundary games and just I was gonna nod like, yeah, I've heard of it once or twice okay, so boundary game, building up the value in in the middle of that hoop and just seeing if they all suction back to where that value is and seeing if they can start doing a few behaviors, maybe within the boundary to boundary using the tape across the hoop with the hoop on the floor if your dog's happy with it and actually sometimes it is just keeping that hoop on the floor, seeing if they're happy with it, and then it might be boundary to boundary, it might be move it a little, it might be shake it a little, it might be a noisy one, it might be tassels on it, but actually you're right early on, it's just get them used to.

Speaker 1: 18:58

Can they even walk over the hoop? Because actually walking over the hoop for some of the dogs is enough to go. I don't like it, particularly if you work with a nervous dog. What have you seen from naughty but nice dogs in terms of where they started and where they finished?

Speaker 2: 19:09

so like when you, when you pick up the, if you're anything like me and you want to just get on with the game that you have in your brain, and it's a little bit like, oh, they don't even want to come near this blinking thing. So it's a little bit disheartening. But if you know the steps to kind of break it down, then it becomes so rewarding that they're actually suctioning back to this.

Speaker 1: 19:33

I think it's good to tell everyone at the beginning, for some dogs, how aware are they of things like a hoop, massively aware.

Speaker 2: 19:40

You wouldn't think that something so thin and narrow and just… Inadversant, like nothing big in the environment, something like paws on something or like I don't know, but there's just something about it. I think it could move it could move, and it's unusual.

Speaker 1: 19:57

Have you ever seen that? Cats vs Cucumbers? Yes, it's like a Cat vs Cucumber, isn't it? They're like. Why is this thing on the floor? Why is this thing?

Speaker 2: 20:04

sat here Weird.

Speaker 1: 20:05

It is weird. So I think, walking through, what is the circus lady up to? So I think, yeah, moving it and and starting to build it as soon as they're ready, but not rushing to do that. And then what have you seen them take it to like, what is what's that? Gone from zero right through to what, what have you?

Speaker 2: 20:21

had just like gritty and just wanting to, wanting to dive under it, or um, just wanting wanting.

Speaker 1: 20:29

One of my favorites is where, um, we had stitch going through the like paper, like she pushes the paper, and I know we were at badminton recently. Matt and I and liza and her friend and matt said where's the like ring of fire? I was like no, no, matt, really animals don't do that, like they don't do that. But actually not there, not a badminton, do they? Yeah, at badminton, not at badminton no, no, I was like.

Speaker 2: 20:52

No, I think I was like I.

Speaker 1: 20:54

No, I think you see the theories of interest, matt. I was like I don't think they put them through rings of fire. I have again agree, olympian Horse of the Year, but not at Badminton.

Speaker 2: 21:03

There was a couple that used to have a cart and the lady. I can't remember what she was called, but Ring of Fire or something like that like a little bit emma matty.

Speaker 1: 21:10

they're like doing different things, like literally they used to go up a ramp. Wow, through the fiery.

Speaker 2: 21:16

I mean amazing, it's incredible I do have to say that I did google.

Speaker 1: 21:19

Fiery hooped when we said oh, god, literally you were like I'm gonna have to think about doing this any way that we could put no long head dog went through this. Jamie is looking, she's looking, she has a staffy that has very little fur and it would, might, it might work, and not a long tail. Can you imagine classic, okay goes and not Gus, not Gus, not Katie, um, or the Katie on a malt, maybe, um and so. So, if we think about it, um, when I was saying to Matt no, matt, there's no horses at badminton he was really wanting the like, the confidence of the ring of fire, but the ring of fire similar to the ring of tissue paper where they sort of fly through it. It's asking massive, exactly. It's asking massive confidence, yeah, because to trust you and run into, effectively, a brick wall yeah, is what you're asking?

Speaker 2: 22:06

go through the brick wall yeah, it's hard and it's, but it's really. But if we break it down enough and make sure that we break it down, then I think it's a really cool thing to be able to do Absolutely massive, like really really really massive and brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

Speaker 1: 22:22

So, jamie, if anyone sat on the fence and thinking should I get hold of this badge? It's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable sitting on the fence you could be jumping over the fence through a hoop With fire, with fire, jamie, I actually am really hysterical about the idea that you wanted a fiery hoop and you Googled it.

Speaker 2: 22:39

If you look at my, she actually Googled it.

Speaker 1: 22:44

So she's actually Googled it. Maybe a thing in the future.

Speaker 2: 22:59

If you're thinking about it, if you're sitting there and thinking maybe this would suit my puppy, my adolescent my, my senior dog, my geriatric dog.

Speaker 1: 23:01

Yes, yes, yes and yes, there's something for everyone. There is, yeah, something for everyone, definitely, definitely. And even the children have had fun with it.

Speaker 2: 23:03

Yeah, equally, I think, grandparents, um and um, sister, mother, father, brother, I think they'd all enjoy it really cool as well is like if you've got um, if you're um limited to what you can like, if you're in a wheelchair, for example, or anything like that I've used it with clients that have had that disability and they just have so much joy. Or if you've got a grandparent that's sitting in a chair that can't move much, then having the hoop is just such a rewarding thing to play with.

Speaker 1: 23:34

It's lovely, it's really really lovely. So if you're sat on the fence, guys go and grab it. It's over on the store and, equally, either way, people can start right now having fun, can't they? Basic games get yourself a hoop, go get yourself a hoop. Like at very minimum, get yourself a hoop. And I think the thing that, um, to sum up and to finish on, is the fact that we're concept trainers. We train through a concept, and the concept in in here that we're building is confidence, and we're building confidence through using a very, very simple, easy, fun tool. It's a hoop. It's done in such a positive way, it's done in such a fun way, it's lighthearted. It's amazing. You guys need to go and grab yourselves a hoop and the confidence badge, if you can.

Speaker 1: 24:12

Confidence Hoops is the name. The game is many, many different opportunities. I think there were a lot. I can't remember the number. There were a lot, I think. I think more than we ever anticipated. We were like writing them out. It's just like just one more. So, guys, go grab yourself your copy. Remember this is the best baseball dogs and their learning. We know how to take it to the next level. Join us next week where we're going to be talking even more confidence and until then, stay sexy.