90-Day Foundations - Cycle 1 (Building Confidence)
Cycle 1: Building A Dog’s Confidence & Engagement
Duration: November 20 - December 20, 2025 (30 days)
Goal: By December 20th, Melon can confidently perform all 5 games from the ‘Building A Dog’s Confidence’ cheatsheet in sequence: Middle, Scent Trails, Box Feeding, Touch the Object, and Step Up.
Outcome: Handler focus as default, problem-solving foundation, confidence trying new things.
Cycle 1 Overview
30-Day Goal
Realistic Goal: “By December 20th, Melon can confidently perform all 5 games from the Confidence cheatsheet in sequence: Middle, Scent Trails, Box Feeding, Touch the Object, and Step Up. She shows handler focus, problem-solving ability, and confidence trying new things.”
Crazy Goal: “Run the entire confidence routine at the dog park with other dogs around and Melon stays focused on me!”
The 5 Games
1. Middle (Week 1)
What: Handler proximity - walk with her between your legs Why: Builds trust, physical confidence, proximity to handler Week 1 Goal: She can walk 5 steps in middle position with minimal luring
2. Scent Trails (Week 2)
What: Nose work - follow a line of treats on the ground Why: Focus, calmness, nose work foundation Week 2 Goal: She can follow a 20-foot scent trail independently
3. Box Feeding (Week 3)
What: Environmental neutrality - eating from a box with distractions Why: Trust in environment, impulse control, calmness Week 3 Goal: She keeps her head in the box for 30+ seconds with you moving around
4. Touch the Object (Week 4)
What: Problem-solving - nose touches different objects on cue Why: Building confidence with novelty, problem-solving Week 4 Goal: She touches 3 different objects on cue reliably
5. Step Up (Week 4)
What: Confidence on new surfaces - all 4 paws on different platforms Why: Physical confidence, environmental novelty handling Week 4 Goal: She steps onto 2+ different surfaces confidently
Weekly Game Focus
| Week | Dates | Game | Module | What You’re Building |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 20-26 | Middle | Module 1 | Handler proximity, trust, physical confidence |
| 2 | Nov 27 - Dec 3 | Scent Trails | Module 2 | Focus, calmness, nose work foundation |
| 3 | Dec 4-10 | Box Feeding | Module 3 | Environmental neutrality, trust, impulse |
| 4 | Dec 11-17 | Touch + Step | Module 4 & 5 | Problem-solving, confidence on new things |
| 5 | Dec 18-20 | Integration & Assessment | All | Run all 5 games in sequence |
Daily Training Schedule (Same Throughout Cycle 1)
Non-Negotiable Daily
- 3pm Courtyard Session (10 min) - Marker + Engagement work (NEVER CHANGES)
- Bonus Training (10-15 min) - That week’s game from this schedule
- Exercise Outlet (20-30 min) - Walk/play + 2-3 check-ins
- Meals - Break practice at breakfast & dinner
- Morning Session (5 min) - Quick marker/sit reps
| See full details: [[90-day-foundations-daily-structure | Daily Structure & Routines]] |
Week 1: Middle (Nov 20-26)
Goal
She walks 5+ steps in middle position (between your legs) with minimal luring.
Daily Training Plan
| Session | What to Do | Success Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm Courtyard | Marker + Engagement (standard) | Consistent check-ins |
| Bonus Session | Middle progression (10-15 min) | See weekly progression below |
Progression Through the Week
| Day | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Tue | Lure her through your legs, reward | She goes through willingly |
| Wed | Hold position in middle for 2 seconds | She stays without moving forward |
| Thu/Fri | Take 2-3 steps with her in middle | She follows your movement |
| Weekend | Walk 5+ steps in middle position | Fluid movement together |
Success Metric for Week 1
By end of week, she can walk 5 steps in middle position with minimal luring.
Week 2: Scent Trails (Nov 27 - Dec 3)
Goal
She can follow a 20-foot scent trail independently with her nose down.
Daily Training Plan
| Session | What to Do | Success Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm Courtyard | Marker + Engagement (standard) | Consistent check-ins |
| Bonus Session | Scent trail work (10-15 min) | See weekly progression |
Progression Through the Week
| Day | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Tue | 5-foot straight line of treats | She follows nose-down |
| Wed | 10-foot line with one curve | She follows the curve |
| Thu/Fri | 15-foot trail with multiple turns | She stays on the trail |
| Weekend | 20-foot trail, add complexity | Independent following |
Success Metric for Week 2
By end of week, she can follow a 20-foot scent trail independently.
Week 3: Box Feeding (Dec 4-10)
Goal
She keeps her head in the box for 30+ seconds with you moving around.
Daily Training Plan
| Session | What to Do | Success Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm Courtyard | Marker + Engagement (standard) | Consistent check-ins |
| Bonus Session | Box feeding variations (10-15 min) | See weekly progression |
Progression Through the Week
| Day | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Tue | Introduce box, let her eat from it | Head goes in willingly |
| Wed | Increase duration (more food) | Head stays in for 15+ seconds |
| Thu/Fri | Add mild distractions (you move) | She keeps head in box |
| Weekend | Box feeding in different locations | Generalizes behavior |
Success Metric for Week 3
By end of week, she keeps her head in the box for 30+ seconds with you moving around.
Week 4: Touch the Object + Step Up (Dec 11-17)
Goal
She touches 3 different objects on cue and steps onto 2+ surfaces confidently.
Daily Training Plan
| Session | What to Do | Success Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm Courtyard | Marker + Engagement (standard) | Consistent check-ins |
| Bonus Session | Split: 7-8 min each game | See weekly progression |
Progression Through the Week
| Day | Touch the Object | Step Up |
|---|---|---|
| Mon/Tue | Nose touches one object on cue | Front paws on low platform |
| Wed | Touches 2 different objects | Front paws on different surface |
| Thu/Fri | Touches 3 objects reliably | All 4 paws on platform |
| Weekend | Generalizes to new objects | Multiple surfaces confidently |
Success Metric for Week 4
By end of week, she touches 3 different objects on cue and steps onto 2+ surfaces confidently.
Week 5: Integration & Assessment (Dec 18-20)
Goal
Run all 5 games in sequence and assess readiness for Cycle 2.
Assessment Session (15-20 minutes)
Run all 5 games in order:
- Middle - Walk 5 steps
- Scent Trails - Follow 10-foot trail
- Box Feeding - Keep head in for 30 seconds
- Touch the Object - Touch 3 objects
- Step Up - Step on 2 surfaces
Reflection Questions
- What’s solid?
- What needs more work?
- Is she showing confidence and engagement?
- Is she problem-solving without frustration?
Outcome
Decide if you’re ready for Cycle 2 or need to extend/repeat any games.
Key Training Principles
Start Small
- First attempts should be easy
- Build from there
- Success breeds confidence
Use High-Value Rewards
- Skill-building = best treats
- Maintenance = regular treats
End on Success
- Don’t drill to failure
- Stop the session while she’s winning
- Leave her wanting more
Problem-Solving Over Luring
- The games are designed to help her figure it out
- Don’t always lure/hand-feed answers
- Let her think and problem-solve
Environmental Management
- Keep early sessions in quiet, familiar places
- Gradually add complexity
- Don’t overwhelm her
Troubleshooting Cycle 1
If She’s Struggling with a Game
- Break it down smaller
- Middle: Start with just turning, not walking
- Scent Trails: Start with 3-foot lines
- Box Feeding: Just getting head in box, no duration yet
- Increase treat value
- Is the reward interesting enough?
- Use her favorite treats
- Check your criteria
- Are you being consistent?
- Is she clear what you’re asking?
If She’s Flying Through Games
- Add difficulty
- Middle: Walk faster, longer distances, with distractions
- Scent Trails: Longer trails, different surfaces
- Box Feeding: More distractions, different boxes
- Don’t skip weeks
- Keep to the timeline
- Use extra time to generalize
If She’s Anxious or Stressed
- Back up to easier version
- Shorter sessions
- More frequent breaks
- Check if pain or physical issue is involved
Weekly Reflection
| At the end of each week (template from [[90-day-foundations-daily-structure | Daily Structure]]): |
What worked? What was hard? What will I adjust? Where is her confidence? Is handler focus improving?
Celebrating Cycle 1 Completion
When you run all 5 games in sequence successfully (Week 5), you’ve completed Cycle 1!
This is a MAJOR milestone. You have:
✅ Built handler focus as her default ✅ Established daily training routine ✅ Taught 5 foundational games ✅ Built problem-solving skills ✅ Proven you can train consistently
Next: Cycle 2
| Once Cycle 1 is complete, you’re ready for **[[90-day-foundations-cycle-2 | Cycle 2: Emotional Regulation]]**. |
In Cycle 2, you’ll teach arousal control, drive channeling, and start/stop switches. She’ll learn to go from 100 to 0 in 30 seconds.
Back to the Hub
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