Chat
01-25-2017, 06:08 PM
I know we're not done working through this issue yet. The real test will be when we start driving regularly again (hopefully I can get him out sometime next week). But yes, changing up the treats definitely made a huge difference. Finn actually likes animal crackers again now that he has some variety. I think he was mostly just bored of having the same thing all the time.
Finn had also been allowed to get away with not paying attention if he didn't want to. I'm not as "nice" as Phil in that regard. I figure these goats get almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to do whatever they want. Surely they can spare me a few minutes of undivided attention. If Finn turns his back on me and walks away, I'm going to clap my hands or swat him on the behind to get his attention and let him know he's being rude. If he continually turns his attention on something else, I'll get the whip out and slap the ground to let him know he needs to look at me. Once Finn knew he was not allowed to walk away, his lackadaisical attitude subsided and he started showing a lot more interest in what he was actually supposed to be doing. He quickly realized he was having more fun when he paid attention than when he was allowed to wander around distracting himself. I feel like a mom prying her bored, fat kid away from his video games. He doesn't even know how bored he is until he's "forced" do something fun!
I'm pretty sure mis-timed aids is a large part of Finn's sourness toward driving. This is my fault. We did very well in summer because Phil and I could not drive at the same time so I was able to walk beside Phil and give lessons as we went along. We also practiced several times a week so everyone was tuned up. Then we took a long break from driving during the fall and Phil and Finn both got out of practice. When we started back up again it was sporadic so there was no chance to get the right feel back. When we started driving the boys single, I was concentrating on Sputnik and didn't give Phil and Finn the attention they needed. In hindsight, I know Phil needed help remembering how to time his aids and apply them appropriately. Phil and his goat got off on the wrong foot and I think it soured Finn to driving within 2-3 sessions. This is why I'm taking over Finn's driving training for now. Phil can practice driving Sputnik with me walking behind until he gets the feel of things. Young as he is, I think Sputnik will be a good teacher. He's very soft to the aids and he doesn't get flustered, confused, or spooked as easily as Finn. The last time they drove, Phil and Finn got locked in one of those vortexes where Finn did something unexpected, then Phil did the wrong thing to correct it, then Finn got flustered and confused, then Phil got even more flustered and confused and so on until they were both angry and frustrated with each other and with driving. Hopefully now that Finn is speaking to us again I'll be able to re-school him in a way that is fun and easy for him. I want him to look forward to driving, not dread it.
Finn had also been allowed to get away with not paying attention if he didn't want to. I'm not as "nice" as Phil in that regard. I figure these goats get almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to do whatever they want. Surely they can spare me a few minutes of undivided attention. If Finn turns his back on me and walks away, I'm going to clap my hands or swat him on the behind to get his attention and let him know he's being rude. If he continually turns his attention on something else, I'll get the whip out and slap the ground to let him know he needs to look at me. Once Finn knew he was not allowed to walk away, his lackadaisical attitude subsided and he started showing a lot more interest in what he was actually supposed to be doing. He quickly realized he was having more fun when he paid attention than when he was allowed to wander around distracting himself. I feel like a mom prying her bored, fat kid away from his video games. He doesn't even know how bored he is until he's "forced" do something fun!
I'm pretty sure mis-timed aids is a large part of Finn's sourness toward driving. This is my fault. We did very well in summer because Phil and I could not drive at the same time so I was able to walk beside Phil and give lessons as we went along. We also practiced several times a week so everyone was tuned up. Then we took a long break from driving during the fall and Phil and Finn both got out of practice. When we started back up again it was sporadic so there was no chance to get the right feel back. When we started driving the boys single, I was concentrating on Sputnik and didn't give Phil and Finn the attention they needed. In hindsight, I know Phil needed help remembering how to time his aids and apply them appropriately. Phil and his goat got off on the wrong foot and I think it soured Finn to driving within 2-3 sessions. This is why I'm taking over Finn's driving training for now. Phil can practice driving Sputnik with me walking behind until he gets the feel of things. Young as he is, I think Sputnik will be a good teacher. He's very soft to the aids and he doesn't get flustered, confused, or spooked as easily as Finn. The last time they drove, Phil and Finn got locked in one of those vortexes where Finn did something unexpected, then Phil did the wrong thing to correct it, then Finn got flustered and confused, then Phil got even more flustered and confused and so on until they were both angry and frustrated with each other and with driving. Hopefully now that Finn is speaking to us again I'll be able to re-school him in a way that is fun and easy for him. I want him to look forward to driving, not dread it.