HANDLING

Dale, Landry and the dremel are not seeing eye to eye. So I am trying to help by doing more "upside down" handling with Landry. He was content doing this as a very young puppy, but last week I saw the first resistance. Today it was some better, but I am going to go in very very small increments. I will be happy if he just relaxes and knows that he won't get down until he gives in. I am dremeling Lily's nails on a mat right in front of Landry's crate.

He could be entering a fear period, which would explain the nails, the handling, and the scary yellow vacuum.

Session 1.

Session 2.

Week Five

13 weeks old

Shape to the Vacuum

This is the "scary yellow vacuum" that fell over last week and frightened Landry. Last week we did remediation. Sue suggested that this week we shape him to go to the vac and touch it to get a reward. This is great on two fronts. To help him overcome his apprehension of the vacuum and also as a beginning to going out a distance to be shaped.

Already we can see the beginnings of his "shaping savvy" ... Do you want me to sit? How about if I lie down? Are you paying for Eye Contact? He readily displays his developing understanding that he controls the click.

Once he begins to understand, he approaches from all angles....even crawling under the coffee table to reach it at one point.

This was a long session. At the first sign that he was losing interest, we stopped.

Week Five

13 weeks old

Shape to the Alley Oop

Beginning of the journey to going out to touch the Alley Oop. Our criteria this morning is to touch the red ball (held horizontally, as it will be when in the rocking holder). All this week, we will work on Level 2 Target, touching a variety of objects. I will also work Target: Level 1: BMO - taking a few steps to touch the objects.

NOTE: Ha! The joke's on me. I should have TRIED having Landry take a few steps to touch my hand before assuming that we didn't already do it. When Dale arrived to pick Landry up, he showed me that he already has Landry doing that. Dale uses Target and Zen (Level 1) to get Landry's attention before working on other things.

Week Five

13 weeks old

End of Second Week: Watch and The Get Lost Game

Dale "plays" Watch and The Get Lost Game with Landry all the time.

Week Four

12 weeks old

End of Second Week: Level 1 "Cold" in the Afternoon

Down: verbal cue/handsignal/trainer seated/trainer standing
Sit: helped alone w/a lure every now and then (we've been working hard on Down!)
Target: stretching to touch
Zen: closed hand, 5 seconds/open hand, 2 seconds

Week Four

12 weeks old

LEASH: Level 2: Step 2 (off leash)

Roofers across the street.  Sometimes their nail guns sound like clickers!

Using Chutes and Ladders building from one step to 10 steps between clicks.

Left turns AND right turns. The eye contact is there, as are several Sits, but not clicked.  Sticking to a single criteria:  In the Zone on the left side.  Whining compliments of Lily.  Landry's better at ignoring that than I am!

Week Four

12 weeks old

Generalizing CRATE

Let's see.  How many crates has Landry entered on cue and invited?

• his crate at home
• his crate here
• his traveling crate
• his tent at home
• this tent here
• Lily's bedroom crate

How many crates has Landry entered UNinvited (and occupied)?

• Shayla's crate

CRITERIA:  go in and be in

Landry is a crate trained dog and has stayed crated for over an hour.

Week Four

12 weeks old

The Story of the Vacuum

On Tuesday,  Landry was inside the house, dragging his leash, which got tangled in the vacuum standing in the middle of the floor.  It tipped over and frightened him.  He ran as fast as he could to the landing at the top of the stairs.  I was able to coax him down the stairs and back into the family room with HV treats and eventually, with a combination of the treats and "Touch" my hand, lured him to the vacuum.  When he was taking treats off of the vacuum, I figured that disaster was averted.

Today I decided enough time had lapsed for us to bring the vacuum out once again and evaluate Landry's reaction to it.

He was able to remain in the room with the vac and would even play with me near it, but, as is easily seen, he prefers taking a toy to the basket and keeping a safe distance from the scary yellow thing.

About 3' away is Landry's comfort threshold.

Even with the vacuum on its side.

Even with Lily to lead the way.

EVEN when treats got involved.  (This is the part Lily likes!)

And, so, as long as the vac is out, I think I'll use it.

Crate Zen

Visually, I probably could have "staged" a better Flip of this behavior, but this one tells several stories.  First, it shows me needing to remind Landry of his job.  Then, on the second attempt, although you can't see what is happening, the passage of time tells you how long he remains seated quietly in the open crate while I attach the leash to his collar.  Then, out we all go for a trip to the toileting place.

Week Four

12 weeks old

Default Self-Control Behaviors Landry is Working On

• loose leash
• sit at front door (to go out and/or to come in)
• wait in crate to be released ("Let's Go")
• sit instead of jumping up
• no teeth on skin
• staying out of the kitchen
• no dogs on the furniture

Duration - DOWN STAY: Level 2

Duration began and continues with Hand Zen.  Now, though, Lily and he begin Duration on Down.  8 seconds.

Week Four

12 weeks old

DOWN: Level 1

Trainer standing.

Shaping first, then adding the cue.  Landry is "downing" from a sit and from a stand.  We even got a "princess paws" in this session.  Now, if he starts doing that on a regular basis, what can we call it????

Trainer seated.  Performing the behavior when cued.

Week Four
12 weeks old

Dumbbell: Day 2

This is Landry's second day with the dumbbell.  First I C/T for touching it anywhere (and he heads for the bell end) but soon only click for touching the bar.  This is the beginning of the Retrieve, but it is also a valuable shaping exercise, "explaining" to Landry the concept that in order to get what he wants, he must first give me what I want.

Week Four

12 weeks old

ZEN: Level 1

Using Chutes and Ladders to get 5 seconds of closed hand duration.  Introducing the cue.  Beginning open hand Zen.  Sometimes he will re-engage, but when Landry is not In the Game any longer, we end the session.

Week Four

12 weeks old

DOWN: Level 1 (handsignal)

Using a handsignal only.  I need to lure the behavior the first time to "explain" what I want.  Then use the handsignal only (taking care to remain upright and just let my hand and arm move in a downward motion). The final Down in the Flip is using the verbal cue because Landry was offering the behavior but NOT making eye contact.  He now is responding to both the spoken and the visual cues for Down.

Week Four

12 weeks old

Handling

Last week Landry would easily allow me to handle him like this.  This week it's a bit of a struggle.  Dale and I both need to make this a daily habit.  Turn over and relax, little guy.  And keep those teeth to yourself!

Session 1.

Lily has noticed a difference in Landry, too, this week.  She is establishing his limits with those sharp little puppy teeth.

Session 2.

Week Four
12 weeks old

Metal Day

First time with metal on the tile floor.  Landry met metal on the carpet last week. The silver cannister has a couple of treats inside.  He goes to that first.  Landry carries the metal objects (cannister and the cup), chews on them, investigates others with his nose and his paws.  The metal measuring cup has keys AND treats inside.  He was cautious getting the treats without disturbing the keys.  An exercise in problem solving.  I will feed him in a metal bowl with keys AND breakfast inside tomorrow.  Dale, you might feed him from time to time on a cookie sheet with some metal spoons or small metal objects placed on it.    Lily watches carefully just in case a treat or two rolls her way!

Given his druthers, Landry prefers the ball!  Which we would expect.  That's why we're having "Metal Days" and why we have "Touchables".  Because he is being introduced to these things as a young puppy, soon they will become equally appealing to Landry.

Already Landry is beginning to cautiously develop his problem solving skills.

Week Four

12 weeks old

Bubble Wrap

I "seeded" the bubble wrap w/treats and then just let Landry explore on his own.  He was cautious.  He weighs 23# and was only able to cause two bubbles to pop!

Week Four

12 weeks old

GO to MAT: Level 2

We began by first teaching the go to and then being on. Landry volunteered the down. In fact, it was his volunteer down when learning Go to Mat that was the beginning of teaching him to down. Yesterday we trained Go to Mat using a bath towel for the mat in his x-pen. Dale trains this at home with yet a different mat, so he is getting lots of practice generalizing this important behavior. Now we are back using the original mat, adding a little more distance and inadvertent additional distractions (roofers across the street). Adding the cue once he is committed. Dale uses the cue the same way at home. Here you can see Landry's quiet determination. He chews his treats thoroughly, thinks things through and then, quite deliberatively, usually stays in the game. What a fun, serious little guy!

Week Four

12 weeks old

LEASH: Level 2: Step 2

Using HV treats and not being challenged by Lily, we are able to walk on a Lazy Leash the entire length of my walkway and back, clicking every 5 steps at first and then C&L up to 10 steps between C/T. On the return walk, we include a few turns.

Week Four

12 weeks old

LEASH: Level 2: Step 2

Ha! Off leash in a different location, and showing his determination to stay In the Zone (and to get the treat) against all odds. Sometimes it's an advantage to be smaller!

Week Four

12 weeks old

LEASH: Level 2: Step 1

We began Step 1 with both of us seated, inside w/no distractions. Now I am able to "remind" Landry with feather light tension on the leash and, unless he becomes enticed by a smell or a sound, he readily responds.

Week Four

12 weeks old

LEASH: Level 2: Step 2a,b, c (off leash)

Session 1

Introduction to Step 2a, b, c.

Landry is definitely "in the zone". In fact, I can't get the little jackrabbit to leave my side!!! This won't last forever, but it sure makes for a good start! I'm using his HV cheese treats. They're small and soft and can be eaten quickly.

Session 2

Step 2b and c:

Still off leash and still in the zone on my left side. Clicking the turns. Changing the pace a bit. I think we'll do a few more hundred of these and on both sides before adding the leash.

Already able to walk 5 steps and turn and then C/T. That will not always be the case, but it was during this session. When we begin again, we will begin the explanation at the beginning.

Week Three

11 weeks old

Landry hears a foghorn

Actually he heard several this morning, but this was the first.

Dale, you're not gonna believe this!

First Puppy Pushups

Week Three

11 weeks old

CRATE: Level 2: BMO

Move the crate to a different location and re-teach the behavior.

Landry sleeps in his crate at home. He naps in his crate at Lily's. He rides in his crate in the truck. We are teaching go to the crate and get in the crate.....eagerly, willingly, happily.

The cue is "Get in".

Week Three

11 weeks old

Introducing Touchables

Landry's First Touchables

plastic, wood, metal, soft, brush bristles

He touched and played with them all.

Landry discovers that metal can be fun.

Here is the whole process of introducing the touchables. I began by C/T each new thing that he touched, but he wasn't as interested in the treats as he was in exploring on his own. During this session, though, when I used the HV treat, he began to learn to "trade" - an important concept. He released the paint roller for a treat and he released the plastic measuring cup for a treat.

"Thank you" is the cue.

All we want in TARGET: Level 2 is for Landry's to be willing to touch anything you present. Touch. Nothing more. As they say, "The more, the merrier"!!!

Week Three

11 weeks old

How long does it take......

.......an 11-week old puppy to get a treat out of a Kong?

SIT play SIT play SIT play SIT

Well, what can I say? SIT with distractions. Call out of play. Time to end the session. What a trooper this little dog is! Dale and I talked and decided that he wanted Landry to learn the verbal cue first....so that's what it shall be!

BTW, I left the Flip on while I went into the kitchen to "reload" and get another handful of treats. Landry was free to do whatever he wished during that "break" so, of course, a wrestle w/Lily was his choice.

Week Three

11 weeks old

TARGET: Level 1

The cue is "Touch".

Week Three

11 weeks old

Introduction to the dumbbell

"Training a handful at a time"

We get a touch, a grab AND a two-fer on this first session. (I am using an i- clicker under my foot).

Week Three

11 weeks old

DOWN: Level 1

"Training a handful at a time"

Changing my position from on the ground beside Landry to seated in a chair. If kneeling were comfortable for me, it would have been a good intermediary transition, but it doesn't seem to bother Landry.

The mat is gone, so making it easier with a treat in my hand at first. This is Landry's second session without the mat.

Then getting rid of the lure.

Week Three

11 weeks old

CRATE: Level 2

"Training a handful at a time"

Session 1

Session 2

Week Three

11 weeks old

The Get Lost Game

Week Three

11 weeks old

SIT: Level 1 (with eye lock)

Week Three

11 weeks old

COME: Level 1: BMO (with Dale and Lynn)

Two people with cue and default Sit. Several distractions: Lily whining from her crate in the house; open bag of turkey log treats on table to Landry's right when running to Dale.

Week Three

11 weeks old

OOS: Out of Sight (with some Chutes & Ladders)

Dale and I are determined that Landry learn right from the start that he is able to stay by himself in a safe environment. It is difficult for Lily to be away from me, so I decided to "kill two birds with one stone" and have this be a lesson for both dogs. Lily has never been left on a tie down. She was today.

This was a 30 minute session. I left the Flip running the entire time. I was only in the room when seen on the videos.

It took the dogs two and a half minutes to get settled.

5 minutes later and all is quiet.

Lily has a leash problem, but solves it. Not once. But twice.

5 more minutes pass quietly. I reward the quiet.

Landry is distracted by Shayla drinking water and then walking past the window. Landry plays with a toy. Then, although Lily is still there (just out of sight of the camera on the right) he begins to whine.

I begin training OOS, using Chutes and Ladders. Each time I click I reward both Landry and Lily. Then I walk back beyond the camera and step out of sight. We C&Ld up to 30 seconds, twice.

Week Three

11 weeks old

The Come Game: BMO

One person Come Game from 20' with a default Sit. He paused to smell a fern on one return....but not for long!

Week Three

11 weeks old

10 Downs

We have tried luring the down from a sit. We have lured the down through trainer's bent legs. Yesterday, though, when working on GO to MAT w/Landry, he began volunteering the down on the mat.

So this morning, I brought the same mat out,. sat on the ground beside him and began to capture the down. Voila!

This video is our second session. 10 kibble. 10 downs in a row. Maybe after lunch we will try it again.

Week Three

11 weeks old

11-week old Eye Lock

Week Three

11 weeks old

.

WATCH: Level 2

Step 1. Click for contact. Although Landry offers a 3-second eye lock while doing the sit behavior, now we want to formally train the WATCH. First step ... clicking for contact.

Week Three

11 weeks old

Patio play

Lily is a good big sister.....and appears remarkably sedate beside this little jackrabbit!

ZEN: Level 1

I am not showing Landry that there are treats in my hand, but he knows they are there. In fact, the entire handful of treats are in my hand. This is the first time that I have seen Landry consciously move his head away from my hand. Consistently. I began adding a little duration with Chutes and Ladders. We got to 3 before he was distracted by Shayla.

Week Three

Shaping GO to MAT: Level 2

Today we're outside. Using a different mat. Adding a little distance. He's not in his x-pen. So we go back to the beginning, shaping go to the mat only. The mat is right in front of me. Notice how Landry will go in all directions after the treat and then return to the mat. This is reminiscent of the one person Come Game.....without the puppy, puppy, puppy. Landry has definitely made the connection of the click and the treat. Another great introduction to shaping.

The cue is "Go lie down".

Week Three

When training, I train "a handful (of treats) at a time". And especially when shaping, the treats are in my hand or in my pocket. The dog does not see them.

Shaping SIT: Level 1

Note that Landry sits facing many different directions. And gives great eye contact in the process.

I'd bet money on Landry consistently offering this behavior, so now I introduce the cue.

Week Three

The Come Game

Here Landry is beginning to associate the voice (puppy puppy puppy) to returning for C/T. Again, he chews each kibble thoroughly before proceeding! But today the treat is tossed further and he returns readily. Also, this is the first time that I am playing this game standing up.

Week Three

Shaping CRATE: Level 2

CRATE and GO to MAT. Things Landry uses when he visits. No distance, of course. Landry is only beginning to understand shaping. We are just "explaining" go to and get in/be on.

Week Three

Shaping GO to MAT: Level 2

Landry learns about shaping.

We had had one short session of going to the mat before this one. Tossing kibble to reposition; feeding soft HV treat for being on the mat.

Week Three

11 weeks old

Meet the Dust Buster

First, the dust buster is turned on across the room. Finally it is 1' away. The only reaction? Curiosity.

Landry and Lily have fun

TARGET: Level 1: Adding the cue

Landry takes treats ever so gently and then chews each one thoroughly before proceeding with business. Look how he is stretching toward the target hand (fingers OR palm), either hand, either side. What a smart boy!

Week Two

10 weeks old

Where's Landry?

Puppy Fun

Getting acquainted

Portraits of a Puppy

COME: Level 1

The Come Game (with one person)

Week Two

Fun at Lily's

My first trip to Lily's

Dale and Landry's visit lasted almost an hour and a half. These are bits and pieces of the visit in chronological order.

Dale, Lynn and Landry were enclosed inside the front patio. Lily and Shayla had free run of the yard but the patio gate kept them out of the front patio. Also in the front patio was the crate that will be Landry's while he stays at Lily's. There was a towel inside the crate that Lily had slept on for the last 2 nights.

Lily continued verbalizing for about 2 minutes. Landry just explored the yard, seemingly oblivious to whatever Lily was saying.

When Landry interacted with me and I picked him up, Lily voiced her concern. So we knew that we needed more time. Again, Landry had no concerns.

Quiet reigns once again. Landry finds a stick, investigates a planter, explores the jungle around the fountain, picks up the toys.....in general, is completely at home and independent. Lily and Shayla are getting used to this little visitor.

Time passes. Dale and Lynn let all three dogs do their own thing in their own time. We are not in a hurry and will not rush this process.

Landry goes to the gate on his own to introduce himself to "the girls".

Mission accomplished. So Landry finds a toy and entertains himself.

About 30 minutes into Landry's visit Lily relaxes into a Down (and a sigh). Shayla has lost interest and gone to explore other frontiers.

Everyone is settling in now and doing their own thing.

Landry discovers one of Lily's toys and it becomes his "new best friend". What is this? What can I do with it? How far can I carry it? Can I chase it?

Next step, Lynn begins to interact with all three dogs, still keeping them separate.

The first interaction went so well, that Dale and Lynn begin to play The Come Game with Landry - his introduction to the game. The treats that we were using were too large, so that it took Landry time to thoroughly chew each one. He stayed totally focused. The time was spent chewing. Next time, we will use small, SOFT treats. Landry paid no attention to Lily. Lily, however, was over threshold.

Luring DOWN. Lynn and Landry are just out of sight of the camera. Dale moves the camera and you can see Landry being lured into a DOWN under Lynn's bent legs.

One at a time, Lily and then Shayla are allowed into the patio. Lynn was carrying the camera and moved outside the gate to film from the other side.

At this point about an hour had elapsed. The Flip ran out of power. Eventually Landry fell asleep on the settee beside Dale. Lynn opened the patio gate and left it open. Lily and Shayla came in and were cued to DOWN beside Lynn's chair.....with C/T. There they remained, even when Landry jumped down and began sniffing Lily. Lily remained focused on the treats. Shayla moved herself away from Landry whenever he approached and was free to do so.

A good introduction.

Negotiating the Doggie Door - Day 8

SIT: Level 1 //Scratch//Sit - Day 7