Learning Shaping

Landry has not had a lot of "free shaping" practice so Sue takes time to give him a shaping lesson.

She wants him to interact in any way with the stool.

During these multiple sessions, Landry takes several breaks and then re-engages.

It's fun to watch Sue use the placement of the treat.

By the end of the video, Landry still doesn't realize that he is making the click happen, but we're on our way.

Landry at Sue's Public Clinic: Day 1

The Come Game

Lazy Leash

Luring Sit

Sit Stay using Chutes and Ladders

Introducing Distance (luring)

More Distance

Landry and Sue and Nails: Session 2

"Do you want me to hold him"

"No, he's supposed to be learning to control himself"

Landry and Sue and Nails: Session 1

Landry and Friends

WATCH: Level 2 (Click for Contact)

Landry has a good Eye Lock but now we are going to formally train this behavior, following Steps, by the book.

Beginning with a handful of treats (Wellness Core: Ocean) I am going to click for contact for the entire handful.  It will be tempting to begin building duration using Chutes and Ladders but I am going to resist all temptation.  Keep it simple.  Keep my criteria clear.  Click for Contact.  I want Landry to clearly understand exactly what the clicker is marking - eyeball to eyeball.  He chose his position.  I did not cue any position.  One handful of treats and that's it for this behavior for the day.

Unlike in the classroom, when we train here at home Landry is able to focus and give attention with more than minimal distractions.  There is Lily in the crate.  The patio door is open and all the outside noises and smells do not distract him.

The other criteria in this exercise is Lily's criteria.  She is crated about 8' from us and is watching Landry and me interacting.  I want her quiet.  I use the "Enough" cue once and that takes care of it.

Two dogs.  Two levels.  Two behaviors.  Two criteria.  I think I will need a nap.

GTM: Level 3 - Re-view, Re-mind, Re-teach

Monday morning.  Go to Mat is one of Landry's strongest behaviors, here at Lily's and at home.  Let's review.  With Lily in the picture on a mat as well.  (A change.)  Because it's Monday morning.  Because Lily's here and they have just romped a little. (A change.)  Because.  Because.  We will use hot dogs for treats for them both. (First time.)  I don't have a clicker so I am marking with "yes".  (Something else different.)  What is that important training adage:  When you change something about a behavior, you make everything else easier.

Well, it didn't take long to realize that I must make everything else easier and re-teach from the beginning.  Drop the cue.  Re-teach.  This made me think of Sadie!  "Am I willing to bet $100 yet?"

Having trouble uploading this Flip.

I will work on it and get it up when I can.

At first I am rewarding him one time for being in position on the mat and then after the second "yes" I toss the treat off the mat, to reposition him to return to it.  However, initially I am tossing the hot dog maybe 6' off of the mat, so by the time he finds the hot dog, chews it 100 times like his puppy mother taught him, and then returns and lies down on the mat, a lot of time passes.

When I begin tossing the hot dog just off of the mat, things move along a lot quicker and he receives much more information for the time spent.

We take a break while I "re-load" another handful of hot dog.  This time neither dog bothers to get up.

Another short, quick session.  Whenever I walk to the kitchen to "re-load" another handful of hot dogs, both dogs know that they are free to do whatever.

OK, Sadie.  Now I feel confident to take that $100 bet and I add the cue, while Landry is in the act of volunteering the behavior.

Another short session using the cue while he is offering the behavior and then we end it with a "Good job!"

With Lily to set the example (and since they are playing on the mats anyway) I cue "Go lie down"..... and, following Lily's lead, Landry does too.

There's more than one way to skin a cat!  "Come!" trumps "Go Lie Down" but once Landry can hear his brain, he goes and lies down on the mat.  Not bad for a morning's work.  Nine short sessions.  If we repeat and re-teach from the beginning the remainder of the week, he'll be rock solid and ready for BMO.  Landry thinks it's a fun game and we don't agonize over it.  Keep it short.  Keep it sweet.  Keep it simple.

PS.  Landry now weighs in at 40#.

CSI

Prints!

The first crime scene

Victim #1

More prints

Victim #2

Crime Scene #2

Crime Scene #3

Victims #4 and #5

I think we have a person of interest.

Door Zen

No clicker.  No treat.  This is BMO.  The reward is getting to come in the house.  Landry understands the "neutral No".

He doesn't seem to mind sitting in a puddle, either!  "Where will your puppy sit?"

Dale asks, "Yes, but can he do it without Lily?"  We will try it and see tomorrow.

Long Weekend (Shaping STAND)

FOCUS and ATTENTION

Tuesday morning after a long Labor Day weekend.  Landry Man hasn't had his breakfast, so we start "cold" with L1 getting focus and attention.  There is a humming bird circling the fountain!

Then L2 GTM and Crate "cold".

STAND

Now on to reviewing Stand.  So far, all of Landry's Stand training has been by luring under his chin to get a Stand from a Sit.  But try as we may, without a lure we cannot get Landry to volunteer or offer the Stand.  He offers the Down.  And Down over on one hip.  And great eye contact!  But not the Stand.  These are a series of short little sessions, with a break each time I reload more treats into my hand.  Because it is morning and he is a hungry boy, he is getting more than a single kibble per treat.

I tried "learning" into Landry while he was seated.  But what I seemed to be doing, was encouraging him to jump up instead.  "Let me explain it again1"  What will be the best way to explain to Landry?  He's trying to understand.  Trying to figure me out.  I am not making my criteria clear.

So we begin shaping a Stand by clicking any backward motion.  I also, from time to time, capture the Stand and C/T for just standing.  Trying to explain to Landry that I am looking for 4-on-the-floor.

I keep playing with the behavior, chaging criteria as I see the need.  I finally decide to just shape backward motion.  Keep watching Landry's tail.  When we began this exercise his tail was tucked tightly.  He was working hard and thinking. He is definitely In the Game and volunteering the backward motion.

Occasionally he offers a sit, we wait and then he actually does a stand.  Or backs up into another sit.  I reward either.  He is beginning to understand.  AND he is offering the behavior all on his own.  Ta Da!  Since he is consistently offering the backward motion, I introduce the cue.  A little too soon.

Lily has come outside to watch from the other side of the gate and momentarily distracts Landry, but he returns to the game on his own!

Later on in the morning we come back outside and re-view the earlier work.  Guess what?  He remembers the backing up motion but has forgotten how to sit!

Oops!  I miss a couple of good ones in a row!  But Landry Man keeps offering.  He's still In the Game.  He drifts away from time to time (Lily's back outside the gate) and then, on his own, resumes.  He even offers a couple of sits - the first one resulting in a beautiful Stand, the second resulting in Sit/backup/Sit.  That's OK.  He's getting it!

Landry's just not In the Game right now, so quit for a while.

Later in the day, we come outside to train Stand again.  Drop the cue.  Re-view.  See what Landry remembers.  And begin again.  Hmmmm.  He has a better recollection of his Sit now.

Work a little.  Get a drink.  Begin again.  Landry not only volunteers the back up behavior, but he gives himself a break and returns to "play" some more.

Tomorrow morning we will just re-view Sit.  Tomorrow afternoon we will just re-view Stand.  No cue for either.

Our last two short sessions of the day.