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.