Just wanted to share something with you all that Ive been working on with Boo, got the idea from one of Kay Lawrences seminars at Clicker Expo. Ive been to a few consultations recently with dogs who bark to get attention or treats, its a useful technique to have in your tool box for those situations. Please excuse my daft hat ;) Ill briefly explain what Im doing here, the problem that Im trying to resolve and how it started... I discovered clicker training with Boo when she was about a year old and became rather addicted! Every walk we went on was about training; heel work, retrieves, tug, impulse control work, tricks... we enjoyed playing together a lot and we used a lot of free shaping (letting her experiment and offer behaviour so I could mark and reward what I liked) in order to use her clever brain, her crazy drive and to just keep her entertained (and show off of course! ;) ). The problem that has become apparent over the past couple of years (or longer, Ive put off working on this, choosing instead to avoid situations where it happens as that was easier, but now Im enjoying walking - or, more accurately, stopping! - with the dogs in more exciting places, so Im going to get a handle on it) is that I never taught her to switch off when were outside. Just stepping out of the door or getting out of the car means super fun time starts now!. She is always working, offering me sits, downs, heel, eye contact, anything that has previously been rewarded. And when it does not get rewarded (because I am busy looking at the view, answering my phone, talking to my fiancé Nick or just not up for training right now) she gets frustrated and starts whining (I love Boo to bits and pieces but I dont mind admitting that I find that sound extremely irritating)... putting an abrupt end to my relaxed cup of hot chocolate while watching the sunset or snapping picks of the view from the top of wherever. There are also a lot of cues that I inadvertently give her (as you might notice in the video) that, to her, mean were going to do some training now or Im available for reinforcing stuff you offer me. Eye contact, talking to her and putting my hand in my treat/toy bag all make her snap to attention and start doing things Ive rewarded before (mostly sit/down and stare at me) in the hopes Ill throw out a toy or give her a treat. Or, I suspect shed be happy if I just got moving so she could carry on finding interesting smells! But she cannot just chill out while we are outside and not moving. Well, how could she? I never taught her to. In fact i taught her the opposite. Time to remedy that! :) I have a new environmental cue which is putting her in park (lead under my feet), which Ive practised in the house and in our paddock with no distractions. I am very careful that once Ive done it, I am not to give her any of the cues that mean that I want her to start working until I pick the lead up again. When the lead goes under my feet I am not available for playing or paying her for doing stuff in any way. No talking, clicking, feeding, looking at her or anything that might make her think its training time. So I cannot even feed her for sitting or standing quietly (which, to a positive reinforcement trainer, to watch your dog behaving and NOT feed or reward them, is very difficult!) as just looking at her, never mind passing a treat to her, is a definite on switch... But that does not mean I cannot reinforce her. Sometimes, when shes just mooching around sniffing and being a dog, doing anything other than staring at me waiting for me to do something, treats just rain from the sky! Fancy that! ;) The first clue she should have that theres food coming should be nothing to do with me, she hears the treats hit the floor or they touch her as they land. Im careful not to make big gestures or let her know it came from my hand. The tricky part is getting the treat out of my pocket/treat bag as shell jump to attention at my hand moving anywhere near them. If she does spot me I put the treat back and show her I have nothing in my hand or palm it and wait until her attention is elsewhere. Over time, as she starts to learn that once the leads gone under my feet were not going to do anything exciting, she should start to settle and I can fade the treats. Im giving her permission to switch off and relax, this is for her own good in the long run (so she does not get frustrated with me not working her), which is making me feel better about not treating her for being a good girl! Im not expecting her to suddenly drop to the floor and fall asleep on the top of a mountain when I park her, but Ill settle for not staring at me and whining! Meanwhile, Flo is busy being a goof ball and playing with her lead (a bungee lead on a walking belt around Nicks waist). It doesnt bother anyone so Im happy to let her carry on amusing herself :) ... Pick your battles!
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 18:50:24 +0000
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