I miss videos from some participants... I hope you're still posting it, it really doesn't matter if you're not finished with the trick just yet, you can always do that later, but it's good to have some directions, that's why I would like to see everybody's videos!
But well, it's time for a new to-do list:
1. see in what situations your dog gets really crazy and exited or runs as mad and name it
2. make the front feet target lower&lower and smaller&smaller and then fade it completely, still circling away from the dog and have him follow your leg. Then, add movements to the side, forward and backward and reward your dog for being glued to the leg
3. side version of 2on2off: try to get side legs (the two left or the two right legs) on an object. The easiest is to choose an object that is angled (I put a pillow under the angle against the sofa or a wall), so that the dog can't climb on it with all 4 feet. Because of 2on2off, they will probably try hind feet on, but position yourself next to an object so that the dog is parallel to it and will probably first try just one hind foot (it helps if you have a pee trick down already!): reward a couple of times so that he keeps it there as opposed to try to put the other hind leg on too and then see if you can get front foot on too. You can tell them to paw touch your hand that you keep close to an object and eventually fade the hand to have both feet on an object. Jackpot if the dog puts both feet on at the same time (vs. first hind, then front). Do it with both sides right from the start, you want to build muscle and balance on both sides.
4. one object into another: shape the dog to pick up an object, then to carry it around, then to carry it in the direction of another object, then to let it go close to it and eventually to actually put it in another object. I usually start directly with two bowls of the same size, but to make it easier, you can also use a toy and a box or something similar. Do try it with a bowl too, though, they require more precision.
5. I see many started that already, seeing the video I posted on the website - those that didn't, start with hug the pole/umbrella trick, first clicking for any paw touch, then for sliding to the side and then for going more&more around the object, the final goal is a firm hug with one or both front feet around the object - see this video
6. stays with distractions: tell the dog to sit or down and continue with proofing the stay until the release word as we were discussing in 2on2off case in the last lesson: have them stay in a position with you running passed them, throwing toys and treats, making different hand gestures etc. - then say "go" (sometimes standing still, sometimes while moving) and reward, preferably with a toy as you want a fast start out of the position on "go"
side legs 2on 2off
hugging the pole, 2nd session
Great job! Time for a more vertical object for side legs! Hugs going well too! 🙂
Thank you for the comments and advice for both videos!
Tonight, we tried side legs up with a plank leaning on the wall, and then Niah understood and picked up his hind and front legs at once for many times!
Naming hind legs as “Three” and “Four” helped well and my object was not easy to let him understand.
Hopefully we will catch up for next step in 2 weeks.
>I have a question about release.
I am releasing him from stay to run, then said go-go-go.
We have been using “Go” as a release word in agility play to run into the obstacle in front of him or run to the toy.
But as I wanted to name “Run fast” as go-go-go. (its easy to say and naturally came out from me)
Do you think it is confusing him? Should I have different word?
I usually use “free” in any other situation as the release Que.
But for agility, the release que is Go.
Hug trick: He still doesn’t enjoy pole, but smaller stuffed animal and empty 1.5lt bottle is getting better.
I’m still struggling with sitting up to hold on to object. But will keep practice!
Thank you
Sounds good! Once they start lifting both legs at the same time, it goes very fast, fading an object is not nearly as difficult with side legs as it is with hind legs. I think you can use go for both, just make sure he really starts on go and not your movement. I will often test them by starting to run, but having them stay and release while running.
Help? Sylvia?
The first two videos are long, but even just looking at part of them, I was hoping you could see where I am failing the dog…
The Hugging: Maybe I should have started with a pole… but, so we started with a stuffed chipmunk and this was our 3rd or 4th session and we’re still not getting any “hugging” action. I feel she is almost there, but Stella mostly paws the stuffy, sometimes she curls her leg around the stuffy a little, but no pull toward herself. How can I encourage the pull?
Also, (I cut this video down from 17 boring minutes of almost all the same) we are stuck in a similar way with the stacking of bowls… she will put her mouth on the edge of the bowls, but she is not thinking of trying to pick them up in her mouth… (Sometimes she was resting her head IN the bowls--like dog soup--which was so cute and hard not to click for, but she wasn’t mouthing or moving the bowls which I did try to click for, even moving the bowls with her paw in the beginning too) maybe I have the wrong kind of bowls? Maybe I should hold them up and try to get her to “take” them in her mouth?
Or I should give up on the bowls (but I was looking forward to that challenge) and I should try getting her to put her toys in a box first?
Closing drawers was easy for Stella--Yay! but not so much doors… she doesn’t like the sound of slamming of doors, but I will continue to work on that, meanwhile the freezer door shuts nice and quietly
For teh hugging, go for more of a hug first: don’t click anymore if a paw is not curled around. Then slowly add duration (but NOT by clicking twice without teh reward!!! -- you need to reward after every click!!!) and then start clicking the momemnt when you feel she is holding it more firmly. And yeap, you chose teh most difficult bowls for stacking… Loved her idea on what to do with them, it’s indeed too cute!!! I use dog bowls that are made from metal or something. Usually, plastic ones are the easiest version of bowls -- not that soft plastic that gets destroyed right away, teh harder version… Nice slamming! But yeah, you want to work through teh noise too!