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 - my "magic" word is "ajde, ajde" and you can really see how much speed they add when hearing it - in agility or when running in the fields. I got it by saying anytime they would be chasing each other in full speed or go crazy and run in circles on a wet grass.
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. 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 practicing in 2on2off position already 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"
Ay, why do the breakthroughs always happen when you didn’t bother to set up the camera?? On our third session working on balancing on his right legs, Dragon spontaneously offered climbing way up the board with his back feet! It was so cool! Then he offered a couple of touches to the board with his back left foot, which was what I really wanted.
Then we worked on hugging the pole, and I was focusing on C/Ting paw swipes past the pole rather than scratching at it, and he also offered sitting down and pawing at it, and standing up on his hind legs and putting both paws on it (something I’ve reinforced heavily with other vertical objects). I think between the combination of these three things, he’ll figure out to sit down and “hug” the pole. 🙂
Gosh, I just love clicker training!! At the beginning it’s slower than luring, sure, but in the end you get a dog who thinks so cleverly and is so happy to participate in the process! 🙂
I agree with you Joanna. It seems they are getting the point with time and they are keen on it every day more. In few weeks they’ll love it for sure!
Also, it is so funny to see them thinking: they look at you, they look around and they try to figure out how managing the situation.
It’s so much fun.
Thank you so much Silvia to share with all of us so generously all your secrets!
Céline
Oh, well, it’s very rewarding for me to see all the progress too!!! 🙂
Sounds great! And yes, swiping past the pole is actually a very good start of a hug, you definitely want to click for that!
Da Vinci is swiping his paw on the pole, but most of the time it is with the backside of his paw. What do I do?
Hold the pole more in the middle, at his chest -- that will give you the right side. At the beginning, you can click backside too, but don’t click it too long.
Thank you. Video coming.
I couldn’t agree more! we worked on stacking bowls for a week without any major progress but then (of cource when I forgot the camera) yesterday, we got a breakthrough! he has (accidentally) succeeded 3 times now and I made sure to jackpot that and even if he’s just done it 3 times properly I really see that he is thinking in the right direktion and moving one bowl towards the other and not just carry it backwards. Yes. That was his first idea after picking up: carrying it while backing up, NEVER carryed it towards me, EVER. We still have some problems on walking forward with the bowl but when I noticed his pattern I got better at positioning the bowls to set him up for succes :). Wery neat trick.
Also had a breakthrough with our running contacts :). It took a long time of observing, filming, watching anr re-watching in sllow motion but on sunday, I finally understood his striding. So proud of myself and feel so happy, I’m a much better trainer now that I can see when he is jumping vs hitting high, runs and if he hits with front or back feet. Also see hind feet separarton much better now. So happy 🙂 He is hitting nicely, 100% at the height of 2 bricks on a 2,5 meret plank.. AND ALL THIS WHEN I FORGOT THE CAMERA. That dog is just teasing me isn’t he?
Hi Silvia, Hi classmate,
Here our 1st video for lesson 4. Little puppy Karmen is impressing me! How should I go on?
By the way, a general question:
How long can I go trecking with a puppy? I’ve started walking with her really short each sunday since I got her. I increased the lengh each week and I went this morning for a 2hrs treck and she is still running and playing all around the appartment while I’m writing this mail!!!?
Thank you and have a good week
Céline
The tricks are going great. Still, try rewarding for pivoting even higher -- with head up, not forward. Great job with side legs, getting there with hugging and stacking things!
I walk my puppies every day from the day I get them. At the beginning, I carry them in a sherpa bag for one part, but once they get too heavy, I let them run the whole time and I think we get to 2 hours hikes by the age of 3 months. I think that’s better for them as running wild in the house, crashing into things, jumping up the down the sofa etc. -- but they do that too, of course 🙂
Perfect, I’m not pushing her too much!
See you next weekend with a new video. Have a nice week.
Céline
Hi all,
Here is our video of “hug the pole”, sit & down stays, and more handstand practice on higher object. Fading the pivot has been going well & I will video when it stops raining 🙂 We are struggling a bit with one object into another--still just getting quick pick up & drop, no carry or hold & every time I put a bowl down Elsa wants to stand in it 🙂 Any suggestions?
Also wondering about releasing the tug toy--Elsa is pretty good about releasing with “out” when it is a short tug session but if we tug for a longer time she doesn’t want to release quickly (or at all)--I have been taking her collar to remind her & this works pretty well but she still mouths it a lot before letting go. I have been doing short tugs with her & when she releases quickly I let her have the tug back right away. Slowly I’ve been adding duration to our tug sessions and sometimes she can tug & release with a little longer session. If she doesn’t release I put the tug toy away & try again later with a shorter session. Does this sound like a good plan or is there something else I should be doing?
Thanks!
The bloopers demonstrate that she has a GREAT hug!! 🙂 Love your stays!
Thanks Cheryl! Yeah, Elsa loves the “hug the pole” trick! She is just too funny--she makes me laugh every time we work on this.
Great!!! You’re getting really good hugs already! Getting there with the handstand too, I think at this point, she can already do it by the wall as her technique is right for that. No problem with stays either! For toy releases, that sounds like a good plan yes, just keep working that way. For stacking bowls, try getting more duration by delaying the click. OR, try to position the bowls so that even pick up&drop will fall on the right place 🙂 OR, try with another object first, that will also help with 4in confusion. 🙂
Thanks Silvia! For the handstand against a wall, should I start with a bit of an angle first or just go to a vertical wall? And should I have a cue for this before I try the wall?
The easiest is if you start the session with 2on2off to a known object next to the wall and then after few tries, quickly remove the object and see if she will do it against the wall.
Here our progress. Fine does side legs well; on both sides. We tried to stop the scratching and now she offers a paw touch at the front side of the pole, I hope we will get a hug `till the end of the week. 2o2o with distraction doesn`t look too well, we will work on it. All other tricks/homeworks at the end of the week………
Great side legs! For hug a pole, you definitely want to click when she misses a pole, those were the best tries towards a hug and you didn’t click it!!! Pawing to the side, even if missing the pole, is a great start of a hug! 2on2off with distraction is going well, now just add more and more distractions gradually. Great job!
Thank you! May be I missed the information about the hug. I thought she has to touch the pole, but you are right: it is much more difficult to hug the pole when the paw is on it. I think we can retrieve this trick.
Not sure what lesson this really belongs to -- a bit of a mix.
Socialising is going well -- not much phases her.
Cavalettis going well -- not recorded.
Capturing zooms and her show stand when ever I see it -- think there is progress with both.
Felt a bit stuck so have included a free shaping exercise each day to encourage her offering things -- so you will see on the video patches of ‘ mixed behaviours’ -- but she is keener to offer things.
Have had our circle work on the road -- different places and objects and felt we were now ready to reduce the object.
On the video
-- some places are just too distracting for circle work
-- circle work going well on smaller object, but she does not seem ready for a target
-- our cute move
-- getting bits of sideways 2o2o but more stepping down that up. If I get her used to the idea of two feet on and two feet off is this going to translate into putting 2 up?
I am using a mix of food and toy -- she only eats from hand but food is not that important if there are things going on.
I personally find it much easier to swich right from a somewhat big objekt to no objekt and skip the super small and low objekts. Atleast my dogs (both) found it very hard circling with low objects while keeping head up so I just took away the objekt and they did perfectly fine. You should try :). Do lots of circling and then just take it away, make sure to move just as you would if the objekt was there and say the word, he probably knows it somewhat by now, if it doesn’t work then go back of cource…
and btw. that little move he did in 2:28 That is a GREAT start for skipping/limping!!!! try to capture and shape that again it’s a VERY cool trick and good body awareness. I wish my pup offered that too, very cool indeed 😀
Great perch work, very nice position and good placement of the reward! In more distracting environments, make sure you use a toy as a reward, not food, if that’s her real reward. I’m sure she will get more food motivated along the road too, she already looks more eager to eat, but for now, use a toy in new environments!
She doesn’t seem to recognize the flat target as a cue for pivoting. It would help if you had a verbal cue already, so if you don’t have one, definitely introduce it now! Also, try to find an object lower as the one where she can do it, but higher as the flat one. A tip for side legs: it’s much easier to get them on an object that is angled so much that they can’t climb on with 4 feet. That reduces her options on what to do with it and makes getting side legs MUCH easier and the process will be much shorter as if you teach 2 down first instead of two up.
Here is our progress
1.Heeling position. On this video I did this with treats only, because today Azja was so crazy…She wanted to play all the time and she couldn’t calm down with a toy. I think we made some progress with pivoting. She is still too much in front. Especially when she goes on my right side. Sometimes she was jumping after treats. I think I should use a clicker but at home I can’t because of my older dog who is scared of clicker very much. But I think she had crazy day because she had to stay at home alone for a long time so she wanted to play very badly! Normally she doesn’t jump in heeling position.
2.2on2off with distractions. We were on walk and practiced this for the first time outside. At home she stays in that position when I distract her with food or toys. Outside training was much easier (with only one toy).
3.Sit up position. -- It is much better! 🙂
4.Hug a pole. She was hugging a pole in the first session. I don’t know if I do this right but I started training with a bottle. She prefers hugging a bottle with two legs. In the first part of the movie I gave her a bottle from front when she was sitting. In the last part I gave her the bottle from up when she was in sit up position. I held the bottle all time. I am sure she would drop the bottle if I didn’t hold it 🙁
5.Object into another – this was our first session 🙂
I am sorry for the movie being so long. I promise that next one will be shorter!
One more question. Azja loves tugging but the most she loves chasing for sticks or balls. When I play with her outside and I am tugging with her sometimes she finds stick and doesn’t want to tug anymore. She asks me to throw her this stick. This is her favourite play! She forgets about whole world when she sees a stick! When I have a ball she chooses the ball which I can throw her. But sometimes it is better for me if I reward her with tugging. Especially when I want to shape some tricks. I have tried with ball on line. I have tugged with her this ball and sometimes I throw the ball. Sometimes it works, sometimes not 🙁
I have been finding a ball on a 1 to 1.5 meter long rope works well with dogs who prefer fetch to tug -- toss the ball out then tug at a distance slowly reeling them in, as soon as they release toss again or ask/wait for a behaviour and toss again.
Yes, ideally, you can use both, chasing&tugging for a reward. A ball with a handle for tugging is a good idea, try to mix up chasing&tugging as much as possible so that she sees it’s all the same game. When she refuses to tug and insists on a stick, don’t throw it for her, ignore her until she gives up and then try tugging again.
That’s great! Great duration with sit up! Great side legs! Hug is great too, click the moment when you feel she puts some more pressure on it. Also, something non-slippery (like a stuffed toy) is actually easier to hold as a bottle. Heeling position is better too, I like her head position, but yes, she is somewhat too much in front, pay attention to that. Her paws shouldn’t be in front of your toes! But yes, that one is harder when they’re hectic 🙂 2on2off is great too, just be careful to proof for all the possible gestures and to release without a sudden gesture. I think for know, she is releasing on your sudden gesture with a toy, not a verbal as such. To get a calm wait, it’s better to teach her to ignore the gestures all together and focus on solely on a verbal, so try releasing without any gesture and add even more more abrupt gestures when proofing her stay.
A couple of questions -- Tibby isn’t offering to lift her hind leg at all for the sideways 2o2o. She will put her front paw on it, but I don’t know how to “explain” to her that I want her to try her back leg too. I’m using a plank leaning against the couch.
I offered Tibby a toy (stuffed bear) to hug when she was sitting up and she hugged it. I tried it a few more times and she kept trying to hug it. Can we try using the toy instead of the pole? She doesn’t want to sit up and hug the pole, but she will swipe her paw at the pole when she is standing.
I’m having the same 2on-2off problem with Cash, my Sheltie. I look forward to Silvias’s suggestion on this. The only think I could think of was to use a pillow and toss a treat so that as he approached me he would “happen” to put both side legs on the pillow. Then slowly moving the pillow to more of a slant against the wall. He won’t do anything but paw at the board I used for Da Vinci.
I got Dragon’s hind leg on by warming him up with working on the handstand and then cuing him to back up onto the slanted board at a bit of an angle. I clicked the moment his back foot hit against the board and he got it after that.
Exactly. It’s very easy when the dog knows backing up in normal 2on2off.
How far are you with stepping back on an object? You need to master that one first, before going for side legs. Once she can step back in normal 2on2off position, simply bring her diagonally to the object, so that she can’t step up with both hind foot and click&reward for stepping on and holding on one back foot. Front paw is then easy to get as they know paw targeting. And yes, sure, you can do hugging in sit up position with a toy. But I would still like everybody to try hugging a pole with one leg too as it’s really pure shaping. If you go to sit up hug first, one can cheat too much by positioning the toy well 🙂
can’t step up with both hind feet? You are underestimating how flexible and agile small puppies are 😀 somehow Terra manages to get up on the objekt with both hind feet even though he is totally diagonal to it :). Just saying, but we allready got over that problem by warming up with left leg/right leg (that we allready have somwhat on cue).
Yeah, I know they can, but if they know the pee trick, putting them diagonally or sideways to an object will give them a clue.
Oh ok. She isn’t doing the back up 2o20 yet, so I will keep working on that.
Here is Da Vinci’s lesson 4 video. We worked on stays at an agility class too…he did well. I’m naming the crazy running “zoom zoom”…mainly when he is racing around with Cash & Callie.
Perch work…he started sitting when I went to the low target. Not sure what to do about that if anything. He did it on the “heel” side a few days ago so I went back to the elevated perch. I tried clicking while he was still in motion but not sure if that was the right thing to do.
Shaping the bowl trick is going to be interesting 😉
I was surprised with the side legs and pole hugging.
He has been alarm barking at a lot of things the past few days…is there another fear period of development that puppies go through at this age? He is 8 months. Can you give me some advice on how to handle it?
Thanks, Silvia.
Kristin
PS -- Da Vinci’s sister (Heidi) is taking your Puppy III class so we can do the next level tricks class together in the fall. Heidi is a little firecracker but such a sweet girl!
Wow, that’s a really great stay and GREAT perch work, what a great speed and coordination! The sitting comes from rewarding high, I would let it be as you actually do want high head and low rear end when in a heel position. Almost there with the hug and side legs too, great job! Some more work for the bowl trick, but that’s a good start.
For alarm barking, I would just take his collar gently and calmly and take him far enough from the situation he finds alarming that you can refocus him on you and then slowly bring him back, rewarding for staying calm and focused on you.
Looking forward to meet Heidi!
Hi,
Here is our first video for Lesson 4:
-- we are still working on circling in both directions, we are almost fluent in both directions 🙂
-- Pole Hug, we are getting some success with some little hugs, going well.
-- Pee trick, we have on queue, he loves it. We are taking this on the road to other places. I think this is almost done.
-- Sideways 2on2off, starting to build duration so only clicking now with both feet up and in place. Where do we go next on this? When do we switch sides?
-- Handstand, going pretty well, video is of his 2nd try on a taller obstacle. Is he pushing up ok? What next?
-- Bowl Retrieve, he does retrieve but more just when he wants to. I was very surprised that he just started picking it up so I just clicked when he brought it to me. Is it best to add the second bowl soon? How do you shape the dropping into the 2nd bowl?
-- Drum, I am trying to reward any weight shift back or movement of front feet. When I watch the video I don’t think I am rewarding enough and then he starts to add the ‘little butt dance’ 🙂 He is starting to raise a foot here and there which I am trying to jackpot. This is the hardest for me, I think I am over thinking the clicking.
-- still need to work on stay with distractions and starting to work on the ‘go-go’ when they are running crazy on walks. Thanks for your comments, Sara and Wylie
Yeap, pee trick in great! I love how high he is lifting that leg, too funny! Side legs are going great too. Some very good drumming paw lifts! Hugging is going in the right direction too -- for his length of legs, its’ very important he is very close to the pole if he wants to go all the way around. Basically, the pole should be pretty much touching his chest. Also, very nice beginning of a handstand, but yes, for a free handstand, he needs to push up even more, he is still climbing. Try another, very slippery object where he can’t climb, or, even better, an empty object like a low table or a chair where he can’t climb. Another way to do it is to have him do it against your legs when you sit in a chair. First, you can sit so that he can climb some, then keep your legs completely vertical (heels directly under the knees) and then you put feet even more under the chair (heels further back as knees), so that he needs to hop up directly to your knees. And yes, it’s time to add another bowl. Position it right in front of you, so that his chances to drop it about there are the highest. Happy training!
This is our last update before I leave the country for one week, aww! 🙁
1. Dragon’s “magic word” that makes him excited and start running is “zoom zoom!”
2. With the perch we are still working on highly reinforcing moving into my side. He is starting to make more of an effort to move on his own but he still needs my hand signal to get all the way in. He is better on the left side because my rewarding mechanics are better on that side.
3. He’s getting the idea fine to put both his back and front left legs on the board, though he still offers backing up or just pawing here and there.
4. I am clicking for mouthing and especially mouthing the rim of the bowl. He still offers pawing/scratching and pivoting in the bowl. I am quite happy that he has so many behaviors to offer in his repertoire now and is happy to keep offering until he figures out the right one!
5. I’m trying to click for waving past the pole, and using both paws, and especially when he offered sitting and pawing!
6. We’ve been working on this but it’s boring to video. 😛
Oh yes, and we’ve been working on the handstand — he’ll put up one back foot up and then the other on a big plastic bin about six inches high. 🙂
Great! See my reply to Sara on how to proceed with it!
That was really cool, zooming around in the house! 🙂 Side legs are GREAT too! Time to make that object completely vertical! Getting there with the hugs too, you can stop clicking paw touches and only click for going somewhat to the side of a pole. Perch is going well too, I think you can go to flat target now. Picking up a bowl can take a while with some dogs, but there is no hurry with this trick, just continue that way. Have a nice trip and see you&Dragon when you’re back! Is he coming along?
Thanks! We just practiced side legs again and I was able to make the board totally vertical! 🙂 What’s the next step for that trick — how do we fade the board? My guess would be focus on clicking for when they raise their paws together, and then click earlier before the paws make contact with the board?
Unfortunately Dragon can’t come along! I will miss him very much, but he will be perfectly happy staying at the boarding kennel I work at and playing with the other dogs and staff members all day. 😛
Yeap, that’s a good guess! More on that in your next assignment 🙂 Have a nice trip -- and nice vacations to Dragon too!