Relax: Level 2: Step 1: LS/SA

Just spent around 20 minutes shaping Lily to relax. Never did get RELAX. But shaped for lying on her side, no whining or whimpering, tail relaxed (criteria). It was not easy.

Stitch and Sue on the next sofa. Shayla came down from upstairs during that time. The best I could do was 5 seconds duration of that criteria.

No sense looking for "loose strings" yet. We were just working on Lily "assuming the position". But this is my kind of evening training. I get to stretch out on the sofa. I want to teach as much of this new behavior as possible while Sue is here to get all the pointers I can.

Sue photographed the series of the training progression for the new book.

NOTE: After "sleeping" on this behavior, Lily now, more times than not, quickly assumes the "roll" position and gets ready to relax. Time for L2: Step 2 - interspersing play with relax. This I will try to catch on Flip.

Show No Mercy Training Session: LS/SA

We just got home after a 45 minute training session in the Commissary.

It wasn't intended as such. It was a grocery shopping trip. But as Sue and Stitch followed along behind us (Sue and Stitch riding an electric grocery cart) it turned into a "Take no Prisoners" training session on grocery cart position and footprint.

I worked up a sweat. Sue is a stern taskmaster, when you ask her to be precise. I heard a litany of "neutral no's". I love it!

Several issues needed correcting.

First, I discovered I had no clearcut criteria when it comes to just exactly where I want Lily to walk in relation to the cart. So that had to be re-established. Over time I had been giving Lily broad allowances. No more.

Then, I had no treats so I had to borrow from Sue when it turned into a training session.

We worked on Lily's position beside the cart, making left about turns and then turning to the right.

We worked on Lily's occasional sniffing of passing shoppers. Eek!

We worked on tucking her butt in to position when I stop. No more butt swing to the left. Not the slightest.

We worked on leash length. And attention. And MY position. Where my hands were on the cart. Where I was standing. The direction I was facing. Details. Detail work for the TRAINER. Coaching the TRAINER to be aware.

BUT, most importantly, we worked on LILY recognizing her job and taking responsibility herself for these issues. "Let me explain it again!" Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Every time Lily stopped thinking. Head position. Shoulder position. Body position.

Stopping and standing and stand/stay with leash across her back (that, at least, was solid). Duration, distance, even OOS - not a problem.

Basic, hard core, necessary leash position/footprint behavior that had gotten careless. Not fancy. No "sexy" service dog behaviors like bringing hot dogs or paying with a credit card. Basic, hard core, every day necessary public behavior (position).

Then, Sue took her with her beside the electric grocery card and did more of the same. Forward. Backward. Re-teach Lily with the NEW criteria. That's what the entire session was about.

Re-teaching, reviewing, reminding...... with NEW "old" criteria. I had gotten sloppy, thus allowing Lily to get sloppy. Let me tell you something. Sloppy doesn't happen with Sue around. Oh, it is delightful having a coach. An HONEST coach. A taskmaster coach.

Quoth the raven, "Never more"

Edgar Allen Poe

We plan to return later this evening, when we don't have ice cream melting in our carts. But it may not be until tomorrow.

More for Jan

A Hundred and One Steps in Training Go to Mat

(Not presented here in any special order or any progression of Levels)

Dale shaping GTM from scratch...outside in a parking lot and from a distance (about 5')

Directed to GTM to different mats

(Handler in the house; dog outside of the house)

On the Road training GTM: Distance, Duration, some Out of Sight

NOTE: Here the mat is a potholder. Sometimes it's a napkin or a leash or a backpack. Or whatever is handy. Sometimes it's nothing at all. Lily doesn't fit well on a chair, like Stitch does.

This was Lily's first ride on the Red Bus in Balboa Park.

It is a rough, bouncy ride. We took her mat. She was rewarded whenever she volunteered to lie down on it.

It's always helpful to have a mentor or another person to train with you.

We train a LOT in Balboa Park!

We simulate long before we train in the actual situation, whenever possible

Go to Mat Level 2 we send the dog to her mat from 5'. In later Levels, however, we continue adding Distance.

For Jan

Here are the videos that you asked to see.

Number One Rule: Set your dog up to succeed! I wouldn't in a million years ask a dog new to shaping to try any of these. It all begins with Go to Mat L2 and Crate L2. 101 Things to Do with a Box isn't until L4.

And I definitely wouldn't begin with a small box or basket or roasting pan. MAKE IT EASY. The time spent "explaining" shaping results in fun (and challenging) things like these videos. But they are not where you begin!

I know the excitement once you discover what is possible by shaping. But build "shaping savvy" in your dog. And "shaping stamina". Shaping sophistication comes with experience......as you saw in Chris' class on Thursday.

It's not a race. The race goes to the slow and steady.

End of lecture. Big smile.

Enjoy!

Shaping into baskets

Making it easier at first

and then really challenging her

The roasting pan is so small that I only ask for all 4 paws

and a tiny bit of duration

There is an explanation of the shaping process of this behavior

in "Once upon a time....." in Lily's blog.

Once upon a time....

With all the "in the shower" training talk recently, I was thinking about a time a year or so ago. I don't know if it had to do with a SIT challenge on the internet somewhere or if it was another "tub challenge". At any rate, the challenge was to shape your dog to get into the bathtub and sit in an inch or two of water.

So Lily and I shaped it (with an initial lure).

Here are the different criteria (steps) presented in order. Fun training!

I think it was shaped over a period of 2 or 3 days. And, I have to admit, we haven't done it or used it since! We're always shaping something just for the fun of it.....or because we CAN.

TARGET: Level 2: Adding the Cue

I began teaching Lily to put her front paws on the green chair. First, by working Touch (no cue) around the chair. Then luring her up onto the chair w/my touch hand. Then adding distance. I have to be precise and quick with my click here to prevent Lily from adding a third and then a fourth paw on the chair, as you can see.

Session 1

Then we move to the counter and re-teach from the beginning. You will see Lily volunteering Duration, because that is what we are presently working on. For the sake of the demonstration, I am trying to only go for distance and to demonstrate Lily VOLUNTEERING the behavior on her own. No cue.

Session 2

On to a third location and a third object. Re-teaching from scratch again. Letting her VOLUNTEER the behavior. "Reminding her" with my Target hand only when she needs help.

Getting closer when she needs more explanation. Still no cue. (Moving this fast for the sake of demonstration only).

Session 3

Now we move outside. Coming down from the planter, Lily dislodges a fence that was placed over some new flowers and that distracts her. Re-teach from the beginning AGAIN. Add distance, etc. Same ol'. Same ol'. Still no cue.

"Never pass an opportunity to shut up."

Cowboy Bill

By now, it is SO DIFFICULT to not add the cue!!!!

Next we move to the wall. Here I add the cue....for the sake of the demo ONLY. Because we have Distance AND some Duration (Step 22). However, I also have scratching on the wall. I DO NOT WANT that in the final behavior, so in our REAL training, I will not add the cue until I have the behavior EXACTLY THE WAY I WANT IT........paws steady on the vertical surface AND some Duration.

Session 5

So....in real life training, Lily is still not ready for me to add the cue. (Steps 22,23)

Session 6

Default "Pick Up Dropped Leash"

A default behavior is automatic. And uncued. Picking up the leash when it is dropped for whatever reason is Lily's "job". I think of it as a safety feature. If she is busy picking up the dropped leash and bringing it to me, she doesn't think about getting in to mischief! And I won't lose my dog! ! !

SIT: Level 6: Steps 6 - 8

Step 6a. Next, sit down on a chair with straight legs, with your left side against a wall. Put your feet on the outside of their respective chair legs, and cue the dog to swing into Left Side position and then back in under the chair. Click when she's tucked well under.

I skipped this Step.

Step 6b. Right Side w/your right side against a wall.

I skipped this Step. I am about to discover some holes.

Steps 7a/7b. The dog can also back under the chair NEXT to yours. Left and right sides.

We started cold, no warm up, no review.

Lily's "Tuck" is stronger.

I taught it first so she has been doing it longer.

Thinking in action.

Lily is trying hard to give me what I want.

When faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge

she problem solves the best way she knows how.

I am repeating the cue. Argh!

Where is Cowboy Bill when I need him?

We are trying to "explain" it to Lily in a variety of ways.

It's obvious from her verbalization, by the drool, by her pacing that she is giving it her all.

We took a short break to see if she might remember.

I will go back even earlier than the two Steps that I skipped

and re-teach.

I first taught Lily LEFT SIDE almost to completion before beginning to teach RIGHT SIDE, although both behaviors are side by side in Steps and both are introduced at the same Level.

This is not the first "behavior pairs" that I taught separately (Distance, Go to Mat/Crate, Front Ray and BullsEye).

In retrospect, I would teach them simultaneously, alternating between the two.

Now I have a second chance.

Would these results have been different if I hadn't skipped those Steps?

I don't know and never will.

BUT

it makes it a lot easier to find where the behavior (or the progress) MIGHT have broken down.

SIT: Level 6: Monday Training

No. We didn't pick up where we left off yesterday. Back to Step 4, reminding Lily about backing through my legs. And then, using Chutes and Ladders to work us away from the side of the piano bench to being able to back under my legs while I am standing in the middle of the room.

Total training time: a little under 10 minutes. I train "a handful of treats at a time" so that broke the training down into 6 little sessions with a short break in between ... each time I "re-loaded".

Session 1

Review

Session 2

Chutes and Ladders

"Let me explain it again!"

Session 3

Now I'm comfortable introducing the cue.

I want "Tuck Under" to be a universal cue that I will be able to use standing OR seated,

meaning to back in and under or between.

This behavior is often used in Free-Style.

Who knows? That may become our next endeavor!!!

Session 4

Nope. Still not sitting down.

But look at that repetition!

Session 5

The backs of my legs are against the piano bench

and when Lily backs under she is under the piano bench.

Same as Step 5: backing through my legs into the crate.

Session 6

Seated, at last!

And by now it's easy schmeazy!

(LOVE the action at :42)

Notice how I seemed to break her concentration when I talked to her!

Teaching SIT: Level 6: Step 6: Sunday Training

Four sessions on Sunday. First time "sitting down on the job". Introducing backing through my legs while I am seated in a chair and on the piano bench.

When Lily begins repeatedly performing the behavior, I make the mistake of adding a cue. Waaaay to soon for a cue. I know better. The cue doesn't help Lily to understand the behavior.

Sometimes I remain standing and wait for her to back between my legs to remind her about the behavior. This important Step needs more explanation, but a good beginning!

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

SIT: Level 6: Steps 3 and 5: Introducing the Crate

Step 3

Beside the Crate and back into it

Step 5

In front of the Crate and back between my legs to back into it

SIT: Level 6: Steps 4a, 4b

I opted to re-"explain" Step 4 BEFORE Step 3, since we had already trained this behavior when working on seated Left Side/Right Side initially, months ago.

Step 4a

Left Side

Step 4b

Right Side

SIT: Level 6: Steps 1, 2

Step 1

Reviewing Left Side and Back

Step 2

Reviewing Right Side and Back

Finding places to train DISTANCE: L7

Using "Les Miserables" as inspiration, I built my own barricade to train the behavior in my living room.

In the "real world". Around my car first. Then around Dale's truck. Then, 15' by parking the two vehicles end to end.

As far as she can go at my house. A conservative estimate of 60'. From here on out it will have to be on the road!

Sue ends this behavior by saying:

"Think of the amazing control you have of your dog at this point! You can ask your dog to do things that will make jaws drop. You can send her away from you to go around a wall! You could ask her to Sit when she's halfway around. You could ask her to Sit halfway around and then change your mind and ask her to come back the way she came. If you're at all interested in agility, you now have distance work for agility that will make people green with envy. You have a dog that will commit to a job at a distance. Congratulations!"

Re-teaching STAND (by shaping)

Taking STAND from Level 2 through Level 4 (Dog stands from a Sit from 10'). A composite of training videos, re-teaching this behavior to eliminate the "Stand and take 2 steps forward" that I had built in to it by initially luring forward.

What is not seen on the video is the beginning of the shaping by shaping any backward motion. The video begins where I am now trying to click the stationary stand position AFTER she moves backwards and then stops. Certainly not textbook.....but it worked!

When we begin adding distance, it is obvious how hard Lily is working. She anticipates what is coming next. At this Level, I want her to wait for the cue.

And here is the behavior we have today.

My Birthday Party

My tiarra kept getting in my eyes

Everyone loved my cake

and the bones

Gunner wore a muscle shirt

Miller was ready to party

Webster was one of the first to arrive

Puzzle wasn't shy for long

Nadador looked handsome in orange

Tommy partied hearty.....and then fell asleep

Molly had to leave before the fun began.

Rooster, Sly, Boon, Charlie and Andy sent their regrets.

       

Re-teaching TARGET: Level 2

I began re-teaching this behavior on March 15. From scratch. And began "In the Loo". Little by little and step by step. First having Lily volunteer the behavior on various horizontal surfaces in different rooms of my house. Chairs. Counters. Beds. Sinks. The step stool. Generalized. And built up the distance that I could send her out.

Then I re-taught outside on horizontal surfaces. Dale, too, re-taught from scratch. Little by little and step by step.

Today we went outside to work on vertical walls. On stucco. And on my single tree. I tried to click only when her paws were still. I don't want to reward a "scraping" motion with her paws.

We ended adding duration on a high, but small horizontal surface (the planter). Still going out from a distance of at least 5'. No lure.

DISTANCE: Level 7

We haven't started generalizing this yet, but Lily is able to complete the behavior in either direction, from indoors going around outdoors and returning or vice versa, beginning outdoors and going indoors to come out a second door.

I have 2 configurations in my house where she can do this and she does. Each is about 30'. If I were to close the front door, it would be possible to send her about 80' from far door to far door, but we haven't tried that one yet.

Oops! At :07 I give Lily the verbal cue "Go By" AND the "Away" handsignal at the same time. See how she responds to the handsignal and goes in the direction the handsignal and my body are telling her to go?

I make the same confusing mistake on the next cue as well before realizing my error and finally get it right.

That's the same thing as giving the Sit handsignal while asking the dog to Down at the same time.

Isn't it amazing that they learn DESPITE us?

Training Stay with Victim