Balance Pods: Day Four

This morning, after her breakfast, we returned to our Balance Pod project.  This time, I opted for only one pod and for clicking only backward motion of either rear paw.  Occasionally it appears that Lily understands the criteria.  However, when I was setting up for the session I put the pod down before turning on the camera.  Upon presentation of the pod, Lily went to it and put her left front paw on it several times until she realized that she wasn't being paid for doing so.  The pod remains an environmental cue for her front paw (beer and salad dressing?)

I continue training "a handful of treats" at a time.

1a.  CRITERIA:  Backward movement of either rear paw.

1b.

1c.

Balance Pods: Day Three

DAY THREE

I'm like the blind leading the blind here.  My "ultimate" goal is to get Lily balancing with all 4 paws on a pod, but right now I'm trying to not lump, to microshape, to be aware of muscles and balance and her weight distribution.

When it comes to the front paws, location doesn't appear to matter to Lily.  There is no cue.  The pods themselves tell her what we are doing.  As you can see in the following sessions from this morning, she willingly involves both front paws but often places them both on one pod.....until the clicker tells her that left on left and right on right is what I am paying for.

She still occasionally "sweeps" a pod out of position.  When we worked this morning, my criteria remained the same as above.  Note that her weight is still not distributed evenly, with her preference being on her left paw.


1a.

1b.

1c.

1d.  Here I switched the pods to see if the color of the pod would affect the exercise in any way.  It didn't.

This evening, after dinner, we began the second half of the balance pod project ... the rear legs.  Lily has been shaped to back up the stairs, so I decided to work on rear leg movement at the foot of the stair.  Here is a perfect example of a behavior appearing to be one thing to the trainer and a totally different thing to the dog.  The pods are no longer an "environmental cue".  Now the stairs are!  Lily just incidentally happens to place a back paw on a pod.  To her, this is a totally different exercise, which I see when I remove the pods.

2a.

2b.

2c.

2d.  Mistakes in clicking, all over the place.

3a.  Remove the pods.  

      CRITERIA:  Any movement of rear paws backwards.

3b.

4a.  Now we have moved to a flat surface and with the wall behind, to prevent Lily from walking backwards.  Time now to stop and reflect on the entire process.

4b.

Balance Pods: Day Two

DAY TWO

CRITERIA:  Base on rate of reinforcement.

1a.  Starting all over again.  Single pod.
       CRITERIA:  Any interaction with either paw.

1b.  Adding the second pod.

      CRITERIA:  My initial criteria was any interaction with either pod, but using both paws.  I quickly raised my criteria to left on left and right on right.  Lumping

      

1c.  No increase in criteria.  But here I should have dropped the criteria to make it easier for her.

2a.  No change in criteria, but now she is "getting it" - left on left and right on right.  Note how she often places left on right and then moves left to left in order to place right on right.

2b.  At this point in the training session, I see more relaxed movement.  Not so stimulated by the treats.  We are training with Core kibble.  Criteria has not increased.

3a.  Increase criteria a tiny bit.

       CRITERIA:  Look for a little duration 

Just before supper.

4a.  CRITERIA:  What does Lily remember from the morning?

4b.  CRITERIA:  Left on left, right on right.

4c.

5a.  CRITERIA:  A tiny bit of duration

5b.

6a.

6b.

7a.  Change surface.  Suction secures the pods to a slick floor.

      CRITERIA:  See what difference, if any, the change of circumstances creates.

7b.  Notice Lily continually places more weight on her left foot.

      CRITERIA:  Left on left, right on right

7c.

Good girl.  Now let's go fix your dinner.

Balance Pods: Day One

DAY ONE

1.  Introducing the pod.
     CRITERIA:  Paw Touch, either paw.
    

2.  Lily determines her dominant paw.

3.  Paw Touch

      CRITERIA:  Any interaction with her left paw.

4.  Change the pod.

      CRITERIA:  Any interaction with the right paw.

5.

6a.  Introducing two pods.

      CRITERIA:  Paw touch to either.

6b.  Change the criteria.  

       CRITERIA:  Any interaction with left paw to left pod or right paw to right pod.

6c.  Raise the criteria.

       CRITERIA:  Left paw only to left pod or right paw only to right pod.

 

6d.

6e.  Begin watching for one paw remaining on a pod while the other paw lifts or begins moving toward the other pod.

7a.  CRITERIA:  Both paws moving toward a pod.

7b.

7c.  CRITERIA:  Left paw contacting left pod while right paw contacts right pod.

Sit: Level 2: Step 2: Comeafter

Dog Sits for 30 seconds, handler 10' away.  Different surfaces.
Lily has already done this on concrete, carpet, stone.
But the slippery tile causes a problem.
Watch her hind legs.  
She voluntarily resets herself without further cueing.
I'd give her a pass.....but would you?