Some behavioral help

Laurelin

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#1
This is one of those really embarrassing things but I really do need to get a handle on this as it's making training really difficult and I'm realizing making me want to work on clicker training a lot less.

This is what Mia does when I am working with Summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX2fnDUzb-A&list=UUEMit_X89sKygjypdATGzYQ&index=1&feature=plcp

Basically, how do I go about stopping this? She's calm when she's being worked with. Summer also whines a little when it's not her turn but it's not this bad. It doesn't matter if I kennel them or if I shut them in another room, they still have the 'omg I want it to be MY turn!' behavior. Shaping would be much more fun if there wasn't an annoying dog in the background.
 

Sekah

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#2
I have the same problem with Cohen and the new Chi - Cohen doesn't like fun being had without her close supervision. I plan to tackle it through crate games. Go back to square one and consider interacting/training/playing with other dogs to be an extremely high ranking distraction, and babystep it with loads of reinforcement for correct behaviour.

Putting it into practice is easier said than done - I've still not put much effort into the constant fun policing.
 

Beanie

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#3
(I've become one of "those" people...) Crate Games.

Basically you reward the "non-working dog" for staying calm a lot more than you are rewarding your "working dog." Also they are in their crate, which you have already built a lot of value to, so they have some extra yay factor going on there because you've built up so much "the crate is an awesome place to be!!"
I believe kikopup also has a video on her YouTube channel about this. It doesn't cover building value to a crate the way Crate Games does but it does talk about the other part of it.

I've only being doing Crate Games for a week. I posted a thread here about a year ago I think it was, about how I would take Auggie to class with me and then stash him out in the other room so I could teach another class or have him away until I needed him as a demo, and he would scream and throw himself against the gate and it was horrible. Look at Auggie (and Payton, who likes to sing when he's left in his crate and something cool is going on without him) in the background of the video I just posted in the tricks and training video... Auggie fidgets some, paws at the door I believe only once, and makes a few quiet noises, and Payton paces a little bit... but it's MUCH better than it has been in the past, after just a single week of playing Crate Games. I haven't even done any work rewarding the dog for being calm in the crate while I work with another... all I've done to this point is build value for the crate. I hope to eventually get to a point where the dogs can be in their crate with the door open just chilling while waiting their turn.

I'm looking for the kikopup video, I'll edit this post with it when I find it...

ETA: Shoot, I can't find the kikopup video, but here's one that might help...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__ZmVFDiXuU
 
Last edited:

Saeleofu

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#4
I throw the occasional treat to whoever I'm not working with. They'll each sit calmly in their crates when I work with the other, and sometimes I leave one in a down-stay wile I work with the other. It took them a while to get there, but it's really nice once it happens!
 

lizzybeth727

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#5
I agree with the others, basically find a way to reinforce the one you're not working with for being calm.

At work I often train two dogs at once.... I work on stay or place with one dog, and work some other behavior with the other. When you first start, keep in mind that your focus has to be on the dog in the stay; correct immediately if they break the stay, remember your reinforcement schedule, keep the session short, etc. So don't plan anything complicated with the other dog, maybe just run through some simple behaviors to create the training opportunity for the one in the stay.
 

Doberluv

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#6
Basically, when you're about to work with the one dog, just aim to be pretending to work with that dog when in all actuality you're going to be working with the "non-working" dog. Ya gotta train that one first. Like Beanie and Lizzybeth said, you'll be reinforcing at a high rate the dog who is kenneled or over there in the corner of the room, lying down and staying calm. Then vary the locations...take it out in the yard and pick a spot for the "non-working" dog to stay put; a crate, a rug or some marked spot for the dog to hang out on. That can help get them started. If you don't need the dog to stay in one place later on, let him mill around, just reinforce for staying out of the way.
 

adojrts

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#7
Agree ^^^^ with all of the above. And if you don't want to use a crate or if it is easier, use a placement mat, chair etc. But to be fair to the dogs, you have to train a solid placement first with distractions.
 

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