Tricks and Training

Sounds like a good plan. I'm interested to see how far you can take it!

Me. Too.

So question for you all, how many things do you work on at once? Do you find it confuses your dog if you are shaping more than one or a couple of things at once and do you avoid it?

I think it's possible for them to physically do it though. I think kikopups border collie can do a handstand. I think its more unused core muscles need to strengthen up.

When Mu was in her tricks class (technically over but we still have to do the performance) we worked on up to three things concurrently. She didn't have a problem with it at all but I haven't tried that with any dog but her so....I dunno. I think as long as you divide it up into sessions it would be fine. And (for example) don't click for a bow when you're working on back up or your dog will forever and always back up into a bow. That is, if they will if they're anything like mine. Lol.

I've found you can work on a couple different tricks as long as they are very different from each other. Working on the opposite leg lifts at the same time as the handstand really confused Zuma, because she didn't know what to offer at any point. So now we are working on the opposite leg lifts, hopping backwards on hind legs and roll over.

If Traveler's hopping he may be getting very close! That's what Savvy started doing and still does some, as well as offering the brief "real" handstand. I do think it takes conditioning though for sure. I'm pretty sure Traveler should be capable if it, really hope so

I teach my dogs all sorts of stuff all at once and never had any trouble. Sometimes initially, there will be some early confusion in the way of offering something you were just working on but it isn't really a big deal at all.

We always work on multiple things. I get bored doing the same old stuff and Juno finds it even more boring. Usually I pick something I want to train and work on, and then during a single session we alternate between working on that, and me just clicking anything and everything she offers me. Breaks up the monotony of working on a single behavior, and oftentimes my random clicking leads to fun behaviors for me to expand on. There might be some confusion, but not enough that it screws us up.


I've been trying to get her to target with her back feet but she does not get it lol. I'm sure it's just an error on my part, as usual. I thought she was getting it but then I realized she really just thinks I want her to back up. Which might be an okay starting point, but she is not very good at backing up ONTO an object.

So everyone, don't forget to keep updating what you're doing! I love all the video's and watching the progress and seeing what everyone is up to!

On that note, I tried to get Mu to rotate on her platform without me last night. We ended up with a hop, twist, head turn, FLING BODY around that I had to stop clicking because even though it's hilarious it is so so wrong. Apparently she can't possibly turn her back to me for more than a split second. *facepalm*

I also took a video of all of the tricks we learned in tricks class - I just need to upload it. I'm not sure what our next trick will be. I want to start working on muscle memory so we can do dance and beg.

Tipper has learned how to crawl. It's the cutest thing EVAR. And it only took one session to pick up - I started clicking her for front paw movement and she just went with it. I'm working on dance with her too, her ability to stay upright is very impressive.

You can definitely train it with the backing up. Start with a very flat surface for her to back up onto - a lid from a plastic tote or even a large towel folded in half. Then gradually increase the height of the surface. Most dogs, especially ones who haven't done a lot of rear end awareness style tricks don't understand they can put their back legs up onto something behind them.

So after letting Mu sleep on her pivot style she improved considerably. It's less flaily but she still looks like she's performing some kind of complicated flip turn.

BallerinaMuPivot

And just for fun, here's the Monster dog crawling.

Tipper

Working on foundation jump work for agility, today's session on wrapping a jump wing and forward focus on her line.....vids in blog post.

http://ablondeandadog.blogspot.com/2012/02/wrapping-jumps-and-focus-forward.html

I am going to be doing some tune ups with Bandit and am going to film it so I can get some advice on how to improve.

Hahahaha, omg she can't take her eyes off of you for a second, can she?!

Tipper's crawl is adorable!

I can never figure out why it takes so long for Frodo to learn something, then I look at video of myself "training" :rofl1:
Cause who doesn't like flailing hands to confuse the dog during training

http://youtu.be/dFHiASb0YsI

He is getting much better! If I put it too far away he still picks it up and drops it every step until it gets to me, lol, not so much on the holding part yet.

Taqroy, Mu made me crack up in the middle of work the other day when I watched that. She is sooo funny

And Tippers crawl is great!

This was our practice against a couple of different objects, a pillar and a sign pole (that I had the camera angled really badly for)

Against a Pillar and Sign Pole

And then a down after a tennis ball. Still want it a little cleaner but I've finally got him to stop turning around when I say down.

The tennis ball is his most wanted toy.

Down While Chasing

I can't do much with Payton right now since he's on strict chicken and rice, no treats, so instead we are working on his self-control with the tug.

http://youtu.be/6mjOmZujb20

I apologize in advance for my PPG pajamies.

Being the most important thing in the ENTIRE WORLD was really awesome until we started working on this. :lol-sign: Although she did offer me a pivot in class last night, without the ballerina bounce!

Thanks for the Tipper love - she is so funny and cute and has become SO much fun to work with.

Mu is a goober. She had her play yesterday for the tricks class and when I asked for leg weaves she decided to jump in and out of her pirate ship like four times and then try to jump into my arms a couple times and THEN do leg weaves. In front of 20 people. *facepalm* I guess I still like her though cause at least she made everyone laugh.

I think you and Trav are really close to the handstand - I saw him try and pick both back feet up a couple times in that vid!!

Bandit's loose lead walking is going AMAZING. Better than it ever has been. He has improved so much over three days. Granted we have had no distractions other than smells but for a boy that really likes to sniff and mark and tug for that to go from a leash puller to not at all is amazing!

We aren't walking far obviously as I exercise him off leash right now as I really want to work on his loose leash walking and not go backwards... but I am so impressed with how well he is responding to the clicker.

So... Trainer bosslady wanted a picture of Zuma in heel position next to a rally sign for her website.. easy enough right? Well it would've been easy if hadn't been working so hard with Zuma on lifting that back leg next to different objects pretending she's peeing like a boy on them. Good thing we arn't planning on entering any rally trials anytime soon.... :rofl1:

Lesson is this: Get those tricks under stimulus control! For those of you that have no clue what I'm talking about, stimulus control is defined by 3 rules:
-The dog offers the behavior when the cue is perceived.
-The dog does not offer a different behavior when the cue is perceived.
-The dog does not offer the behavior when the cue is not perceived.

Basically, the dog knows the behavior and the cue for it inside and out.