Teaching a pivoting heel- trouble standing on object?

New Topic

Teaching a pivoting heel- trouble standing on object?

Posted : 5/19/2015 10:52:14 AM

I'm trying to teach my young (2-3yrs) Border Collie mix to place her two front paws on an object as a prerequisite to teaching a pivoting heel. She's usually very smart and very food motivated but doesn't have the highest drive. If she can't figure something out, she just stares at me and waits. Sometimes I have to teach her thing in a less traditional way in order for her to understand. Once she understands what I want she usually has no trouble repeating it. She currently knows sit, stand, down, stay, paw (both), touch (target), jump, stand on her back legs, and sit pretty. She learned everything in a few weeks. Problem is I CANT get her to associate standing ON something with the click and reward. She shows no interest in the object, but will touch target it with her nose if I ask her. Anyone have any suggestions?

Michele68

Posted : 5/20/2015 8:30:45 AM

You are doing a great job, Border Collies love to learn. Did you ever try operant behavior? Just put a piece of cardboard down that is large enough for her to stand on. Just put it on the ground, when she goes to sniff it and knows it's there click and treat her. Just let her go and if she puts a paw or actually steps on it click and treat her. What you're doing is not really telling her what to do just letting her figure it out on her own. You can always use a lure 3 times to try to get her on it. But no more than 3 lures otherwise she won't get it. But she seems very smart. Once she figures out to get on the cardboard, then just increase the height. Get a box that is only 2 or 3 inches off the ground and keep working up. I hope this makes sense. Keep me posted on her progress.

LylasMom

Posted : 5/20/2015 9:55:37 AM

Thanks for the reply! I have tried this same method with the book, the problem is she KNOWS the object is there, she just chooses to ignore it. Even if I have clicked and treated for the initial sniff or whenever she stands on it. This morning I tried the same method (I dont have and cardboard laying around) with a folded up bedsheet. Same issues as before. If I just "let her go" she will stare at me, offer a sit, offer a down, then try and figure out a way to get the treats out of my hand/sniff the clicker. If all that fails to get her anything, she'll just lay down next to me and wait. Also, should I be clicking WHENEVER she stand on it? Even if its not intentional? Sometimes she steps on the object with one paw and then sits or whatever but I don't think she realizes she's ON the object. Won't she think she's getting clicked for something else (like her sit) rather then being on the object? I never thought teaching my dog to STAND on something would be so difficult haha.

***Just to give you an idea how my weird dog thinks, I had to teach her "paw" in a really unusual way. She would NOT paw my hands, not for food, not for anything. Picking up her paw and getting excited just made her think she was being rewarded for allowing handling. The only way she would lift a paw was if something was around her mouth. I ended up gently putting my hand around her mouth and clicking/treating when the paw would come up. Then I would take the paw in my hand whenever she would bring it up, get super excited and reward. Eventually I only had to put my hand out and she'd give me her paw. Now she knows it with both paws and the word "paw". I understand this method probably would not have worked on the average dog, but the average dog methods would not work for her.