spiritdogs
Posted : 5/26/2008 9:41:56 AM
corvus
You guys (some of you) would be so proud of me. I actually got out the clicker and some hotdog and tried it on for ten minutes or so. Kivi Tarro caught on pretty well and he got as far as walking all the way into his kennel once before forgetting what had got him clicks or getting bored and lying down for a nap. Penny spent the whole ten minutes sitting and staring at me. I think I tossed her a couple when her gaze wavered for a moment to follow a fly buzzing past because it was the only thing she did that wasn't sitting and staring at me intently. I'm pretty certain she didn't make the connection and figured her sitting and staring had finally worked. She has patience to spare when it comes to food.
Then I sat down to cut up some more hot dog and Kivi Tarro learnt that I don't like him climbing into my lap to lunge wildly at the food under the knife, but that if he then sits and pauses, he gets some. I think he's yet to drop the lunging from the lap deal from the behaviour chain. 
But it's tough for a puppy. His puppy logic doesn't have a place for humans that expect certain things in it. I know I probably went a bit long, but I was trying to figure out what I was doing and where I was going and realising my hot dog pieces were too big. Lucky Kivi Tarro wasn't overly fond of the sardines he got for lunch.
Anyway, when I was done with the hot dog, I tried to teach Kivi Tarro and Penny to look at me. KT was over it all and opted for lying on my feet and waving his paws about, but I managed to get Penny looking away from the food a few times using the eye method LCK suggested rather than the clicker. Seemed a bit easier for her, but I might add the clicker into the mix next time to tell her a bit more clearly what she sh
I am proud of you!!!! 
Now, just a couple of thoughts...first, unless they are the all natural, no BHA/BHT kind, stop using hot dogs as your treats. They have a lot of fat, too, and dogs have ended up with pancreatitis. As you clicker train, you will want to be able to use tons of tiny treats, and I find the best ones are things like roast beef, or liver brownies, cut into pieces half the size of your little fingernail. Dogs don't care how much, they care how many.
If Penny was trained traditionally, or with lure/reward, she may not be in the habit of OFFERING behavior just to see if it's the "right" one. This is common, and one of the reasons I tell people that clicker training really does help dogs learn how to learn. A traditionally trained dog is often unwilling to move from the usual positions that don't result in a correction. These dogs look very obedient, and in a way they are, but if you want to teach them to go and put their own toys away, you might have your hands full at first;-) I like to teach "motionless" dogs to target my hand. That gets them learning and also moving, once you start moving the hand.
One other good exercise you can try on a stationary dog is "go to your mat": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVGaslyGaGE
More good vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
This is Sequoyah's next task, since she needs lots of rear end awareness work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xx_e4S-vHM&feature=related
Last week, she learned to circle around me as I walk. 
Next, maybe I'll try circling her around a walking stick prop. Gotta find one first.