Now that Rioja has been with us for a few weeks, I am getting my groove back about how to arrange my day so that I can get in some “formal” training with both dogs. Yesterday I put Rioja in her crate for dinner with a bunch of Kongs™. She is getting so proficient at them and less frustrated. In the meantime, Deuce and I spend some fun time playing Deuce’s favorite games: Tug and recall with tug (Aka: Rocket recall). All right, all right, I am lying here a bit because these games are not only Deuce’s favorite games, but they are
also one of my favorite games. I noticed that while playing a new version of Rocket recall, I was really having a good time myself. No matter that I was tired after a day of downhill skiing with almost every inch of my body being sore.
Ah, each dog an individual thus they have different learning needs and how to go about it. All my dogs have taught me a few things about the learning process. Deuce, for example, gets uninterested very quickly if I ask him to repeat any behavior more than say three times in a row. Laika, on the other hand, could stay with me for as long as I wish to train her – recuperating from distractions very readily. Her tail full swing after repetition number… (?)
I guess both types of training and learning have benefits and deficits. What I have also realized is how easy it is to have expectations about how the dog that we are working with should respond. A mistake that will set any training program back… way back. Other differences between Laika and Deuce are that Laika was VERY food motivated and not so motivated by toys - she did love playing with me our little games, but toys
where not really “her thing”. Deuce, on the other hand, is quite selective about when he eats and how much of it. Always a tossup as to if he will respond to working for a treat. The dog must be really hungry. But approach the magic drawer where the tug toys are kept and you have his full attention. One day the closet door where I hang the whippet toys out of his reach had been left open. I noticed that Deuce was laying in the living room for a while- a new spot I thought, but I also noticed that he was not relaxing but in attention mode. I came close to find his eyes glued to the hanging whippet. Ahh, I said to him, you are acting like a border collie- again! Since it was in the middle of my work day, I just closed the door so that I could unglue obsessive Deuce from staring at the passive toy.
One of my main goals with Deuce is to have him interact with me - happily by choice in all sorts of inviting environments. We play with his tug toy or whippet daily incorporating soccer games as well where he gets to be the goalie. I play these games with him in different places and with different size balls. Initially he would only mind the “sanctioned” balls- balls that would disinflate and were difficult for me to kick far enough to make the experience sort of exciting for me. Now we have progressed to: all balls are fun to chase and stop - Border collie style.
When it is cold outside or dark, I love playing soccer with Deuce in our long corridor. I use softer balls so that they won’t damage the walls. Funny because I noticed that I can get a pretty good workout by just playing with him inside the house. I have also caught myself several times laughing or smiling wildly as he dives for the ball in a funny fashion. I guess that is another thing about games, your partner’s enthusiasm is
contagious… who likes to play with a bore?
Get this, our sheepherding is also improving big time. Now, for the first time in the year that we have been taking weekly lessons, we are beginning to think and act as a team. Last Wednesday as we finished a very rewarding lesson for the two of us, I ask Deuce to lay down; a behavior that he must do immediately upon request if there are to be any chances of us competing in future sheep-herding trials. Deuce not only laid down on a dime, but his mouth was relaxed and open and he gave me a fantastic tail wag!! This is
from Deuce a dog that is too cool to wag his tail but whom would much rather keep you guessing as to how much he is enjoying your company or your directions.
I know I'm playing mind games pretending that I know what he is really thinking or what his motivation might be, but in reality what I did experience was the satisfaction of explaining to him more clearly what I need for him to do by the way I moved in relation to the task at hand and the sheep. So here you have us: a perfect team, not only enjoying an activity together but minding the rules of engagement to make that activity
more collaborative.
On our session yesterday afternoon, I decided to do something different - to keep him guessing. No more than one or two reps of the same behavior- I promised myself. We began by playing a fierce game of tug in the living room gravitating as the excitement of the game progressed to the parking strip.
Tug, sit, tug, lay down, tug wait, tug, tug, tug, stay….Here, Deuce here, take it more tug, tug.
Now I moved around the large space, going downhill on the driveway- poof, taking off - as I requested that Deuce stays put on a down. The request for him to run furiously after me only when I say: here, Deuce, here (this is called stimulus control) and hopefully I will remember to keep the rules of the game intact and ask him to: take it (the tug toy that is) just before he presses the jaws on the rope.
As I stopped to catch my breath (who is exercising who?) I noticed that Rioja was still quiet- hopefully in her crate still working on those Kongs and oblivious as to how much fun Deuce and I are having. It is possible, I thought, to have your cake and it eat it too? If you plan things right and you work - keeping in mind that each dog (each learner) is an individual.
This afternoon I might go back to our new game or just vary it a little just to keep Deuce guessing and both of us happy to spend this time playing some favorite games.
also one of my favorite games. I noticed that while playing a new version of Rocket recall, I was really having a good time myself. No matter that I was tired after a day of downhill skiing with almost every inch of my body being sore.
Ah, each dog an individual thus they have different learning needs and how to go about it. All my dogs have taught me a few things about the learning process. Deuce, for example, gets uninterested very quickly if I ask him to repeat any behavior more than say three times in a row. Laika, on the other hand, could stay with me for as long as I wish to train her – recuperating from distractions very readily. Her tail full swing after repetition number… (?)
I guess both types of training and learning have benefits and deficits. What I have also realized is how easy it is to have expectations about how the dog that we are working with should respond. A mistake that will set any training program back… way back. Other differences between Laika and Deuce are that Laika was VERY food motivated and not so motivated by toys - she did love playing with me our little games, but toys
where not really “her thing”. Deuce, on the other hand, is quite selective about when he eats and how much of it. Always a tossup as to if he will respond to working for a treat. The dog must be really hungry. But approach the magic drawer where the tug toys are kept and you have his full attention. One day the closet door where I hang the whippet toys out of his reach had been left open. I noticed that Deuce was laying in the living room for a while- a new spot I thought, but I also noticed that he was not relaxing but in attention mode. I came close to find his eyes glued to the hanging whippet. Ahh, I said to him, you are acting like a border collie- again! Since it was in the middle of my work day, I just closed the door so that I could unglue obsessive Deuce from staring at the passive toy.
One of my main goals with Deuce is to have him interact with me - happily by choice in all sorts of inviting environments. We play with his tug toy or whippet daily incorporating soccer games as well where he gets to be the goalie. I play these games with him in different places and with different size balls. Initially he would only mind the “sanctioned” balls- balls that would disinflate and were difficult for me to kick far enough to make the experience sort of exciting for me. Now we have progressed to: all balls are fun to chase and stop - Border collie style.
When it is cold outside or dark, I love playing soccer with Deuce in our long corridor. I use softer balls so that they won’t damage the walls. Funny because I noticed that I can get a pretty good workout by just playing with him inside the house. I have also caught myself several times laughing or smiling wildly as he dives for the ball in a funny fashion. I guess that is another thing about games, your partner’s enthusiasm is
contagious… who likes to play with a bore?
Get this, our sheepherding is also improving big time. Now, for the first time in the year that we have been taking weekly lessons, we are beginning to think and act as a team. Last Wednesday as we finished a very rewarding lesson for the two of us, I ask Deuce to lay down; a behavior that he must do immediately upon request if there are to be any chances of us competing in future sheep-herding trials. Deuce not only laid down on a dime, but his mouth was relaxed and open and he gave me a fantastic tail wag!! This is
from Deuce a dog that is too cool to wag his tail but whom would much rather keep you guessing as to how much he is enjoying your company or your directions.
I know I'm playing mind games pretending that I know what he is really thinking or what his motivation might be, but in reality what I did experience was the satisfaction of explaining to him more clearly what I need for him to do by the way I moved in relation to the task at hand and the sheep. So here you have us: a perfect team, not only enjoying an activity together but minding the rules of engagement to make that activity
more collaborative.
On our session yesterday afternoon, I decided to do something different - to keep him guessing. No more than one or two reps of the same behavior- I promised myself. We began by playing a fierce game of tug in the living room gravitating as the excitement of the game progressed to the parking strip.
Tug, sit, tug, lay down, tug wait, tug, tug, tug, stay….Here, Deuce here, take it more tug, tug.
Now I moved around the large space, going downhill on the driveway- poof, taking off - as I requested that Deuce stays put on a down. The request for him to run furiously after me only when I say: here, Deuce, here (this is called stimulus control) and hopefully I will remember to keep the rules of the game intact and ask him to: take it (the tug toy that is) just before he presses the jaws on the rope.
As I stopped to catch my breath (who is exercising who?) I noticed that Rioja was still quiet- hopefully in her crate still working on those Kongs and oblivious as to how much fun Deuce and I are having. It is possible, I thought, to have your cake and it eat it too? If you plan things right and you work - keeping in mind that each dog (each learner) is an individual.
This afternoon I might go back to our new game or just vary it a little just to keep Deuce guessing and both of us happy to spend this time playing some favorite games.
No comments:
Post a Comment