Comments on: Shaping Challenge

By: sharon empson

sharon empson — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 05:51:11 +0000

Susan: shaping. I decided to teach my Terrier cody to “close it.”
This is how I started.
I had him practice touching my hand. Then I had him practice touching my hand with a sticky note on it. Then I moved the sticky note from my hand to the door. Then I had him touch the door at the place of the sticky note. When he progressed well and was hitting the sticky note very well, I removed the sticky note and taught him to touch the door with his nose.
Then I began rewarding him for the really hard pushes with his nose. As he got that I added the words “Close it”. He now closes the door, or cupboard door when I leave it open and ask, Cody, close it. He gets a big kick out of it.
At the present time I am teaching Cody to pick up all the dog dishes each morning and bring them to me. Then he will be putting them in the dish washer.
This behavior Cody started on his own. He would pick up his dish and take it to his mat to eat his breakfast. So, I reinforced this behavior. Everytime he picked it up I would make a real big deal about it! After breakfast I would ask him to touch his bowl. I did this for about a week or so. Then I moved away from it and asked him to bring it to me. When he did I rewarded him. Now when he eats breakfast and the other dogs are done, he looks for their dishes and bring them all to me. Of course he is rewarded after each one. Now my next move is to put my hand in the dishwasher and shape cody to bring me the dishes to my hand in the dishwasher. Then I will remove my hand and reward Cody dropping the dishes into the open dishwasher.
Bindi I am shaping her doing the stand and holding it. I began by placing my hand in front of her nose and drawing it away from where she was sitting until she comes into a stand. then I reward her. I am in that phase right now. I plan on doing this until she can stand without my hands or fingers being in front of her.

Well that is about it. My other dog Terra is not in training right now. She is a barker whenever I ask her to do anything. Right now I am working or her “enough” command so she knows to stop barking.

thanks again for your teaching. I love it! so do my pups! sharon empson

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:48:40 +0000

This was so fun. I managed to get Tilly to lick her lips on the cue of “yummy”. I also taught her to cover her face when I say, “Oh dear!” and she can close the kitchen drawers and cupboards. We are now working on opening the fridge and getting out a soda/beer.

By: barrie

barrie — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:58:35 +0000

My pre advances in dog training attempt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3coacqhIuSI&feature=player_embedded

on the bucket behavior and then my post advances in dog training attempt on lifting a hind leg like she’s taking a whiz:

http://www.youtube.com/user/barriepink#p/a/u/0/F-bK6hPs8fc

Explanation of both behaviors and setting up the environment to get the behaviors:

http://funwithdogs.tumblr.com/post/400599672/jellybean-is-a-whiz

By: Gvmama

Gvmama — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:08:35 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zztX_XENNm0

On a rainy day stuck in the RV, every time my male dog looked at his privates i clicked and treated him. It wasn’t long before he understood “ARE YOU a boy or a girl?” It gets a lot of laughs.

By: Crystal (and Maisy)

Crystal (and Maisy) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:53:17 +0000

What good timing! I just put together a video of Maisy’s latest adventures in shaping: push something with your nose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZsU6BjMhG0

By: A&J

A&J — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:19:17 +0000

This was one of the harder tricks to teach, maybe because it requires such focus and stability. … however, forced me to try all different kinds of things to achieve success in a short time frame (as well as figure out the video feature on the cell phone.) Here are the results for Session 7 this am. I included the first round for a laugh, as under pressure of being taped, I blurted out the wrong cue (its the one for weave between my legs, which is what I has doing to get him pumped.) My abbreviated notes below. Thks! Fun blog!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axsOAgEoiFs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULh4-kcis38

*Fri. Session 4. (1) by 30 sec. 4pm. Reward: cat food leftover. In half crate, while mixing CGs in with Grids outside, did an impromtu session. 3 responses to finger point, lifts to bum on his own,
*Fri. Session 5. (3 ) x 2 min. 7pm. Reward: Pork and hamburger. Too excited, flailing paws. Last round had 2 solid responses to finger. Ended there. POA: Watch excitement level before start, this exercise needs focus! Add verbal, almost there. Set-up reqd, to square bum for success.
*Sat, Session 6. (6) x 30 sec. 7am. Reward: canned dogfood (switched to something soft for this learning stage, since he was hacking on the drier treats. ) Offering responses. Set-up helped after each response (feeling of instability may have caused flailing before) – hand touch, sit, then “pretty”. Added cue, no finger point. Position has a brief hold, 1 sec, without support or flailing, so this is my goal achieved for two days. POA: fade set-up, add into trick sequences, build duration.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:28:55 +0000

I started shaping her to cover her eyes with her paw. I’ve done 3 sessions and they are going really well! I’m now trying to get her to hold it a tiny bit longer each time. I’m really happy how well it is going as I’m pretty new to shaping still.

By: Jen

Jen — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:14:59 +0000

I am working the same thing as Barrie, trying to get my dog to circle around a little step. We’ve worked it before but never finished it to a complete circle. I got about as far as half way around yesterday. A few times, he put all four legs on it, and circled by stepping over it. I may just have to make a smaller one for him if he keeps trying that.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:46:30 +0000

I LOVE shaping!!! these ideas are great and I need some new ones.

Here’s one of my favorites, and it was tough to build the duration!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu1PB1n8Idc

By: A&J

A&J — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:11:19 +0000

Marge: Enjoyed those clips!