Comments on: Shaping Fun

By: Natalia

Natalia — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:00:45 +0000

If I´m on time, here my answer: targeting with food

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnTP42eO5Es

By: Karissa

Karissa — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:27:25 +0000

I taught my six month old Border Collie to blow bubbles last week. )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2w0ymXSoCs

By: Susan S.

Susan S. — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:07:06 +0000

I am relatively new to shaping–although we (my 1.5 year-old English Shepherd and I) have done some beginning agility, herding & obedience. I had him doing “touch” at a few months old and that has been a help in starting agility, and we have a “bow” that I shaped pretty well, but nothing else that I can think of–although, probably that’s how I got him to sit and lie down? I thought I’d try this morning getting him to learn “pick up”. So I started by tossing a cloth napkin on the floor and clicking every time he nosed it. This happened very quickly and he will nose it/push it easily. But, I’m thinking I’ve already made him bored with this. After about a minute or so he started offering me other behaviors, such as bowing, sitting, lying down. Did I go on too long with the first session? I think the next step would be if he nibbles/puts his mouth on the napkin–and I’d click for that? Is that right? (Or maybe I haven’t thought this through enough?) Thanks for any suggestions–I learn so much from the site!

By: Naomi den Hartog

Naomi den Hartog — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:55:51 +0000

No fancy trick here- we had 2 sessions in closing a drawer. We now have a push on a very specific spot (right under the handle).

Before we got to our first criteria (lookin at drawer)- we had some great other behaviours come by- such as backing up into the drawer and closing it with his bum, handstand (currently in proces- never before trained in another location). I was pleasantly surprised- ha… I can see some more creative options

By: Kat L

Kat L — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:15:06 +0000

Years ago I inadvertently shaped a head shake and a sneeze at the same time … my dog looks like she is having an epileptic seizer. This was a big lesson on not clicking too fast. It just took once and I can’t seperate the behaviors, sigh

I have gotten better and my youngster will lick his lips on the word ‘Yum’ as well as other creative quirky behaviors. )

By: Deb D

Deb D — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:59:42 +0000

Shaping Max to “bring me my (exercise) ball”. It’s still a work in progress because although he is happy to roll it he hasn’t got the steering down pat yet – fun though.

By: Kathryn Johns

Kathryn Johns — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:30:48 +0000

Four more sessions with my JRT pup, Buzz, and we’re on our way. In my previous post I explained how I inadvertently got a funny ‘turn to lick your bum’ thing from Buzz when aiming for a head turn. Thinking about how to get rid of this unwanted for now behaviour I realised I was also suffering from 2nd dog syndrome – do I get more points for linking 2 blog posts in one of mine?

Last September I lost my best mate and training buddy, a JRT/dachshund called Smudge, who absolutely loved the shaping game. He seemed to pick up on what I was only thinking and had great fun learning to skateboard, dunk rolled up socks in his little basket ball hoop and tons of other fun tricks. I know that with him I could have lost the unwanted tail of a behaviour by clicking really early and this is what I tried first with the new pup, Buzz, but that was a mistake. Buzz is just learning how shaping works so I had to rethink.

I decided to go back to observing him and start clicking a completely new action for a while. I got 3 bum swipes followed by barking when he got no clicks – end of session! Good pup for remembering what he’d been doing the day before / Bad pup for barking in frustration. Next session I got some quick clicks in for movement while he was with me by the fridge getting his treats – that seemed to make him forget about the bum swipe and I went on to get a decent sit and lift a paw. Next session I continued with the paw lift adding some duration – we got to about 3 secs. 4th session over the weekend and I decided it was time to go back to the head turns I’d wanted in the first place. Of course he first offered me the paw lift but when I didn’t click the first one of those he tried lying down – good pup to understand no click means try something else. Next back came the bum swipe – again no click, this time instead of barking in frustration when I didn’t click him he sat quietly and looked at me. Then I was lucky – a noise in the other room made him turn his head to look that way, I clicked and we were off. I quickly got 5 more head turns and called it a day. Lots of lessons learned – mostly by me to appreciate this great little guy and to realise he will learn all the tricks of shaping in time.

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:32:31 +0000

I started shaping a big mouth lick……started by giving Luna a lick of peanut butter and waiting for the big full mouth lick, click and another lick of peanut butter, then wait for the last lick and click and peanut butter again…easy to do short training sessions…I use a “go toob”(1.25 oz size) for the peanut butter so I can keep it in my pocket…we are well on the way ….next I want to shape “open mouth”.

By: mtrebino

mtrebino — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:13:03 +0000

I worked on bow which did not take long since she does that every time she gets up..now I want to put that into a moonwalk..she backs up .so I just have to get that first step back while she is still bowing..Margie and the Twist

By: Kellie

Kellie — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:49:39 +0000

I have been working on Wipe you face – while it doesn’t seem such a big deal to move – Giants and Scotties have big beards which they tend to love to let just soak – after just one session where I started with a nose touch and towel was on my arm I have gotten some really great wipes (esp with my younger giant) Still need to work on pairing that with the big drink but it’s been fun.