Re: Stopping an action? Hi Jez, It is important to differentiate between using treats as a bribe (showing him the treat in advance of trying to get a behaviour), and using them as a reward. If you use treats as a bribe or 'lure' this will not create a training response, in other words, he will only do what you want, when he can see you have the treat. . Teaching the retrieve is complex, and if you use treats to do this you must use a systematic approach, or you will simply end up with a dog that spits out everything he picks up in expectation of a treat. Have a look at the clicker retrieve process on this website for an example of the way you can teach the dog to hold and release an object. It is well worth while teaching this skill to every labrador, and the fact that the dog drops the object to get the treat is a normal part of this process. The article tells you how to build up the retrieve in easy steps. Pippa
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3095#msg3095 date=1343909909] Hi Jez, It is important to differentiate between using treats as a bribe (showing him the treat in advance of trying to get a behaviour), and using them as a reward. If you use treats as a bribe or 'lure' this will not create a training response, in other words, he will only do what you want, when he can see you have the treat. [/quote] Thanks again Pippa, thats certainly not what we want, but how do we get it off him though especially when he hides under the table.. :lol: the whole thing turns into a game which he obviously loves.
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=JezLincs link=topic=549.msg3110#msg3110 date=1343935923] [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3095#msg3095 date=1343909909] Hi Jez, It is important to differentiate between using treats as a bribe (showing him the treat in advance of trying to get a behaviour), and using them as a reward. If you use treats as a bribe or 'lure' this will not create a training response, in other words, he will only do what you want, when he can see you have the treat. [/quote] Thanks again Pippa, thats certainly not what we want, but how do we get it off him though especially when he hides under the table.. :lol: the whole thing turns into a game which he obviously loves. [/quote] Started the training..... George seems far too interested in what I might have my hand other than looking or nudging the dummy/object. Am I okay to point and direct him to look nudge the dummy then click and throw the treat away, repeating that or is that cheating? He just plonks himself next to me looking intelligent asking for a treat he knows I have... Keen and excited to teach all the steps but tricky when he just looks at my hand or where he knows the treats are rather than showing any interest in the object.
Re: Stopping an action? Hi Jez You need to wait for him to look at the dummy of his own free will. He needs to figure out for himself what gets him a click and treat. It only needs to be the briefest glance to begin with. Just be ready to click when he does it. Once he has figured it out (which may take a while) you will fly along. Pippa
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3118#msg3118 date=1343985019] Hi Jez You need to wait for him to look at the dummy of his own free will. He needs to figure out for himself what gets him a click and treat. It only needs to be the briefest glance to begin with. Just be ready to click when he does it. Once he has figured it out (which may take a while) you will fly along. Pippa [/quote] Okay i'll try, it might take a while though i think your right ;D As currently he just sits next to me, looking at me and my hands, not interested in said object so far at all unless i gesture towards it.
Re: Stopping an action? Just a little update on how we're getting on... We're on to stage 2 with George putting his mouth round the dummy (soft toy we're using) sometimes lifting it up sometimes just biting, but going slowly and seems to be getting it. I'm interested how often this training can be done and if it can be done too often? Also out of interest when do you starting attaching a word to the action, at the very end when they've completely got it with clicker and treats? Thanks again great article, recomend anyone give it a go George seems to enjoy it and you can see them improving and they slowly get it.
Re: Stopping an action? Hi Jez, you can do several sessions a day if you space them out. The dog needs to be hungry as you use food, so that is a factor to consider, but as long as there are a couple of hours between sessions, little and often is fine. And yes, you add the cue word when the behaviour you want is established and reliable. Take is slow, and make a little progress each day. It should be fun for you and the dog.
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3153#msg3153 date=1344283754] Hi Jez, you can do several sessions a day if you space them out. The dog needs to be hungry as you use food, so that is a factor to consider, but as long as there are a couple of hours between sessions, little and often is fine. And yes, you add the cue word when the behaviour you want is established and reliable. Take is slow, and make a little progress each day. It should be fun for you and the dog. [/quote] Oh we both seem to enjoy it Surely by the end there could be main points of a cue word? For example picking up, drop, bring or is that the point i suppose...?
Re: Stopping an action? Not sure if I have quite understood your question but you can use any cue word you like. For example I use the dog's name (because I usually have more than one dog with me) for a marked retrieve (one that the dog has seen fall) and 'get out' for a blind retrieve (most gundog people use 'back') But you could use 'fetch' or 'bring'. This cue embraces running out, picking up, and bringing back. All on that one cue word. And for the handover or delivery, I use 'dead'. But you might prefer 'drop' or 'give'.
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3158#msg3158 date=1344337355] Not sure if I have quite understood your question but you can use any cue word you like. For example I use the dog's name (because I usually have more than one dog with me) for a marked retrieve (one that the dog has seen fall) and 'get out' for a blind retrieve (most gundog people use 'back') But you could use 'fetch' or 'bring'. This cue embraces running out, picking up, and bringing back. All on that one cue word. And for the handover or delivery, I use 'dead'. But you might prefer 'drop' or 'give'. [/quote] Thanks Pippa, yes thats kind of what i meant. More of as the training progresses, that he picks up and holds for 2 seconds bit you could add 'drop' keyword at that point. I'm unsure when you would add 'fetch' or 'bring' to the progress though, unless you throw it for him. What would be interesting to know that, as the training progresses and he understand more and more what to do with this one object, will this automatically transfer to anything he can pick up, thus is trained to drop anything.... that being the plan?
Re: Stopping an action? That's right, you can teach a dog to pick up anything it can carry in its mouth. Within reason
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3178#msg3178 date=1344457561] That's right, you can teach a dog to pick up anything it can carry in its mouth. Within reason [/quote] Ah but will u have to train each object, or does the process of going through this particular training result in anything in his mouth can be brought and dropped in your hand when requested?
Re: Stopping an action? George has professed to picking it up and then dropping for a treat. I have a little bit of a funny problem. He doesn't eat the treat in time... He picks up dummy I click and throw the treat away, he drops dummy and runs to get treat trotting back to get dummy again the treat falls out of his mouth when he is trying to pick the dummy up again. Any suggestions, should I make him wait until I know he has actually eaten before trying for the dummy again? Gone a little slower than I'd like as George has had a poorly elbow, but slowing picking it up again.
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3381#msg3381 date=1345925203] Hi Jez, what are you using for treats? [/quote] Tiny bits of cheese and/or hotdog.
Re: Stopping an action? [quote author=editor link=topic=549.msg3384#msg3384 date=1345989082] I think Sam is right [/quote] I dont think it's that as we sometimes do it in the morning before his breakfast and he is so keen to eat and get back to the dummy to get another treat that he forgets to swallow.
