Re: BAT tips Not convinced we've cracked it yet Rachael ever the pessimist that I am but thank you. ;D I'm now starting to believe its sinking in though and we might just do it. ;D
Re: BAT tips Is this correct? Trying to stop Hattie & Charlie barking at the side gate when postman, deliveries etc. arrive. Today our next door neighbours are having scafolding removed so really noisy, Charlie & Hattied barked once but looked at me, trotted over and got a treat, the same thing happened again when the noise levels went up. Should I have treated them even though he barked? :-\ Thanks x
Re: BAT tips That is ok, but make them wait with you for a few seconds before treating, to break any link between the bark and the treat - you don't want to create a behaviour chain that's "bark then be quiet and run to mum for a treat". Next time see if you can call them to you before they get a bark in (if you're aiming for no barking).
Re: BAT tips That's what I was worried about one bark means a treat, but what if I can't get them to come to me before a bark does that mean no treat? Most of the time if they have barked I come inside with them and treat, so 10 seconds or so has passed which should break the link :-\ Had a mini success just now, my eldest son just came up the drive and through the gate and no barking from either of them, infact they didn't even get up off the ground, so I treated a few treats quickly for quiet, hope thats OK? :-\ Thanks Rachael x
Re: BAT tips You want to treat the 'look at me' , which they did very well, rather than, like Rachael said, the bark 'look at me' I've taught my two 'look at me' cue just incase they don't look at me when a trigger appears. It's difficult with a noise trigger because you can't predict it to get in with a cue before the bark. However the fact they barked, looked at you then came is a better reaction than if they stood barking repeatedly at the noise. Have you thought about training a quiet cue? Then if they do bark you can cue quiet and reward that. I started a thread on the clicker section 'what am I doing wrong' . Racheal gave me instructions and it worked within days. You don't need to use a clicker. Are you BATting the postman? Yes treating them for staying calm/quiet is good especially if they'd given signals that they'd heard your son ;D
Re: BAT tips Thanks Jen, my quiet word is "sshhh" and I use that if they bark and then reward quiet. I have taught the 'look at me' for lots of other things so will try to remember to do that too Not BATting the postman as he arrives a various times each day If anyone rings the doorbell I try for 'ssshh' reward quiet but it's a tough one as they do go nuts : They must have heard Sean as even he commented on no barking I will take a look at your thread 'what am I doing wrong' and work from it. Thanks, x
Re: BAT tips Just been reading this again and I could be wrong and you and everybody else might think its a daft idea but bark, look at you, come to you is not a bad reaction to something strange going on outside or someone at the door. I would think silence in these situations is a hard one to achieve. Also a warning is not always a bad thing. If it were me I'd be encouraging and rewarding the behaviour you got today. For starters it's an easier one to reward than trying to get a reward in before a bark. Just a thought. :
Re: BAT tips I wouldn't be unhappy with a single bark either If that doesn't bother you then go ahead and reward coming to you even if they've barked. I let Obi have a few woofs at the door before I tell him 'quiet' as I like people to know I have a dog with me. Sounds like you are making good progress with it, Helen.
Re: BAT tips [quote author=Jen link=topic=4934.msg77947#msg77947 date=1400253894] Just been reading this again and I could be wrong and you and everybody else might think its a daft idea but bark, look at you, come to you is not a bad reaction to something strange going on outside or someone at the door. I would think silence in these situations is a hard one to achieve. Also a warning is not always a bad thing. If it were me I'd be encouraging and rewarding the behaviour you got today. For starters it's an easier one to reward than trying to get a reward in before a bark. Just a thought. : [/quote] You could be right Jen, I find obviously Hattie & Charlie hear people, vans etc. coming onto our drive way before I do so barking has commenced and it's almost impossible to achieve. I figured that only getting 1 bark and then turning to look at me follow me inside for a treat was better than continuous barking and hopefully one day no barking :-\ Thanks x
Re: BAT tips Ooh sorry Rachael just posted as you replied. Thanks very much, I think 1 bark is better than lots too : x
Re: BAT tips A little success for the last two days. David has been taking Charlie out for his prescribed 30 minute walks, where he went along a footpath alongside a cottage where a very reactive Border Collie lives, this dog literally threw itself at the fence at Charlie who just glanced at her and walked past for 2 consecutive days. Lots of praise and treats. Tiny steps which we are hoping leads to very big steps xx
Re: BAT tips Well done Charlie. ;D. BATting like a good un' ;D ;D We've not had quite so much success the last couple of days. . Although I think the positives are still outweighing the negatives. :-\ We have met two very reactive dogs and a nice dog over the last two days and Scott and scout walked passed them with only vague interest. When we passed one dog this morning I didn't have time to get fishy treats out. Once passed scout immediately turned to look at me as if saying ' I was good where's the fish?' Unfortunately the same cant be said of the two strangers we've met. . They were complete strangers and they only got a bark when they moved their arm suddenly in our direction. However I'm taking on board all your advice and as Julie said we focus too much on what we can't do so I'm taking the positives from the experiences. Although they barked, only two woofs, they immediately then looked at me and were quiet. I could see them relax. Scout did do a second bark because this woman would insist on wafting her hand about. That time I said 'quiet scout' calmly. He stopped straight away and looked at me so now I know even if they do start to go over 'threshold' I can bring them back from the edge. That would've been impossible not long ago. Once they'd gone into panic mode it was very difficult to get through to them. As you said Helen tiny steps and we will all get there. ;D
Re: BAT tips Definitely positive and better all round Jen. I think some people are worse than dogs with their reactions . I am not so sure Charlie looks at David when he has reacted correctly but I don't know if that really matters as the outcome is the same :-\ I agree about the 'threshold' I find that with anyone coming onto our property, if they woof once I stand a chance of bringing them round, but if I don't get in there quickly enough its too late but that is getting a bit better Sometimes feel like I would like HUGE steps just to feel what it's like : Well done Jen it's lovely to read how far you have come with your boys x
Re: BAT tips Thank you Helen ;D I know what you mean. Wouldn't mind some huge steps aswell. ;D The looking at you is a calming behaviour. Next time a similar thing happens ask David to watch Charlie. It's not easy even harder with two. :-\ Charlie's calming behaviour might be licking his lips or just glancing away. If he can spot it in future he can reward that when it happens which will encourage Charlie to calm himself. Having said all that it doesn't really matter he will start to look at David to get the treat like scout did this morning. Remember I've been getting in my BATting practise a lot longer than you. ;D ;D
Re: BAT tips Charlie does glance around so that's a good thing, I will ask David to use "loot at me" too, it's all so difficult to try to remember everything BATing a certain situation requires x
Re: BAT tips The glancing around is good. It's a calming signal. David doesn't actually have to cue look at me Charlie should start to do that by himself looking for the treat when he sees a dog. I do cue it if we are getting too close for my liking as my dogs do calm downif they look at me whether automatic or cued. Your right it is difficult to remember to do everything especially when a trigger is coming nearer. :
Re: BAT tips [quote author=Jen link=topic=4934.msg79065#msg79065 date=1400446443] The glancing around is good. It's a calming signal. David doesn't actually have to cue look at me Charlie should start to do that by himself looking for the treat when he sees a dog. I do cue it if we are getting too close for my liking as my dogs do calm downif they look at me whether automatic or cued. Your right it is difficult to remember to do everything especially when a trigger is coming nearer. : [/quote] Thanks Jen
