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"three weeks to an epiphany."

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KwickLabs

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
A few weeks ago my pup did a "keep away" number on me during a visit to the airing yard. I let her off the flexi-lead and soon realized the error of my ways. As was mentioned in a previous RTF thread "I was not very thrilled with the entire event (paraphrased)".
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Since then we've progressed quite a bit with our positive re-reinforcement process, but kept the flexi-lead as a regular "prop" in Pounce's airing sessions.

So this morning it is cold again. Plus, I missed a few of "those frozen things" when cleaning the airing yard in the dark last night. I don't know why, but I slipped the Flexi-lead off and turned Pounce loose.

Dang....."radar nose" was immediately on one like glue. Up came her head and her body posture was clearly all "I'm free "Na-na--na na na na!" She took a quick, butt tucked loop around the asparagus patch, stopped and posed in a posture that was obviously smug about her "freedom".
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My first reaction was quietly saying in my mind "You dumb donkey!" (paraphrased). Then my better self reminded me of how diligently we had re-enforced the "sit" command/expectation in the last three weeks. So I walked a bit toward her.....casually. At the same time, her darting glances tell me she's measuring my closing range plus picking out a get-a-way path.
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Then suddenly, a raised hand followed by a quiet "sit!" sliced through her brain. Pounce's butt hit the ground as if she couldn't help herself. I walked over, patted her head, said a re-enforcing "Sit...good girl", slipped my hand under the collar, removed some "stuff" from her mouth, flipped it over the fence, put the lead on her, said "heel" and we walked back into the house.

Dang, this stuff really works!
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Keeping score.....trainer-1 point....Pounce-1 point. Balance is cool!
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#6 ·
I actually thought about your post from a couple weeks ago this morning when my pup was sniffing a couple TOTW logs frozen to the ground. When she moved on, I could only smile and say, "Good girl." Glad to hear Pounce doesn't know anything but sit when commanded!
 
#9 ·
I like that you said you walked casually toward her. Another non-threatening way is to walk at an angle toward her. This should reinforce the sit as opposed to intimidate her if you walked straight at her, which could break her sit.
 
Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
Jerry, that is a good point to bring up. Many animals have built in genetics which cause them to instinctively avoid conflict......like getting cornered and caught. Flight is always in the direction away from the approach. So in essence if you move more in the direction of what is the "get-away-path" they tend to stop thinking abut going in that direction. They are mentally stymied for a moment. The skill is to keep them in limbo.

When we raised harness horses, there were always a few that were difficult to "catch" when turned out into the pastures. Eventually, "luring" with grain wouldn't work. Horses are much more creatures of habit and instincts than a domestic dog.

The "catching" technique was to first have them looking straight at you and motionless. As they are staring you down, take a step directly toward them and see which way they look. Then immediately take an angled step in that direction appearing to anticipate and "block" that choice. When the technique is working well, you kind of look like an ice skater striding from one side to the other as the horse's head swings back and forth. They become mesmerized by the instinctive, rhythmic motion as you approach. Soon you are right there which allows for the trained behavior of just taking a hold of their halter and snapping on a lead shank....no flight, no fight and no fuss.

The cool part of all this is they don't ever seem to realize what just happened. It was a common prank to ask an unknowing friend, "Say, would you do me a favor and bring that horse in from the pasture? Take a can of oats, that might help."

Soon they would return....usually "not very happy". You'd go out and "do the dance" and upon returning the disbelief in what they just observed was hilarious. Actually, you look pretty silly doing "the dance"....but it works.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Ok Jim think about this. You said "It's amazing how much your pup has changed in just 4 months. The time has passed so quickly". Well Jim at our age June was only about 2 weeks ago. I'll bet when you were 25 you didn't think the change in 4 months was so amazing.:D:D;-):razz:
How's that for an epiphany?
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
"Well Jim, at our age June was only about 2 weeks ago. I'll bet when you were 25 you didn't think the change in 4 months was so amazing."

I'm confused (at my age that probably is an issue). How is June about two weeks ago (at our age)?

Pounce has aged about 4x30 days in human "time" in the last four months (check). So if a pup's age changes by four months, I have changed an equivalent of 1/7X's that in human years (check). So if I were 25, the change in four dog age months would actually be 17 days for me (check). For as much as I can remember (which is very little) nothing in 1965 was not all that amazing (checkmate).

Which means you may be right (or not).

However, puppy training "windows of opportunity" fly by much too quickly. What can prove amazing is capturing them "in the moment".
 
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KwickLabs
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