canine freestyle moves database
teaching position using a rectangular platform
getting started example
Here are some video clips of the “Getting Started” process.
The goal was to “Introduce the dog to the platform and instil that anything to do with the platform is GOOD”.
Introducing Deb and Naeve.
Naeve is a puppy and Deb is an experienced clicker trainer.
These videos are not edited so that you can view actual, live training and see the progress achieved over a few days.
6 Jul 2013
This is Naeve’s first introduction to the platform, right from when the door is opened and she enters the training area.
It is interesting to see that she goes straight to the platform. It might be because it is something new in the environment. She also likes to wander. Note the platform slipped on the tiles. Rubber has since been put on the platform. Naeve is a fairly confident dog and the slip did not put her off, where as some sensitive dogs may have been spooked.
8 Jul 2013
The next video clip is also of Naeve entering the training area and going directly to the platform. Watching the video, you can see she has not yet worked out that it is all about the platform, but towards the end she is starting to think about it.
Deb’s comments about this training session were:
My treats were too sticky and I had trouble throwing them.
1m27s I removed my hand and brought it up and I am sure she thought it was a sit signal. She doesn’t have a default sit but she kept sitting on the platform.
1m47s trying to keep food low so as not to encourage sit.
2m25s dropped treat!!!
10 Jul 2013
The third training session was aiming for standing on the platform, hence clicking before the dog sat and if the dog sat, getting her up quickly. You’ll notice the dog got on the platform as soon as she entered the training area. This does not mean she is “magnetized to the platform” yet, but because there is nothing else in the room to attract her attention, she went for it immediately and was able to get the first C/T in that session for interacting with the platform. Remember, this dog is still a puppy.
10 Jul 2013
In the fourth training session you will notice improvement
· Neave is working faster
· Deb is quicker with the clicks before she sits and getting her up
again when she does sit.
Note -
…this training session was short and it ended on a very successful trial.
…changing end positions starts generalization.
24 Jul 2013
On the fifth training session, not only has Naeve grown but she is interacting with the platform more and Deb is doing a great job with clicking her standing on the platform and getting in fast C/Ts while standing on the platform.
General Comments
In session 2, the “dropped treat” was good, because it made the dog get up to get it. This means that if she wants to sit, you place the treat as low as you can so that she has to get up to get the treat.
Also from this we learned that if the dog wants to sit on the platform you have to get the click in before the dog sits, at least before the dog completes the sit and feed from below the chin if you want to treat the dog on the platform or toss the treat so the dog does not complete the sit.
At some point you want to be able to C/T in rapid succession on the platform.
Regarding “sticky treats”, when the time comes for you to throw the treats in all directions around the points of a compass, you need to be able to aim well and sticky treats will hamper that. You also need treats that the dog can see easily so he won’t spend time “vacuuming”.