Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: Problem Solving

Training on your own terms

A different training discussion

• make eye contact with your dog; this is teamwork
• training is communication

Training Neutral

• review "Commands (But We Call Them Cues)"
• especially the final paragraph
• again, make eye contact and then present your hand (or whatever it is you are wanting her to touch)
• remember how you intentionally broke your connection w/Lily when we began teaching Come?  That was because you wanted her to transfer her focus away from you toward me
• eye contact is important
• and this taught another important lesson - don't try to do two things at once.  If you're listening to me, then your focus is on me.  If you're training the dog, then your focus is on the dog.  If you watch the video below closely you can see how long it took Lily to discover that you had extended your target hand because you were not engaged with her.

Training Prepared

• this was your first experience LUMPING
• you gave too much information to Phil and consequently he expected too much from Lily 
• (he "asked" for duration w/o even intending to)
• the goal in Step 1 is to mark the moment that she moved her nose away from his hand
• a good lesson in understanding the basic concept of knowing exactly what you want the dog to do before beginning a session
• plus, we ALL are self-conscious when other people are involved     ;*D

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: Update

Today MJ trained Lily on her own and unsupervised, following the Training Plan and following the Steps in the Training Levels book.

7/26
So far, you have trained using the following training concepts:

• clicking the exact behavior you want 
• timing and delivery of the reward 
• the 3 Rs 
• the 4 Ds 
• you have determined CRITERIA 
• we have talked about LUMPING 
• you have TESTED COLD 
• you have used CHUTES & LADDERS to increase both Distance and Duration 
• you have taught a behavior using LURING and you have learned about dropping the LURE after 4 or 5 reps 
• you have watched Lily being SHAPED 
• you have learned one of the most important Rules of Thumb in training: "When you change ONE thing about what you're doing, you make EVERYTHING else about it easier." (L1 Sit Step 3)

Today you will be introduced to the following training concepts:

• you will learn about setting factors 
• making a training plan 
• more on lumping and learning about splitting 
• you will teach DOWN by CAPTURING THE BEHAVIOR and 
• you will have ALL OF THE TOOLS necessary to move on to today's work 

Working alone w/Lily

READ pp 28 - 35 "Thinking About Training"

TARGET: review the Training Tip in Step 1 read and then train Step 3

ZEN:  read and then train Step 3

SIT: review and reteach Steps 1 and 2

DOWN: read the introduction to L1 Down read and then train Step 1 USING THE CAPTURE METHOD



7/27
Once again MJ continued training independently.  Here is today's training plan. It builds on yesterday's training.

Yesterday you added the following concepts to your training;

• you have learned that EVERY click is followed by a treat
• the click is a promise
• you have learned that "What you click is EXACTLY what you will get"
• you are REALLY good at this; your clicker timing is excellent!
• you have gotten much much better at handling clicker AND treats AND presenting treats  
• CAPTURING a behavior
• SETTING FACTORS
• making a training plan and following it (following the book step by little step IS a training plan)
• you have seen the value for dog and trainer alike for training short sessions
• you have seen LATENT LEARNING in action

 See how POWERFUL Level 1 is?

Today's training will introduce you to the following training concepts:

• SHAPE a new behavior
• LURE a known behavior
• TEACH a behavior to someone else
• GENERALIZE a behavior
• RETEACH a behavior under different circumstances (on leash)

READ pp

     "Get a Clue!"

     through

     "Getting Behaviours"

TARGET

• Step 3 - test it cold
• Step 4 - Read and review.  (You have already done this ... surprise!)
• The BIG THING is the Step 4 COMEAFTER
• We can talk about this after you have read and do it together

ZEN

• Step 3 - test it cold
• Comeafter

SIT

• Step 2 - test it cold
• Step 3
• because you are working with Lily and
• because you have only two days left
• take Step 3 as far as you can go
• .......because tomorrow we are going to end with Step 4

DOWN

• Today we are going to reteach Down by LURING the behavior

COME

• Hide and Seek
• Inside/Outside
• The Delivery Game

NOTE: The training can be watched on the appropriate page (Zen, Target, Come, Sit or Down)

Today is our final day of training.

More Bringsel Training: The Deliver Game

The Come Game

Day 2

The Deliver Game: Step 1

Day 2
Family Room

Adding Distance to both games
The Come Game

• still needed?  or does the SS "name the game"?
• 7/25:  The SS is sufficient environmental cue.  The Come Game is no longer needed.
• Comeafters at each Step
• Hide and Seek
• different recipients
• Distance
• Duration of hold before taking bringsel
• Distractions

The Deliver Game: Step 2

• SS is now "cue"
• Adding Sit to the delivery
• 7/25:  Began asking for a Sit when delivering the SS; almost default now
• in Family Room; Living Room; Marina
• re-teach using Phil

About the Verbal Cue

• when to add the "get help" cue?
• when we have the FDB

Treating from Hand instead of the Scent Stick

• The Deliver Game: Step 3
• 7/25
• in Family Room, Living Room, Marina (w/distractions)
• re-teach using Phil

NOTE:

• 7/25
• Lily is delivering SS (w/Sit); accepting treat and returning to sender
• At first we looked at it as a problem BUT then realized that it is actually the beginning of FDB so have decided to capitalize on the volunteered behavior by adding the return to training at this point and delaying the treat - to be given at RETURN by MJ (stranger)

Teaching the Return

• The Deliver Game: Step 4
• MJ take SS, follows Lily back to Lynn, MJ treat AT Lynn, have a party
• close

This didn't go as smoothly as we thought that it would.

We will Review, Remind, Reteach the default Sit

• add Distance
• re-teach using Phil

Substitute bringsel for Scent Stick
The Deliver Game

• The Deliver Game: Step 5
• Re-teach from the beginning

Add vest w/short leash

• The Deliver Game: Step 6
• treat upon delivery

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: DOWN

Down Level 1 Step 1:  The dog lies down with the leash off
Training Concepts:

This is an ideal behaviour to CAPTURE.

• Click when she lies down and toss the treat slightly off to one side so she has to get up to get it
• This puts her in a perfect position to offer you another down to get another treat
• (Even the most active dog lies down a billion times a day.)
• MJ taught Lily to lie down by CAPTURING Lily lying down.  She clicked and tossed a treat (to reposition her to offer another Down.)
• MJ continued watching the TV while watching Lily periforally.  Lily began offering behaviors in order to earn another click and treat.  Eventually she lay down again.  C/T.  And again.  C/T.
• MJ soon discovered that CAPTURING the Down soon turned in to SHAPING the down.

How to LURE a Down.

• From a sit, hold a treat in your hand
• Put it right up to her nose so she can nibble it a bit
• Think "magnet" between the treat and the nose
• Think a very strong magnet
• Then very slowly move it down, down, down and then forward

Problem Solving

• If she rises forward out of the sit, you moved your treat too far forward and not enough down....or too fast.
• NOTE:  You're aiming for a spot on the floor slightly in front of her front paws before you start forward.
• If she rises backwards out of the sit, you moved your treat too far backwards and not enough down....or too fast

We don't have video of MJ teaching this behavior to Lily.  She successfully achieved Step 1 by CAPTURING the behavior.  We later used LURING to explain the behavior.

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: SIT

Sit Level 1

Step 1:  The dog sits with the leash off

Training Concepts:

• This behavior is taught with the leash off so that you know that the leash has nothing to do with teaching her how to sit.
• Luring
• Be careful with luring
• Lure with the treat maybe 5 times, then make the same gesture with your empty hand PRETENDING there's a treat in it
• You want to get rid of the treat in your hand as quickly as possible.
• Using a soft, nibble-able treat
• MJ uses string cheese here

 MJ first teaches Sit while seated

• Using the same luring movement but without the treat held in the hand.  This motion will be adapted into a handsignal.

MJ "explains" the behavior while standing

Adding the Cue:  Pairing the word Sit with her giving a voluntary sit.

Step 1 Comeafters:  Reteach from the beginning in a place where you haven't trained the behavior before.
Training Concepts:

• Reteach = start right back at the beginning
• YOU now know what you're doing and you trust her to be able to learn this without being forced, so you'll both be better at it this time

• Adding the Cue
• When she's offering you sits in the second spot just like she was in the first, put your Sit cue back on

• Giving the Cue
• Give the cue, Sit.  She does!  Hurray!  Or, she doesn't.  Not a problem, keep explaining it.

Step 2:  The dog sits with a hand signal

Training Concepts:

• How to put the cue on a behavior
• Get the dog performing the behaviour just the wa you want it
• Then you start saying the cue as she's doing the behaviour
• 2 ways to change or add a new cue

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: TARGET

Level 1 Target

Step 1:  The dog touches your hand with her nose.

• Start teaching this behaviour sitting down
• Give her the treat from your non-target hand
• When she's good at touching the hand you started with, change to having her target your OTHER hand - this is not a huge change, but it IS a change.
• Explain the whole thing again.

• When she's eager to target either of your hands, start telling her what she's doing

Step 1 Comeafters:  Teach her to touch your hand while you're standing up.

Training Concepts:

• Start from the beginning, of course, without a voice cue
• Get the basic stuff good before you ask for more.

• present the item to be touched, C/T, then remove item (palm in the case) and re-present for next touch
• next step will be to reposition the treat bag OOS or at your side

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: COME

Come Level 1

Step 1: The dog looks for treats at your feet

Step 2: The dog runs between 2 people standing 10 feet apart
Training Concepts:

• Chutes & Ladders
• gradually moving further apart until dog makes a mistake; then "bungee" back close where the dog understands the game again and begin moving apart again
• "If you get too far apart for her to be successful, go IMMEDIATELY back to your original distance and start again"
• Breaking eye contact
• "While Allan is caling the dog, Bob is looking up at the ceiling.  Why?  Because even an untrained dog has difficulty moving away from a person who's staring at her."
• "The plan isn't to see how fast you can get her to do the behaviour, but to make sure she understands each bit of the behaviour before she moves on to the next bit."

Step 1

Step 3:  "When the dog figures out the Game, she'll eat Allan's treat and spin to run to get Bob's treat.  NOW she understands!  Now she's VOLUNTEERING to run back and forth between you, without waiting for you to call her."
Training Concepts:

• "This is a HUGE step in her training!"
• "She has realized that SHE controls what happens next."
• "SHE makes the next move.  HUGE!"

Step 3c: The Come Game
Training Concepts:

• When and how to add the cue ... again!
• "NOW you can start telling her what the behaviour is called.  As she's turning to come to the next treat, call out Binkie or Come or C'mon whatever you've decided to use."

Re-teaching the behavior in a new environment with greater distractions

Training Concepts:

• All of the obvious distractions: grass, wind, a dog run with all its smells, the ocean and .... the biggest distraction of all .... Phil (who was handling the video camera)
• We begin by dropping the cue, using "Pupper! Pupper!" and we begin close together.
• Lily is In the Game and Lily understands The Come Game, so we add the cue as Lily is committed to coming and use Chutes and Ladders to add distance.

Cold Test Come Level 1 Step 3
Training Concepts:

• How to test a behavior
• "A real test is to see if you've taught her the behaviour to the point where you can actually get her to give it to you "cold" - when you weren't just practicing it.
• "Test behaviours on days when you were NOT teaching them."

Step 3 Comeafter: Shape the collar touch with her standing in front of you.  When you can touch the collar while she remains calm, check it off!

Level 1 Trainer Level 7 Dog: ZEN

Zen L1

"All together now - shhh!"

NOTE: Because Lily already knows this behavior, the trainer is working with a very high value treat to challenge Lily's self control in this situation.  For the novice trainer it simulates a dog with little or no training; for Lily it challenges her ability to demonstrate self control in the presence of a high distraction.  Win/Win for everyone.

• Step 1:  The dog moves off a treat held in your hand.  You are seated.
• Training Concepts:
• when to click
• "What you click is what you get"
• timing of treat delivery

• Training Concept:  When and how to add the Cue
• Present your closed fist with the treat inside
• Wait until the dog starts to move her nose away from your hand
• You say "No"
• You click and drop the treat

Mary Jane gives the "No" cue softly and quietly, building a good habit for herself and teaching Lily that "No" is just another cue, not a correction or an admonition.  GREAT JOB, MJ!!!

• Step 1 Comeafter
• Reteach the behavior in a different circumstance (This time the trainer is standing.)
• Training Concepts:
• Reteach, Remind, Review
• Generalization
• "When you change anything about the behavior, make everything else easier"
• Reteach from the beginning

• Step 2: The dog stays away from the treat in your closed fist for 5 seconds
• Training Concepts:
• Introducing the concept of Chutes & Ladders to add Duration
• Teaching something new, so we drop the cue

Cold Testing Step 2

Training Concepts:  Testing the behaviour "cold"

Step 2 Comeafters:  Reteach in a different circumstance
Training Concepts:

• the explanation is clearer from the dogs POV if you either drop the treat for her to get or if you give the treat from the opposite hand rather than "No you can't have it"/"Now you can have it"

Step 3: The dog stays away from the treat in your OPEN hand for 5 seconds
Training Concepts:

• Chutes & Ladders
• Building Duration - one second at a time.
• "See," you're saying.  "Zen works whether you can see the treat or not!  No treat until you hear the click!"
• When she's got the whole idea and she can stay away from your open hand for 5 whole seconds, THEN you put your cue back on the behavior

Step 3 Comeafter:  It's time to find someone else to teach your dog about hand Zen.

Training Concepts:

• In order to teach, you must first understand
• Break your explanation into tiny Splits (criteria)
• Explain "step by tiny step"

MJ explains Step 1
(Lily searches the Oriental carpet to find the treats)

PROBLEM - She backs off immediately - but she always bops my hand first!

She's built her first behaviour chain: bump, back off, hear click, get treat!
NOT what we were looking for, though!

(See p.   )

Chutes and Ladders to Add Duration

• With your fist in front of her nose you silently cout to ONE, click and drop the treat.  Reload.
• Present your fist with the treat in it.  She moves off it.  Silently count ONE TWO, click and drop the treat.  Reload.
• Every time she successfully stays away from your hand, she gets the click and treat, but the next time you add one more second to the count.

Re-teaching Open Hand Zen

Training Concept:

• Phil is a master at delivering the cue quietly.

Chutes and Ladders to Add Duration to Open Hand Zen

Training Concept:

• You're probably counting faster and faster as the time gets longer.  Don't shortchange the training already - this is the foundation of EVERYTHING you're going to teach her later.
• The more different ways you teach your dog something, the better she'll be at it.
• When she shows you that she understands, put your cue back on.  Until then, let the clicker communicate.

Deja vu All Over Again

Came across this on Youtube.  It's been a long time since I last watched it.

NW: Revisiting extended chin alert

Saturday, when doing interior searches using a red NW plastic box, on one occasion Lily picked up the box and retrieved it.  So today we worked primarily RRRing the extended chin/nose indicating alert behavior.

Yesterday we reviewed the behavior using the NW box.  Today we went smaller, beginning with a single scent pot.  The odor (Cleary Sage) is in the small tin and the tin is placed inside of the scent pot.

Session 1:  Chin alert to the scent pot w/o picking it up

• 5 reps each location
• on the hearth
• on the floor
• on the coffee table
• we did another session on the floor under the coffee table but, once again, the white chair blocked video

Session 2:  Chin alert to the tin w/o picking it up

• 5 reps each location
• on the hearth
• on the floor
• on the coffee table
• under the coffee table (not seen)
• in this location Lily put her teeth on the tin (easily heard) and twice picked it up and moved it a small bit
• so we worked longer on not moving the tin

Session 3:  Explaining how to indicate when the cone is placed over the scent pot (Lily watches me place the cone over the scent pot)

• more than 5 reps
• we bungee back to the tin alone to clarify the explanation
• explaining that she is to chin/nose indicate w/o moving the cone to get to the scent pot

Session 4:  Another session explaining to indicate the cone when the odor comes from within/under

Session 5:  Reviewing indicating on the tin w/o picking it up

• 5 reps
• on the hearth

Session 6:  Hiding the tin under the tambourine

• showing Lily the hide
• accepting a chin indicator on the tambouring OR
• a nose indicator in front of the tambourine this time around
• gave Lily permission to step on the hearth in order to indicate on the tambourine
• "Reward at the Source" helps the explanation

Session 7:  Indicating the tin under the tambourine

• First, 5 reps of chin target on the tin alone
• Then 10 reps indicating the tambourine
• getting more chin indications this time

Session 8:  Chin indicators

• 5 reps on the tin alone: 100%
• 5 reps on the tambouring: 100 %
• Lily watched as I placed the tambourine over the tin

Session 9:  Review of Chin Indicator w/o Picking It Up

Level 6 Sit - Reteaching OTR

Today is Saturday.  We spent 30 minutes at the Base Hospital reviewing and reteaching Level 6 Sit.

The Pharmacy was closed and the waiting room (carpeted) was empty.  So that is where we worked.  This is the only area in the hospital with a carpeted floor.

Tuck and Side beside the seats.  First at the end of the aisles.  Then in smaller spaces in the center of the aisles.

First off leash.  Then with the leash on.  As Sue frequently points out, many behaviors need to actually be trained both ways.

Tuck Under my seat while I am seated.  First in the front row.  It is more difficult when we have seats in front of us.  This video lets me see how Lily is situated, something I can't see when doing this behavior in real time.

Using Lily's "place" mat, we practiced GTM under the seat in front of me.  The space under the chair is fairly similar to that of an airline seat, but the distance between my seat and hers is greater (picture of knee indicates)

Then we walked through the multiple lobbies to the Lab waiting room, which was empty as well.  The Lab was closed.  This is the area where we usually work and where we often come to sit quietly.  The tile floor is highly polished.

Does Lily think this is fun?  No, not really, but she likes to be with me and that alone, to Lily, is a good thing. Lily is much more comfortable in the hospital (and in the Lab) after coming here often for frequent, short visits.  No drooling today.

By the time we finally returned home after shopping the Commissary and the Exchange and a quick trip to the vet for meds, Lily called it a day.

NW: Interior Searches

ODOR:  Cleary Sage
CRITERIA: Search on ground and at nose height
CRITERIA: Search for visible, partially visible and hidden scent targets


NOTE: While I am setting up the search, Lily is left in the family room on a "Wait".

Search 1

• scent is in plastic box; box is under the skirt of the white chair
• hidden object, object on the ground
• because of Lily's exuberance, next search I will bring her into the search area instead of giving her a 30' head start
• my body position and the direction that I face influences where Lily searches
• when I faced the living room, Lily extended her search into the living room
• when I faced the family room, Lily kept her search in the dining room
• need more work on her indicate behavior (nose/chin resting on object)
• in the warm up exercises Lily used her paw to "get to" a hidden object

Search 2

• scent in plastic box, box in magazine basket (visible)
• searching object off of the ground
• searching object visible but not obvious
• this is a repeat search with the scent in this location
• I didn't catch the first basket search on video
• so this is not a good example of a search because Lily had just found the scent in this location

NOTE:  For subsequent interior searches Lily is wearing her collar with a short, lightweight 2' leash.  I lead her to the search site and remove the leash before releasing her to search with the cue "Which one?"

Search 3

• scent in plastic box, box hidden under a mat in a pile of mats
• target off the ground, hidden
• Lily caught the odor as she walked over the stack of mats
• she actually caused a mat to slide and reveal the plastic box

Search 4

• scent in same plastic box, box visible but not easily seen, placed behind a stack of books on the hearth
• target at nose height
• I liked that she got up on her rear legs to indicate the target

Search 5

• target in same plastic box, partially hidden under the bench cover
• target scent at nose height
• first time that Lily picked up the box to retrieve it
• we need to review the indicator behavior separately

Search 6

• scent in same box, box underneath the white coffee table
• target on ground, hidden

OBSERVATIONS:

• work on indicate behavior (extended nose or chin on target)
• bring out Scent Pots to eliminate pawing and retrieving
• extend duration of indicate behavior
• stay at target for reward
• "Reward at the source"
• Lily is readily switching from visible to hidden and between ground and nose height placement
• her first circle of the room appears to be visual and then she turns on her nose

Another exciting morning!

Random Car Inspection

on Base

Lily got a Pat Down

and

met a new friend!

Well, they didn't meet but they gave each other the once over!  When they randomly stopped my car they weren't expecting a vested service dog to be inside!

Who was it that said,

"Expect the unexpected!"

An exciting visit!

      

We were visited by a truckful of firemen in full hazard gear this morning ...  following up a possible gas leak in the neighborhood.  They were even carrying axes!

Lily had been well socialized to firemen, but never so many at once and never dressed like this. She made lots of new friends.

                 

Teaching Lily to Pull for Counter Balance: 2,3

Had a long training discussion with Robin this morning which has led me to the next steps in the Pulling lessons.

• with Lily parallel to my body, give the exact amt of pressure to the handle that will be my final desired pressure before luring her forward
• put desired backward pull on the handle and then lure a step or two forward
• drop lure and replace with hand direction or target

Robin's Jonathan will spend the majority of his time in harness pulling.

Lily will only pull occasionally. 

Robin uses the verbal cue, "Forward".

I will want the pressure on the chest to be the cue.  So then, why did I introduce a verbal cue?  And at the wrong time, too?  Thankfully I didn't break my dog, but will not give a verbal cue in our next session.

Reviewing the ECB Chain: Day 4

Tonight we worked out way up the stairs, going to the left at the landing, which was a problem for Lily the last time we worked upstairs/downstairs.

Lily had already brought me the dedicated phone from the bedroom and I was carrying it with us.  Perhaps that was the reason that she never once got distracted at the landing and went directly to the call box every time she was cued.

With the exception of when we got to the office.  First I sat on the stool at the office doorway.  But when I moved into the office, Lily was unsure of where she was headed after leaving the office and in the hallway outside the door.  It required multiple cues to get her mind in gear.

Lily has no difficulty heading back to me (and to the treat!) after activating the call box.

Lily remembered the Down with duration upon return.

Cool outing

Hot in the rest of the state and the country, but cold and overcast here in Coronado today.

Lily and I have just returned from our adventures out and about:

• Tartine's to p/u lunch ordered earlier for take out
• we parked in a parking lot half and block away and walked down an alley to get to Tartine's, practicing some of Sophia Yin's Heeling Patterns along the way
• http://import3steps.blogspot.com/2013/06/heeling-patterns.html
• quick shopping at Boney's
• to the Navy Lodge to check on availability of cottages later in the month
• Rite Aid to pick up meds
• tiny Wag n Tails for dental chews
• this is always a challenge, due to the close quarters (it's a very small shop) and often there are other dogs altho none today
• Scootering around the block (we're taking it slow and easy; first scootering trip since Lily lost her toe)
• the Bowling Alley ATM for cash for the weekend

The "No Parking" signs have been set out all along First and on F Ave from First - Third in preparation for the gathering of entries for the 4th of July parade.

It's going to be a festive, yet crowded, holiday weekend on Coronado.

Lily and I will be prepared!

Reviewing L6 Sit - 2 weeks later

http://import3steps.blogspot.com/2013/06/reviewing-l6-sit.html


I think we are ready to re-teach this On the Road.  The best place will be the Base Infirmary.

Sit: Level 6 
Steps to Service

Sit down on a chair with straight legs,.  Put your feet on the outside of their respective chair legs, and cue the dog to swing under the chair.
The dog can also back under the chair NEXT to yours, to the left and also to the right.
My cue for this behavior is "Tuck Under" or "Side Under".

July 3, 2013
.....the next day, at the Base Hospital.

List everything that is different:

• on leash instead of off leash
• shiny, slippery tile floor instead of carpet
• real life distractions
• floor polisher had been going back and forth to our left
• tv
• people coming and going
• across from the hospital Lab

We spent 10 minutes just adjusting to the environment.  Lily would easily do Level 1 behaviors - Sit, Down, Touch and Zen.  

Shortly after Session 1 a sailor began walking through the waiting room bouncing a tennis ball.  Lily isn't a "ball" girl, so it wasn't an issue......but, for many dogs, it would have been a total surprise - in a hospital, no less!!!

Teaching Lily to Pull for Counter Balance 1

Lazy Leash: Level 2: Step 1........but in reverse.

Instead of teaching Lily to move into leash or harness pressure, this time I am explaining to Lily that when the pressure comes from the handle and is felt on her chest (see construction of the Web Master harness) she is to resist the pressure.

I am working with Robin Walters on this new behavior.  This is the way she teaches her Guide Dogs to work in their guiding harness.

QUESTION: Am I applying too much pressure?  This is an important consideration because the next step is for Lily to step forward while the pressure is being applied.

Reviewing the ECB Chain: Day 3

Today we worked on activating the call box with the verbal cue given while I was seated and Lily was to then return and lie down.

No videos.

Successful from everywhere in the house, upstairs or down.

Outdoors the front door and the family room doors were open.  We began with me seated on the patio furniture in the courtyard.  Several pieces of furniture and facing different directions.  Successfully done.

Then I began moving through the front courtyard, by the front gate, gradually working my way toward the front door.  When I reached the small wooden bench, Lily left me and ran through the front door through the house and out the family room door, returned to me and lay down.  Beautiful work.....except that she forgot to activate the call box on the trip!

Here is where we stopped and made things easier, sending her from the front door to "call".  And sending her from the family room door to "call"

This is where we will remain, gradually adding distance from each location until Lily remembers that the click occurs as she is whacking the call box with her paw.