Learning by Inches

I am writing this as a memo to myself!

Right now Lily and I are working on two behaviors that are related (and opposite) to behaviors that Lily knows quite well - loose leash vs a controlled pull and nose targeting vs shoulder targeting.

Teaching Lily that "this equipment" means this and "that equipment" means that.  (not pulling and pulling).  Going back to L2 Lazy Leash and beginning with that IMPORTANT Step 1.  Only now, applying the light pressure backwards on the vest and reward for the Opposition Reflex....very hard for Lily to understand.


Adding to Lily's understanding of targeting - she understands the difference between targeting with her nose and targeting with her paw.  Now I want her to use her shoulder to target as well.  Adding to the complexity of this concept, she has been taught to nudge or "poke" my body with her nose as an alert behavior.

In the Body Awareness course that we are taking right now, last week's lesson was to teach the dog to target with the hip.  I declined to teach this behavior because I don't see a need for hip targeting in our lives.  Right now we are working on behaviors that we need or will actually use.

For me this is an exercise in slicing criteria to the slightest inclination in the direction of the goal.  Also, in addition to the BA lecture (Donna Hill) I went back to the Levels (I always go back to the Levels) to L1 Target and substitute the shoulder where we initially learned the nose target and the paw target.  See link below to work we did on the shoulder target in 2012)  LYNN:  Review those vids closely.

Pairing the training concepts between these 2 different behaviors into the tiniest of slices in my mind helps me to remember to aim for tiny successes.

Shoulder Targeting: Day 1

Introduced the idea to Lily by touching her shoulder w/my hand; C/T.

By the time I moved to her right side, she quickly began moving into my hand.  We had worked on a shoulder target earlier (http://import3steps.blogspot.com/search/label/shoulder%20target) but began while standing with Lily in heel position.

Shoulder Targeting: Day 2


 Reviewed yesterday's criteria, but in this set, held my hand less than an inch away from her shoulder.  I C/T for the slightest contact of Lily's shoulder to my hand.

 

Left Side

Again, Lily seems stronger on this side.  Muscle memory?  Not only is she moving to touch with her
shoulder, she is leaning in to my hand.  It didn't seem to matter to Lily which way I held my hand.

Right Side

Shoulder Targeting: Day 3

Targeting wooden spoon with shoulder.  Beginning at the beginning - I am placing the spoon on Lily's shoulder, but she quickly understands and both leans into the spoon and steps to place her shoulder on the target spoon.

)

I prefer using the spoon to using my hand.  We will work on this a while longer; then we will
introduce two-fers as we go toward a "bump".  I plan on using this behavior to have Lily open and close doors for me.  I imagine the cue to be a verbal one.  Door or Lean on the Door.  But we shall
see.

BTW, the above 4 videos were the total time spent training.

Two-fers
Unfilmed quick sessions this afternoon.  Two-fers hugely successful on Lily's right side producing both force and duration.  Needed to go back to the beginning on the left side, however!!!

Latent learning
Lily was obviously thinking about it overnight, because when we did a brief review this morning I was getting immediate contact and a bit of duration - perhaps two or three seconds.

Adding the cue
Added the cue the usual way and sometime during the 10 reps on each side, was able to give the cue "Bump" prior to presenting the spoon.  I need to rethink this, tho.  I haven't solidified my long term use of the behavior well enough yet to be adding a cue.  Lumper!!!