Emergency Phone Retrieve Update

2 weeks of Latent Learning on this behavior.  Wendi reported working it with Lily doing basic introductory Retrieve L3: taking the handle, holding, releasing.

This first week home, the phone has been replaced on the cradle and we have begun re-teaching, reminding, reviewing in the bedroom, with a 2 foot retrieve on cue from the cradle.

Yesterday Lily retrieved the emergency phone uncued to me in the bedroom.  I took the phone and thanked her, but no click, no reward.  Later in the day, we began retrieving on cue from locations in the bedroom and bathroom.  Prompt response;  phone held by handle.

Then I went to far and asked too much.  On a whim, when standing at the bottom of the stairs, I asked Lily for the "Phone".  From downstairs she did not understand the cue.

Then we stood together on the landing.  When I turned and faced the bedroom stairs, she understood; ran up the stairs; went directly to the phone in cradle and brought it to me......phone held in her mouth.

So I have learned an important lesson here.

We will return to the bedroom; add Distance to this behavior one run at a time.

What was I thinking?

Re-teaching ON THE ROAD

Training ON THE ROAD. "Explaining" basic behaviors in new places by re-teaching the behavior, adding Distance, adding Duration. Controlling the environment as much as possible. Learning to focus with different Distractions.

On the Amphib base

At Home Depot