Happy Train Your Dog Month everyone!
This is our first brand new trick for the New Year! On Tuesday we participated in a "Flash Trick" in the "Tricks and Training" group on facebook. One of the members chose a trick or two and we had 2 hours to train it and then post a video. The tricks they chose were "Get into the Suitcase" or "burrito" (roll yourself into a blanket). I chose "get into the suitcase" because I always wanted to train that trick and my dogs already know "burrito".
"Get into the Suitcase!"
We trained this by using shaping! Shaping is a method of getting behavior by marking tiny increments of behavior.
The first thing I did was present the dogs, one at a time, with an open suitcase. They are very familiar with shaping games so it actually ended up pretty easy for us to do. It only took me about 5 minutes to get Zoe completely into the suitcase with the lid shut on her. Phoenix took around 15 minutes because she was a little weirded out by the lid of the suitcase.
The shaping went as follows:
Look at the suitcase - click
Sniff suitcase - click
One front paw into suitcase - click
Two front paws into suitcase - click
Slight Lift of back foot towards suitcase - click
Back foot into suitcase -click
Both back feet into suitcase - click
Then I helped them out by giving them their "down" cue.
Rinse and Repeat.
After they had completely figured out what I wanted, I made it harder by closing the lid of the suitcase. They had to nudge it open with their nose without knocking it completely over and get in with the suitcase lid on top of them. This was definitely more challenging for them but they figured it out pretty quickly!
In the video you can see that I made a mistake. I asked Zoe for a down and she didn't follow the cue but I accidentally clicked her. She still got a treat for it. Any time you click, even if by accident, the dog always gets a treat. Zoe was having problems laying down in the suitcase because it's really too small for her and it's uncomfortable with two metal bars running across the back. When Zoe can't figure out how to place her body she will offer other known behaviors. In the video she offered her cross paws trick.
Also, Phoenix is whining because the cats were angry about being locked in the other room while we filmed it. You can hear Pandora scream in the video and it was bothering Phoenix.
Are you planning on training any new tricks this month?
That would be a good trick for cats...wait, they already know that trick instinctively! No plans for new tricks here, we don't do tricks much. You do look cute in the suitcase! We will stick our heads in suitcases to search in nose work, but that is about it.
ReplyDeleteEmma, tell your mom to join the Tricks and Training group on YT! She might find it inspiring and learning tricks is so fun!
DeleteI recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad you like it!
DeleteSo cute! I don't think my suitcase is big enough for Barley to actually lay down in it, but she loves to climb inside of it when I'm packing (possibly she learned this from her kitty brother). We have to work on commands to get her back out of it ;) I'm glad you had so much success teaching a new trick--we don't have any new ones picked out right now, but I'm sure we'll pick on once it's too cold for our normal length walks.
ReplyDeleteAwe, that's so cute her kitty brother taught her that! :D
DeleteThey are both amazing and what a cool trick!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteA suitcase? That looks like a fun box to play in.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very fun box to play in! ;)
DeleteThat is so freaking cute! This is one of Nola's favorites.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteThat is so cute! (My mom's dog used to get on the top of the suitcase - or the clothes in it if you hadn't closed it). She wasn't trained to do that - she just knew that suitcases meant you were leaving and she hated that.
ReplyDeleteAwe! That's so sweet! "Don't leave without me!"
DeleteOMD! I love that trick! Can you come down here and teach my two goofballs? BOL!
ReplyDeleteI totally would if I could! :D
DeleteHi hi hi! Ojo here! Oooh, that's pawesome! You guys are very clever!! Hurray for training games!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ojo! <3
DeletePAWsome trick, guys!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteYou trained them to do that within a two hour time span??? Considering it's taken me a year to train B on a couple of things, there's no way we could handle that type of time crunch! But it might be fun to learn for 2016!
ReplyDeleteYep! It was a "flash trick" so we only had 2 hours. It actually only took them about 15 minutes, though to really understand what I was asking and then we spent the rest of the time perfecting it. They play a lot of training games so they are quick to pick things up. :)
DeleteThat is so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :D
DeleteWhat fun for Zoe and Phoenix to be learning new tricks! I can't imagine my hound doing this and I don't even have a suitcase large enough for him. I will be watching your future tricks, though, and hope to learn some training tips from you all.
ReplyDeleteWay to go!!! That was impressive. You really know how to shape!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to teach my dogs to lie on their backs with their legs in the air. They both get to the point of lying on their sides. R then rolls all the way over, a trick he knows from the past. Shyla offers little once she's on her side. It's going to be a challenge! How would you train that trick?
Thank you!
DeleteFor lying on their backs, I would probably start them on something soft that supports their back, like the bed or a dog bed. Just so that they are as comfy as possible. Then I'd lure it and feed them in position. Possible help them out by supporting a leg and while I was there I'd probably give a lot of belly rubs. LOL! Then once they figured it out, I'd fade the lure but still feed in position. Then I'd put a cue on it.
I've sort of done this trick before but I didn't finish it.
What a fun game for them! My cats get in my suitcase, but I don't want them there.
ReplyDelete