Clean Run Magazine - June 2006 - 14

Last month, we focused on shaping head movements. Now, we will move to the
feet. We will concentrate on front-foot movements in this article, and on
back-foot movements in the next. Shaping foot movements will allow you to
hone your clicker training skills by requiring you to concentrate on
discrete, specific actions that often occur and change rapidly. Capturing
these movements will improve your timing and your ability to focus on a
target behavior. Some commonly taught front-foot movements include shake
hands, wave, give me 5, give me 10, and touching a variety of objects with
one or both feet.When training any of these behaviors, remember the general
shaping rules. Start in a distraction-free environment, only work for a
minute or so each time, and try to keep up a high rate of reinforcement in
your early sessions. Remember that splitters progress at a faster rate than
lumpers, so capture every little movement that leads in the correct
direction. Shape Up Your Training Program Shaping Front Foot Movements By
Deborah Jones, Ph.D., photos by Clean Run How to Begin If your dog is
experienced with shaping, he will Many owners teach their dogs to probably
be pretty quick to figure out that moving shake hands using a training his
front feet is the target behavior. To start, technique called modeling.
focus on one front foot and reinforce any Modeling is a hands-on movement
of it. Every time that foot moves, method in which you physically even
slightly, click and treat. It is usually move the dog into the desired
position. easiest for the trainer to see small movements Here, you would
pick up the dog's paw if the dog is sitting. When he's standing, depending
and shake it while telling him shake. While this on the dog's structure and
amount of coat, it can technique will usually work with lots and lots of be
hard to see tiny foot movements. You'll need repetition, it is the opposite
of what we are trying to to be accurate with your timing to catch your dog
accomplish with shaping. Modeling leads to a dog that picking up his foot,
rather than putting it back on the floor. is passive and waits to be shown
what to do. Shaping, Once your dog is regularly picking up his foot, then
you can on the other hand, leads to a thinking, active dog, which is
decide how you want to mold this initial behavior. exactly what we are
trying to encourage. The Wave Teaching your dog to wave hold his foot up
high and perhaps dog does not meet the duration requirement, do nothing.
Often, dogs will offer more when they discover that their last even make
small movements with it is a good first exercise. In effort did not earn
reinforcement. If your dog starts offering teaching a wave you will have
separate criteria for how high your other behaviors, or does little to
nothing, go back to reinforcing dog lifts his paw and for how long he
holds it up. Work on the at an easier level before increasing your
criteria again. You need height requirement first. Watch how high your dog
normally lifts to decide your ultimate duration criteria for holding the
wave, his foot, and reinforce anything at that level or higher. Lower foot
but 5-10 seconds is common. raises do not earn reinforcement any longer.
Once most of your dog's efforts are above the average, raise your criteria
slightly. Keep Once your dog is regularly raising his paw to your required
height in mind your dog's physical limitations; he can't raise his paw
over and holding it for the desired duration, you can attach a cue. There
his head! When your dog is regularly successful at one level, he are some
cute possibilities such as say hello or say goodbye. You is ready for you
to raise the bar a bit higher. Once you have the might decide to use a
hand movement as a cue, such as waving height of the foot raise, then you
can work on duration. You now yourself. At first, add the cue as your dog
begins to perform the want your dog to hold his foot at the desired height
for increasing behavior. Your goal is to move the cue forward so it occurs
just amounts of time. As with any criteria, raise your requirement for
before the behavior. Make sure you get plenty of repetitions of duration
slowly and systematically. Reinforce after one second attaching the cue to
the action before you expect the cue to actually elicit or cause the
behavior. of duration for a few repetitions, then go to two seconds. If
your | 14 Clean Run June 06
Clean Run Magazine - June 2006

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