Clean Run Magazine - October 2006 - 45

Going through circles, this month's shaping exercise, definitely has direct
applications to agility training. Both tire and tunnel performances are
simply variations of going through a circle. Dogs seem to pick up on this
behavior very quickly and circle training can be started with young
puppies. Leave out the step of raising the height of the circle tire ,
however, until the puppy is full-grown. As always, prepare for your
shaping training by having a quantity of small treats, your clicker, and a
quiet distraction- free setting. And remember, shorter sessions lead to
faster learning. Sessions of a minute or less are ideal. Shape Up Your
Training Program Going Through Circles By Deborah Jones, Ph.D., the hoop.
While this may work for bolder Go Through a Hula Hoop dogs with more
shaping experience, We begin our circle shaping with a hula it may be too
high an expectation for hoop. Hula hoops are cheap, easy to find newer,
less confident, or younger dogs. in toy stores, and come in a number of
Reinforcing interest and interaction with different sizes. Be sure that
your hoop is the object gets your dog invested in the large enough for
your dog to fit through game you are offering. easily. Hold the hoop in
one hand while Once your dog is investigating and holding the clicker in
the other, have a interacting with the object, you can click helper hold
the hoop, or duct tape it to him for being close to it and then offer a
set of jump standards which will keep the treat from the opposite side of
the both hands free to click and treat . You hoop so he has to stick his
head through want to be sure that the hoop is stable and the hoop to take
it. Don't lure your dog will not fall on your dog both while he through
the hoop with the treat; simply interacts with it and when he eventually
offer it so your dog must stick his nose goes through it. through. Switch
both the side of the hoop Stand close to the hoop, slightly to one you are
on and the side the dog is on in side, and click and treat c/t your dog
different shaping sessions. for looking in the direction of the hoop. If
your progression is going well to this Continue shaping your dog to
approach point, your dog is likely to be sticking and investigate the hoop
while you click his head through the hoop and waiting and treat for closer
approaches and for you to click and offer the treat. You more interaction.
Your initial target might try delaying the click slightly to see behavior
is showing interest in the hoop what your dog will offer next. Most dogs,
and moving toward it. Your next target when they don't get an expected
click, do behavior is actual interaction with the something more or offer
a behavior at a hoop, touching with the nose or paw, higher intensity.
Your dog may push his for example. Keep up a high rate of reinforcement
for interacting with the head further through the hoop, or even hoop in
these early stages. Remember, put a foot through. Be ready to click and
proper placement of the treat can speed treat this behavior. As your dog
offers up shaping quite a bit, so feed your dog more, you can click the
behavior and then close to the hoop. offer the treat farther and farther
away from the hoop opening, encouraging Many people begin shaping with the
your dog to go all the way through the initial target behavior of going
through COURTESY OF DEBORA H JONES | October 06 Clean Run 45
Clean Run Magazine - October 2006

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