Yes, I determined to teach Sonic the "stack" trick. I didn't work with him anymore yesterday after he keeps jumping IN the box :) Little break is always a good break through.
Today, although my mind is very tired and exhausted (no sleep last night!) but I know working/interacting with my shelties always cheer me up. I always have the energy for them, regardless what :) My shelties are my motivation!
I love this "stack" trick, I think it is not an easy trick to teach, it involved a lot of little movements put together. Believe it or not, both Sing and Sonic have a "bad" habit that not bringing the ball back onto my hand. Well, Sing is my first dog, so I have every reason and excuse not to be able to teach my dog properly. I never forget my very first two gurus, Paddy & Katia. They always reminded me to make sure Sing brings the ball back and PUT IT ONTO my hand. I have tried and Sing being a clever dog should be able to learn that but he is also a dog that is keen to run off for another ball if he brings the ball back to you. At one point, I thought I nearly got it but Colin (poor Colin being blamed for!) blew everything away! He let him bring the ball back and drop it on the floor, so he picked it up and chuck it. That's faster for Sing, that's according to Sing. All my hardwork got blown away too! Sigh ~ well, if I insisted, Sing will put onto my hand unwillingly :)
From then, I determined to teach all my dogs to fetch and bring the ball/toy back and give it to me onto my hand! Well, Sonic is another exception! Sigh ~ being Sing's son! Well, instead of dropping the ball in front of me, he "challenge" me to get the ball out of his mouth! How excited is that? I have been working on that indoor, in the evenings, to get him to fetch and bring it back and put in onto my hand. I never get very far! I guess I am a failure!
So, with this "stack" trick, I decided I will break that down to 2 parts; first to get him to bring the tupperware and GIVE it to me; secondly, fade my hand away, so that he drops the tupperware into the bigger one. Sonic is a very clever boy, he certainly has his daddy's brain but he is an angry puppy. He likes to know he does thing right quickly. If I delay my click and wait for the right behaviour, he will get very angry and gently grrr at me! Very funny and cute!
I spent the first 5 minutes to get him to give me the tupperware, in this video, I have edited and cut most of the fetch into my hand process. As you can see, I gradually faded my hand and he seems to get the idea of dropping the smaller tupperware into the bigger one. After that, I have tried again for a few times and he got it straightaway, so that is not a fluke. WooHoo!
6 comments:
Eva was so interested in your clicker sound so I carried her and she watched Sonic soooo intently! Maybe she learnt something? But I doubt it! When she sees treat, she won't pick up anything with her mouth!!! She can't even 'bring her toy' which she knows very well. Sob how to teach her this :((((
What a clever boy, must try this trick with his sister some time! Skye is very similar to Sonic when it comes to bringing back the toy. She challenges me too and wants to turn the handing over into a game of tug!
Clever boy! K heard the clicker, ears up looking up me LOL!
Your dogs are so clever and are such quick learners. Way to go, Sonic!
Lexi is very much like Eva. She only wants the treat, not the toy.
Clever indeed! Love it!
That was a good way to teach that trick. I taught it by putting the treat in the bowl as the reward. So when she first picked up the first bowl, I reward with putting the treat in the second bowl. They finally figure it out. Im not sure how, but thats what someone told me to do to teach the trick. Your way looked faster.
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