Teaching Annie a "chin rest". This skill will be the foundation for multiple more complex behaviors later, so it's very important.
Step 1) In the beginning I reach out and put my palm under her chin, then give the cue "chin". I hold that position for a few seconds then release with "ok" and reward.
Step 2) Next, you'll hold the chin for longer and longer periods of time. The goal is for the dog to rest their chin in your hand until they're released, regardless of how long, BUT, it should always be a reasonable amount of time. 30 seconds is a good target.
Step 3) The other piece is to shape this from you gently grabbing their chin to the dog putting their chin in your palm on command. Do this by holding your palm under her chin but not touching. Give the cue "chin" and wait for up to 10 seconds. If they don't put their chin in your palm within 10 seconds, go back to step 2 and practice more.
Finish) The ultimate goal looks like this. Hold your hand out, palm up, and say "chin". The dog places their chin in your palm and holds that position until released with "ok" and a reward. Later we'll use this to direct the dog to place their chin in various locations. Paula Joy
Holly McCall this was the last thing we practiced before Buddy went home. He knows how to do it, we were working on finishing step 2 and starting step 3.
I'm teaching Annie to walk closer to me on command. When operating in a tight, busy place with a service dog often you're squeezing through and this skill helps her maneuver and also helps keep her focused. Paula Joy
Holly McCall Jovi & Buddy can also use this.
I'm holding the leash behind my back, then using the leash to pull her closer to me, using the cue "closer". When we're past the congested spot I give her the release cue "ok" and reward her. Very simple to teach, but you must be clear about what you're doing, meaning the dog knows exactly what you're asking for and what they're being rewarded for. Great to practice in any store!
If your dog doesn't walk like this on a leash, they can! The only difference between Annie and your dog is some training and very importantly, lots of practice.
Paula Joy we've gotta discuss these shoes. People have laughed at me all day. They were kind, but still laughed at me and my white Poodle-looking frufru dog in pink shoes. 😂🤪🤷🏻♂️
Merlin got an ice cream cup when he rode with me to drop Buddy off.
Merlin got an ice cream cup when he rode with me to drop Buddy off.
Merlin & I are doing parking lot work today. He barks at people who are walking around the parking lot, so I'm using "Look at That" (LAT) to change this behavior. I watch for him to notice someone, then I say "look at that". That triggers him to look at me, and he gets a treat. This creates a "conditioned emotional response" (CER) to seeing people walking around outside the car. Right now his response is to bark fairly aggressively. The new response to seeing people walking around will be to look at me for a treat.
The ultimate goal is for him to be in control of his emotional response to this trigger. The end state will be him seeing this trigger and having the ability to look away from it instead of reacting aggressively.
Lots of trainers use a shock collar for this. They sit and wait for the dog to bark at someone, then they zap the dog with the shock collar each time they bark. Which method do you think creates the better learning opportunity.
Getting the desired result is important, but HOW you get that result is more important. Just because you correct a problem doesn't mean you did it properly in a kind and ethical way. Mary Carson
