RFE Practice (59)

Tomorrow is our next RFE practice - this report is for the one two weeks ago. So you can see how far behind I am. I'm done making Christmas presents, so should be able to keep up to date now.

My main goal for the day was to video our segment for our part in the current MDSA collaboration. We only needed 13 seconds, so it went fast and I was happy with the results. I still think I use my hands too much in a luring manner, but other people say my motions fit in with my "dancing", so I'm being too critical of myself. Here's Our MDSA video.

The collaboration, to Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree is done. You can see the whole thing - our part is the fourth segment.  I saw a couple of things I want to teach Gimme. They actually did two songs this time, so others danced to Two Step 'Round the Christmas Tree.   You'll need to use the password "paws" to access either of these videos. These videos are a collaboration of people and dogs of all skill levels.
Backward weaves video - I talked before about my idea to make a crooked channel of wire guides and then use a platform to give Gimme something to back to. I think this might be a possibility, especially after Gimme realized there was no reward for trying to "bacon" onto the guides. It helped when I stabilized them with 2x2 weaves. Since I'm done making Christmas presents I can reclaim my living room and set this up to practice - it'll take up almost all the available floor space.

"Can" work video - Remember she's been getting on and then going across it and then backing on, so my goal was to focus on mounting front feet first and then sticking it. I was using tossed treats to set her up for a front approach. I'm also trying to work on the position of her rear feet. She brings them too far forward (as if she expects to sit) making it hard to spin. I'm sure she hasn't outgrown it, since she was doing it last year and hasn't grown since then. I may need to use a larger prop to practice on. I should probably use a lower treat delivery, so she doesn't have her head so high, which leads to lowering her rump. I may very well end up using this prop for her "pivot" (CCW) and then use a larger prop for the spin. I find it interesting Gimme is so willing to "tivo" (clockwise pivot) on this prop, when we've barely done work on the behavior.

Dog-inside pivot video - I started out reinforcing being still on the brick - still trying to get Gimme to wait for cues instead of assuming what I should want. After a minute reinforcing stillness, then we are able to practice the dog-inside pivot. I'm going to have to make a brick from thin plywood and one of just sandpaper (which I can easily cut down to fade the brick if needed).

"Izzy" & "otto" video - "Otto" used to be the favorite of the back around behaviors, but it has deteriorated seriously with our efforts to learn backward weaves. We are still working on getting it back. Once she does it, then she can do it again. But the next time I ask for it in another session, we start over reminding her what I want. My plan is to use the guides and retrain it from the beginning.

"Away" video - Gimme doesn't act like she understands what I want here, though she's done it on cue before. I want to use our special bowl to give her something to focus on, so then we can get some duration I can reward. I was trying to use the tossed treats for the same purpose, but it seemed to make her more erratic. I also did some work with having her "wait" on the platform so I could move around her and name the different positions. Sometimes she needs a bit of reminder on what "wait" means. Clearly I need to put some money in the "wait" bank, since it used to be one of her strongest behaviors. I was having her back into "under" to see if it'd work, and it will. So will leave the idea for the time being, until we get the "away" solid.

Center-front pivot video - We just did this because we hadn't practiced it in awhile. Gimme does it nicely in both directions.

"Scoot" video - When I have her "down" in front of me, she immediately starts "scoot", so this is another area where I need to work with Gimme on waiting for the cue. I also want to have her go a bit further - so may try using one of the carpet squares as a target for her to go to.

It'll be interesting to see how it goes tomorrow, since Gimme is in her false pregnancy.  Cross your fingers...