L1 Target Step 4 CA

Interesting how relieving myself of training 'duties' always leads to training. :D Even more interesting that those unplanned sessions are way more successful than the ones where I decide I 'must' train something.

So tonight Luna and I did a nice short session on Target: L1S4 CA; "All previous Steps, now with dog's nose touching your foot." Absolutely BEAUTIFUL High Rate of Reinforcement and perfect rhythm; click - treat - eat treat - behavior - click - treat - eat treat - behavior etc.

Luna was calm, quiet, focused. Soft mouth when taking the treats. That alone was worth an A+.

I started by sitting on a stool, with one foot resting on my knee. She came towards me, I clicked when her face was near my foot, fed off to the side. Again, click when she accidentally moved towards my foot, treat off to the side. At first she sort of thought I was talking about her turtle laying on the ground under my foot, or maybe stepping to the right, but I just ignored those thoughts and kept on clicking as soon as her face was near my foot. Then the lightbulb went on and she started moving towards my foot on purpose. Clicks and treats for that. X20. Then her nose brushed my foot. C/T. And again. C/T. NOW she got it; she started really shoving my foot with her nose. OK, time to refine WHERE I want you to touch. A little longer between clicks and treats, a tiny whine, but then she found the sole of my foot and got a click, and off we were again. Finished after 6 consistent nose-pushes against the sole of my foot by putting her dinner dish down.

WHAT an AWESOME session.

Before we move on I will think of a good cue (was thinking of 'Bop', but of course it could just be 'Touch'...), review all the L1 Target Steps, and then see where we can go.

Where we are on L1.

Zen = default, no cue
Hand Target = hand signal only
Sit = "Assis" or hand signal
Down = "Down" or hand signal