This morning Luna demonstrated the ultimate understanding of the back up as an operant behavior; my parents always dole out bits of egg, cheese and meat from the breakfast table. Luna, thinking about how to get those goodies fastest, looked at my mom for a moment and then, very deliberately, BACKED UP!!! How cool is that?!!
After our morning walk we worked again on backing up on cue for a game of tug. I did 5 C/T's with kibble, just to get the behavior and remind her again of the word that goes with the movement. Then I took a ball-on-a-string and cued a back up. Two wobbly reps, and then she got it and backed up smoothly for the ball.
Time to find a bit more space so she could back up further without bumping into things. We went into the street, where we might see CATS. Luna didn't care. The first try was spot on; I said 'Back!' and off she went. On that first rep I always take the first two correct steps, just to make sure she doesn't give up. After that I got 4 steps, 5 steps, and even a double back up when I didn't click when she expected it; instead of quitting, she stood for a moment and then she just backed up 3 more steps!!!
Yes, I think I can safely say that we're making good progress!
Showing posts with label Non-food reinforcers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-food reinforcers. Show all posts
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Back Up: Adding Cue & Ball Reward
We've spent 3 sessions now on adding the cue to the back up. She goes between 3 and 5 steps reliably, and I don't really see the point in adding more steps. We might do that sometime, but for now I'm happy with this. She clearly understands what the behavior is (walk backwards), and that's enough for now. We can work on duration/distance when we feel like it.
Our back up setup is basically the same as the solo Come Game; I toss a treat out ahead of me, when she turns back I drop one between my feet, she eats it and she backs up. I add the cue when she finishes the treat between my feet. X15, and then I 'test' her understanding by switching to a ball instead of treats. I taught Luna a default down-when-someone-holds-a-ball, so now she has to really think about what I'm saying; skip the down, just do the back up. The first few reps are a mix of both. She downs and then backs up. I click the first 2 steps and we play tug with the ball. After 3 reps she's got it and I get a nice, clean back up of about 4 steps consistently!
I suspect we'll do a few more Remind, Review, Reteach sessions before she can do it 'cold' for the ball, but her understanding of the cue is definitely growing. She backs up faster and further WITH the cue than without it.
Our back up setup is basically the same as the solo Come Game; I toss a treat out ahead of me, when she turns back I drop one between my feet, she eats it and she backs up. I add the cue when she finishes the treat between my feet. X15, and then I 'test' her understanding by switching to a ball instead of treats. I taught Luna a default down-when-someone-holds-a-ball, so now she has to really think about what I'm saying; skip the down, just do the back up. The first few reps are a mix of both. She downs and then backs up. I click the first 2 steps and we play tug with the ball. After 3 reps she's got it and I get a nice, clean back up of about 4 steps consistently!
I suspect we'll do a few more Remind, Review, Reteach sessions before she can do it 'cold' for the ball, but her understanding of the cue is definitely growing. She backs up faster and further WITH the cue than without it.
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