January MDSA Workshop - Part One

The topic in this month's MDSA workshop is lure vs. reward.  The first exercise was to work on doggy zen, but since it is something we work on every day, there wasn't much opportunity for me to work on my clicker skills with this exercise.  So after working Max, my elderly Airedale, on the balance disc, I decided to try shaping the Aussies to stand on it.  Both of the girls were able to both sit and stand on the disc.  Dusty got as far as standing on it during his session.  (The girls have a definite advantage though since I shaped both of them to ride a skate board when they were about a year old.)

I worked with Libby first, and it took her 2.5 minutes to give up on looking at me touch the disc!  However, once we finally got going, she was able to accomplish more on the disc than Belle or Dusty, both of whom were quick to interact with the disc initially.

   

Next, I worked with Belle.  The video footage was very illuminating for me.  Belle is the easiest of the Aussies to work with because she has always wanted to do the right thing.  Libby just wants to run the whole world and is easily distracted by what's going on around her.  Dusty wants to work with me, but can easily get too wound up to think.  Yet, Belle is the only one that I resorted to luring.  I think it is because she is trying so hard and just seems to need a clue about what I expect.  However, it is telling that I was able to progress further with Libby on this exercise (once she realized I was not rewarding eye contact) than with Belle.

  

Dusty was last.  When looking at me didn't get an immediate click, he looked at the disc.  It only took about 2.5 minutes to shape him from just looking at the disc to putting his back feet on it.  It took another minute and 15 seconds to shape a stand on the disc.


Lessons Learned: 

• I have to make sure I click (or say "yes") and then give the treat.  No movement with the treat until the click is complete.
• I don't give Belle a chance to work it out for herself.  I'm too quick to offer a lure or a prompt.  Probably because she tosses out behaviors so quickly.