Trick of the Week: Cross your paws!

[k9krazee]

Crossbone is getting it way better than I envisioned! I am recording snippets and will compile it at the end of the week.

I started with shaping, but he kept running to his crate (to wait for the 'okay'!--a sure way to get treats) so I started having him put his paw in my hand but that led to pouncing on me & scratching me up and thinkin that he always has to be touching me. Started using a small piece of cardboard as a target & we're making progress!!!!

[sassafras]

This doesn't really do it justice, from the front it's a million times cuter, but here is the best I could capture Maisy's little front foot tippy-taps. Now that she sort of has the idea, I just have to refine what I'm rewarding.

I have to say, out of all of them she seems to be the best at figuring out exactly what you are rewarding, although she offers the fewest behaviors once you click something she just zeroes in on it like a rocket. I'm imagining her thinking "You mean... this? Really? Move my front feet? Okaaaaay."

And if you notice her body swaying a bit... it's because she wags her tail the whole time, LOL.




And here is Squash.... flopping. I have no idea what I was marking and treating there at the end. I think his paws touched and I was desperately trying to reward ANY paw movement. So I probably just encouraged his flopping. *shakes fist*

[Finkie_Mom]

Oh come on, now! Fleetwood is a show off!! Nah, just kidding - that's amazing. He's so adorable <3

Juno is looking great!!! She's so cute.

OMG Maisy. I love her foot taps. And Squash is just hilarious. At all times.

[sassafras]

Since we got all the snows today, we've been working on this off and on throughout the day. The boys are improving! They seem to be getting that I want the paws moving towards each other.

[Finkie_Mom]

OMG Squash and Pip are so good!! They are really getting it

So far I've gotten Kimma targeting the object I'm using in a down with only her one paw. Tomorrow I will start moving the target over towards her other paw. We shall see how it goes.

[skKi]

Pit is a hopeless spazzoid when it comes to training something that requires finesse or control. So far we're at the point where he will cross his left paw over his right paw and touch a target, but will simultaneously throw his right arm out from underneath and reach farther to the right coupled with a sideways body shimmy. As a result of this super-arm-body-flail, I've got a dog that paw crosses his way around in a circle and never really accomplishes an actual paw cross

Methinks we won't get this one for a while!

[skKi]

I decided to switch to using my hand as a target and putting Pit on a bed to help keep him somewhat stationary. He still has a hard time keeping his right arm still. True to his style, he loses his brain when I don't click when he moves the arm I don't want him to move. CALM DOWN, DOG.

[k9krazee]

Pip & Squash are looking good!

And I laughed so hard at Pit's video!

[GoingNowhere]

from a while ago:

Learning:



After she had it down a little better:

[sassafras]

Squash today: "I have... FRONT paws? And I can... MOVE them?" *boggle*



sigh