Rewards and Reinforcements! - NO MORE EXCUSES!

I had agility class last night, and while I was in the midst of it, I was feeling pretty good about how Hemi was running. She was fast, focused, 2on2off contacts, great weaves, even did a nice lead out pivot to the tunnel, the third obstacle out and not in a straight line! Sounds great… right?

I did make a mental note, that she was as little sassier than the past classes. 

My first excuse was – “That is because we didn’t have class last week”, and second – “Oh I haven’t been practicing in the backyard quite as much due to the rain.” Third – “I haven’t thrown the ball for her enough to get the ya-ya’s out”….

I have a good 45 – 55 minute drive home to replay class – and when I started to replay I just wanted to kick myself!

Where was my reinforcement? Two places –at the start-line and at the finish line… What was I thinking? I did not once reward or reinforce during the runs!  2on2off – nope; weaves – no way; lead out pivots – not there either!  Holy Batman – no wonder she was sassing me! 

Class is class – training… and by definition is just that.  It isn’t a trial, it isn’t for having a perfect run – it is for training.  I had many opportunities to reinforce my young dog – to reinforce her that YES! That is right! YES! That was performance I wanted! YES! Great Lead out! YES! Weaves!   Ugghh… missed opportunities and too many excuses.

Driving home all I could hear was Laura Derrett: the little angel that popped up on my shoulder -- “REWARD! REWARD!” If there is anything I learned from those two seminars last year it was this:  When they perform exceptionally than REWARD!!!!! Instead I had that little devil saying “Run it out – complete it– she doesn’t need rewards – it’s more fun without those pesky interruptions!!”

I know that when we are in class, if I give her reinforcement – she runs much quieter! That should be a very clear indicator to me – REWARD!!

Lessons learned: Next week in training, have some clear goals and visuals of what I want to see from her – and REWARD IT!  Furthermore if she starts sassing me – I am going to stop, take a step back, and ask – “OK what is she not getting? What is she clearly trying to tell me?”  Go back a few obstacles – run again and ask myself – “Was that the goal? Was that what I visualized? Was it better than her average?” Then STOP and REWARD IT!! 

No more EXCUSES about bad behaviors!

From me or my dog! :o)

Is having fun a reinforcer to the dog?

This topic came up at the ORCA seminar as the panel question:

 Is the trainer having fun a reinforcer for the dog? 

I believe, with no data behind it - that the handler having fun is absolutely a reinforcer to the animal. But I also believe that a dog that is positively reinforced, therefore a "happy" dog (tail wagging, focused and with desire) is reinforcing to the TRAINER! And if you have both ends of the training having a good time, how could it be anything but successful?

"The science of dog training is important, I never allow that to be far from my mind but please don’t allow the science of “why” take away all of the joy you have when you train and live with your dog. Being aware of what is going on is the first step, then gradually replace those you don’t like with those you do. I can’t tell you how many times a day I laugh out loud because of something one of my dogs do, please don’t ever lose that."

 ~~ Susan Garrett  (http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2012/03/dont-forget-to-laugh/)

Well said Susan! How funny that she posted this in her blog after just hearing this question at the seminar??

In agility, those handlers that have a smile while they are running - whether it is a good run or not - seem to be the ones having a good time. That is MY GOAL --  Smile at my dog, run with intent and laugh no matter what the outcome!!

The ORCA Annual Seminar was AWESOME!

Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals -ORCA @ UNT... March 10th, 2012

This was a FANTASTIC seminar, as it is every year.  I haven't been to any training in couple of years, besides agility training.  This was a great refresher course for the basics of positive reinforcements. I got to see example after example how using this does nothing but enhance the animals lives.  For example, basic husbandry at a Zoo, how much easier it is that the tiger comes up to the cage and offers his tail for a blood sample!  Hander is outside, safe - animal is Willing to do this...it is nothing but a win/win! In the past, that would have probably required the tiger to be tranqualized just to get a simple blood sample.
Here, we have marine mamals keepers and Zoo keepers all over the world, using this technique to do difficult tasks with large (sometimes VERY large) animals... So why can't the dog world step in line?
Yes, we have come a long way - but we still have some many that think you need to use a shock collar, you need SMACK around the dog and show them who is dominate.
My Mantra:

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Could you see someone trying to show Shamu who is dominate...? Huh... wonder who would win that?
OK, enough of that subject....
I am kind of ranting here, but I have so much going through my mind. So many things I see I need to change up in my training, new things to look at and take into consideration... Wow... it was amazing!

Bob Bailey, Ken Rameriz, Steve White, Kay Lawerence and so many more - great animal behaviorist really reminded me why I do what I do.  Clicker training was so amazing to me at first, I had to learn everything about it and that in turn had me dive deep into animal behavior... I absolutely love what this has brought to my life!

But Momma... I wanna tug... isn't that what you taught me?

One of the things I have instilled in Hemi is tugging - Going by the system we use at PAWS and following Greg Derrett's recommendations - "Tugging is a not only a great reward but a huge relationship building behavior."

There is no doubt about it, I have tugging with Hemi... but I missed the boat on putting some kind of controls around it.

In Greg's seminar that I went to last spring in Oklahoma - we talked about tugging, and I think what he said was first get the strong, do or die tugging behavior then put the controls around it.

Controls? Meaning - you tug when I ask you to, you release when I ask you to and you don't tug unless I invite you to...

I have the do or die attitude - but I didn't put the controls around it....

Why am I posting about this? Because NADAC does NOT allow tugging in the ring, of any kind.  Including and not limited to walking out to the start line, or while leaving the ring.

While I know this and don't interactively try to tug with Hemi going out to the start line - the minute, I mean the second we step over the line and into the ring she turns into this Monster Tugging Dog! She grabs, tugs and gives me that "Let's Play" growl. - Why not? Isn't that what I taught her?

Needless to say I am doing the "No" "Drop" "Stop" - or anything else my wind-up mind is thinking...while I am making all the effort I can to keep her from tugging...none of which works. We have been working on "Drop" and it works occasionally - and it seemed to appease the judge on Saturday, but not the Judge on Sunday.

I thought I did a pretty good job of making her stop, but at the last minute she grabbed and tugged again. I took the leash off, and we ran like the wind, thinking we had a clean run... to have the leash runner tell me as she is handing me the leash the he E'd me for tugging. UUUGGGHH... I was so disappointed (putting it nicely).

While I understand, rules are rules and are put in place for a reason... here is my .02 on it. First, it was obviously that I was working to get her not to tug. Second, couldn't there be a warning? "Hey, I see you are trying not to let her tug, but it is too much...." It is what it is... 

BUT - With all that said - BAD Handler... I do know that I need to put those controls around it - and I didn't. She needs to understand, unless invited - she doesn't tug... so we will be working on that, along with the other long list of things to work on!

Here is the video, in which you don't see any of the antics in which I am talking about because the video didn't start till after I took the leash off.  While this isn't the prettiest run she had, and her contacts were "iffy" because she released herself (and we won't talk about me twisting my ankle)... it would have been a Q! Enjoy...

Off again!!

Hemi and I are off again this weekend for another grand adventure! I am super excited!!

I hope that some of our runs are as good as these two runs. 

She had some GREAT runs at this trial, but these two felt AWESOME.

I can't wait to see how she progresses as she gets older!