My Blue Eyed Boy

I had an amazing shaping session with Oreo this morning! I am just so excited!

Oreo has always been a challenge to shape behaviors with. I remember the first day I got him and I was trying to clicker train him to do some real basic behavior.  He just wasn't getting it!

Next day - I tried it again... and then he had it. I had decided at that point maybe he just needed some time to go and think about it... LOL

After absorbing and thinking about what I have learned in the seminar I recently attended - I decided I wanted to try to shape a new behavior with each dog - one new one a week. So - this week I decided Oreo was going to be play dead after I point my finger at him and say "Bang!"

The reason this shaping session was so amazing and such an improvement is because I waited... stayed patient... and continued with asking

was that average or better?

Also - I am working really hard on being a splitter - not a lumper... that comes with patience too. You want to hurry up and get the behavior so you try to get it all at once - lump lump... breaking it down into clear identifiable pieces - splitter!

Oreo has a great Spinx sit, so 

First I just had to reward him shifting to his hip. ✔

Second, shift of his shoulder down.  ✔

Third, laying flat and putting his head down..... waiting.... thinking.... waiting... 

He would put his head down... but not laying on his side .... waiting... 

I could see his wheels turning... spinning... tail was just a waggin....

Head down flat on his side !!  ✔ 

The other thing I am getting better at is rewarding where I want the behavior, so I gave him several treats with his head down  - then huge break - cheering - belly rubbing - ran to the treat container together to get some more - ran back to our spot...

Immediate shift to hip, few seconds shift of shoulder... wait for it... wait for it... *Boom!* head down!

I think that was the fastest I ever go Oreo to think through a behavior... and what did I see in him - Joy! Tail wagging in circles... prancing from foot to foot... he likes this new game.

So yes - it was amazing - because it was NEVER Oreo - it was me....  Awesome!