LEFT SIDE L3-Karen & Webster-1/18/11
Here are Karen and Webster doing L3 Left Side as written in Steps to Service (p. 127)
Left Side L3 - Karen and Web
Left Side L3 - Jan and Nad
Left Side L3 - Karen and Web
Left Side L3 - Jan and Nad
A second Skype mentoring session
This week we had a second Skyped mentoring session planned with Robin and Jonathan in Cheyenne. But, as is often the case, the best laid plans didn't work out and Robin called in that Jonathan needed to go to the vet because of an ear infection.
THEN......I had battery problems with my car. So the Skype session that evolved was with Karen, Cathy and Jan at MAH and I Skyped from home.
But what a productive session it was! Hopefully some of it was caught on Flip.
We began the session reviewing TARGET: L1 which has grown to include an extended nose touch to the hand which we use in many different ways. The evolved behavior is STATION and cued either with the extended palm (handsignal) or the verbal cue Place. Right now we have a solid 5 second duration.
Using STATION to position dogs for other positional behaviors, SIT, DOWN and STAND. We also use this in combination with COME to a front SIT and then to move the dog with a Back Cross into Heel or Side position. Another thing that we are doing with STATION is "blocking" (as suggested by the Psychiatric Service Dog Society).
With a solid STATION, we continued work on RIGHT SIDE L7: to transpose into the BACK CROSS (cued Change). Robin and Jonathan helped us with this last week. This week's Skype session had us working the BACK CROSS off leash: first stationary, then moving a single step between Changes, and then, finally, a walking moving change of position. When working off leash we cue the dog EITHER with the hand signal OR the verbal cue.
We practiced the luring, clicking, treating motions and rhythm without dogs first - Jan leading.
Then we leashed the dogs. And, because we had changed something about the behavior (the leash) we retaught the behavior from the very beginning. All the steps. When leashed, the cue to perform the back cross becomes the leash itself. We discussed this. We want the back cross to become default. It is the DOGS job to remain with us. AND, t0 Change only when cued.
Lots of good training here. Lots of step by step work. Criteria.
NOTE: On our vested public outings, we have seen a definite need for a behavior to move the dog from one side to the other (RIGHT SIDE: L7 using the Swing Finish). Because the dogs are still learning LEFT SIDE/RIGHT SIDE L4 the usable behavior isn't taught until L5. So we adapted RIGHT SIDE L7 to the Back Cross and this is what we are teaching.)
Next we moved to the Swing Finish - LEFT SIDE/RIGHT SIDE: L4. We began by reviewing all the steps in LEFT SIDE L3 - step by step. Beginning with practicing the pivot in both directions. Cathy read from Steps and all took turns practicing solo. Everyone had been working on L4 and the dogs were anticipating the next steps~ As we have heard Sue say so often to Stitch, "Stay with the class!" But the review and the practice from scratch showed a few holes and really was worth the time spent. There is a video of it as written in Steps on it's own page (Left Side L3).
Then we reviewed Before Moving On in L3 and discovered things that we had NOT been doing. So back to clicking for contact anywhere and everywhere....making eye contact WORTH IT.
Also
LEFT SIDE/RIGHT SIDE L4: This is a chained behavior with several parts. One part involves a stick or a pole and the dog and pivoting. But another equally important part of the chain involves teaching the dog the correct footprint position. Sue describes it in great detail in L4 and tells us precisely how to build the "picture".
Last week we had worked on the pivoting, the stick, the clicking of the butt motion. This week we focused on SD footprint position. And the first baby step is for the TRAINER to position herself correctly beside the dog....using a wall or a chair or bench for help. Treat delivery is important, too. Deliver with the hand on the dog's side.
Working on both sides. "Home Base" is on the left; "Summer Cottage" on the right.
Lots to think about. Lots to review. Lots to train.
At this point, I left the session and the group continued with their training plan - STANDSTAY L3. But this time Cathy had requested that we practice it with someone else standing with the dog and the dog's owner approaching, passing and examining.
As usual, the ladies will debrief over lunch.
There were a lot of variations done on STANDSTAY L3 with using Cathy as the person coming up (as Rooster gets very excited to see her), building up to using two people coming up excitedly.
Touch was re-taught from the beginning as it is such an major part of Public Access work.
Change-L7 Right Side-Cathy & Rooster
Here is what the dogs deal with at MAH
It had actually quieted down quite a bit from earlier
Shadowing Session with Lynn & Lily 1/14/11
Places we went:
•NAS-No Island
oDry cleaner
oMcDonalds
•Kensington Vet
•MCRD
Store for Dog food
Starbucks
Bathroom
•Petsmart
BEHAVIORS USED:
Dry Cleaners:
•Watch - Get attention in car/focus – a very important way to start
•Go Ahead – Distance L4 – he gets out of car, turns, sits and looks at me
•Crate – Get in –entering car
•SDW
•Being aware of Public – staying right next to the rear bumpers of cars awalking throughparking lot
•Wait at doors
•Touch – getting him lined up in front of me by counter
•Sit
•Down
•PAT-#1-4
McDONALDS (Lynn's favorite place)
Above plus:
•StandStay – in line at counter
•SDW – while carrying food/drink
•GTM L6 – Get In under table and lay down
•ZEN L6 – French Fry Zen – (fries dropped under table for training purposes)
•GTM L6 – no shake
•TARGET L5 – Follow
KENSINGTON VET
Above plus:
•Touch-to get on scale
•Zen – treats hanging above scale
•GTM-under chairs that had a bar halfway across it underneath (made it harder)
MCRD
Above plus:
DOG STORE:
•ZEN L5n-food/toy Zen
•Come – past Bully sticks placed on floor (for training purposes)
•Down – beside Bully sticks on floor (for training purposes)
•Zen – Butt Zen – (he reached his nose over to someone bending over so we trained it ☺)
•HANDLING L4 – toilet on cue (grass)
•SDW – on grass – no sniffing (needs work)
STARBUCKS
Above plus:
•SDW - stairs
•ZEN – food at nose height
•GTM – between chair and ottoman (using Touch to turn him around and Back/ Trick L3 to fit in)
•DOWNSTAY OOS to pick up order
•DownStay – remains down while I get up before leaving
•Retrieve – picks up leash and gives it to me carefully
•Bathroom
oZen – Urinal Zen (never seen one before)
oBack/Trick L3 – to get in beside toilet and sit/lay
PETSMART
•Dog Zen
•Ball Zen (leaving a ball while it rolls/bounces past, for training purposes)
•SitStay – for above
•DownStay – for above
•Scale – again
•Leash L2 – standing with a loose leash while I talked to the trainer about training with FD
** All this was done with 5 or less treats and only clicked for leaving French fries under the table). Oh, and a bully stick to chew in the car on the way home.
First, thanks Lynn for letting us shadow you. It was a wonderful learning experience for both Nad and me.
Lynn and Lily also used a grocery cart (SDW) It is interesting going back and looking at all the behaviors used in the course of just going to a few places.
While constantly being aware of Nad, where he is, what he is doing, I was also constantly trying to be aware of the environment around us and where people were, being very aware of the public and keeping him as out of the way as possible.
Nad did very well. I saw a major difference from when we were at MCRD a few months ago. I could really see just how important Touch is for maneuvering your dog. I would like to get his Touch so it is solid, hard, precise each and every time. I would also like to work on his SDW so that there is more of a “J” in the leash at all times. We have been working a lot lately on Dog Zen and will continue to do that as his tail went from calm to looking like he changed into a Husky when we went into Petsmart.
We took some opportunities to do a little training while we were out. We worked on Zen by tossing French fries under the table and McD’s and telling him “no”, we placed Bully Sticks on the floor at the store on MCRD and worked Zen and then had them Come over them and Down next to them. That is where I got the opportunity to work Butt Zen (a rare opportunity that I couldn’t pass up), and major Ball Zen in the Petsmart isle.
•NAS-No Island
oDry cleaner
oMcDonalds
•Kensington Vet
•MCRD
Store for Dog food
Starbucks
Bathroom
•Petsmart
BEHAVIORS USED:
Dry Cleaners:
•Watch - Get attention in car/focus – a very important way to start
•Go Ahead – Distance L4 – he gets out of car, turns, sits and looks at me
•Crate – Get in –entering car
•SDW
•Being aware of Public – staying right next to the rear bumpers of cars awalking throughparking lot
•Wait at doors
•Touch – getting him lined up in front of me by counter
•Sit
•Down
•PAT-#1-4
McDONALDS (Lynn's favorite place)
Above plus:
•StandStay – in line at counter
•SDW – while carrying food/drink
•GTM L6 – Get In under table and lay down
•ZEN L6 – French Fry Zen – (fries dropped under table for training purposes)
•GTM L6 – no shake
•TARGET L5 – Follow
KENSINGTON VET
Above plus:
•Touch-to get on scale
•Zen – treats hanging above scale
•GTM-under chairs that had a bar halfway across it underneath (made it harder)
MCRD
Above plus:
DOG STORE:
•ZEN L5n-food/toy Zen
•Come – past Bully sticks placed on floor (for training purposes)
•Down – beside Bully sticks on floor (for training purposes)
•Zen – Butt Zen – (he reached his nose over to someone bending over so we trained it ☺)
•HANDLING L4 – toilet on cue (grass)
•SDW – on grass – no sniffing (needs work)
STARBUCKS
Above plus:
•SDW - stairs
•ZEN – food at nose height
•GTM – between chair and ottoman (using Touch to turn him around and Back/ Trick L3 to fit in)
•DOWNSTAY OOS to pick up order
•DownStay – remains down while I get up before leaving
•Retrieve – picks up leash and gives it to me carefully
•Bathroom
oZen – Urinal Zen (never seen one before)
oBack/Trick L3 – to get in beside toilet and sit/lay
PETSMART
•Dog Zen
•Ball Zen (leaving a ball while it rolls/bounces past, for training purposes)
•SitStay – for above
•DownStay – for above
•Scale – again
•Leash L2 – standing with a loose leash while I talked to the trainer about training with FD
** All this was done with 5 or less treats and only clicked for leaving French fries under the table). Oh, and a bully stick to chew in the car on the way home.
First, thanks Lynn for letting us shadow you. It was a wonderful learning experience for both Nad and me.
Lynn and Lily also used a grocery cart (SDW) It is interesting going back and looking at all the behaviors used in the course of just going to a few places.
While constantly being aware of Nad, where he is, what he is doing, I was also constantly trying to be aware of the environment around us and where people were, being very aware of the public and keeping him as out of the way as possible.
Nad did very well. I saw a major difference from when we were at MCRD a few months ago. I could really see just how important Touch is for maneuvering your dog. I would like to get his Touch so it is solid, hard, precise each and every time. I would also like to work on his SDW so that there is more of a “J” in the leash at all times. We have been working a lot lately on Dog Zen and will continue to do that as his tail went from calm to looking like he changed into a Husky when we went into Petsmart.
We took some opportunities to do a little training while we were out. We worked on Zen by tossing French fries under the table and McD’s and telling him “no”, we placed Bully Sticks on the floor at the store on MCRD and worked Zen and then had them Come over them and Down next to them. That is where I got the opportunity to work Butt Zen (a rare opportunity that I couldn’t pass up), and major Ball Zen in the Petsmart isle.
LEASH w/Webster, Nad, Lily
After we finished the Skype session with Robin, Lynn reviewed some hints for LLW. Working no clicker/no treats.
LL - Lynn with Webster & Nad
LL - Lynn with Webster & Nad
LL - Karen/Webster & Jan/Nad
The great mentoring experiment
This morning, the mentoring group had a Skype training session at MAH. We trained with Robin Walters, a Levels trainer in Cheyenne, WY. Robin is totally blind. She is training Jonathan, an 11-month old standard poodle, to be her guide dog.
The Skype session was audio only. Robin has a "Jaws" program on her computer that converts printed words into spoken and does not permit a video Skype. Of course, she couldn't see us.
But we Flipped the audio session and are now trying to figure out how we can retain the audio.
We trained for an hour and a half. Jonathan is Robin's second Levels trained dog and the fourth Guide that she has self trained. Originally a traditional trainer, Robin shared many training insights.
So, fellow trainers, it CAN be done and with great success. We will have a second Skype session next Tuesday and then, will probably "meet" once a month to train together.
BTW, Robin and Sheila are meeting this Sunday in Loveland, CO, to train together, weather permitting. About an hour drive for each of them. Wouldn't you like to watch that training session?
The Skype session was audio only. Robin has a "Jaws" program on her computer that converts printed words into spoken and does not permit a video Skype. Of course, she couldn't see us.
But we Flipped the audio session and are now trying to figure out how we can retain the audio.
We trained for an hour and a half. Jonathan is Robin's second Levels trained dog and the fourth Guide that she has self trained. Originally a traditional trainer, Robin shared many training insights.
So, fellow trainers, it CAN be done and with great success. We will have a second Skype session next Tuesday and then, will probably "meet" once a month to train together.
BTW, Robin and Sheila are meeting this Sunday in Loveland, CO, to train together, weather permitting. About an hour drive for each of them. Wouldn't you like to watch that training session?
We had a very successful mentoring session with Robin and Jonathan. During our talking sessions, the dogs were content to 'hang out' in their tents.
DOCUMENTING
(Click on the form to zoom in)
RECORD OF REQUIRED PUBLIC TRAINING HOURS
Supervised and Unsupervised
Vested and Unvested
STEPS TRAINING RECORD CHART
VPA behaviors
VPA: Basic Vested Public Access Behaviors
Moving from L3 forward and beginning supervised vested public access work caused the trainers to see a need for several additional basic behaviors needed for moving safely in public. And so we began reading ahead in Steps, to determine what they felt these behaviors to be.
In the past, many of these behaviors were just "done" on the fly and not specifically trained - especially per Steps. But this is the first group of dogs reaching this level of training being trained only by following Steps and we wanted to train the behaviors as learned behaviors, instead of "a little of this and some of that".
Again, this group of trainers is entering unknown territory. But their reasoning and their analytic abilities have made this a most interesting and innovative adventure. Here are their findings and the behaviors that we are now training - not as preparation for work with Marine Partners - but simply as preparation for basic vested work in places where only service dogs or SDiT are permitted. Basic tools for the well-equipped toolbox.
Levels 1 - 3: W/X/BMO
DISTANCE
- L5: Car Zen
- L6: Go Ahead
DOWN
- L4: Dog downs from a stand, any position, single cue
- L5: Dog downs from a stand, any position, hand cue only
- L6: (Under) Dog downs on cue under three different kinds of tables
GO TO MAT
- L6: Dog lies down under a table while the trainer eats a meal with friends. No mat.
- NO SHAKE.
HANDLING
- L3: Toilet on cue within 60 seconds
JUMP
- L5: Jump into any car on cue only
LEASH
- Solid L2 no matter what the trainer is doing
- L3, 4, 5, 6
LEFT SIDE/RIGHT SIDE
- L4, 5, 6, 7 (dog walking SDW on both sides equally as well and responding to positional cues
- Swing Finish desirable but not necessary in order to BEGIN vested public access
- LEFT SIDE: L7 dog backs on cue in front of and/or on either side of trainer
SIT
- L1: the ultimate incompatible behavior
- L4: sit from a down, one cue
- L5: sit from a down, hand signal and in any position
SIT STAY
- L4: 2 minute duration and distractions
- L5: small space for 5 minutes (in sit or down position)
STAND STAY
- L5: stand and stay for putting on vest
SURFACES
- L4: open staircase w/grated tread, no risers
- L6: confidently enters, rides and exits a moving walkway; and escalators
- walk on left; stand on right
- grant right of way to public
TARGET
- L5: Follow
TRICK
- L3: Back Up
VEST
- L 3, 4, 6
WATCH
- L2: solid name recognition
ZEN
- L4: dog's own nightmare zen
- L5: food zen while moving
- L6: dropped object zen, including food dropped while dog is under table in restaurant or similar
Webster tests some Level 3 behaviors cold
Performing behaviors cold in this environment with all of its inherent distractions is quite an accomplishment.
DELIVER
Trainer sits with a hand palm-down in lap; on cue the dog puts her muzzle under the hand and nudges. This behavior must be done with no food or clicker in the area. V The cue for this behavior is SAY HELLO.
Trainer sits with a hand palm-down in lap; on cue the dog puts her muzzle under the hand and nudges. This behavior must be done with no food or clicker in the area. V The cue for this behavior is SAY HELLO.
DISTANCE
Dog goes around a wheelchair 4’ away on one cue only. This behavior must be done with no food in the area. NV
Dog goes around a wheelchair 4’ away on one cue only. This behavior must be done with no food in the area. NV
DOWN
Dog Downs from a Sit on one cue only from 10’ away. V
Dog Downs from a Sit on one cue only from 10’ away. V
DOWN STAY
Dog Downs and stays while the trainer walks 20’ out, stays away for one minute and comes back. One cue is allowed for the Down, and one for the Stay. There will be one mild distraction. This behavior must be done with no treats or clicker anywhere in the area. NV
Dog Downs and stays while the trainer walks 20’ out, stays away for one minute and comes back. One cue is allowed for the Down, and one for the Stay. There will be one mild distraction. This behavior must be done with no treats or clicker anywhere in the area. NV
GO TO MAT
Dog goes to the trainer's jacket from 5’ away, on one cue only, lies down, one cue only, and remains Down without fussing with no additional cues for one minute. This behavior must be done with no treats or clicker anywhere in the area. NV
Dog goes to the trainer's jacket from 5’ away, on one cue only, lies down, one cue only, and remains Down without fussing with no additional cues for one minute. This behavior must be done with no treats or clicker anywhere in the area. NV
LEFT SIDE
Dog follows eye contact while the trainer pivots to the left. NV
Dog follows eye contact while the trainer pivots to the left. NV
RIGHT SIDE
Dog follows eye contact while the trainer pivots to the right. NV
Dog follows eye contact while the trainer pivots to the right. NV
LEASH
Dog maintains a loose leash walking 40’ in a straight line, no cues, 1 distraction. NV
SIT
The dog Sits from a Stand on one cue only from 10’ away. There must be an immediate response to the cue. This behavior must be done with no food or clicker in the area. NV
WATCH
Dog finds the trainer’s face and holds eye contact for 30 seconds, one voice cue only. There will be no distractions. NV
ZEN
Dog stays off a treat in a stranger’s hand for 30 seconds, 1 cue only from the stranger. V The cue for this behavior is a neutral NO
Dog maintains a loose leash walking 40’ in a straight line, no cues, 1 distraction. NV
SIT
The dog Sits from a Stand on one cue only from 10’ away. There must be an immediate response to the cue. This behavior must be done with no food or clicker in the area. NV
WATCH
Dog finds the trainer’s face and holds eye contact for 30 seconds, one voice cue only. There will be no distractions. NV
ZEN
Dog stays off a treat in a stranger’s hand for 30 seconds, 1 cue only from the stranger. V The cue for this behavior is a neutral NO
Working Distance and Shaping
MAH-Working Distance and Shaping
Lily -Go Around-a
Lynn works Lily without any cues, verbal or body language. Lily has to figure out what she wants. Lynn keeps the object where it is and she moves around it, step by little step. When Lily gets a little confused for a second , Lynn spends more time in that particular spot until Lily really gets it.
Lily-Distance-Lynn moves
Lily started to pup up from the down, so Lynn would lay the treat between her legs to help her stay down. Once Lynn started to move away, she would click at the furthest point to let Lily know that's where she wanted her down. When Lily would get up, she starts from the beginning again to re-explain it to her.
Nad-Distance-a
I started off by using both verbal and body cues instead of just luring (I had previously done that with him earlier). The dogs in the back daycare were winding up and there were dogs coming in the little waiting area. I could see Nad getting distracted and more anxious. When he got confused, I moved up to re-explain it.
Nad-Distance-b
I went back to the beginning luring. You can see Nad is VERY aware of the dogs in the entry area from the beginning as he continually looks past my left to the glass where they are and woofs quietly. He heads towards his tent a few times and the first couple he comes back into the game. I have to stay very close to the saw-horse in order to keep him engaged. There was lots of activity going on outside that didn't seem to bother/distract him.
Webster-Distance-a
I started off at the beginning of teaching 'Go Around.' What is nice is that we are building a foundation each time we work on this behavior so we don't have to spend more than 30 seconds or so to re-quaint him to the game. I want him to figure out what I want, so drop the cue completely to give him the opportunity to think for himself.
Webster-Distance-b
While Web is going around, I take 1/2 to 1 step backward. When he seems to have lost his mission, I move up to tell him, "yeah, we're still playing the same game."
Nad-Shape to Call Box-a
Lynn is sitting 5' from the box and tossing the treats past the box so Nad has to come back past the box to get to her. She is clicking when he reaches the box to get let him know that is where she wants him. Nad is very much in the game.
Nad-Shape to Call Box-b
This time I was shaping him and he was very aware of the people going in and out of the room, Colin crossing, however, he still stayed in the game. I did whistle once to get him back and should have let him come back on his own - my impatience is showing! At the end of the video Nad decides to put himself into his tent/crate as he's not comfortable with the dog at the glass door. I still feel I need work on transitioning from what I am asking/paying for.
Webster-Shape to Call Box-a
Is WEb in the game? You bet he is!
Webster was getting C/T for coming over to the mat/box and getting confused. I tried to C/T just before he laid down on the mat, and we finally took the mat away to clarify the game.
Webster-Shape to Call Box-b
"Oh! You want me to hit the box!" He gets it until the end of the frame where he becomes distracted and we end the session. What the flips don't reveal is ALL of the dog/people traffic in and out of the room, as well as the loud sounds coming from the grooming room next door. They all did remarkably well and we welcomed the Distractions during our training.
GREAT observations!
Things to think about:
- Would the Setting Factors (and the distractions) been modified if the trainers had changed their positions and the dogs were working from a different direction? (For example, what if Jan had moved her position so that Nad wasn't directly facing in the direction of the door)
- Would the distractions been less had the trainers moved closer?
- Would the dogs understanding been enhanced if they received more information?
- And, if so, how could that have happened?
- In the Go Around exercises, what would have happened if the trainer had immediately "bungeed" back to the beginning when the dog reached a plateau and moved back to the sawhorse and then stayed there for a while instead of immediately beginning the moving away?
- In the shaping exercises, how difficult was it for the trainer? For the dog? To shape from 5' away?
- Would more at home "nonsense shaping" enhance the skill of both dog and trainer?
Good, good good work.
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