If there's one thing I've learned real quick in working with Wally, it's taking joy in the little successes he achieves. Sometimes, when he does things right, I don't really make a huge deal of it. I click and treat (if I remembered to bring each this time) and go on. Sometimes I see all the little "faults" in doing what he's supposed to do - I say "let's go" and he dashes ahead like a game is to start when I want him to just walk in heel position. He tries to sniff as we walk and sometimes "goes deaf" when he's nose deep in a spot. Things like that which aren't major or even unexpected, but are "flaws" in execution nonetheless.
But then reality slaps me in the face - in the form of other people's comments on Wally's behavior. Just tonight, I was praised about how well-trained Wally is. He was walking with me off leash. I was thinking - "that's...a big deal?" Another time this afternoon we walked and came to an intersection. I stopped at the intersection, he stood there for a couple seconds, then sat and looked at me. Got a click and treat, then I looked up to see a car turning in (they were watching him it seems) and the driver gave me a thumps up and a big smile.
Yesterday, a dog and his owner walked by on their walk and the dog barked rather loudly at Wally as he walked by. The owner said "Stop it! He's being a good boy and you should too!" He was sitting there, just looking calmly at the other dog. Now this, I was impressed with for sure, but still hearing a comment like that made me even more proud of him.
Other things like taking food from a kids hand, or accepting 10 minutes of "petting" from a couple young girls (they were gentle, but they played a little with his ears and tickled him, etc), or sniffing the air of a couple families that clustered around him and I because he's sooo cute and were asking me some questions about him. Things that probably are like "no big deal" are small, and some not so small (such as the families) triumphs for him and I have to remember that what's no big deal for other dogs can be for him.
Of course, there was the time he was (apparently) acting soooo cute for some young girls that one asked if she could have him!
Looks like I need to remember to notice that Wally's making strong progress - and to give him, and myself, more credit and praise.
I've been able to teach Wally a decent number of behaviors, and we go through them at random times to keep them sharp in his mind. Some, like sit, are all but automatic unless he's really, really distracted/nervous (and sometimes that makes him actually sit faster) while others, like speak, are still relatively new to him and can be a bit difficult. Yes, it was difficult for him to learn how to bark on command. Go figure. Either he's seriously not a barker, or I just suck at training!
Anyway, after getting these behaviors down to the point he'll do them on cue, I've noticed that he take a behavior he knows how to do and then just make up another use for it. I remember when I taught him nose-targeting (i.e. touching an object/certain spot with his nose) and when he got it down, he started doing other things with that behavior. The one that stuck with me (and he still will do) is touch my leg when he wants my attention, or to "let me know" he's there. For example, he'll go sniff and explore and come back - I might be looking at something else or just waiting for him. When he comes back, he'll touch my leg and sit down. When he did it, I rewarded him handsomely.
Now that he learned paw-oriented behaviors like shake, wave, and give paw (shake is another that took For. Ever. for him to learn - again, either he's a weird dog or I suck) he'll paw my leg to get my attention, most of the time to start some play or in hopes that I'll give him some food that I'm eating.
I didn't teach that, but I did reward it. Combined with shaping, these impromptu created behaviors by Wally can be rewarded and put into his mind as ones to try. He basically created and taught himself his own tricks.
That's what the title of this post is about. I took what he gave me with a known behavior and rewarded it. To me, this does a few things:
-Promotes problem-solving. He saw some problem that needed to be solved. Getting my attention so we can keep walking, or get a piece of my lunch, and came up with a use for the behavior in an attempt to solve that problem. Encouraging and developing problem-solving skills can come in handy for teaching complex behaviors and playing more challenging/mental games.
-Promote creative thinking. Who knows what he'll come up with next! Pawing my leg can be turned into paw-targeting (or vice versa). Nose-touching could be turned into pushing a ball or box. Picking things up can be the start of a retrieve, or carrying objects and putting them in a box (which Wally can't, yet, do, but we're building up to it - hopefully...)
-Builds confidence and initiative. Both of these are big for me, given the issues Wally's had to deal with and is trying to overcome. I remember when he first came here, Wally wouldn't do anything unless told. Some might not see the problem with that, but for him it seemed to hold back any personality/curiosity he had. Ever since I started getting him into the idea that thinking and acting on your own isn't a bad thing, he came more and more out of his shell.
Besides, it's fun to see a dog teach himself new things. All I had to do was watch him and reward the behaviors I liked and show him that behavior can work on a consistent basis. Once that's done, he'll file it away as something to try when confronted with a problem that needs to be solved.
Well with this being his first spring here, Wally's not seen what his "territory" looks like while under construction, so to speak. It's time to get the gardens back in shape - new plants, waking up fallow beds, new landscaping, and that just brings out all the shovels and garden claws and water hoses - not to mention trash bags, flower pots, and old familiar paths gone.
All of this can have a bit of an effect on Wally, being that he's somewhat fearful of strange objects.
So what do I do - I have to help him get over it. Don't have weeks and weeks to gradually ease him into it. Everything (hopefully!) will be done by then and he'd still be afraid. So it's time to have him, as the book title goes, "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway."
I can't stop him from having his emotions. Not only would that cause even more stress (assuming it's possible at all), it's unnecessary. All I want from him is performance anyway, in this case, walk the same path even if there's a shovel nearby. Come inside, even if you have to jump over the water hose. Sit and wait to be let out the gate, even if you have to sit next to the Big Black Bag.
I like to urge him on, building up a desire to get to where I am high enough to counter the fear he's feeling. I keep him trying to figure out a way and make sure it's a way that requires him to "confront" the object, not just go around it. Sometimes, going around just won't work - like coming in the house.
So I urge and urge in an upbeat voice. I praise every step in the right direction. I all but chant "You can do it!" And, eventually, he does and he has a look of accomplishment on his face as I rub him down and let him jump up on me.
That was the path - the hose wasn't quite so easy.
I stayed with the same trick - urging him on. But it wasn't working this time. He barked and asked me for help (a high pitched squeak-ish whine/whimper), but I kept urging him to come to me. Every time he yipped, I gave a "here!" cue in an excited upbeat voice. I moved back farther away - still calling and urging him on.
At least, he leaped over the hose and scampered inside to me. I praised him and went outside. He did it coming in, but the hose might be there going outside as well. He got the hang of it a bit faster this time. It didn't take as much urging and there was no whimpering or barking this time. Now, back inside one more time. This time, the barking came back - not sure why only in this direction. Maybe it's because he's coming "home" and the scary hose is blocking his way back. Still, though, it was faster than the first time. Just some urging and he made the same leap and came inside.
So at least he might not be so afraid of the hose since he hopefully has an idea of how to deal with it/get past it. Next time the garden needs water will be the test.
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