I created an Excel spreadsheet with 60 behaviors from sit up to spin right, spin left, etc... I'm happy to email it to anyone who wants it for inspiration. I also watched the video posted earlier on this thread "Dazzle's Dazzling Tricks" or whatever it was called and "named" those behaviors as well and included them in the list.

I agree that each person should select the behavior they need to work on that month.

Falcon decided he wanted to learn "hold" this month and we began yesterday with simply marking/rewarding him letting me hold his muzzle in my two hands. Thank you Michael Ellis.

Holding the dogs muzzle in your hands is a good one for us for this month. My Pinker has ringworm on his nose(from calf grooming tools) and I am putting
ointment on it 3 times a day. He growls sometimes. (It's the chihuahua talking I'm sure)

 Quote: betty landercasp

Holding the dogs muzzle in your hands is a good one for us for this month. My Pinker has ringworm on his nose(from calf grooming tools) and I am putting
ointment on it 3 times a day. He growls sometimes. (It's the chihuahua talking I'm sure)

All head/face/mouth/eye- and paw-handling moves are really really good actions for marker-based desensitizing. Many dogs are particularly anxious about these areas being handled, and they are two areas that often need to be handled. As Betty would know well, the vet will be grateful for owners who do this kind of work in advance.

And the owner will never regret it, either, when it's time to brush teeth, do ear-drops, check inside the mouth, remove something stuck in a paw-pad, apply eye meds .....

I like to start this kind of work with the high-value treat right out in plain sight and in smelling-distance. This kind of "procedure" work for me is a big exception to the usual clear lines of demarcation between rewards, lures, and bribes.

And I am FAST* with that yummy reward! Very clear connect between the procedure and the reward, even to the extent that I talk in a low tone about the fabulous treat that's right there waiting (in words I know he knows).


* As we've discussed a few times before, no going off to the kitchen or wherever to get the reward after the procedure.

I want to join too! I'm working on basics with Jethro and Skipper: Jethro - building a reliable, distraction proof recall, Skipper - building solid, secure settling in a closed crate.

I really like the idea of a spreadsheet, or some sort of mapping array of beginning, medium, etc. behaviours. I'm also interested in how basic training can be adapted for more complicated maneuvers later on.

I find I am working on so many fronts right now, it will be good to focus on one and get it solidly in place, and let the rest slide a bit. Then I can prioritize the next one. And tackle them in a more purposeful manner.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

All head/face/mouth/eye- and paw-handling moves are really really good actions for marker-based desensitizing. Many dogs are particularly anxious about these areas being handled, and they are two areas that often need to be handled. As Betty would know well, the vet will be grateful for owners who do this kind of work in advance.

I think this is one of those things that far too often we don't think about until we *need* to.

I recently came up with a new way to trim Kenzi's nails. She was not at all fond of the idea of nail trimming. But she loves, loves, loves physical contact and petting.

So I let her in my lap and let her roll over on her back and relax. I'd play with her feet and pet her, then every so often nip a nail off. Followed by more snuggling. She remained really relax throughout and is was even easier the next week when I went to trim those nails again.

I'm in =) Hi, I am pretty much new here. After posting a couple questions, and getting my dog on raw & doing a ton of reading here, thank you, my dog is happy and much healthier!

So now we are back to focusing on training. I also have my parents dog staying with my for about a month or so. He is a very timid shep mix. I have him crate trained now and although I couldn't convince my parents to go raw when they take him back, I did get him on a better kibble. I would like to work on some desensitization with him, along with working on building his self esteem. He was very timid as a puppy, grew up with no rules or pack leader, although lots of love. Then around six months old started a training program that was all choke chain based, old method. I think that really crushed any self esteem left, and left him a very anxious dog.

Now in my home he is much calmer and adjusting well. Any suggestions on what to work on first with him? I liked the idea of working on being comfortable having his feet touched. or something with baths...he FREAKS out over the bath.

My dog, 11 month old Male Pitbull, Capone (from a terrible "breeder" and full of health issues) knows the basics, but I definitely need to fine tune all of them. I can hopefully do video, if not progress reports coming =)

Sorry...that was much longer than I planned. I tend to over explain/ramble when it comes to my dog lol

p.s. That excel spread sheet is an awesome Idea. Do you have a link?

 Quote: barbara schuler

Falcon decided he wanted to learn "hold" this month and we began yesterday with simply marking/rewarding him letting me hold his muzzle in my two hands. Thank you Michael Ellis.

I shouldn't be amazed at the results of marker training any more; I've seen how well it works for almost two years now. However, we just started with "muzzle hold" yesterday and today introduced Falcon's new Leerburg dumbbell. Four short sessons later, he is holding the dumbbell when I take my hands away and continues to hold when I step back away from him and wave my arms around (minor distractions). I've used cut up beef stew cubes (high value to him). It is just so NEAT to see a dog learn a new behavior without force and learn it soooo quickly. (He gets his superior intelligence from my side of the family).

Go Falcon!! Make your person proud!!

Object retrieval is on my list for sometime this year. But right now I'm picturing what my dogs would do - probably spit out the dumbbell and try to eat my hands to get more beef. One of the "joys" of dogs that are super food motivated...

 Quote: kristi molina

I'm in =) Hi, I am pretty much new here. After posting a couple questions, and getting my dog on raw & doing a ton of reading here, thank you, my dog is happy and much healthier!

So now we are back to focusing on training. I also have my parents dog staying with my for about a month or so. He is a very timid shep mix. I have him crate trained now and although I couldn't convince my parents to go raw when they take him back, I did get him on a better kibble. I would like to work on some desensitization with him, along with working on building his self esteem. He was very timid as a puppy, grew up with no rules or pack leader, although lots of love. Then around six months old started a training program that was all choke chain based, old method. I think that really crushed any self esteem left, and left him a very anxious dog.

Now in my home he is much calmer and adjusting well. Any suggestions on what to work on first with him? I liked the idea of working on being comfortable having his feet touched. or something with baths...he FREAKS out over the bath.

My dog, 11 month old Male Pitbull, Capone (from a terrible "breeder" and full of health issues) knows the basics, but I definitely need to fine tune all of them. I can hopefully do video, if not progress reports coming =)

Sorry...that was much longer than I planned. I tend to over explain/ramble when it comes to my dog lol

p.s. That excel spread sheet is an awesome Idea. Do you have a link?

Kristi, I'm thinking this is really a separate thread. You might just copy and paste the whole post into a new thread.

Who "Then around six months old started a training program that was all choke chain based, old method" ? Your parents? Will they be taking the dog back in a month? How old is he? Desensitize to what in particular? Do you mean the general timidity?

Who has control and training authority of the dog now?
Also, do you know anything about marker training?

If you could post your original post and then add the answers to these questions too, all in a new thread, it will probably work out better than this thread, which is more about "training a new behavior every month in 2011" than this more basic challenge, I think.

Thanks! Then I can direct/point to the new thread within your post here.



eta
Maybe out of the new more general post/thread, you might decide that bath-desensitizing the Shepherd you are taking care of would be a good resolution goal.


Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/02/2011 08:13 PM)
Edit reason: eta

I want to add "Roll Over" for both my dogs. We just trimmed their nails for the first time and it went well, but we don't have a cue for roll over and so after they were in their down, we just kind of pushed them over and fed them treats for every nail clip.