Still no luck with cats, but for lack of trying really. I can't wait until she's good enough! She looks so happy when she's allowed off her leash indoors. : (
Aanyway, trick count (most of them still in progress, but I like to work on lots at once) at nine months, with three months of training.
Nahla (name recognition, also "look at me")
Sit
Down
Relax (onto side)
Stand
Cross (the street)
Sidewalk (get back on the sidewalk, you lunatic)
Come
Target (touch my finger with your nose)
Circle (left)
Spin (right)
Paw
Other paw
High-five
Hugs (jump on me)
Paws up (on my arm)
Beg (really, stand/jump - she's having a hard time with "sit pretty", so i changed it)
Bow (newest!)
Informal attention-getters: let's go, this way
Also trying to get her to paw at her face (Shame) on command, but I need to look into different methods to do it. She doesn't shape well (gets too nervous) and Kyra Sundance's method gives her unhappy-face.
I love my puppy. I love how she cannot/will not be forced into anything, but if you show her respect ... she will respect you back. Yay her. <3
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
methods for dealing with cat chasing
reward ignoring the cats (looking away, lying down calmly)
Karen Pryor's method, apparently only took her a week—though her's was a kitten, seemingly not as terrified of the dog as my adult, savvy cats. Still, probably going to be the most effective way. Must remember not to scold around cats, lest my reactive lil' wolf associate cats with badness—also, soul lossage imminent.
look at that cat! game (rewarding the instant she looks, not intense stare)
Leslie McDevitt's method, to get her to feel calm about having the cat (cat = something good will happen = good thing). Not sure. Seems to be very effective and logical, but a) seems to be incompatible with ignoring the cat, and b) she doesn't know the rules yet. Could inadvertently teach her to stare, especially since she isn't that food-motivated (don't want to bring toys into the mix—too exciting). But, need the cats to be associated with good things! Damn.
maybe ...
Since she is fully capable of ignoring the cats, at least with a good enough distraction/far enough away, bring a bone. Buy a (natural) rawhide, or bully sticks, or something new and shiny and tasty (raw tripe [Wags]?). Reward initial looking at cat (??), and then every time she looks at me/away, and every time she glances at the cat. Only continue rewarding the cat-looking if she's able to consistently swing away from it at the click. If not, reward calm, ignoring behavior. Also, practice tricks/teach new ones in presence of cat (if possible) to make her and the cats more confident. Also, give treats/nommies to cats. Also, must practice Go to Place away from cats first, and then incorporate it.
questions
Should I reward general looking away from the cat? What if she is calm-signaling? Would that be rewarding fear/cat = badness? When is time to go away from cat, when she panics or when she is calm? This depends, I guess, on her motivation. Is she panicking because she is fearful, or because she wants to chase? I tend to think the latter, because she is constantly going to the basement door, looking for them, staring at them even when they hiss/swat at her. Hackles never raised, tail always up, barking occasionally, lots of whining.
best places to try this
My room (contained, few hiding places), kitchen (though cats would need to be harnessed : ( which wouldn't teach them much—restraints they already hate being associated with evil dog), cottage ... hallway?
Argh. Very early. Must get up, feed dog (all Orijen! yay!).
Karen Pryor's method, apparently only took her a week—though her's was a kitten, seemingly not as terrified of the dog as my adult, savvy cats. Still, probably going to be the most effective way. Must remember not to scold around cats, lest my reactive lil' wolf associate cats with badness—also, soul lossage imminent.
look at that cat! game (rewarding the instant she looks, not intense stare)
Leslie McDevitt's method, to get her to feel calm about having the cat (cat = something good will happen = good thing). Not sure. Seems to be very effective and logical, but a) seems to be incompatible with ignoring the cat, and b) she doesn't know the rules yet. Could inadvertently teach her to stare, especially since she isn't that food-motivated (don't want to bring toys into the mix—too exciting). But, need the cats to be associated with good things! Damn.
maybe ...
Since she is fully capable of ignoring the cats, at least with a good enough distraction/far enough away, bring a bone. Buy a (natural) rawhide, or bully sticks, or something new and shiny and tasty (raw tripe [Wags]?). Reward initial looking at cat (??), and then every time she looks at me/away, and every time she glances at the cat. Only continue rewarding the cat-looking if she's able to consistently swing away from it at the click. If not, reward calm, ignoring behavior. Also, practice tricks/teach new ones in presence of cat (if possible) to make her and the cats more confident. Also, give treats/nommies to cats. Also, must practice Go to Place away from cats first, and then incorporate it.
questions
Should I reward general looking away from the cat? What if she is calm-signaling? Would that be rewarding fear/cat = badness? When is time to go away from cat, when she panics or when she is calm? This depends, I guess, on her motivation. Is she panicking because she is fearful, or because she wants to chase? I tend to think the latter, because she is constantly going to the basement door, looking for them, staring at them even when they hiss/swat at her. Hackles never raised, tail always up, barking occasionally, lots of whining.
best places to try this
My room (contained, few hiding places), kitchen (though cats would need to be harnessed : ( which wouldn't teach them much—restraints they already hate being associated with evil dog), cottage ... hallway?
Argh. Very early. Must get up, feed dog (all Orijen! yay!).
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