December 1, 2014

Training Can Be Its Own Reward


There are times that I think I'm seriously slacking in the training department, because I haven't added any new tricks to Ruby's roster or made a lot of progress on the reactive front, but I have to remind myself that we are training every day, just by interacting and more importantly by playing. Ruby has proven a few times recently that not only is she motivated by toy rewards, but she enjoys and even seems to ask for the training itself.

The other night Ruby brought me her JW Pet treat pod bone - a hard plastic bone with three colored squishy rings which can be filled with treats. I don't normally use it as a treat dispenser, but both dogs seem to like the different chewing textures. I started to tug on one end and Ruby let go. I tossed it across the rug and she just looked at it. She didn't seem to want to play either of her favorite games - tug or fetch. I took the toy and asked for a 'down'. She happily laid down and wagged her tail. I placed the toy on her paws and told her 'leave it'. More wagging. I told her 'get it' and she grabbed the bone. I grabbed it and said 'drop it' and she released it to my hand. I told her 'get it' and she grabbed it joyfully back. We played several more rounds of 'drop it,' 'leave it' and 'get it' - a spontaneously invented game that Ruby inspired with her enthusiasm for something new. 

Another routine we've been practicing lately revolves around Ruby's nightly game of tug. I like to mix things up and incorporate some of her tricks into our game to keep her body and mind busy. One of my favorites is to ask for her "box turn" - a flyball dog move - in which Ruby jumps up onto the side of the sofa and down. Our cue is a sort of "schew" noise and sending my hand palm out away from my body. This is a great way to burn some extra energy, but I also wanted to involve more impulse control in our games - asking Ruby to go from a very high state of arousal to a low one. I thought a great way to do this would be incorporating her mat work into our tug games. I placed her pink mat in one corner of the living room, and opened her crate door in the other. In between throwing and tugging the toy, I asked her to go to either her crate (we call it a den) or her mat (or both) before releasing her to play again. I was really impressed by the way she ran to her mat and laid down - while not truly relaxed, just being able to maintain stillness in the midst of her favorite game took a great deal of self control. I was even able to say 'leave it' and throw the tug toy while she waited on her mat or in her den for release. Ruby seemed proud of herself for accomplishing each step, and over the next few days, I felt that my bond with her strengthened. I believe that our tug/mat/den exercise increased her confidence, that knowing where to go and when to wait in the smaller world of our play session extended to the bigger world. I plan to keep this up and expand on it throughout the winter.

Even when cold days keep us indoors, the possibilities for training games are endless. Figure out what your dog loves best and train around that. It doesn't always have to be food, and it doesn't always have to look like training - it can look a lot like fun.

This post is part of the Positive Training Blog Hop, hosted on the first Monday of every month by Cascadian Nomads, Dachshund Nola and Tenacious Little Terrier. This month's theme is 'Rewards' but any positive training posts are welcome - please join us! 

17 comments:

  1. Awesome! Honey also asks for training games. And she gets very excited when the clicker comes out.

    You've probably read about how humans experience "flow" when they're totally engaged in the moment. I think for some dogs, training is probably a flow moment.

    BTW, one of my biggest weaknesses is thinking of verbal cues and hand signals for different behaviors. Perhaps in a future post you might be willing to share all the cues you use in one place?

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    1. Oh, Ruby loves seeing that clicker too! I have the same trouble thinking up cues, Pamela, and half the time I end up wanting to change it. For instance, I used "go to den" and "go to mat" in the above exercise, and realized that they start the same so when using them together it seems confusing for Ruby. I'm working on changing the mat cue to "pink mat." I do have all the verbal cues listed here, and should add hand signals:

      http://myrubicondays.blogspot.com/p/commands.html

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  2. Thank you so much for this excellent reminder of how rewarding training can be. With how crazy busy our summer and fall were, I totally slacked on our training routines. I am so proud of my boys though as they frequently "asked" for mental stimulation and I am glad to say I "listened." I think the bond that I have with the pets because of training is what makes it so that they can give me subtle signals about what they need and I understand them. Most of the time, I see one of the dogs "ask" for training when I look down and see one of them in a perfect heel or front position. I either stop what I am doing right away for a postion game or praise then make time for some training games as soon as possible. I love that my boys want to learn. It is what I worked to instill in them from day one. And do indeed love how rewarding that training drive has become!

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    1. It's wonderful to be in tune with our dogs, isn't it?

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  3. They train our K9 police doggy friends at moms work with a toy reward. I respond to it too
    Edward (& Lily)

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  4. I love this post! A lot of the times when I'm doing shaping Zoe will ignore the treat to continue the shaping because she finds it so rewarding. I'm also working on making playing with toys more rewarding, too because both the girls prefer food but I'm noticing they are bringing me more toys and asking for play. So I've been incorporating that into a play/train session.

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    1. When we get a new subscription box, if there is a new toy in there Ruby will RUN with it to the living room, even if I'm handing out new treats. Unfortunately, the toy motivation doesn't extend outside the house.

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  5. Blueberry has little interest in games or toys. Often I find myself trying to engage her only to have her look at me like I am out of my mind. She has to be in the mood and it has to be on her terms, otherwise, it doesn't happen. I miss my dog Shadow - she was always up for a game! It's very odd to have a dog that doesn't enjoy "normal" dog things - but then again, it forces me to think outside the box to figure out things she will like!

    I love that Ruby so enjoys her new toys!

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    1. Boca is more like Blueberry. She will play a little tug. She'll run after a ball...once. What she most wants to do is take all the toys back to her bed and gnaw them into oblivion. And then take a nap.

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  6. I ask Mr. N if he wants to "train" and he almost always runs to our training spot and looks at me expectantly. Those sound like great impulse control games.

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  7. Fun! I feel the same way at times, that I haven't made as much progress with Lola and Rio as I did last year, but winter is a great time to work on these things!

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  8. It is incredible how much dogs love positive training. I'm going to try those impulse control "tricks" in the midst of our higher activity training games. Thanks.

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    1. I keep meaning to get back to the Relaxation Protocol, too - although Boca is a very naturally relaxed dog, she is almost *too* food motivated and it would be good practice for her patience.

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  9. Great post!

    I've been meaning to get one of the JW Pet treat pod bone toys, I keep hearing good things about them and it seems like a lot of dogs really like them!

    I loved the description of your tug/mat/den game. Sounds like you both were having a lot of fun.
    With Ginger, I have also been working on having her stay and "leave it" while I toss a toy or treat to the side. This is so hard for her, but she's starting to catch on. :)

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    1. The treat pods come in three sizes as well, which is really nice.

      Boca needs a lot of work on 'leave it' with food - toys are easier for her and vice versa with Ruby.

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