Category: Advanced Stuff ¤
  Author: Lana Mitchell ¤
   Title: Keep Going Signal ¤

Perhaps having him down then returning to work immediately puts a lot of
pressure on your dog to display a self-control that he does not possess. He can
be taught self-control and what I commonly refer to as "work ethic" if you
tried the following:
I wasn't sure from your post if you are telling him to down or he is offering
it. It didn't sound like he was offering, so I will assume you are downing him
on command. If this were my dog I would --
- Down him, turn my back like I am returning to work, turn back and
click/release (click/release = click, feed, and release).
- Repeat this many times (if there is another class you can attend and pretend
you are teaching it this would be easier to do).
- Extend the length of time my back is turned to several seconds.
- Add a keep going signal, repeat my down command (kgs will release him
otherwise), then click/release as soon as he downs.
- Continue with the kgs until we are again up to several seconds.
- Now that I have a *real* behavior with a measurable duration criterion and a
kgs, I can start to raise criteria in other areas.
- I would move farther away (distance criterion).
- I would then not move so far and start talking as though I was teaching the
class (distraction criterion).
- I would stay closer, talk to the class, and increase the duration again.
- I would vary my schedule not by asking for more as we normally think of a
variable schedule, but with easier and more difficult performance. I would
sometimes turn right around, click, feed, release, and play. Other times I
would get far away, talk to the class and come running back to him with his
favorite toy for a game of tug or toss.
- The kgs would be used to increase the length of time I go without actually
clicking and releasing him from the down.
- The duration criterion between kgs and the click is as flexible as it is
between the behavior and the kgs.
- Most of all, I would remember that training is training and problem-solving
in the middle of the problem does not lend itself to cures, but only to
Band-Aids. For that reason, I would work this problem only when I was in
control of all situations, and not really teaching a class, and would not take
this dog as a demo dog until he could be quiet and restful for at least 15
minutes while a class was going on.

I used the release here because this dog is obviously anxious in this setting
whether it is anticipation of getting out and being fed, stress over the other
dogs getting trained or fed, or because his owner has responded to it in the
past either favorably or negatively. Visably releasing a dog with arms up and a
squeal of delight gives him even more to work for than a mere click and cookie.


--
Lana Mitchell
CLICK! for Success