# A Training Resolution for All of You!



## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Okay I wonder if out of the four of these dogs I could teach them CPR or how to use a defibulator???????


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Here-Here!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Great idea! I think I may have already started...On yesterdays walk we had a couple of snowmobiles come by and Oakly (without me saying a word) came and sat by my side while they passed. He must have remembered from last year that was the right thing to do.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Hey maybe not use the defib or administer CPR....but dial 911 or retrieve the phone sure!!!!!


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## foreveramber (Feb 25, 2007)

i bought a small carpet for my apartment entry way yesterday!! 

the clicker would be the easiest way, right?


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

foreveramber said:


> i bought a small carpet for my apartment entry way yesterday!!
> 
> the clicker would be the easiest way, right?


With him being clicker savvy, it should be helpful, yes. You can either free shape going to the carpet (rewarding the steps needed to go to the carpet in successive approximations -- i.e., looking at the carpet, taking a step to the carpet, more steps to the carpet, standing on the carpet, lying down on the carpet, etc.) or you can lure and then click once he's there. Not the intended purpose of the clicker, but I work that way a lot and have great success with it. It does require that the dog KNOW what the click is for and he feels that the click is more salient than knowing there's food in your hand.

In any case, there's actually three parts to the behavior:

1. Go to your mat
2. Stay there
3. Do it around distractions

The last part is the hardest and will take the most time. You'll need to recruit people to come and help. Make sure you can get him on the bed and staying there while you walk to the door, touch the knob, open it, etc. w/o anyone outside or coming in. Once that's solid, start adding the distraction of the doorbell, maybe still w/o anyone there. THEN start adding having people outside and coming in, etc.

Baby steps. High rate of reinforcement. If he's having trouble, it means we set him up to handle more than he's ready for, etc.

Happy Training!


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## foreveramber (Feb 25, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> With him being clicker savvy, it should be helpful, yes. You can either free shape going to the carpet (rewarding the steps needed to go to the carpet in successive approximations -- i.e., looking at the carpet, taking a step to the carpet, more steps to the carpet, standing on the carpet, lying down on the carpet, etc.) or you can lure and then click once he's there. Not the intended purpose of the clicker, but I work that way a lot and have great success with it. It does require that the dog KNOW what the click is for and he feels that the click is more salient than knowing there's food in your hand.
> 
> In any case, there's actually three parts to the behavior:
> 
> ...


 
my resolution is patience!!


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## Emmysourgolden (Oct 10, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Okay I wonder if out of the four of these dogs I could teach them CPR or how to use a defibulator???????


Hooch, I choked as I was taking a drink when I read this because I burst out laughing! I have a little diet coke in my nostrils! It's burning.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Great idea Stephanie. I want to train my two to clean my house and host all my future quests! Kidding aside, I really would like them to be a bit calmer when guests come over. I'll have to buy two towels for them and work on it.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

>>Rather than set out to train your dog *NOT* to do something, make it your training goal to recognize what you want him *TO* do and work on that instead. For example:

Instead of, "I don't want him to jump on people when they come in the front door" decide that "I want him to do a down-stay on a mat nearby when people come in".<<

Great idea and this is something I really need to work on! Along with my patience. 

Going to start today!


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

LibertyME said:


> Hey maybe not use the defib or administer CPR....but dial 911 or retrieve the phone sure!!!!!


My Dr's might like the dogs learning 911 they always get on me about us driving in to the ER and then about not going to the nearest hospital. But I am always one that wants to go where I know I am going to end up and I just get there earlier.


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## PeanutsMom (Oct 14, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Okay I wonder if out of the four of these dogs I could teach them CPR or how to use a defibulator???????



awesome idea hooch!


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> Great idea! I think I may have already started...On yesterdays walk we had a couple of snowmobiles come by and Oakly (without me saying a word) came and sat by my side while they passed. He must have remembered from last year that was the right thing to do.


That is very cool that he remembered that from the year before. He is pretty smart.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

Excellent resolution! Way better than me losing a few pounds...


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

How easy do you think it would be to train Murphy to pick up the news paper in the morning when we come back from our potty break?


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

*Very good post!*



FlyingQuizini said:


> I offer this good-natured training challenge to each of you in the New Year:
> 
> Rather than set out to train your dog *NOT* to do something, make it your training goal to recognize what you want him *TO* do and work on that instead. For example:
> 
> ...


Tonight I am going to Intermediate Dog Obedience.
Tomorrow, I plan on taking the same dog to a Nursing Home.


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

I think this is a BRILLIANT suggestion and a great reminder to all! Just today I was talking with one of my rescue colleagues and shared this with her. I've been thinking about this post ever since I read it. It makes you realize the futility in trying to train a dog to NOT do something!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Sunshine Goldens said:


> I think this is a BRILLIANT suggestion and a great reminder to all! Just today I was talking with one of my rescue colleagues and shared this with her. I've been thinking about this post ever since I read it. It makes you realize the futility in trying to train a dog to NOT do something!


Why, thank you! :wiggle:


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## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

Even Dr. Phil says in order to stop one behavior it must be replaced with something else. I believe that. So it follows that a dog won't stop jumping if it isn't taught what it should do instead. Simply saying or yelling no doesn't offer any hint about what he/she should be doing instead. If the dog has a job when the door bell rings, like go to it's mat, it will do that. Penny is still at the stage where the mat she goes to is the one on the porch! But then we haven't taught her anything different.

I love the humane, thoughtfulness of your idea.

When I work with my horse, I always approach his wrong guess about what I want with "This, not that". He always come through for me as does Penny with "Okay for scritches and treats, I can do that".

I agree "Brilliant post"


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