# Perch training



## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Gracie's signed up for an Essentials of Heeling class that starts next week. Before class starts we're supposed to train the dog using shaping with a clicker to put front paws on a perch and stay there as well as step onto and stand on a rectangular pad. Anyone know any good videos that teach this? The ones I've found seem to use dogs that are already familiar with getting onto the perch. Any hints for working with the perch?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Adele Yunck may have videos on youtube... 

It's really easy to teach with clicker (verbal mark or click) training. It's lure + click/mark + reward. Repeat. Within a session, you should have your puppy go over to get feet up there while trying to "earn" the click.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I generally don't like training through shaping. I just hold a treat over the object, you can click as soon as dog is in correct position, I usually use a verbal marker instead.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

^ I agree. I do more luring and helping them be right so they have a good idea of what to do to "earn" clicks/YES's. They still play guessing games after they are lured and have a vague idea that the "hot spot" is the place to go and do something.... which point you start shaping to what you REALLY want, but a little help at the beginning speeds things up quite a bit.  

^ Learned from a Balanced trainer, btw.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

We seemed to have a breakthrough this evening . . . both paws up on the perch. Previously my attempts to lure her onto it resulted in her going around it or pushing it out of the way. Not anywhere near as good as what I remember seeing Phoenix do in a video (was that months ago?) but we're making progress.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

The things Casper has learned through shaping have stuck more than any other training method. So with Casper, I prefer to use shaping whenever I can. For perches, it's important to have something that won't tip over when the dog puts his feet on it. Well, at least for Casper. If the perch falls over under him, he won't try again.


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