(VICT) Re: Retrieve
- From: "Mona" <mramouni@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:27:37 -0400
Hi Ann and all,
I've been lurking for the past day and am impressed with all that's going on
here. It takes a great deal of dedication, I'm learning, and even more love
for the service animal than I would have at first thought. Never having had
a service animal, I can't say how I'll feel when Cali comes home for good,
but I hope that I can do the best for her, including keeping up her
training. Dolores is doing a tremendous job, one which I'll never really be
able to repay her for, monetarily or otherwise, and I'm so thrilled about
it.
Ann, you asked if Dolores is keeping a training journal about her progress
with Cali, and as a matter of fact, she's got a blog up. It's really amazing
to watch Cali and Dolores's progress just within these past two weeks. You
and everyone else are welcome to look at the blog and chime in with any
suggestions or comments, and if any of you can give me any advice about what
I should be doing to prepare myself, I'd be grateful.
Teaching a dog to retrieve when it really doesn't find it enjoyable in and
of itself must be difficult, and I'm guessing that teaching a horse would be
a bit challenging as well. I hope that when Cali comes, I can teach her to
retrieve whatever I drop since it seems like many small things I drop fall
into some great abyss, never to be found by me again. Barring teaching Cali
to retrieve, I'd at least like her to target whatever it is I drop so I can
find it. Any suggestions? I know this won't be for quite some time, but I
believe in preparation.
Everyone, take care, and don't forget to have lots of fun with your furry
friends.
Mona
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Edie" <annedie@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2008 12:41 PM
Subject: (VICT) Re: Retrieve
> Hi, Dolores,
>
> Thanks for jumping in with ideas on training a retrieve. I was going to
> ask
> you for your suggestions.
>
> The idea of reinforcing the bringing of objects by exchanging them for
> reinforcers of differing values is a great one. However, I think the
> issue
> that some of our members are facing is not that the dogs are bringing
> objects that they don't want touched, but that the dogs seem averse to
> picking up objects at all and bringing them to the person, or that the
> dogs
> bring a toy or two to the person, but drop it before getting all the way
> to
> the person, and that does no good, because the person still can't find the
> toy, or uses a wheelchair and cannot search for an object on the floor.
> The
> eventual goal behavior is, I think, to have the dog retrieve a dropped
> object, or locate and retrieve a named object, like keys, the phone, a
> leash, or harness, etc., that is somewhere in the general vacinity.
>
> Didn't you have to teach your dog Allie to play with toys? I think this
> may
> be closer to the issue some of our members are dealing with--dogs which,
> for
> reasons of past history or just personality, don't find it reinforcing to
> pick up objects and deliver them to the person. How did you encourage
> Allie
> to interact with toys instead of trying to herd tractors and cats?
>
> Another question: Do you think dogs pick up behaviors by watching another
> dog perform the task? I think horses learn a lot by watching another
> horse.
> But I'm not sure about whether dogs do this also.
>
> We'd love to hear about what you are doing with Cally. Are you keeping a
> training journal on line? Would love to hear about how you are figuring
> out
> what kind of harness will work best and be most comfortable for her over
> long periods of use.
>
> Welcome to the group! I'm sure the group would love to hear something of
> your history with clicker training and about your vast background with
> dogs
> as well as horses, if you have time to write. And don't hesitate to ask
> if
> you need information about how blind people train or work in various
> situations with their service animals.
>
> Best,
> Panda's Partner, Ann
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dolores Arste" <darste2@xxxxxxx>
> To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 10:30 PM
> Subject: (VICT) Re: Retrieve
>
>
>> Good day clicker trainers. I've recently joined this list and have been
>> quietly lurking.
>> I'm a clicker trainer of horses. And, dogs sometimes.
>>
>> I'm an equine student of Alexandra Kurland. And, a friend of Panda and
>> Ann.
>> Notice who I put first in that sentence. <smiles>
>> I joined this list because I've been asked to train a mini-horse as a
>> guide.
>> I've been thrilled at your conversations as I learn how you all handle
>> the
>> various scenarios around having a guide and your continued training is an
>> inspiration.
>>
>> On the subject of the retrieve but not my "stuff", I would recommend an
>> exchange program. What you want, I think, is for the dog to retrieve
>> things
>> that you want him to retrieve and leave other stuff along. And, some of
>> them
>> are not doing the latter. What you want to do is to break this down. Let
>> him
>> retrieve anything as long as he brings it to you.
>> You then exchange it for something. His favorite toy perhaps.
>>
>> What this does is make the dog feel like retrieving is ok. So, say if he
>> brings you your underwear. You'd exchange that for a toy. If he brings
>> you
>> his toy, you'd exchange that for a treat. So, things that you don't want
>> to
>> have him retrieve, get lower value rewards. Things that you do want
>> retrieved get higher value rewards. And, you can even
>> give higher value food rewards for retrieves of special stuff. A piece of
>> kibble for bringing the toy. A piece of hotdog for finding your house
>> keys.
>> A toy for your shoes.
>>
>> I hope this helps.
>>
>> Warmly,
>> Dolores
>> www.zenhorsemanship.com
>> http://theeyesofmona.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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