I find myself astounded that a work week with only four days can include what felt like TWO Mondays. It’s been that kind of week for a number of reasons (more on that next week). BUT, I have some training news and questions, so here it goes.
Scent Work & Clicker Training
I had a little time to resume our scent work (using a whiskey-soaked cotton ball in an empty yogurt cup, along with some no-whiskey decoy cups). And, here is my trouble. Sometimes, Lilly pokes all the cups before she picks the right one. I have been clicking for correct pick no matter when it comes in the sequence, but now I’m doubting myself.
Should I click ONLY for the right choice on the first try? (which I suspect will make her discouraged)
OR, can she learn if I click any right choice, even if she made 1-3 wrong ones first?
My best guess at this point is to go back to just 1 cup, then 2 for a while … rather than 4, but I wanted to clear up my criteria first. Help?
More Possible Vaccine Reaction + Fear News
One evening this week, I found Lilly hiding in her crate. I plopped down on the floor nearby to see if she would come out on her own, but when I glanced her way, she was worming around inside, which is her super-submissive + fear behavior.
I didn’t bother her. I let her stay put, but later we made a big fuss about putting peanut butter in some toys, and she came out.
Our Kingdom for a Training Class
My work schedule and family obligations have kept me from our usual training class since mid-March. I finally had a minute to breathe and the outside location for last Sunday’s class (it changes weekly) was a good one for Lilly. We were all set to GO, when a monster thunderstorm rolled over the mountain. I called our trainer (Gigi), and she said it was rumbling there too (about an hour away from us), so we stayed home. So disappointing.
We’re waiting to see the locations for June, but we have high hopes. Plus, the Sunday class moves to the morning in the summer, so it doesn’t eat up the middle of the day (and it’s cooler).
Very interesting! But, I still think that Lily is having fun playing with the cups and isn’t getting that it is the scent on the ball that actually matters – just a guess – so that doesn’t negate the original thought of perhaps working with just the cotton balls for a short time until she understands. Maybe tape/tie/sew the balls to an object that she can’t move – that is how they work scent discrimination for advanced obedience, the wrong items are not removable so the dog can ONLY pick up the correct item.
I sympathize with the difficulty of getting to a training class. I’d like to find something beyond the basic training class taught through community education, where the classes are pretty large in a somewhat small room. I’d really like to try Java at agility but am afraid she doesn’t have basic obedience down well enough.
Well, you know more than I do about the scentwork, but my guess is that clicking no matter when in the sequence she picks the cup isn’t teaching her to go for the one and only whiskey soaked one FIRST.
It kind of reminds me of my father’s twisted “which hand has it” game that he plays with Marge – I don’t complain because it offers Marge a chance to interact with a scary thing positively, but he just gives her the treat no matter if she picks the right hand on the first or second try. She knows she’s going to get it eventually, whether she’s right or wrong the first time.
It must be hard to see her hiding like that over what seems like a trigger that’s invisible to you. Hopefully it’s just a fluke (as much of a “fluke” as it can be, of course), and isn’t becoming a recurring theme.
(BTW, just wanted to thank you again for taking time out of your schedule for thoughts on Marge. Hope things calm down for you!)
I think that I’d either change your criterion so that she must poke the correct one first OR change the behavior that you want when she finds the correct one. E.g., have her retrieve it, or poke it and then sit, or poke-bark. If you change the alerting behavior that you’re looking for, then she’s free to check them all without being wrong.
Having worked with an easily discouraged dog, I’d guess that you should back off to one cup until she’s almost 100%. Then, go to two and stay there for quite a while. But, that’s based on my very easily discouraged dog, perhaps Lilly is more resilient than my K in this type of situation.
Whiskey-soaked? Well, that’s a new one on me. Sorry to hear Lilly is still so fearful, at times. I know you are doing everything possible to help her. Also, sorry to hear about your storm just when you could take her to training class. Hopefully, the summer will be kinder to you.
What an interesting training idea! I wonder if hiding the balls in cups isn’t too much of a jump right off? Like maybe just click for touching the whiskey soaked ball only with a 2nd non whiskey cotton ball as the control?