Today we moved on from just introducing the clicker and we have begun the "Box Game". The aim of this is to teach the puppies that they can do something to trigger the clicker, it makes them realise that they have an amount of control over a situation, some trainers use this in older dogs to allow them to "opt in/out" of a difficult or stressful situation but thats for a later post.
With the puppies we want them to realise that their behaviour has a consequence, at this moment in time it's all positive. We place a box on the ground and click for any interaction the puppy makes, this can be looking towards the box, walking towards it, touching it, sitting in it etc etc. It is slightly different from the box game that we play with adults dogs, with them we aim to shape the behaviour and get the dog to step in side the box and stay there.
Once they have fully understood this concept we will use it to teach something called "Manding". Manding is essentially giving the puppies a voice and allowing them to ask for something. Want a fuss? Sit nicely in front of me and I'll give you one. When your puppy comes home you can expand this to other things such as going outside (sit nicely at the door and you can go out) or meal times (sit while I get your food ready).
Many people know this concept as Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) or Learn to Earn and it is something Carole and I both follow, to us it is good manners, impulse control and means we have control over situations that can be over exciting, if a dog is over excited before it even steps foot out of the door how can we expect them to be calm and listen when they get outside.
It's also something you will hear us recommend once you reach that barky teenage stage, in this case the dog can't go out/get out of the car/have its dinner until it is quiet. I've included some links so you can have a read and learn a bit more.
The only behaviour we do NOT recommend is tethering the dog to you at all times
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm
http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/the-learn-to-earn-program
http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/the-learn-to-earn-program-implementing-the-program
http://www.brooklinelabrescue.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/LearnToEarn.pdf
I think I have posted previously about giving the puppies challenges, today I decided to use cardboard boxes to sort of make a channel, put the puppy bump out (that white pvc tube) and another box for them to work out how to get around, safe to say they mastered it! You'll also hear me calling "Puppy puppy puppy" which is the start of their recall training. Every time we feed them we use this call and they have begun to associate it with something good. This is the basis for any recall and it will come in handy for you in the future! Enjoy the video, tomorrow I think I'll put a tunnel out for them to go through which I'll try to record again :)
With the puppies we want them to realise that their behaviour has a consequence, at this moment in time it's all positive. We place a box on the ground and click for any interaction the puppy makes, this can be looking towards the box, walking towards it, touching it, sitting in it etc etc. It is slightly different from the box game that we play with adults dogs, with them we aim to shape the behaviour and get the dog to step in side the box and stay there.
Once they have fully understood this concept we will use it to teach something called "Manding". Manding is essentially giving the puppies a voice and allowing them to ask for something. Want a fuss? Sit nicely in front of me and I'll give you one. When your puppy comes home you can expand this to other things such as going outside (sit nicely at the door and you can go out) or meal times (sit while I get your food ready).
Many people know this concept as Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) or Learn to Earn and it is something Carole and I both follow, to us it is good manners, impulse control and means we have control over situations that can be over exciting, if a dog is over excited before it even steps foot out of the door how can we expect them to be calm and listen when they get outside.
It's also something you will hear us recommend once you reach that barky teenage stage, in this case the dog can't go out/get out of the car/have its dinner until it is quiet. I've included some links so you can have a read and learn a bit more.
The only behaviour we do NOT recommend is tethering the dog to you at all times
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm
http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/the-learn-to-earn-program
http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/the-learn-to-earn-program-implementing-the-program
http://www.brooklinelabrescue.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/LearnToEarn.pdf
I think I have posted previously about giving the puppies challenges, today I decided to use cardboard boxes to sort of make a channel, put the puppy bump out (that white pvc tube) and another box for them to work out how to get around, safe to say they mastered it! You'll also hear me calling "Puppy puppy puppy" which is the start of their recall training. Every time we feed them we use this call and they have begun to associate it with something good. This is the basis for any recall and it will come in handy for you in the future! Enjoy the video, tomorrow I think I'll put a tunnel out for them to go through which I'll try to record again :)