Jackie went for her first bike ride with Gunner and me today, with much success. We started several days ago by reinforcing hopping into the trolley indoors in a calm, distraction-free environment, then reinforcing being clipped in with her safety harness, then reinforcing for a small amount of movement of the bike and trolley. Then released out of the trolley and reinforced for hopping out, then a big celebration and change the subject and leave it alone for another day.
Which was today. After a very long walk with lots of play and running so everyone was loose and relaxed, we came home and got the bike and trolley ready, this time outside in the garage. Following the same process of reinforcing for hopping in, settling quietly, and staying clipped in with Gunner by her side. We then went for one large circle in the garage, with lots of reinforcements for keeping her belly on the floor of the trailer. Gunner is used to standing in the trailer, but I was today years old when I decided I want him to follow Jackie's example and lie down while in the trailer-- Jackie offered this behavior and it seems logical to keep the center of balance as low and stationary in the trailer as possible. So I was simultaneously marking and reinforcing Gunner for lying on his belly in the trolley as well as marking and reinforcing Jackie.
We then proceeded to the bottom of the driveway; at this point I hadn't actually gotten on the bike but was walking beside the bike so I could keep up a very high rate of reinforcement. Since all was going well I donned my helmet and got on to pedal about a half-block away, then marked while still in the bike saddle, dismounted and parked, and reinforced both dogs for lying calmly. Repeat, repeat, repeat, adding more time and distance between each mark, stop, and reinforcement, until we had gone the entire distance around our small neighborhood.
I was especially intentional to mark and reinforce calm, still behavior whenever a car passed and when we passed a couple kids playing ball in the street.
After today's triumph I'm looking forward to more bike rides together. With both Border collies' combined weight just about 70 pounds in the trolley, and an additional 20+ pounds of Cocker spaniel weight in the front basket of the bike, it's a fair effort to pedal around the neighborhood, especially hills! I'm grateful for the upgraded bike that Chris got for me just as the pandemic was beginning to descend on us in early 2020.
Building value for being in the bike trolley while still indoors
Pearls:
- Future successful bike rides are accessible thanks to high rates of reinforcement and building value for riding calmly
- Jackie autonomously offered logically lying on her belly in the sphinx position, so now I'm continuing to reinforce that position for all dogs
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