Eureka!

Tomorrow will be four weeks that we’ve had Jackie.  Just now for the first time Jackie really opened up and started truly working for me, and I wanted to sit down and talk about what happened.

I’ve been experimenting with all different forms of reinforcement, and so far the best has been running and play, with the best hand-held treat reinforcement chicken.  Other than while running, which Jackie loves to do, I haven’t yet found a way to really motivate her to focus in the sharp way that I have done previously with Gunner and other dogs.

Today I experimented with cut-up hot dog medallions, which I haven’t used since Jackie’s first few days with us because she was sort of “meh” about them.  Looking back though, Jackie’s been “meh” on a lot of treats, and I think it is because everything has been so new that she’s still acclimating to her life shift.  

Today the hot dogs were a huge success!  We started playing the recall race game outside today, where Jackie starts in a sit-stay in heel position, then sends out to a target on cue, eats a cookie off a ceramic target (I use a small flat Fiestaware saucer because I have literally hundreds of them, and they are the perfect size, sturdy, easy to see in the grass, and easy to clean), then turns around and recalls back to my front for another reward.  We’ve practiced this game indoors, and Jackie always performs it correctly and obediently, but she walks or at best trots out to the target and then back, and has lacked sharp speed.  

Today when we took it outside, Jackie found a new gear, RUNNING out to touch the target and DASHING back to me on the recall.  I placed the target a bit further away, and then a bit further away again, and so on until she could really build up some speed between me and the target. What helped as much as anything is that I had plenty of room outside to make a big fuss and celebrate each “win,” and Jackie really responded to that, running and even leaping with joy around the yard to celebrate.  My enthusiasm at her opening up helped her to open up even more, so we had an awesome positive feed back loop going.  

Passion is key; I need to remind myself to bring my own zest, to celebrate and praise enthusiastically to the point of silliness.  As Jackie truly started working today, my genuine happiness exploded out of me, and Jackie in turn really responded to that zeal.  Lately I’ve been hyper-focused on my own management, on marking exactly the precise behavior I want to reinforce, and accuracy and timing on my part. Today though I was animated and effervescent, using a squealie-high-pitched voice, clapping and running, and Jackie really responded to that energy— of course she did!

These 5 inch diameter Fiestaware plates make great target practice, good thing I have about a million!

Enthusiasm is infectious!

Love how her whiskers pop out

Pearls:

• Even the best reinforcement can be “meh” unless the job at hand is play, not a job
• Hot dog medallions were a favorite today
• The dog’s joy and enthusiasm is mirrored by the handler’s joy and enthusiasm, and vice versa into a positive feedback loop
• Accuracy, precision, clarity— all that is fine and good, but above all it has to be FUN!

Observation of the Handler's Behavior

Gunner has been working on weaving so I previously ordered a set of six weave poles. As someone who has been strongly reinforced by excellent results from using positive reinforcement training, I am always keen to learn new behavior, on my part as much as the animal's with which I'm working. So when Gunner makes a "mistake" (offers a behavior in which I'm not interested-- for example waiving goodbye when I ask for stand) I've simply ignored it, kept moving and either waited for the "correct" behavior I wanted to capture, or gone back a step to ask for something I can then reward.

I recently observed a trainer in action that said the word "oops" when her dog made a "mistake" (by mistake I simply mean the dog offered a behavior in which the handler is not currently interested).  I thought saying "oops" was a nice idea to remind the handler that it's no big deal, to keep moving, and search for the behavior that I will eventually want to reinforce.  

So during our next weave pole session, if Gunner missed a correct entry to the weave poles, or skipped a pole, I simply started saying "oops," not reinforcing, and moving back a step to repeat a behavior that I could reinforce.  Quickly though, Gunner began to offer the "I've been shot in the chest" look: stopping and shrinking, looking dumbfounded and apologetic, when I said "oops."  It was perceived by Gunner as a punishment, which of course goes against everything I'm trying to do here.  It took a few repetitions for me to notice Gunner's "shot in the chest" behavior was linked with the word "oops" rather than just thinking, as I did at first, that he was confused by the task being too hard or that I had asked for too much too soon. 

The "oops" had become a marker for "you didn't do it right and you're not getting a cookie" in the way that "yes" means "you're doing it right and you will now get a cookie."  Since Gunner understands this way of thinking, he learned the meaning of "oops" even before I caught on! But it went too far, and was not just a game of hot-cold (where "yes" means hot- keep going and "oops" means cold- keep trying), rather the "oops" was perceived by Gunner as a punishment that was in turn shutting him down. 

A valuable lesson for me to learn, and I'm glad I noticed it relatively quickly (though not as quickly as my Border collie I must admit). I continue to make a knowing effort to display neutral emotion without any disappointment or other marker if a mistake happens.  Energetic celebrations, jackpots, and precise marking for behaviors that I want; and behaviors that I don't want are met with the same emotion with which I buy a loaf of bread, ignored; then the next behavior I can mark and reward is sought, found, and celebrated.

I like these Trademark Innovations weave poles as they can be configured two-by-two, and later I can add another set to make a full set of twelve weave poles, plus they were relatively cheap (about 50 dollars for the set of six), they came with a canvas carrying bag for clean storage, and they've been perfect for home use:

Gunner, often the smartest one in the room:

Pearls:

• Weave poles are challenging, and I'm grateful Gunner has become my trial-and-error schoolmaster dog
• I'm not at all interested in punishment, and am grateful for a patient and intelligent dog who teaches me to do better
• Some trainers do well with event markers to indicate "cold, keep trying" but my focus remains on rewarding the behaviors I want and ignoring "mistake" behaviors to become extinct 
• There is a plethora of information out there on the world wide web, in books and journal articles, but sometimes you have to get past the lecture and into the lab of life and break some eggs to make an omlet

Long Line

A new experience for me today: I worked with a dog on a long line for the first time.  In preparing for the ongoing training of Jackie, about a week ago I purchased a 30 foot long line.  I’ve worked several horses in long lines, and lunged several more horses with lunge lines, and even written blog posts about equestrian long-lining, however tonight was the first time I’ve worked a dog on a long line.

I LOVE IT. It seems so common sense, but the dog having the freedom to run a fair distance away, and have one hundred percent error free recall practice was brilliant.  Jackie was able to run along with Gunner (Gunner has had off-leash privileges where appropriate for many years now), sniffing and exploring the levee and river banks, and each and every time she lifted to look at me or paused her sniffing to look back, I was able to recall her for a high value chicken reinforcement, thus loading the recall bank with error-free practice.  

Since we were out during high traffic time when the weather is finally decent enough for folks to venture outside, any time Jackie got too involved with staring at another dog, bicycle, stroller, horse-and-rider, or whatever, I could easily recall her back to me enthusiastically running the opposite direction knowing full well that I had complete control if she should decide not to recall.  Only twice did I have to give the slightest reminding encouraging pressure on the leash to re-direct her focus to recall to me, and other than that the leash was fully loose.  The brilliant part was that I was free to focus on my actions, because I knew I had the lifeline of the 30 foot leash if anything distracting should occur. 

In addition to the reinforcement of a bite of chicken each time she recalled, the releasing her with an “ok!” to go back to her exploring walk was a huge reinforcement as well. Long have I loved line-driving and long-lining horses, and now I am a convert to long lining my dog as well!

Loving this Hi Kiss purple (of course) long line:

Jackie was able to run alongside Gunner, investigating new smells along the levee:

One hundred percent error-free recall practice, and I can reinforce each time, building toward a strong, reliable recall:

Pearls:

• New experience with a long line for a dog, and I’m a fan
• Completely error-free recall practice establishes a foundation for a solid future recall
• The handler has the luxury and safety factor knowing I can control my dog in the event of anything distracting or unexpected happening in a more distracting environment, while still working to install a strong recall
• The reinforcements of running toward me as I run in the opposite direction, getting a cookie when she gets to me, and being released to continue sniffing, running and exploring are triple reinforcements for the all important recall

Preparing the Basics

Today I enrolled Jackie in basic dog obedience with Robin Barber at Cowtown Dog Sports to begin preparing Jackie for agility foundations.  The class begins in a couple weeks from now, and will be held once weekly for a series of six weeks. 

In preparing for the upcoming classes, we’re working on sit, down, recall, and stay.  Today for the first time I began teaching Jackie to send out to a ceramic target from a sit-stay, touch the target with her nose, and recall back to me. It’s a fun game to practice and reinforce all the behaviors of sit, stay, send to a target, and recall.

I first learned this as a college student as the “paper plate recall” game with my beloved Australian shepherd Roo, who loved this game so much she went on to become the recall race champion in my class.  The dog starts in a sit next to you in heel position, then stays as they watch you walk about twenty feet out and place a cookie down on a paper plate.  Then the handler returns to the dog in heel position, releases the dog with “okay, target!” The dog runs out to the plate, eats the cookie, then the handler recalls the dog back to their front to land in a sit for another reinforcer cookie.

Since Jackie is only just learning the target recall race game, we started indoors with no distractions, and it is going well.  We need to increase speed but she is learning the basics in an error-free environment.

Jackie, reaping the benefits of several dogs before her:

Here is the Recall Race Champion plaque Roo earned.  In 1999, I was very proud of this achievement (still am, truth be told), and it hangs in my study today:

In 1999 I was being introduced to R+ training, with grateful thanks to my Australian shepherd Roo, who went on to become a Delta Pet Society Therapy Dog, which allowed us to visit nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals together.  Here she is with her faithful sidekick Scarlett; I’ve had a Cocker spaniel my entire life, from in the womb through currently:

Scarlett and Roo, circa 2005

Hurricane Ida

We certainly know what it feels like to survive a bad hurricane.  This week we watched our neighbors and loved ones in Louisiana deal with Hurricane Ida.  Our hearts go out, and we were grateful to be able to team up with our church in Houston to help with donations for recovery.  

Currently we are hosting a dear friend of our family who evacuated from New Orleans to Fort Worth with her sister and two friends and Zeke, her little Maltese/Yorkie cross.  Zeke is such a good boy, and is adorable.  In just a couple short visits we have grown to love his momma and her family and friends.  

Zeke and his momma, whom we have easily grown to love

Rosco and Jackie investigating Zeke.  Before Zeke had to evacuate his home in New Orleans due to hurricane Ida, he was scheduled for surgery to repair a luxating patella. Zeke will have the necessary surgery once he gets back home, and for now he is making good use of his stroller:

Pearls:

• Hurricane Ida has been scary to watch; we are grateful for the safety of our loved ones
• Zeke is adorable; my first experience with a Maltese type and I’m in love
• Zeke’s momma taught me how to make authentic New Orleans bread pudding, and cooked shrimp and grilled oysters, all of my favorite food!

A Trip to the Veterinarian

Jackie has been with us three weeks! Yesterday I took her for her first appointment with our veterinarian Dr. J. Scott Mellina at Mellina Animal Hospital. He did an adoption exam and listened to her heart and lungs.  Dr. Mellina prescribed her ongoing heartworm and flea and tick prevention.  Since Jackie has been treated for heartworms recently, it is likely that she is still heartworm positive, so we will wait to do another occult heartworm test for another few months.

Due to concerns over covid and the new viral variants, Mellina Animal Hospital is continuing with their curbside service which I fully support and applaud. Dr. Mellina’s first comment (I stayed in the car and spoke with him over the phone from the parking lot) was what a nice dog Jackie is.  He wants her to continue on Heartguard (ivermectin) due to probably still being heartworm positive.  

When Dr. Mellina listened to Jackie’s heart and lungs, it sounded clear and healthy, with no indication of damage.  Of course that was great news to my ear.  Dr. Mellina took a radiograph of Jackie’s heart and lungs so we will have a baseline if anything changes in the future. 

When Kristen, Dr. Mellina’s veterinary technician, came out to the car to take Jackie in to see the veterinarian, Jackie calmly and confidently trotted in with Kristen.  After the appointment was over and Kristen returned Jackie to me in the parking lot at the car, Kristen reported that Jackie did great, wasn’t timid or scared at all, and received lots of pets and belly rubs from everyone.  It was good that Jackie only got petted and examined; she did not have to have anything invasive like shots or blood tests which helped add to the positive experience her first time in her new vet’s office. 

Since it was also Jackie’s first car ride with me, I had my treat pouch and was sure to reinforce Jackie for lying down quietly in the car.  Jackie handled the whole ride, visit, and return home brilliantly, and it was a positive experience for her first visit with her new veterinarian.

As a little positive reinforcement of my own to the veterinarian staff, I brought Dr. Mellina’s office a goody bag of apples, a variety of chocolates, some mixed nuts, my favorite chocolate dipped cookies, and a card expressing my sincere gratitude.  I am so grateful to the hardworking veterinarians and their staffs out there, keeping our animals healthy, caring for our family members, and adding value to lives every day.

Jackie being loved on by Vet Tech Kristen at Mellina Animal Hospital

Pearls:

• Another milestone: Jackie has been in our home three weeks!
• Jackie’s first veterinary visit went very well and was a positive experience 
• Ongoing heartworm, flea and tick prevention were dispensed, and Dr. Mellina took a baseline radiograph of Jackie’s heart and lungs 
• R+ works on people, too!
• Any time I have the opportunity to do so, I thank my veterinarians and their staff 

Herding Instincts

We’ve had our first casualty due to overly exuberant herding instincts.  Jackie loves to run, fast and hard, and she runs up to Gunner and bumps him with her snout.  It is an invitation to play, but yesterday things got a bit too boisterous and Jackie bumped into Gunner’s head too forcefully.  

While I don’t want to discourage Jackie’s high herding drive, I am also keen to control it for the benefit of all.  We have stepped up our efforts with recall training, sit, down, and stay.  I want to focus Jackie’s high drive, so am working with her on the basics while thinking ahead to foundation games for agility, such as touching a target or following a hand signal to walk over different surfaces.  

High herding drive can be awesome to work with in a dog, with the emphasis on work with.  Herding drive is not something I want to lay dormant to figuratively explode in my face later or be used for behavior in which I’m not interested. So I am working with Jackie to reinforce calm behavior between her brothers, allowing her to play with Gunner but only when he gives consent and only with no physical contact that is so rough.  

To reinforce gentleness I stand near Gunner and manage his personal space, reinforcing gentle behavior on Jackie’s part around Gunner.  It is definitely management at this point, with reinforcement added when applicable for gentle behavior near Gunner.  It is interesting to observe that Jackie is interested in bumping into and chasing Gunner, not Rosco; conversely, Gunner is only interested in bumping and chasing Rosco, not Jackie. Rosco likes to chase toys much more than chasing another dog.

Jackie has to have other possibilities to exert her herding drive, like running, and luring exercises where Jackie follows a target to get onto a mat or elevated surface.  Continued basic obedience training will also stimulate her brain, turning glucose into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which will tire out a girl!

Gunner is going to be fine, and his eye is already less red than pictured here. Good old triple antibiotic ointment is always on hand for the rare bumps and scrapes life doles.

The best I could do at home without a microscope slit lamp camera— though I am a trained ophthalmic photographer, this is the first time I’ve documented eye pathology on a dog!

Pearls:

• Hard play versus more sensitive nature = management required and work on reinforcing calm interactions
• Gunner loves to herd Rosco, but is never forceful or rough; Rosco is quick to stand up for himself with swift retaliation in the form of a strong snarl and lunge if activities get too rough for his liking. Gunner on the other hand is more passive and shrinks when aggressive behavior is displayed toward himself; keeping Gunner and everyone safe and feeling confident is paramount 
• Outlets for herding drive as well as brain games continue to be important
• Triple antibiotic ointment has been a go-to solution for small scrapes in people, horses, and dogs

Be More Elegant

As an equestrian, one is often reminded to “be more elegant,” “sit up straighter,” “put your shoulder blades together,” or “make yourself taller.” In general, equestrians are called to walk a higher plain, both figuratively and literally.  Charles deKunffy espouses the idea that equestrians are called to live a noble life, and should aspire to live in an elite way.  Not elite as in entitled; rather, leading a noble existence where one’s lifestyle has meaning and elegance because one has an obligation to one’s horses, fellow equestrians, and the greater world.  An obligation to strive to improve, to seek knowledge, and to live in such a way that adds beauty and meaning to life.  

And then there are dogs.  Who themselves are noble, and all of the above striving still applies.  The thing is, part of the vernacular with dogs is not automatically a call to stand up straight nor make yourself taller as it is with horses. Indeed I find myself stooping, crouching, bending over much of the time time, and looking down at my dog to make eye contact or deliver treats and pats.

I am making a concerted effort to maintain the idea of moving like a dancer, walking and being tall, and being more elegant.  Even while lying in bed at night I’ve noticed my back feels more hunched lately, and that can’t be healthy.  Also as I sit in front of a screen, I remind myself to keep good posture.  While out walking the dogs, I walk tall and keep my shoulder blades together.  In an effort to stay fit and trim, I’ve increased my exercise routine. While I have to look down at my dogs, and bend over often, I still want to maintain good posture to the degree that I can. 

And I love the idea that animals call us to a higher purpose in life, and certainly subscribe to that ideal personally.  First, do no harm.  And then seek to be kinder, more graceful, more knowledgeable than I was yesterday, last week, a month ago. To grow.

“What is the house of Rohan, but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek, and their brats roll on the floor with their dogs?’                                                                                                                                 I don’t know, sounds like a pretty good Saturday night to me…

Rolling on the floor with the dogs sounds fun

Pearls:

• Animals inspire a noble life; we have an obligation to them.  I personally owe a debt of gratitude to the horses and dogs in my life
• Staying fit and trim is important
• Primum nil nocere. Then act on our obligation to improve

Clicker Purchase

I bought a clicker this week.  I’ve never actually owned one before; in the past I have chosen to use operant conditioning with a verbal marker rather than a sound from a clicker as a marker, mostly for convenience because I always have my voice with me.  Using a verbal marker has worked well for me. Because I’ve used a verbal marker for so long with precise results, I feel my timing to mark the actual behavior is pretty good.

With Jackie’s clean slate, I am experimenting to see if I can improve my teaching.  Following Karen Pryor’s recommendations from her books Clicker Training for Dogs and Don’t Shoot the Dog, I spent a few minutes clicking-treating-clicking-treating with high value food treats to “charge” the clicker. When Jackie was tilting her head expectantly or otherwise indicating anticipation of the treat after the click, I knew the clicker was charged.  

I wanted to try the clicker with a novel behavior for Jackie— I picked “go to your place” since I hadn’t yet started to train that with her.  I put down a small square white cloth bath mat that I’ve used with Gunner to teach him “go to your place.” I began shaping with the clicker— the familiar one look toward the mat, click. One step toward the mat, click.  Walk to the mat and put a paw on, click. Walk to the mat with more than one paw, click.  Walk to the mat and sit- click.  Walk to the mat and linger a moment or two, click.  Walk to the mat and lie down, click. Etcetera until she was walking to the mat and lying on it.  It went well, of course it did, but I didn’t notice any appreciable difference using my voice marker versus the clicker, while indoors in a quiet room with no distractions. We trained that first session for about five minutes, maybe less, then we put away the clicker and carried on with our day.

I persevered the rest of that day and the next with three to five minute clicker training sessions, without a noticeable difference (between what I saw with Jackie now versus what I’ve experienced with training Gunner and other dogs with a verbal marker in the past) between a click or my voice while working indoors.  When we took it outside however, with interesting distractions and the ability to run and play, I did see increased response to the clicker.  While giving a click and treat for coming to me and making eye contact during play outside, Jackie seemed to respond more sharply to the click than a verbal marker, and she actively sought out attempts to get me to click.  

In an effort to be consistent, for now I am giving a food treat after every click (versus offering play or running as a treat).  But outdoors in a larger space, Jackie would knowingly offer the behavior I wanted— eye contact and coming to my front— get the click and then not be interested in the food treat.  Just the click was the reinforcement.  Which is awesome in that just wanting to know she has done “right” is a reinforcer. The work (probably for many dogs but especially for Border collies), and the knowledge they’ve done what the handler wants, becomes the reinforcement.

That’s all well and good but I’m a rule-follower so I’ve been sure to get the food treat in after the click, even if it means placing my hand on Jackie’s collar for a breath to give her the food treat after the click.  (I’ve been careful to make sure placing my hand on her collar is not experienced as aversive or negative in any way to Jackie, as that would be counterproductive to the entire process.) Being able to place a hand on a collar is a good behavior for Jackie to be reinforced for anyway. So yes, I did experience a difference in the training while using a clicker for outdoor, fast paced, on-the-run training sessions.  

Being new to the device itself, I’ve found the clicker… not cumbersome exactly, but it’s just one more thing I have to have on hand.  For example when we go for a stroll I have to gather my hat, change shoes, get the poop bags, make sure the bait pouch has enough treats, clip the treat bag on, get the leashes, and now pick up the clicker and hold it.  Everything is kept organized by the door in the mud room where I hang up the leashes and keep my shoes, so it’s not that much extra effort.  But I have to keep it in my hand and keep my thumb on the “trigger” so while I’m out walking three dogs that’s a good handful of items! (My years spent long-lining horses and riding with double reins in a full bridle has made me animal-dexterous!) So I am using the clicker when I want it, or to experiment with capturing or training new behaviors, but I’m still relying on my tried-and-true verbal marker as well.

This PetSafe Clik-R is the first clicker I’ve owned:

Pearls:

• In an effort to test the efficacy of using a click-noise event marker versus a verbal marker for operant conditioning, I’m experimenting for the first time with an actual clicker
• I purposely chose a clicker with a slightly softer sound than the traditional metal and plastic box clicker
• My clicker has an elastic finger cuff so I can wear it like a ring, which I like especially while walking multiple dogs
• It is early in my testing process, but it seems a clicker is very clear and understandable to the dog in a more distracting outdoor environment 
• I will still train with a verbal marker, as I always have my voice with me
• For now during each individual five minute or less training session, I use either a verbal marker or a clicker marker for the entirety of that individual session.  I haven’t yet decided if using two different markers interchangeably during the same five minute session is a good idea— more research into what trainers-whose-opinions-matter use is indicated 

Edited to add:

• Using my verbal marker seems to be working better since I can precisely mark the event with my voice, saying “yes” just exactly at the precise moment the behavior I want is being displayed, not a moment before or after.  I find the clicker harder to control, since the “click” noise sounds just a fraction of a second after my thumb actually depresses the button— the clicker mechanism clicks on the upswing of my thumb, so I have to begin the depression of the button on the clicker a moment before the behavior occurs that I want to reinforce, which I find cumbersome 
• I am sticking with my verbal marker, though I am open to the possibilities of using a clicker in certain circumstances 

Another Anniversary

It’s been 14 days since Jackie came into our home and our hearts.  Today for the first time I groomed Jackie properly.  Of course I gave her lots of yummie treats when I picked her up and put her on the stainless steel grooming station, and continued to reinforce her while I brushed her, wiped her with a towel, and checked all her paws, in her ears, and all her nooks and crannies.  I knew she would let me do all the grooming, as I tested it perfunctorily during our meet-and-greet, but today I was still sure to reinforce her continued good behavior during grooming.

Jackie is continuing to relax and show her true personality.  She has never been extremely timid, but she is getting a bit bolder and comfortable in her new surroundings in general. I’ve continued incorporating reinforcing behaviors that will eventually become basic obedience such as sit, down, recall, eye contact, stay, walk beside me in heel position: the classics. She is implementing her own special “spots” in the house, for example she likes to stretch out underneath our teak breakfront.

Jackie is not shy really, she’s fairly outgoing, but she is sensitive.  She reacts a bit timidly at times to novel stimuli, but she recovers quickly and is willing to investigate.  In her limited interactions with neighborhood dogs she seems to be friendly and accepting. 

We’re still very much in early days, but I’m pleased with the progress we are making.

By definition a door is an object of which a dog is perpetually on the wrong side:

Finding her own niches in the house, in spite of numerous comfortable dog beds and sofas, Jackie has found her own spot underneath some furniture:

And she is amazing us with her sheer running speed!

Pearls:

• Grooming sessions are best when short, frequent, and well reinforced with great treats before, during and after
• Sometimes a newly adopted dog’s personality is slow to emerge; by two weeks we begin to see more of the true personality, but everything is still very new
• Sensitive natures should be respected; patience is key