Bella at 6 months

Bella at 6 months, with a typical "can I play too?" look on her face.

Bella is a "teenager." She acts like one, too. Rebellious, stay-just-out-of-your-reach, do-only-what-you-have-to-do, rotten! And I love her!

Her coat is growing out and she's soft and fluffy. Wonderful to cuddle with (when she's in the mood). She sleeps with me in my bed now, since she's housebroken (more or less). Housebreaking wasn't that hard, and she lets me know she needs to go out by standing by the door and making one sharp bark. Then she gives me "the look" (like in the picture). She's plainly saying that she has to go and she has to go now. If I ignore her, she feels no qualms about relieving herself on the floor. So I don't ignore her, needless to say! And when she says she has to go out, she means it. Every time. She hasn't asked to go out just to go out (at least not yet).

Her training seems to have gone a bit backwards now. She had sit down pat before but now looks at me as if to say, "I don't want to sit just now, thanks." She is ignoring the hand signal and the voice cue, unless she's sure there's a treat in my hand. Typical teen. Pay me for what I should be doing anyway.

Still, we've progressed. We go to a class once a week with two other puppies. She totally loses her cool for the first twenty minutes or so, screaming and yelping like she's never seen another dog before in her life and she absolutely must get over to them and explore. So we let them play for 5 minutes or so while we discuss how our training is going and what we're going to learn this time. It helps calm them down a bit. Billie, our trainer, keeps a supply of chews to give them something to concentrate on when we're talking. Smart lady!

So we have a solid recall, even through a group of dogs at the dog park; sit, down, leave it, zen, roll over and getting better on loose leash walking. I'm following Levels training, and it's really good. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good training method. Step-by-step instruction to get a solid base that has no training gaps.

That's all for now.

Progress and Levels

Well, Bella has been doing quite well. She's fairly well housebroken, going to the door and whining or barking to go out. She comes on command from any distance that she can hear me from, including being in a pack of dogs at the dog park. She sits reliably, downs well, and can even roll over. She is learning touch and to sit quietly to be petted. She walks on a loose leash most of the time, except when over stimulated.

And then I started to notice that in the forums I read, the term Levels kept coming up. So I researched it and lo, and behold! A method I really, really like! So from now on, Bella is working on levels.

Here's what's in Level One:
Come, down, sit, target (touch), and zen.

She already does 3 of the 5 reliably and one more most of the time. All I still need to teach is Zen. Then it's just practice, practice, practice.

Tomorrow, December 1, we start Zen.

Bella ready to sleep cuddling her stuffed lion.

Two steps forward and one step back.

My, oh, my! My perfect little puppy is pushing the envelope in all directions to see how far it will stretch. Barking to get what she wants, backing up when I reach for her, jumping up on the two-year-old... and going potty in the house whenever it rains.

The good news is, she sits on command about 80% of the time. She'll down on command about 75% of the time. She'll come when called about 90% of the time. She knows "let's go up (down) stairs," "do you want a treat?" "do you want to go outside?"

I think I have to back up a bit in her training, because she has developed some behaviors that I want to get under control. Like this thing of backing up when I reach for her. And another variation on that theme: when I call her, she comes and sits... just outside my reach.

I have to think about how I want the behavior to look and then break it down into the component parts of her body; what should her head (ears, eyes) be doing? what should her tail be doing? what should her feet be doing? etc. So for instance, on the recall:
Come immediately on command, tail wagging
Sit in front of me, at my feet or six inches in front of my toes
Make eye contact
Wait for release word before moving

Steps: Using a 6' long lead, call her and guide her in. Wait for eye contact, then click and treat. If she's outside the finish circle (about 6" in front of my toes), wait until she moves the slightest bit inside the circle, then click and treat. Continue that way, waiting until she moves in a little closer before clicking, until she is where I want her. Then click and jackpot!

 When she is coming in to the correct spot 80% of the time, then start using a long line and allow her to be farther away before I call her in. Continue this way until she is coming from 50 feet away.

Goal: from 50 feet away, Bella will make eye contact when I call her name and come running, tail wagging, when I say "Come!" She will sit within 6" of my toes, directly in front of me, maintaining eye contact until released with "Okay."

Question: How do I make myself more fun for my dog?

Update on Mac and Bella

Mac has developed a couple of really annoying habits since Bella came along. First, he gets into her bowl if I don't watch very carefully and eats all her food. Second, when we call him, he turns around and runs the other way. Now I have to go back to square one with him and reteach the recall.

Bella, on the other hand, has learned to sit, lie down, come, and do puppy pushups (down, sit, down, sit...)I'm starting her on walking on a leash this week. I'm trying to figure out the best way to teach her to walk on a loose leash by my side. Some people advocate using a paper plate on a stick. Just put something she likes, like peanut butter, on the plate and put it right in front of her nose when she's at the right place, beside me. I am confused a bit about that though. How do I get it out of her sight so that it is a reward and not a lure?

Stay tuned for the answer...

New puppy, new name

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted, and I've had my puppy nearly that long!

Here's the thing: her name was Sadie, right up until I picked her up from the breeder's, and then she told me her name was Isabella, Bella for short. And that is her name! How did I know? I swear, she told me!

Bella and Mac get along famously. Mac thinks it's wonderful to have someone to play with, and when he gets tired of playing (which he invariably does before she does), he simply jumps up on the couch or the bed where she can't reach him. I've heard a few yips a couple of times when Mac was saying, "Listen, whippersnapper, that isn't how you treat your elders." And Bella gets right in line.

I've only started loading the clicker with her thus far. And how to sleep in a crate without yelling bloody murder about it. I'm finding it quite a challenge to train her with Mac around, and in addition looking after a two year old and a three month old.

By the way, she gets along really well with the two year old. The first day they chased each other around until they fell exhausted to sleep. She doesn't bite R the way she bites me. In fact, she has drawn blood on my arms and hands a few times. We're working on biting, trying to develop a soft mouth. When she gets too rough, she gets a time out in her crate.

We've put her on the Banfield puppy plus health plan, so when she's six months old, we can have her spayed. She passed her initial health exam with flying colors.

Okay, I need to go now, but I'll be back later to bring you up to speed on how Mac's training is coming along, with Bella's, too. 'Til then!

Impulsion control: Crate Games

Susan Garrett pioneered Crate Games, where you teach the dog (using positive training only) to like his crate, to enter upon command, and to have impulse control. Mac lacks big time in impulse control.

See, the thing is, Mac is like a cat: very independent. He has to have a really important reason to do anything you ask. Like food. Thus far, Mac will only work for food. I wish I knew his background! I'd like to know if he's always been as independent of people and as food motivated as he is now. Who taught him to come (which he does when he thinks there is something in it for him)? Did they call him to them and then punish him? Is that why he only comes when he feels like it? I wish I had a professional trainer to help me figure this out, but with the costs associated with the new pup, I can't afford a professional's help.

Anyway, I tried the very basic crate game to day: just entering and turning around and not immediately exiting. At least I got him to the point that he'll down (spot) when he turns around. We'll have to wait to work on duration. Just getting the beginning behavior is enough for now.

So here's the plan:

Cue:     Verbal cue "go in"

Description:     On cue, dog will enter his crate, turn around and either lie down or sit and will await further instructions.

Elements:

Behavior specifics:      Enter crate; turn around; lie down; stay.

Duration:      Behavior terminates at remaining in crate until released (come out).

Distance:      Up to 40 feet.

Latency:      Immediate.

Position:      Dog should go into the crate on command no matter what my position is relative to him or to the crate.

Locations:      Everywhere.

Distractions:      Anything and everything. Especially distractions common in a dog show or performance environment.

Training Plan: (Accomplish each level in multiple locations of gradually increasing distractions.)

1.     Enter the crate.
2.     Turn around and lie down.

3.     Add cue.
4.     Exit crate.
5.     Add cue.

6.     Remain in the down position with the crate door open while I am near the crate.
7.     Close the crate door.
8.     Upon opening the crate door, dog should wait.

9.     Remain in the down position with the crate door open while I move around.

10.  Enter the crate from a distance with cue.
11.   Exit the crate from a distance with cue.

I'll detail what exactly I do to achieve the desired behavior and document it here.

Instructions for crate training Mac:

1. Ideally, Mac will show interest in the crate on his own.
2. If Mac shows any interest in it (looks at it, moves toward it) - Mark and Reward!
3. If necessary, lure him in with rewards. 
4. Give Mac the cue for down (spot). Mac should lie down in crate facing door. Mark and Reward.
5. Allow him to exit on his own. Do not mark or reward exit.
6. Repeat many times, rewarding extravagantly when he goes in, turns around and lies down.
7. Add cue for entering (go in)
8. Add cue for exiting (come out)
9. Mac should wait until given the exit cue before leaving crate. Mark and reward.
10. Build enthusiasm for returning to crate with treats and cue.
11. Send Mac to his crate from a few feet away. Mark and reward.
12. Increase distance. Mark and reward.
13. Mark and reward when Mac comes to me when I give him the exit cue.

Date:               Criterion:                                                 #R/E   #R/E   #R/E

9/8/13              Enter crate                                               15/0   15/0     15/0
                        Turn around in crate and lie down           12/3   13/2     15/0

Let's try "stand"

I decided to use the new clicker to work with today, but Mac's afraid of it. Apparently my treats don't have enough value, because he'd rather leave the room than hear that clicker. I lured him to the clicker (on the floor) and put one of his treats on the clicker, and I even wrapped it to make the click softer, but he's having none of it. So I went back to the old clicker.

Cue:     Verbal cue "stand"

Description:     On cue, dog will stand from any position at the cue "stand" or the hand signal

Elements:

Behavior specifics:      Stand.

Duration:      Behavior terminates when he stands evenly on all four feet.

Distance:      Up to 10 feet.

Latency:      Immediate.

Position:      Dog should stand regardless of the my position relative to him. I should be able to be in any physical position.

Locations:      Everywhere.

Distractions:      Anything and everything. Especially distractions common in a dog show or performance environment.

Training Plan: (Accomplish each level in multiple locations of gradually increasing distractions.)

1.     Lure stand from sit or down (spot) position

2.     Add cue.

3.     Add hand signal.

4.     Say "wait" for dog to remain in standing position

5.     Add distance to cue and hand signal.

6.     Release with cue "okay"
7.     Use hand signal alone close to Mac.
8.     Use hand signal alone adding distance, until I reach 10 feet away.

Instructions for training Mac:

1. Make the reward interesting to him! Let him sniff it as I hold it in my fingers without releasing it.
2. If Mac stands from any position - Mark and Reward!
3. Lure him into a standing position. Mark and reward!
4. After a many rewards, let Mac do it a few times without being rewarded. Then reward again many more times! 
5. Now try it without the lure - Mark and Reward!
6. After a few rewards, let him try it a few times without being rewarded. Then reward again a few more times!
7. When he is reliably standing  (8 out of 10 times at least!) then...and only then...I can add the verbal cue - Stand!
8. Use the verbal cue right before he stands. Mark and reward the next good response. Repeat several times!
9. Present it again, but do not say Stand! Do NOT reward him if he stands. 
10. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until Mac reliably stands only at my command!

Date:               Criterion:                                                 #R/E   #R/E   #R/E

9/7/13              Lured Stand                                             12/4    10/5     15/0