Tuesday's Training TIP: Learning

FLD Dutch is nine-weeks-old today. We've had him just over one week. He came to us already knowing how to SIT before being fed (although we need to work on holding that sit) and petted. And he's not too bad on a leash. Well, he's not afraid of it and doesn't fight it.

Dutch is learning every minute! I plan at least two short "training sessions" every day, but really, a young pup is like a sponge. Here's a list of some things he's learning every day:

1. name recognition--He's getting that pretty well, although when I started teaching him "touch" I discovered his name sounds like the command. He loves to run and find me when I call his name from another room.

2. sit--As I said, we're working on duration. He's learned to give me eye contact before he can bolt to his food dish, so we're making progress. He also sits before having the leash clipped on. We've also started working on "sit" from the "down" position.

3. wait--That coincides with the sit before meals, but also before I open his crate door so he's not rushing out like a banshee.

4. touch--He's catching on to this one so much so that whenever my hands are near he touches his nose to them!

5. leave it--I've started adding the "leave it" verbal cue and surprisingly he's responded to it a few times when he was trying to get into something he shouldn't, like the computer cords under Andy's desk.

6. park--He doesn't whip his head around to look at me anymore when I say "good park" as he's peeing--maybe he figures it doesn't get him a treat. Repetition is my friend. I'm learning his signals, and a few times he's headed for the back door on his own!

7. settle--Not sure he's "getting" this, but he does settle down pretty quickly when I stay after him. He loves his crate and settles in right away at night.

8. loose leash walking--Instead of only working on this when I'm out and about with him, I've taken to short walks in our driveway or down our road. Just to work on keeping a loose leash. I'm positive this will help. If he can't do this at home, he can't do it anywhere else!

9. stairs--He has no problem up or down the few steps out the back door. He needed some encouragement down our basement stairs, but raced right up them on the way back--he was off leash, so not a problem.

FLD Dutch is learning much more than I've listed. He's learning to leave our old crabby dog, Gypsy, alone and that cc'd Gus is okay to play with. He's learning to not chew on things that aren't Nylabone or Kong toys. Actually, he is learning so much it makes me dizzy!

He is even learning "down." Here is a short video showing his progress. I've been working with him several times a day for a few days and you can see how quickly he can learn!

Tuesday's Training TIP: STAY

The STAY command is part of a normal range of obedience commands that I, as a puppy-raiser for Leader Dogs for the Blind, must teach my Future Leader Dog puppy.

Per Leader Dogs' "Puppy Manual," the goal for the STAY command is that my puppy will stay in position until released with an "okay." As part of our new "In-For-Training" (IFT) Standards, the STAY is assessed by me putting my puppy in a sit, down, or stand in the heel position; I then give a hand signal and the STAY command and step out in front of my puppy to the end of her leash. My puppy must hold her position for 30-60 seconds and afterwards while I return to her side.

Prior to raising Future Leader Dog puppies, I trained the STAY command a bit differently. Whenever I placed my dog into a specific position (like SIT), I considered the command to include an "implied" stay. Meaning, my dog was expected to hold that position until released, or until another command was given.

STAY meant something more.

When I told my dog to STAY, it meant that I was most likely going "out of sight," and that I might be gone for a while. My dog was expected to "settle" in for the long haul until I returned.

In a way, the Leader Dogs for the Blind requirement for STAY is easier to teach, because my puppy is not off-leash for the assessment.

Here is a long-ish video of me working with FLD Scout in a typical training "session." I spent almost 11 minutes overall with Scout in this session, in which I demonstrate how to begin teaching the Leader Dogs' STAY. Scout has learned this command prior to the video, so she makes the start of it look easy. In fact, as the video opens I ask Scout to STAY so I can put on her working jacket, not unlike what a blind handler would do when putting a harness on her Leader dog. (No, it is not necessary for my puppy to wear her jacket during training, but sometimes it helps to get her focused!)

Andy comes into view to take Gus and Gypsy outside just as I begin working with Scout--she is distracted, but it doesn't take long to get her focused.

Viewing a session like this is helpful in learning to be a better trainer. I can see instances when I transitioned from one command to another a bit quickly, for example; I'll need to slow my pace next time so as not to confuse Scout.

See if you can spot other things I did (properly, and maybe not so) in handling Scout!

HINTS FOR TRAINING STAY (or any other command)

• Plan a clear objective for your training session, introducing only one new command; in this case, I concentrated on "pushing" Scout with STAY since she already knew it a little.

• Warm up your puppy. Start with things your puppy knows to help get your puppy to focus on task. Use techniques such as NAME RECOGNITION and finger pokes to get your puppy's attention.

• Take your time. Give your puppy time to think and decide--count to "three-one-thousand" after giving a command.

• Say the command ONCE. If, after waiting a few seconds, your puppy isn't sure what to do, place your puppy into position. Do NOT repeat the command, that just teaches your puppy to wait for the third or fourth or fifth reiteration!

• If your puppy moves out of position, don't say anything, just physically put your puppy back.

• Don't overwhelm your puppy. Mix "old" commands your puppy knows with the new command you are teaching. Give your puppy a break by releasing her and praising her, then go back to work (Notice in the video I did not drop the leash with the "release.") If your puppy "got it" but starts to backtrack, you've probably worked your puppy too long. Go back to something your puppy knows and end the session on a positive.

• Make it fun for your puppy and she will be excited about learning--that means praising her for doing what you want! In the video you can see that I vary the intensity of my praise, and reward (and sometimes reassure) with physical contact.

Tuesday's Training TIP: Don't Wait for Stuff to Happen

Stuff happens. Sometimes stuff happens in a way that causes you to relive events in your mind, thinking, "if only...." Other times stuff happens that leave you wondering, "Wow, how did I do that?"

IF ONLY

A week and a half ago we were getting ready for a long weekend trip to the city. I fed the dogs and went outside to load our Hawken wood furnace before shutting it down. With the non-winter we've been having I thought the embers might smolder the whole time we were gone and then it would be a simple matter of flicking the switch when we returned.

I raked the coals to an even bed. With "poopsicle-picking-up" gloved hands I hoisted an 18 inch long, maybe 15" diameter log from the woodshed. Doesn't sound very big, but it was a heavy sucker. At the door of the Hawken, I heaved it.

WARNING: Those of you with squeamish stomachs might want to skip the next three paragraphs.

The word "exquisite" is often used to describe indescribable pain. Double that. And add sharp, severe, agonizing, piercing, excruciating, and just plain gut-wrenching to the word PAIN. In one fell moment, the log punched the interior roof of the Hawken and rebounded, cracking my left ring finger between it and the damning steel frame of the door.

I did not see the stars that suddenly blinked brightly back into the just-after-dawn sky. I did not see the brilliant embers that shot up like fireflies when the dastardly log flipped into the fire. I did not even see the darkness when my eyes grimaced shut as I jumped three feet back clutching my hand against my roiling stomach.

What I did see when I peeled off my glove was a Niagra rush of red-hot lava from a jagged fissure crossing the length of my finger.

Oh man! wasn't quite what I exclaimed.

A trip to the emergency room and surgery five days later left me with pins in my distal phalanx (which was completely broken in two) and stitches to hold everything else together. 

Ouch. Bad log.

WOW

Five days after hand surgery, FLD Scout and I took a working stroll with Phyllis and FLD Autumn in downtown West Branch to practice loose-leash heeling near traffic. The Future Leader Dog pups did very well with street crossings, railroad tracks, steps, and passing strangers. As is typical during outings like this, we found unexpected training opportunities.

Phyllis coaxes FLD Autumn up a short flight of stairs.

The spring-like 50 degrees and sunshine brought out a motorcyclist, who was just leaving an auto parts store as we passed. Inches away when the engine roared to life, FLDs Scout and Autumn sniffed in curiosity and exhibited no fear. Of course, the machine was not a Harley.

FLD Scout is not alarmed at all by this motorcycle.

We knew it was time to head back to the van when a very tired FLD Autumn sat down and refused to continue. After some cajoling, we managed to move her along. Then FLD Scout started pulling toward the grass like she had to "park." I removed her working jacket, released her with an OK, and let her sniff out a spot. We were on the south side of the busy five-lane Houghton Ave.

That's when it happened, the one thing you never want to happen. 

Scout bolted.

I had hold of the leash with my mangled left hand; Scout had been sniffing to my right. Her whiplash departure north toward Houghton Ave. jerked my hand. I knew if I tried to hang on I would be reacquainted with that double dose of exquisite pain. I let loose the leash while simultaneously lunging for it with my right hand.

The leash slithered out of reach like a spooked garter snake.

SCOUT! I yelled with a megaphone voice. I never heard Phyllis, who shrieked "Scout!" in harmony.

Scout paused in the middle of the right lane and looked back. Luckily there was no traffic heading east, but out of the corner of my eye I spotted a red car motoring west. I dropped to my knee. I knew if I took another step forward it was all over--if Scout turned away from me and kept running, she wouldn't even see what hit her. 

The world disappeared. It was just Scout and me.

Scout! Come! I said in the cheeriest voice I could muster. A subtle shift in her shoulder. Yes, good girl! I leaned back onto my heel and slapped my thighs to encourage her to come to me. I could almost see a thought-balloon form above her head: "I wonder if she has a treat for me? Hmmmmmm, I'll bet she does. Maybe I'd better check it out, I don't know where I was racing off to anyway."

A full turn and Scout was bouncing my way. Before my heart beat again, Scout and I were reattached and celebrating on the sidewalk. OF COURSE I had a treat for her! Good girl, Scout!!!!!

HOW DID I DO THAT?

PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.

• Name recognition. Practice everywhere and any time.

• On leash recall. Practice in public buildings, at puppy outings, outside in the yard, while on walks, etc.

• Off leash recall. Practice inside with my other dogs.

• Never, never, NEVER chase her. (Playing "chase ME", however, is always good.)

• And having the presence of mind to react in a manner that brought FLD Scout's attention back to me, instead of a reaction that would spur her on. (Calling her name ONCE, NOT chasing her, making myself interesting by getting down low, praising her at precisely the right moment, and rewarding her correct decision!)

WHEW. Disaster averted.

If only I had been that diligent in placing wood into the Hawken!

Sitting calmly on the north side of Houghton Ave. by the railroad tracks. (FLD Scout is safely tied to the bench. FLD Autumn is wearing a "Gentle Leader" to help her keep a loose leash.)

Tuesday's Training TIP: AROUND

The "around" command is specific to our Future Leader Dog puppies. When doors have hinges on our left side (where the puppy is heeling), it is safer to pass through the door with the puppy on our right. 

So, we teach them "around"--passing the leash from left hand to right behind our backs, guiding the puppy to our right side, then we proceed through the doorway. Once safely through, we pass the leash behind our back from right to left and "heel" our puppy forward.

This short video is of me and FLD Scout in our house, going through a left-hinged door into our bedroom. In a more open area I would have walked a bit further on before having Scout heel back to my left side.

(As we approach the door, FLD Scout veers toward the open door on our left--Gus was there in his crate! Scout did a pretty good job refocusing on task. And notice the nice loose leash?)

HINTS FOR TEACHING AROUND

• Repetition! Always, always, always, guide your puppy to your right side this way at EVERY left-hinged door you pass through.

• Feel for the door. A blind or visually impaired handler will reach out to see where the door knob is...do the same thing with your puppy as a "cue" and soon your puppy will watch for your command if the "around" is necessary.

• If your puppy rushes through, stop, shut the door, and wait until the leash is loose. Try again.

• Stop after going through, keep your puppy standing at your right side, and then shut the door. (I didn't do this in the video.)

• Praise your puppy!

Tuesday's Training TIP: FOOD!

 Labs I know think everything is edible. Sticks, scraps of paper (or paper torn into scraps--see my post "My Dog Ate It"), fuzz, bits of material, just about anything below their noses or in your hand. They lick the promise of your hand and look up at you with sad brown eyes that say, "I'm STARVING here, don't you have anything for me to eat?"

Labs I know fall over themselves and anyone else in the way to their food dishes with the mere mention of "Do you want to eat?" Drool, stretching at a snail's pace to the floor answers, "Are you kidding me? You're kidding me, right? No, I don't want to eat, I'd rather just sit here and think about how deeeeliciiiooous my kibble is going to be. Is it bacon? Bacon! Bacon! Bacon, bacon, bacon!!!!" 

Labs I know need self-control at meal times, otherwise, I'd be flat on my *ss on the floor with Purina Pro Plan skittering about, a victim of Lab-over-exuberance. At our house, our Labs sit and wait for the "OKAY" before eating. (Then you'd better not be in their way!)

HOW DID I GET THEM TO DO THAT?

FIRST

From day one at our house, puppy does NOT get her food dish on the floor until she is sitting. Granted, initially I'm lucky to get 1/2 second of "sit" but you need to start somewhere. (TIP: hold her collar as you set the dish down, coax her back into a "sit," THEN say "okay" and release her.) In fact, host families for Leader Dog moms and litters work on this before us raisers ever get the pups at seven weeks of age. Puppies must "sit" before being picked up, and before being fed. If you are consistent, it doesn't take long for this smart puppy to figure out what to do to get FOOD.

SECOND

Gradually lengthen the "wait" and the distance to the food dish. (TIP: feed young puppies in an "x-pen" away from other dogs in the household.) If the puppy leads off before being released, lift the bowl from the floor. You'll be amazed how the action of lifting the bowl drops the rear end!

THIRD

Eventually the puppy will hold her sit, even with the distraction of the other dogs in the household.  (TIP: Have someone else hold the puppy's collar, or put the puppy on a leash when first introducing feeding with others. Fill one bowl at a time.) Of course, it helps if you have an old grouch like Gypsy, who lets the new puppy know that HER food is OFF-LIMITS! I always like to feed the "home" dogs first, before the short-timer Leader Dogs for the Blind puppy. It just helps develop self-control.

Here is a short video of a morning feeding not long after cc'd (career-changed) Gus came back to stay with us. I had Gypsy and the two Labs sit. Gus and Scout sit together on the "mat." I fill Gypy's bowl and release her to eat with an "okay." The others wait until I release each of them in turn, Gus first. Gus and Scout get two helpings, in an attempt to slow their eating down. Between helpings they are expected to return to the mat for another "sit."

You can see that it will take a while for everything to settle out, because Gus is so new to being home. If I had filmed them this morning, almost two months later, you would see how Gus and Scout know just what to do.

Tuesday's TRAINING TIP (on Thursday!): "What's that?!"

Elaina and Natalie made their way into Total Soccer before I could get FLD Scout's blue working jacket on. They each had a game at the indoor arena.

Elaina, aka "Beast," shakes it up during her game.

Natalie kicks the ball toward goal for an assist!

Scout easily heeled at my left side to the entrance, but as we passed into the space between the big double glass doors, she balked.

"Wooooof!" I couldn't tell if she was startled by her own reflection in the glass, or the toddler kicking a soccer ball around just inside.

Scout, sit, I said to get her attention back on me. I had to coax her with a finger tap above her tail.

Scout, heel, I said, once she was sitting and settled down. I opened the inner door. She stepped across the threshold with me and yipped a couple more times, overtaken by the yells and whistles coming from behind the two-boarded soccer fields to the right and left of us, and groups of youngsters bouncing balls while they waited for their own games to start.

Scout, settle, I commanded, this time with a finger poke to her side. She whipped her head around to look up at me, and strained forward against the leash.

I waited. 

When the tension on the leash relaxed, we went to find the girls.

Taking FLD Scout to her first indoor soccer game gave her good exposure to kids, noise, slippery metal bleachers, ball distractions, and the always-a-temptation public arena floor. She needed some reassurance negotiating the bleachers, but after the second time moving (we inadvertently sat with the opposition) she gained confidence.

An alert FLD Scout shows interest in soccer-arena activities.

IF YOUR PUPPY BALKS AND ACTS AFRAID

1. STAY CALM  Your reaction will travel through the leash to your puppy.

2. REDIRECT  Give your puppy a command to take her mind off whatever is scaring her. Use name recognition or a finger poke to refocus her attention to you.

3. GO SLOW  Don't overwhelm your puppy. Stay at a distance from the offending object until your puppy calms down. Turn the other way and approach again, stopping before your puppy acts nervous.

4. REWARD APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR  Don't forget to praise your puppy when she gathers her confidence!

It didn't take long for FLD Scout to settle down in the arena. She was very interested in the kids (and their soccer balls) who were waiting to play, but she was happy to hang out and observe instead of participating.

FLD Scout settles into a "down-stay" in the bleachers. She is tied to the rail while I take pictures.

Young John takes a seat next to FLD Scout...

...who can hardly contain herself to greet him! John did a remarkable job ignoring her, even though he was just as interested in her as she was of him.

Both girls' teams won their games! YAY!

Tuesday's Training TIP: Body Language

Watching dogs interact can be more entertaining than television (I know, that's not saying much). But, if you have more than one dog in your household, you know what I'm talking about.

Before Gus came home, there really wasn't much interaction between FLD Scout and my old mutt, Gypsy. Grouch that she is, Gypsy let Scout know (in no-uncertain-terms), "leave me alone!." Curled lip, guttural growl, and a few "air snaps" of her teeth were all it took for Scout to take heed.

But observing the behavior of dogs as they engage each other can also be a learning experience. Canines communicate a great deal just with body language!

Take a look at the communication going on between FLD Scout and Andy's daughter's two German Shorthair Pointers, Gauge and Odo, during a recent visit.

Gauge is a year younger than my Gypsy, and almost as grouchy! Here he is asserting his presence to Scout by putting his head over her. She "submits" to him by making herself smaller and lowering her head.

Gauge is crabbing at Scout, who has now taken a seated position. Notice she averts her eyes and is still "hunkering" down beneath him.

Scout hunkers down even further as Gauge is distracted by Gus, who offers a toy in play.

Gauge circles around Scout, still vocalizing. Scout moves her head in his direction and stays low.

Here Scout sits up a bit and tests the situation, turning her face toward Gauge. I wonder if she's thinking, "Awww, he's all talk!"

Whoops! Scout has second thoughts as Gauge pushes against her snout--she pulls her head back in defense. Gypsy watches from the other room.

Odo and Gus move into the discussion. Gauge gets distracted away from Scout, who now stands up. Gus rolls onto his back--he doesn't want any trouble!

Here's a blurry shot of Gus inviting Gauge to play. (He wasn't successful.)

BODY LANGUAGE HINTS DURING TRAINING

Here are some signs to look for that might indicate your puppy is starting to get overwhelmed during a training session.

• lip-licking

• yawning

• dropping the head

• dandruff--this really isn't a behavior, but it can indicate stress

If you notice any of these in your puppy, go back to something your puppy knows well--and end your training session on a positive!

Spend some time watching...you might be surprised at what you can learn.

Tuesday's Training TIP: Stand

Try as I might, I could not get all these videos processed in time to publish this post yesterday. So, here's a "Tuesday's Training TIP" on Wednesday!

STAND is a helpful command to teach a Future Leader Dog puppy. A standing puppy is easier to groom, and later she'll need to stand for her handler to put on the harness.

I video-taped a training session to demonstrate how I'm teaching FLD Scout to "stand"on command. This particular session lasted just over seven minutes. In the video, FLD Scout is wearing her working bandana and leash.

Step One. WARM UP.

Before any training session it is a good idea to "warm up" your puppy with some things she already knows. (Okay, "might" already know!)

I start working FLD Scout with a heel, sit, stay, and down. As I pass my dog Gypsy I tell Scout to "leave it" when she makes a move toward her, and praise her when she ignores Gypsy.

(I really missed an opportunity to let Scout make up her own mind before telling her what to do.)

Scout needs work on her "sit in a heel position" because she tends to wander out in front of me before sitting. I merely slide her back into the heel position, but to work on correcting this I will practice heeling close to a wall with no room for her to swing out.

At the end of this video, Scout is on her way to a "sit" when I give her the "down" command. Scout came home to us with such a good "sit" that I've had to work on her NOT sitting whenever we stop during a walk on leash! (While puppies are still in the breeder homes they learn to "sit" before getting picked up or eating.)

Step two.  First attempt with the STAND command.

FLD Scout likes to swing out with her "down" too. Notice that I just slide her right back into the heel position.

When I give her the "stand" command, you can see that she moves a little--a sign that she's thinking about what I want her to do. This is not the very first time she's heard this command. Normally, I would have waited a second or two to see what she would have done, but I wanted to demonstrate the little step forward that will encourage her to get up. 

When I "fake" the first step, Scout sits, so I fake a second step forward to get her to stand. I immediately step back, which causes her to take her more familiar position--the sit!

(I should not have said "nope" under my breath when Scout sits, but putting her into the "stand" is the right thing to do.)

I rub her belly a bit to keep her in the stand position. I think she would have held it after I stand back up myself, but to ensure that she doesn't drop into a sit, I immediately take her into a heel.

 

  

Step three.  STAND from a "sit" and demonstration of leash technique.

FLD Scout's "sit" this time was a little better. (See, repetition helps!) You can see that I wait a moment this time after giving the "stand" command to see if Scout would make a move.

The whining you hear in the background is cc'd Gus from his crate in the other room. This creates enough of a distraction that I have to add a verbal cue to get Scout's attention back to me. She stands with my fake step forward, but sits back down when I praise her (and Andy finally notices that I am working with her).

Again, I merely stand Scout back up. This time I loop her leash around her belly--a technique that can help keep her standing while I straighten back up myself.

 

Step four.  STAND, almost!

I treat FLD Scout for looking at me when I say her name because she still needs work with "name recognition." 

This third try at the "stand" command is the first time Scout stands without sitting first! You can see that she started moving and if I had just kept still she probably would have stood without me taking that step. (See where patience comes into play?)

Then, I praise her a bit too enthusiastically and she anticipates me reaching into my pocket to treat her. I place her back into position with a belly rub and immediately have her "stay" to try to reinforce her "stand."

After this segment, I could tell that FLD Scout was getting a bit overwhelmed. She acted like she forgot how to walk next to me and she flopped onto her side when I asked for a "down." I knew that we needed to end the session on a positive, so I picked up the pace on our walking, had her sit and stay, and threw in a "come," which she readily did, so I gave her the "OK" that released her from working. Lots of praise and fun (while keeping her four feet on the floor) and we were done.

LATER THAT DAY....

I did another session with FLD Scout. We "warmed up" and tried the STAND again. Success!!! It wasn't perfect, but I was more patient and she stood on her own with no cues.

That's what I call PROGRESS.

HINTS

• be patient

• repetition is important

• work a new command without distractions

• add distractions as your puppy masters the command

Don't be afraid to try this for yourself. Have fun and you can easily see that even if the trainer isn't "perfect" the puppy can still learn!

Tuesday's Training TIP: Whoa, What is THAT?

A recent Monday morning at the Bicegos. Sleepy girls zip their backpacks and munch on toasted bagels before school. 

Nat in the am.

I take FLD Scout out to "park" and decide to help by taking the trash to the curb. Anne has these nice cans that roll, so it's easier than dragging. I grab the trashcan handle and tip it onto its wheels.

FLD Scout balks. As I turn to look at her, the trashcan rumbles forward a few inches. Scout is now writhing at the end of her leash, trying to get away from that GREAT-BIG-SCARY-BEIGE-MONSTER.

Ah-ha! My perfect little puppy is afraid of something. The five-minute job of taking out the trash turns into a 20-minute training session.

What did I do?  I took advantage of the situation. Here's how.

THINGS I DID NOT DO

• I did NOT try to console Scout by saying things in a baby-voice like, "It's ok puppy! I won't let that big bad garbage can hurt you."

• I did NOT let Scout run away.

• I did NOT pick her up and coddle her.

THINGS I DID TO HELP SCOUT GET OVER HER FEAR OF THE ROLLING TRASHCAN

• I stayed calm and confident.  I tipped the trashcan back into place and squatted next to it.

• I re-directed Scout's attention.  I used name recognition to get Scout to look at me. I praised her when she did. I told her to SIT and because I always have puppy food in my pocket, I rewarded her after she sat.

• I gradually re-introduced her to what frightened her.  I touched the trashcan and encouraged Scout to come closer. When she did, I rewarded her with another treat. I touched the trashcan again to get Scout to sniff it. When she did, she got alot of praise and more treats. I stood up and praised Scout when she stayed where she was near the trashcan. I gently tipped the trashcan and moved it slightly. When Scout then backed away, I set the can back and repeated everything. Again. Eventually, Scout stayed close when I tipped the trashcan. I re-directed her again by telling her to SIT. Then I rolled the can back and forth. If she got up, I set the can down and put her back into a SIT. When Scout finally stayed in her SIT when I gently rolled the trashcan, I had a party and she got more treats!

• I rewarded the behavior that I wanted.  Every step of the way, if Scout acted curious, I treated her. If she acted confident, I treated her. If she sat when I commanded her, I treated her.

OKAY! Now you should have the idea. I took BABY STEPS to get Scout used to the trashcan, to learn that it would not hurt her. I GRADUALLY re-introduced her to the can and PRAISED and REWARDED the behavior I wanted. I stayed CALM and CONFIDENT.

YOUR reaction is key! I like to compare this to when a child falls and skins a knee and the startled youngster looks to his or her parent. If the parent freaks out and rushes over, no doubt the child will erupt into tears. If the parent takes a more matter-of-fact approach, or even jokingly yells something like "Safe!" the child might brush him or her self off and not be a drama-star. It is the same thing with your puppy--she will look to you for guidance in how to react. Make it a "no-big-deal" and that is what it will be!

HINTS for taking advantage of a training session.

1. Have puppy-food morsels in your pocket at all times!
2. Learn to recognize a training opportunity. This means paying attention to your puppy and your own reactions.
3. Be calm, patient, and consistent.

Eventually, FLD Scout walked at my side as I rolled the not-so-scary-anymore trashcan down the driveway and out to the curb. In fact, she happily accepted two more rolling trashcans!

Cc'd Rosie next to a tired-out-from-learning FLD Scout.

Tuesday's Training TIP: LEAVE IT (again)

The LEAVE IT command can be extremely useful as we negotiate our way through stores and restaurants with our Future Leader Dog puppies.  But ideally, we want our puppies to learn to make their own decision to "leave" something.  When they eventually work with their handler, they need to be able to walk anywhere without being tempted away from their job.  After all, their blind handler won't be able to see that wayward bit of French-fry on the sidewalk in front of McDonalds and tell their guide dog to "leave it."

But how do we help our puppies learn to make the decision on their own?

• First they need to learn the LEAVE IT command.

• Then we need to help them "generalize" it in all settings (For more information about generalization, check out this website article: Generalization. What it is and Why it Must be Taken into Account for Training Success).

• Finally we need the patience to give them the opportunity to figure it out for themselves.

LETS GET STARTED

The following video demonstrates how easily you can start teaching this to a puppy.  FLD Scout was less than eight weeks old in this video; in fact, we only had her five days and we worked on the LEAVE IT command twice before filming this session.

The first time I worked with Scout, I held some food in one hand so she could see it.  When she attacked my hand I closed it so she couldn't get at the food.  Eventually she lost interest.  AT THAT EXACT MOMENT I praised her and gave her a treat from my other hand.  I showed her the food again, but again kept her from getting it.  When she lost interest, I praised her and treated her from my other hand.  We repeated this for four or five minutes.

At the second session, Scout started to look at me after she couldn't get the food.  I REALLY praised her and again, treated her from my other hand.  And repeated the process for a few minutes, not very long at all.

You can see from the video that by the third session with Scout, I started to introduce the command LEAVE IT.  Subsequently, I use the command with other things (like a dropped napkin in the kitchen) and in other settings (like walking down the sidewalk or in a restaurant).  Because Scout is still young and learning to "generalize," I've been treating her generously.  As time goes on I will wean here off the treats and just use praise.

For more details and hints for teaching LEAVE IT, check out my previous blog posts "LEAVE IT" (June 22, 2010) and "ADVANCED LEAVE IT" (September 7, 2010).

Don't be afraid to try this with your puppy.  You should be able to notice in my video that I sometimes "missed" an opportunity to reward Scout when she looked at me.  That's when she added her "sit"--evidence that this little puppy is starting to think on her own!  "If looking at her doesn't get me a treat, what else can I do? Oh, yea, I can SIT!"

HELP YOUR PUPPY "LEAVE IT" ON HER OWN

Take a walk with your puppy.  When you spot a temptation ahead, keep the leash snug enough so your puppy can't reach whatever it is, and WAIT to see what your puppy will do before saying "leave it."  Chances are, once your puppy has a few "leave its" under her collar, she'll give up trying to get it and will look to you for reinforcement.

THAT'S when you need to push the praise volto-meter off the charts!  Your puppy just left it along without being told!

YIPPEE!

(FLD Scout and I took a short walk while the video was loading. From the other room she whined because she had to "park." Yay, progress on that front!  Anyway, we worked on loose-leash walking, standing when we stop, sits and downs.  And yes, there were lots of acorns, sticks, and stones on our country-road that she oh-so-wanted to snatch!  Some she left on her own when I held her leash so she couldn't reach it (and then she was praised and treated), others I said "leave it," and yet sometimes she still managed to grab this or that.  Time to sweep my finger and clean out her baby mouth! Training doesn't happen overnight, you need patience and persistence.)

Tuesday's Training TIP: BE QUIET

FLD Scout's first task: learn to be quiet.

Typical times of BIG VOICE exercise (from her point of view).

1. "Food? Am I going to get any food?"
2. "Why am I in this pen? I can't reach you!!!!! I just want to be close to you! Don't you understand that?!!!"
3. "Hey, I don't want to 'kennel up!'"

Here is a short video of FLD Scout in her pen in the kitchen, voicing her feelings about the situation.

Believe it or not, the quietness is growing around here. Oh, FLD Scout is not totally silent, and she will probably never completely stop expressing her opinion, but her noise-making episodes last considerably less time.

 

How am I helping FLD Scout suppress her natural urge to vocalize?

1. IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE.  This is definitely easier said than done. But seriously, ANY attention only reinforces her noise-making. Eventually she'll figure out it's the sweet sound of nothingness that gets her what she wants.
2. PRAISE THE QUIET.  Catch the brief intake of breath and reward the lack of noise. Timing is critical to bring the quiet on.
3. TREATS.  Yep, make the crate a wonderful place with a few well-placed morsels of her daily food allotment. Use treats as in #2 above, then wean away to just praise.

 

 

WORDS OF CAUTION

• Get everyone on board. I caught Andy reaching into the pen to pet Scout when she was hollering for attention. He got hollered at from both sides!

• Make sure it isn't something else. The other day FLD Scout raised her decibel level. I suspected she was trying to tell me something specific. I snatched her up at the first noise-less opportunity. She had to "park!" YIPPEE, making progress on that front, too!

A very quiet FLD Scout next to me as I'm writing.

Tuesday's Training TIP: My Puppy Has DIARRHEA!

FLD Gus is back to normal after a recent bout of intestinal-something-or-other.

You really don't want to know the dirty details.  Suffice to say that he's had good "poop reports" for the last few days and after tonight's dinner he'll be back on his regular food.

Puppies get diarrhea for many reasons.  They might eat something that upsets their digestive system.  They might have parasites, or a "doggy-virus."  They can even develop diarrhea when they are stressed out or in a new environment.

A mild case of diarrhea that lasts just a few days can sometimes be managed at home, but if it is peristent and you're not sure what to do, never hesitate to call your vet for advice.  Dehydration is always a concern.

So, just what do you do when your puppy wakes you up in the middle of the night to sprint outside like he's just prepped for a colonoscopy?

First of all, don't panic.  In fact, if your puppy does what FLD Gus did (alerting me that he had to GO), praise your puppy for his self-control!

Then, follow these guidelines.

DIARRHEA GUIDELINES

• If your puppy's stool is bloody or black, take him to your vet as soon as you can.

• Palpate your puppy's stomach to see if it is painful; if so it might indicate that he swallowed something.  Take him to the vet immediately.

• If your puppy's diarrhea is severe (explosive with watery squirts) or persistent, call your vet for advice.

• If your puppy is not throwing up, you can give him some Pepto Bismol.  For puppies under 20 pounds, 1-2 teaspoons, over 20 pounds, 3-4 teaspoons.  Administer with a syringe every 4-6 hours.

• If the diarrhea is mild, keep food away for 12 to 24 hours.  Allow water so as to avoid dehydration.

• If your puppy has no other symptoms (like lethargy or vomiting), put him on a bland diet for 3-5 days to rest his stomach.  Gradually reintroduce his regular food when he's had normal stools for 24 hours.

BLAND DIET--Three parts cooked rice to one part boiled hamburger or chicken, or cottage cheese.  Start with small portions and work up to the amount of what he normally eats.

When FLD Gus had me racing him outside for a few days earlier this month, he had no other symptoms.  I put him on a bland diet of rice and hamburger, but his stools weren't normal for more than one week.  When they finally were I started to remix his regular food.  His diarrhea returned.  I scheduled an appointment with the vet at Leader Dogs for the Blind as I wasn't sure what was wrong.

At first I suspected that his food might be bad.  It was a new bag, and I usually use morsels of his food as treats, both for Gus and for Gypsy.  This time I was downstate and gave a few to Rosie as well.  Both Gypsy and Rosie had loose stools for a day, but otherwise recovered quickly.

The vet at Leader dogs wasn't sure what was wrong either, and Gus's stool sample came out negative.  The vet thought that Gus was pretty lean (60.3 lbs) for as much food as he eats daily--over 5 cups, so he gave Gus a dose of worming medicine.

I was advised to keep FLD Gus on the bland diet for 5 more days (with the addition of a pro-biotic to aid in digestion) and then gradually introduce a different version of the dry food he had been on.  Because I ran out of hamburger, I used chicken and cottage cheese with the rice this time.

And it worked!

Coincidently, we received a letter from Sam's Club yesterday, warning that a batch of hamburger sold in their store (and that I bought) might have been contaminated with E. Coli.  They asked that we return the meat for a refund, and assured us that if the meat had been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees that it would pose no health hazard.

Yikes!  That was the batch that I fed to Gus!  I don't know if this hamburger aggravated Gus's condition or not.  After all, it was cooked.  I'll be sending a letter to Sam's Club about it anyway.

Thanks FLD Gus, for throwing yourself on the hamburgrade so we didn't have to find out ourselves that it was bad!

And thanks to the vet at Leader Dogs, Gus is now back to his regularly scheduled poop regime.  YIPPEE!

Tuesday's Training TIP: Sometimes it is OKAY to Leave Your Puppy Home.

The 10th and last item in the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test is "Supervised Separation."  Your dog must calmly wait (no continuous barking, whining, or pacing) with a stranger while you are out of sight for three minutes.

Three minutes is a LONG time when you are the one that is staying out of sight!

For a Future Leader Dog puppy, learning to be comfortable with someone other than his puppy-raiser will go a long way to helping him adjust to his new life when he returns to Leader Dogs for the Blind.  Later, when the puppy graduates and becomes a working Leader Dog, he will need to stay relaxed in those situations when he can't be with his handler.

As I mentioned in my post yesterday (Puppy Days 2011), I decided to leave FLD Gus home with my husband Andy for my quick two-day trip to the city.  I didn't think that his missing the mayhem at Leader Dogs would set him back; Gus is almost one year old and he's had plenty of socialization.  Rather, I thought that a couple of days away from me might do him some good.

The first evening, Andy reported that Gus wandered around the house after I left as if trying to find me, but by the next day it was business as usual.

It is OKAY to leave your puppy at home. 

Like when I was the "official" photographer at my nephew's wedding in June.  Taking FLD Gus to a wedding would have been a wonderful experience to help prepare him for his future life as a working Leader Dog, but I knew that I would be too busy looking through my camera lens to adequately keep track of his behavior.  He stayed home.

While one of the most important duties we have as puppy-raisers is to take our puppies out in public for socialization, sometimes it is best to leave the puppy at home.

Best for the puppy.  And best for YOU!

Tuesday's Training TIP: WALK YOUR PUPPY!

BEFORE

Up early.  FLD Gus stands still only long enough for me to snap on his collar and tags as he exits his crate.  OK, I say to release him.

Black-Lab-freight-train leaves the station!

Da-thump-de-da-dump, la-thump-de-da-lump...  He heads for the back door and somehow Gypsy and I get outside with him, unscathed. 

Monster paws thunder like a herd of buffalo.  Get out of the way!  Good thing Andy was right about our square-foot-garden posing an obstacle; Gus leans into a turn between them (instead of through them), spewing wet sandy soil in a rooster-tail behind him.

Something must be done.  FLD Gus was a very patient puppy yesterday as I waited for our driveway contractors to show up.  He isn't going to be content to lay around today!

MY MISSION:  TIRE OUT THE PUPPY!

We head north down the big hill on Brady Road, veer right onto Shady Shores Drive and follow south along the cottages that ring Rifle Lake, turn left at the corner of Wiltse Road, and turn left again on Brady Road--a mile-long grade back UP to our house.  All-in-all, three miles.

Along the way I change pace, stop, and give SIT, DOWN, and STAND commands to FLD Gus to divert his attention from deer-track scent and assorted country sundries.

Halfway to Wiltse Road we meet another walker, Noreeta, who is vacationing for the week at her family cabin on Rifle Lake.  Just then I spot a bald eagle circling overhead, almost brushing the treetops.

"The other day we saw a small fawn curled up by a tree stump near the lake.  It lay there all day in the sun," Noreeta tells me.  "You should have seen all the cottagers taking its picture!"

FLD Gus isn't interested in chatting, but Noreeta and I share our walk for awhile on this beautiful morning.  We part ways at the corner where the Cedar Bar still hasn't reopened after their kitchen fire the night before New Year's Eve.

AFTER

FLD Gus slurps from his water bowl like he barely survived a trek across the Sahara.  He flops down as I sit to write this and briefly looks up when I grab my camera.

Mission accomplished.

FLD Gus resting on soft, green carpet, too tired to even chew his Nylabone.

To tame a dashing, zealous morning Lab, try a long walk!

Tuesday's Training TIP: IGNORING UNWANTED BEHAVIORS

FLD Gus is 10-months-old.  Sometimes it seems like my adolescent puppy has forgotten everything I taught him--he stands defiant when I ask for a "SIT' or a "DOWN," or he refuses to "COME" when he always ran to meet me at first call.

This testosterone-making time usually means the development of unwanted behaviors like "marking" (lifting a rear leg to pee on things).  Luckily, the only time FLD Gus gave me this problem is at puppy-class at Leader Dogs for the Blind, and he is improving.  Last Tuesday he actually went through his entire class without "marking" on the weigh-in scale, or in the training room and entry halls.  Yay!

But.

FLD Gus has developed at least one new behavior I attribute to his rising testosterone levels:  guard-barking.  A second behavior, trying to get onto my lap whenever I sit down, may or may not be attributable to his hormones, but nonetheless, it is undesirable.

I described FLD Gus's barking to our trainer at puppy-class, hoping for some ideas.  He started this when we visited friends.  They live in an apartment with patio doors overlooking the entranceway, and Gus barked at anyone he saw outside.

In my post from March 31, I stated that Gus seemed to be past his "big-dog-bark," and only barked at Gypsy in play.  True, for a while; recently he's taken to barking at other things:  sounds outside, at the neighbor boy when he rides his bike past our house, from the car if he sees someone.  Gus is my first Future Leader Dog puppy to take such a protector stance.  The diverting techniques I employed (name recognition, finger-poking, giving a "SIT" command) weren't doing the trick.

The trainer at Leader Dogs said, "Ignore him."

That's easier said than done.  When FLD Gus puffs up and lets loose, he's hard to disregard.

"Just ignore him.  And be quick to reward him any time he does NOT bark in a situation where he's likely to bark."

Okay....

Not long later, we were in the van and got stopped at a red light.  (Andy swears that there are cameras hidden that identify him as he approaches.)  While we waited for the light to change, I glanced at Gus sitting in the back seat just as he "puffed up" at the sight of a pedestrian.  Gus muttered under his breath, but did not bark.  I immediately praised him, Good boy, Gus!  What a good puppy you are!  And proceeded to talk to him like this as a means of diverting his attention from the unsuspecting stranger.

It worked!  FLD Gus lost interest and did not bark.

Last week we had an opportunity to bring FLD Gus to our friends' apartment where his barking began.  I made extra effort to pay attention to whatever caught his attention, and praise (and treat) him when he was quiet.  While Gus did burst out a few times at people in the parking log (and we all ignored him), he did much better observing and not protecting.

Today I tried this same technique when FLD Gus tried to get on my lap.  (Typically I say, OFF! and remove him if he doesn't step back.)  I sat on the couch; Gus bounced over and put his big front paws on my legs.  I averted my eyes and hugged my torso to keep my hands inaccessible.  When Gus didn't remove himself, I twisted to face away from him.  Finally, Gus put four paws on the floor.  I turned back to him and gave him a pet.

Maybe this ignoring stuff does work!

HINTS FOR IGNORING UNWANTED BEHAVIOR

• Be consistent.  Every time your puppy barks, or jumps up, completely ignore him.

• Anticipate.  Try to catch your puppy BEFORE the behavior--and give a diverting command such as "sit."

• Be quick to reward the appropriate behavior.  Your puppy is smarter than you think!

• Be safe.  Certainly, if your puppy's behavior creates an unsafe condition, take steps to physically stop the behavior and/or remove your puppy from the situation.

And good luck!  Eventually your puppy will "relearn" what he already knows and be ready for his real training at Leader Dogs.  Return time comes quickly!  (FLD Gus returns to Leader Dogs at the end of August.)