When Pigs Fly_ Training Success With Impossible Dogs - Jane Killion [56]
After I click, I deliver the treat so that the dog is in the position in which I would ultimately like her to be.
3. After you click your dog for entering the magic circle, deliver the treat close to the outside of your left knee to reinforce closeness to you. Eventually, you will want your dog to be right next to you, and feeding close to you is a way to get him to anticipate that he should stay close. Don’t be discouraged if you have trouble feeding your dog in position. Feeding so your dog is in position is another skill and you will get better at it with practice. It will help you a lot if you carry a piece of food in your left hand so you are ready to feed in position. Try to think in advance exactly how you will deliver a treat to help your dog maintain position, and keep trying.
4. At some point, you will probably notice that your dog is thinking hard, and then scurrying in next to you. A dog at this stage looks like a kid, waiting for just the right moment and then hopping into a double Dutch jump rope. That’s when you know that he understands he has to step in the magic circle. Once you see the light bulb go on in this way, and your dog is offering the behavior of stepping into the magic circle, reinforce it a few more times, and then up the ante. Ask for him to look at you while he works. Chances are, he has been looking at you pretty intensely since the session began, but let’s pick it out and reinforce it, just to be sure. Now you will only click if your dog steps into the circle and is looking at you. Reinforce that many times until your dog is obviously offering to keep his eyes on you.
5. Next, shape him to be close to you. If you can get your dog to take a step or two in the magic circle and keep his eyes on you, you should be very proud of yourself. Your dog is well on the way to understanding that you want him to walk by your side and pay attention to you. Gradually make the magic circle smaller and smaller so he has to come in closer and closer to you to earn his click. How many sessions it will take until your dog is taking a step or two right next to you on your left side while maintaining eye contact depends on the dog and your skill. Some dogs can be shaped to a perfect attention walking position by a skillful trainer in one session, and some will need weeks of work.
Pig Tale
I can usually teach a dog to attention walk in one or two sessions, but not every dog is that easy. My dog Ursa took literally months before she would put together walking, being close to my side, and looking at me. She did get it eventually, though, and now she loves to bounce along and look up eagerly at me. However long it takes, that is the right amount of time for you and your dog. Don’t get discouraged and keep trying!
Take the physical make up of your dog into account when deciding how to set up this behavior. A short, stubby dog, like a Pug, a Bassett Hound, or a Bulldog, will find it difficult to be both right by your side and crane his head up to look at you. You might even cause injury to his neck by asking him to move in that position for a long time. If you have a stocky dog like this, give up either closeness or eye contact so your dog can be comfortable and healthy. Many people shape their stubby or short dogs to look at their handler’s leg as they walk. Whatever you choose is fine, as long as you have a clearly defined idea of what you want and you try to shape your dog to that ideal position as closely as possible.
6. Now you can start building up the number of steps your dog will take. Is your little friend right next to you, taking a step or two with his eyes glued to you? If you answered “Yes,” you have done a great job, and, you are ready to start putting together longer and longer stretches of attention walking.