"Bak" update

[Marjolein]

maybe better to start our own topic on the "go-to-bin" project

Today we came to the "slow down" point where it got hard for the first time
Ivil started to play with her toys instead of putting them in the basket Now what... decided best thing to do is wait, no click, no attention, no nothing. Once she was trough slamming herself in the chest with the ball-on-a-rope we could move on. She dropped it in the basket as much as next to it.
Mmmhh, no click for dropping it next to it got her confused, and frustrated, so she started playing again with another squeeky toy (>squeek< ... >squeek< ...>squeek< ...>squeek<>squeek<>squeek< )
I then decided to go back to just one toy, no noisy one or one with rope. She would put her head in the basket while holding the rope, the ball dangling outside of the basket, she dropped it, and it fell next to it ofcourse...

Back to a plane ol' ball, this was better/easier. She did not get it right away, but after 6 times or so, she seemed to understand it had to fall in the basket. I moved the basket to the other side of me, and she did try to drop it in the basket, when it did, lots of treats and finished for today!
Tomorrow I'm free all day, so we can practice severeal short times.

[Lauren]

Good for you and Ivil! It is so hard to wait it out while they go through the frustration. i know that I am practically holding my breath to see whether they will get the idea or give up first.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow!

[leih merigian]

Back to a plane ol' ball, this was better/easier.

Good thinkin', Lincoln!

I alway start with little things that aren't as challenging as a ball on a rope. Even now, when Geyser's putting away her toys at nite, one of which is a "rag" (cut off sleeve from a sweatshirt with a knot tied on one end), she'll rush up to the basket, drop the "rag," maybe it makes it in, maybe not . I just stand there and wait...she'll look back, see it, try again. She's always in such a rush! (She has to put all her toys away before she can "help" me do the nightly vacuuming, which she loves )

You and Ivil have gotten this one so quickly!

[alspyce]

I love your descriptions of training woes, makes me laugh from the way you tell it. You will have to get some pictures!

[vneerland]

Totally in awe. I am still trying to teach a husband to pick up after himself. Once I got that, I think I might try to graduate to dogs, but if I cannot teach a human, how much luck would I have with the 4 legged species?
(answer: the 4 leggeds are a LOT easier!)

[Sugars Mom]

That is one reason why I love spending time with my four legged one...much easier to train!!

[Marjolein]

Mmmh, I believe I'm that 2 legged creature in the house that cannot be taught how to clean up But hey, if I can use my dogs for it, what's the big deal? Next trick will be vacuming

lousy pics, kinda hard focusing on Ivil and the clicker in one hand, camera in the other, you can see by the way she is looking at me "what's with the camera, we are training!" haha


"Pwut dwonw twe cwam! We warr twaining!"

"bak!"

into the basket, (I started by throwing the treat into the basket so she is looking for the treat after dropping the ball )


"Happy now?"


on the way with the second toy...


owww, missed... no click


attempt 2...yes, the toy made it to the basket!!! >click< treat

[Sugars Mom]

Cool!!

[alspyce]

Totally in awe. I am still trying to teach a husband to pick up after himself. Once I got that, I think I might try to graduate to dogs, but if I cannot teach a human, how much luck would I have with the 4 legged species?
(answer: the 4 leggeds are a LOT easier!)

Figured that out long ago!

[alspyce]

Ivil is wanting you to focus! How can she train you to feed her if you are fooling with the camera and not paying proper attention?

[Marjolein]

Ivil is wanting you to focus! How can she train you to feed her if you are fooling with the camera and not paying proper attention?

It's all your fault!! You guys made me take pictures From now on, no more pics

[felixone123]

Ivil is so cool, putting those toys in the "bak". You can actually see her thinking about what she is doing

[kchristy]

I love look on her face in the pics.

[leih merigian]

great pics!

I have the same problem with my video camera, tho it's a flip and a little easier than a camera, since once you turn it on, you just hold it...still too much to try to focus on, eh?

Ivil is very funny!

[GSDNanny]

Judith, 4-legged trumps 2-legged trainees anytime! After nearly 40 yrs with the ol' man, I've given up and that old dog ain't learning no new ones for sure. May be why I enjoy training the dogs so much!

[Marjolein]

we have moved on a bit, we had to hang in for a bit for the dropping things in the basket for a while. She would usually do the first 3 drops 100%, and than suddenly decide it is time to bring it to me again. As much as she wanted to do it right, it never occured to her to go to the basket. I had to help her by moving to the basket, or kicking the basket to focus her on it. This forced me to be next to the basket, and I wanted it to be away from me, sending her to it. So we had to practice over a week before she was ready to have the basket moved further and further away from me.

Now we have gotten to the point where she seems to start to really get the idea, "I have to drop things in it". Even picking it up when it falls out and putting it back into the basket real gently
Today I have combined 2 games, we hide stuff in the living room (keyrings, bracelet, old watch, little car toy, coin etc) and they have to search and bring it. So for Ivil today she had to search and drop all 10 items into the basket, all went in!! I did put the basket right next to me for this first time, next time I will move it 1 dog-length (haha) away from me.

[leih merigian]

sounds like a great game!

(I think moving too quickly is the bane of most of us; it sure is for me )

[Sugars Mom]

Sounds like great progress! I know patience isn't my favorite thing either but you guys are getting there. Very cool!

[alspyce]

Nice! (big reward= )

[Drizlaru]

we have moved on a bit, we had to hang in for a bit for the dropping things in the basket for a while. She would usually do the first 3 drops 100%, and than suddenly decide it is time to bring it to me again. As much as she wanted to do it right, it never occured to her to go to the basket. I had to help her by moving to the basket, or kicking the basket to focus her on it. This forced me to be next to the basket, and I wanted it to be away from me, sending her to it. So we had to practice over a week before she was ready to have the basket moved further and further away from me.

Now we have gotten to the point where she seems to start to really get the idea, "I have to drop things in it". Even picking it up when it falls out and putting it back into the basket real gently
Today I have combined 2 games, we hide stuff in the living room (keyrings, bracelet, old watch, little car toy, coin etc) and they have to search and bring it. So for Ivil today she had to search and drop all 10 items into the basket, all went in!! I did put the basket right next to me for this first time, next time I will move it 1 dog-length (haha) away from me.

Fact - Dogs can differentiate and retain in memory over 350 english words associated with commands and objects. Don't be afraid to use short proper names to specify objects to pick up. You probably knew this already, but it bears mentioning for those who don't!

(p.s. Excellent job too!)