I wanted to answer Sue's question here so that other people might be helped too. The answer is yes, I had that same problem.
The key is not to LURE her with the treat, otherwise she won't do it when she can't see "the goods" and decide it it is worth it. Always have a couple of treats on hand and always have them hidden from view. In the pocket, behind your back. I use the marker word "yes" when Juneau does something right in order to buy myself the two seconds to get the treat out of my pocket.
Step one, wait for her to look at your face. Your just hanging out and she's going to look at your face eventually even by accident. If nothing happens after a long time and you get bored, make a little kissy noise with your lips. Don't do that more than 5 times or so, or it becomes a lure too. Just looking near your face even. Then the second she looks at your face, that very second, say "yes" or click if you have a clicker. Then give her the treat.
The first few times it feels very awkward and you are sure she isn't learning, but if your timing is right with the marker word she will learn "that right there is why you got the treat". Then you shape it. She doesn't get the treat unless she looks you square in the eyes. Then you can start to say "watch" and she'll learn what the word means (like 5 sessions later). Start in a 100% distraction free place, indoors, no other dog, no tv. Start SUPER small so she wins the treat, and use lots of treats. Then move up to the real world, watch me while I'm on the couch, watch me on our front steps. Make sure it is just a tiny step more difficult each time, and also keep doing the easy times.
Basically that's how I even got to be at the very beginning with Juneau where I am now. Good luck!
Apparently my iPhone chooses when it should or should not comment. Grr.
ReplyDeleteThis is a helpful post! Thanks Beccy! I think part of our problem is that when Twinkie hears the closet door, she knows I'm getting treats and is so excited she gets kinda ADHD. So I think I will need to keep some treats in my pocket all the time so that she's just used to me having them.
When you mark the behavior, does Juneau keep looking at your face, or does she look to see where the treat is coming from?
You can comment on comments now! So interactive!
DeleteWhen I mark the behavior, that is the signal for her to know that in the next one second she is going to get a treat for doing the right thing. So it is ok if she looks at the treat after that. The key is that I say "yes" right when she looks at my face, and not once she has already looked away. Then it means "You looked at my face and so now you will get a treat" and not "you looked at my face and then looked at the treat so now you are getting the treat".
ReplyDeleteYou might have to "prime" the marker word so she understands that it means she did it right. Wait for her to do something good unasked, sitting next to you, laying down while you watch tv, then say "yes" and give her a treat. It won't take long for her to try and make you say "yes".
Then eventually you will have to offer love, a toy, etc for getting it right so you don't need treats on you 24/7, but at the beginning it is a great tool.
Thanks! She is clicker-trained, so sometimes we use that, but mostly I just click with my tongue, so she's good there! I think I'll have to use a different word for "watch me" though cause we destroyed that. Perhaps "focus"!
ReplyDelete"Look" might be easy too.
ReplyDelete