I'm quite proud to announce that after 5 years and 9 months, I have at last taught Mimi a "bring it' command. What are the criteria for this command? It can be either verbal ("bring it!") or just a hand signal (one finger pointing straight down at my feet), but she has to bring the toy TO ME. Not within the same room as me. Not within 4 feet of me. To me. Inches from my feet, or preferably on top of my feet.
What a concept.
Harry, being the perfect dog, well, perfect except for his penchant for trashcan-diving, of course has a "put it in my hand" command (no need for the complicated verbal; he only needs to see a flat open palm and he rushes to jam the toy into it). I had to teach him this years ago so that he wouldn't do victory laps after every flyball race (not only did he often veer into the other team's lane, an offense that could have gotten us dismissed from more than one tournament, but the whole affair really slowed the show down).
Mimi has resisted this particular behavior mightily. She would whine, even bark. She'd shake the toy all that more vigorously. She'd start bouncing in front of the magic dresser hoping that an even better toy was stashed on top. She'd do everything she could except bring the damned toy to me. But when she started throwing the toy up in the air earlier this year, I realized I was at last making progress.
That throwing the toy up ever so gradually progressed into throwing the toy forward. I used only a verbal marker ("good girl!") and would go and pick up the toy to throw it again.
I suppose I should take a step back. Teaching Mimi the joy of toy was itself quite a struggle. For years, it was a one-throw affair. She just didn't see the value in bringing the toy back at all since she could entertain herself for hours without any need for my intervention. Last year I was at last able to turn her into a tugging monster, which meant that she needed to keep the toy in my general vicinity if that fun game was to continue.
So once she started throwing the toy forward, I knew that I had her hooked. She resisted mightily--she would toss it forward but it would still be feet from me. Once I was sure that the tossing behavior was very strong, I stopped going to get the toy.
My god, you would have thought that I was sticking her with hot pokers. The whines and moans that came out of her as she would pick up the toy, drop it, pick up the toy, drop it--all the while staring at me....but I held out. No toy brought to me, then no game. I'd keep playing with Harry, which of course just drove her mad.
And that first time she brought me the toy, all the way to my feet, I had a huge party with her. It took about eight more (long) weeks before she was willing to admit that bringing the toy to me was a far superior proposition than no more toy play at all. Fox terriers are extraordinarily stubborn, and we fox terrier trainers have to be even more resolute.
Play time is quite a bit more fun now. She's even started jamming the toy into my hand or leg if I'm not fast enough to pick it up and toss it again. I always reward that behavior with a good tug party.
Harry learned the "hand" command in a matter of weeks. Mimi, it has taken years. But I learned a lot in the process.
It's a bittersweet lesson for me as a dog trainer since I am no longer able to compete with my dogs. But I cherish the relationship I have with Harry and Mimi and am so thankful that I can continue to learn with them.
What a concept.
Harry, being the perfect dog, well, perfect except for his penchant for trashcan-diving, of course has a "put it in my hand" command (no need for the complicated verbal; he only needs to see a flat open palm and he rushes to jam the toy into it). I had to teach him this years ago so that he wouldn't do victory laps after every flyball race (not only did he often veer into the other team's lane, an offense that could have gotten us dismissed from more than one tournament, but the whole affair really slowed the show down).
Mimi has resisted this particular behavior mightily. She would whine, even bark. She'd shake the toy all that more vigorously. She'd start bouncing in front of the magic dresser hoping that an even better toy was stashed on top. She'd do everything she could except bring the damned toy to me. But when she started throwing the toy up in the air earlier this year, I realized I was at last making progress.
That throwing the toy up ever so gradually progressed into throwing the toy forward. I used only a verbal marker ("good girl!") and would go and pick up the toy to throw it again.
I suppose I should take a step back. Teaching Mimi the joy of toy was itself quite a struggle. For years, it was a one-throw affair. She just didn't see the value in bringing the toy back at all since she could entertain herself for hours without any need for my intervention. Last year I was at last able to turn her into a tugging monster, which meant that she needed to keep the toy in my general vicinity if that fun game was to continue.
So once she started throwing the toy forward, I knew that I had her hooked. She resisted mightily--she would toss it forward but it would still be feet from me. Once I was sure that the tossing behavior was very strong, I stopped going to get the toy.
My god, you would have thought that I was sticking her with hot pokers. The whines and moans that came out of her as she would pick up the toy, drop it, pick up the toy, drop it--all the while staring at me....but I held out. No toy brought to me, then no game. I'd keep playing with Harry, which of course just drove her mad.
And that first time she brought me the toy, all the way to my feet, I had a huge party with her. It took about eight more (long) weeks before she was willing to admit that bringing the toy to me was a far superior proposition than no more toy play at all. Fox terriers are extraordinarily stubborn, and we fox terrier trainers have to be even more resolute.
Play time is quite a bit more fun now. She's even started jamming the toy into my hand or leg if I'm not fast enough to pick it up and toss it again. I always reward that behavior with a good tug party.
Harry learned the "hand" command in a matter of weeks. Mimi, it has taken years. But I learned a lot in the process.
It's a bittersweet lesson for me as a dog trainer since I am no longer able to compete with my dogs. But I cherish the relationship I have with Harry and Mimi and am so thankful that I can continue to learn with them.
1 comment:
I love this problem-solving! Training terriers is always a challenge. I had to teach Forrest to tug. I actually shaped him pulling a tug toy out of my hand. He is now a mighty tugger! He's never been one for toys.
Skeeter has always loved toys and was a natural tugger. She was not a natural retriever. I taught her a retrieve in a similar way. She'll slam the toy into my open hand, either on command (Bring it!) or when she sees my outstretched hand.
I once (Smart alecky) asked Julie Jones how she taught her dog to tug, and she looked at me like I was from another planet.
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