How to teach your dog to learn - its fun!

[Aroura]

Training a dog to do a trick is one thing, but how about actually teaching them to learn? Like, so that you can get them to learn almost anything by showing themselves how to do it, rather than you luring them?
Well, I saw this at dog training the other day, its called the training game. Its easier if you clicker train because you can mark behavior more immediatly, but you can do it with voice training as well. If you've ever heard of "shaping behavior" it will make more sence, if you havn't I'll quickly go over it.
Just for the example I'll pretend you're using a clicker, a simple "yes!" or "good dog!" will also do the trick...
Suppose you want your dog to take a hanky out of your pocket and hand it to you when you sneeze. You'll need to use shaping, and a lot of patience to get to the final stage, so here goes:
Step one: Stand around with your (clean of course) hanky hanging out of your pocket. You might be standing there for hours, but as soon as Fido (very unimaginative name, but you get that!) puts his nose near your pocket, or in that general direction - click! And give him a treat.
Step two: Once he's got that down pat, stop treating when he goes to the point he was at before, you want him to go further, maybe touch the hanky with his nose? He'll wonder why he isn't getting treats anymore for looking in that direction so he'll begin to explore other possibilitys, until wam, he touches it with his nose! Click! Treat... what a clever dog?
Step three: Now that he's reliably touching it with his nose, you'll want Fido to learn that he has to do more, so actually wait until he takes the hanky in his mouth, then click, right at the point where he gets it in his mouth, and give him a treat.
Step four: By now if he's really clever he'll be working out a pattern - do a little bit more and get a bigger reward, more excitement etc. Stop treating him when he takes it in his mouth, wait until he gives it a little tug. GREAT DOG!!! Click, treat, lots of cuddles!!! You get the picture.
Step five: So you've slowly gone through the steps and now he understands what you want him to do, get the hanky out of your pocket and hand it to you. Only now you introduce the cue, a sneeze with your hand over your mouth (verbal and physical). Put the hanky in your pocket and when you know Fido is going to perform his new trick... Ahhh choo!! He gets the hanky and gives it to you. WHAT A BRILLIANT DOG!!! Click, treat, BIG FUSS!!! Your dog has now learnt a new, and very difficult trick!!!
Dogs learn better from shaping than luring, as it is like they are teaching themselves and actually have to think about what they are doing and what they are getting rewarded for.
Once you've shaped a few behaviors most dogs will learn the idea - they make a movement, you reward them, they make a more elaborate movement, you reward them more. This is where "the training game" comes in to play. Once the dog has the basic idea of shaping you can shape whole new behaviors in just a few sessions! I saw an example at dog training by a dog who knew "the training game" very well. There was a little step ladder that this dog was going to learn to climb up, and without any luring what so ever this dog realised in less than five minutes from standing on the ground that it was supposed to go over to the step ladder and walk up it. It looked so simple!!!
So I've been practicing this with Montie, and he is learning very quickly. I've taught him to "bow" on command already and have just started to teach him to "spin", my thoughts are that if I teach him alot of these cute little behaviors that come naturally from him that eventually I can put them all together and even teach him how to dance!

Well, thats just an idea so you can have some fun with your doggies, enjoy!!! :angel:

[imported_Kat]

Yeah go for it! Doggy dancing is great fun! Meg and I have routines to Grease lightning and Abba's Dancin' queen, and have performed both at Crufts. Dogs love to learn and it keeps them stimulated so I'm delighted to hear you are teaching your new pup :wink:

[Aroura]

Oh I love nothing more than to see a Border Collie at work dancing!!! They are great at it and you can see they're having so much fun!!! Well Montie has learnt the bow now quite well, and he has just leart the spin as well, so we are on our way!!! He comes running up to me as I step backwards, bowing and spinning when I ask, full of enthusiasm! Its great to see him coming along so quickly and he is already quite good, and to think I havn't even had him for three weeks and he's gone to one of 15 dogs without much individual attention to a dancing dog! :lol:
Next I'm going to teach him to walk sideways to the left, and side ways to the right, he already "dances" on his hind legs, so we'll be able to put it all together in a few weeks... I wish we could put videos up here!