December's Challenge - Remove a Sock

The challenge for December, 2012 is here!

You will teach your dog to. . . remove a sock from your foot (well, anybody's foot. . . it doesn't have to be yours.)

The rules for the challenge:

1.  The final behavior is the dog removing a sock from a foot. You are allowed to have about an inch of sock hanging loose off your toes if you wish. Otherwise, the sock must be in the normal position on the foot. 
2. Your video should include some of your training sessions and the final product. Your video should be posted to youtube, photobucket, or any other video sharing website, with the link put in the comments for this challenge. 
3. Your video will be graded on: 
1. Timing of your mark/clicker. 
2. Placement and use of rewards to facilitate behavior. 
3. Your training journey (how you got from Point A to Point B). 
4. Creativity shown by your dog. 
5. Putting a link for the video in the comments of this post by the due date. 
4. Bonus points will be given for: 
1.  Showing sock removal from different feet. 
2. Letting us hear a squeal or groan of pain when your dog gets the foot rather than the sock. (Yes, I'm evil.) 
3. Training bloopers! 
5. Videos are due by December 20! Update:  Challenge extended to January 20!

Ready, set, go!

August Challenge - Chin Target to Hand

This month's challenge has a lot of practical uses too.  I won't give any hints to practical uses - that will be part of the challenge!

So the challenge is. . . dog chin targets to your hand.

1. The base behavior is dog places his/her chin in your hand and keeps it there.  For more advanced training (and extra points), move your hand and have your dog move while holding their chin in your hand.  Another advanced training option would be to hold food above the dog's nose while they maintain their chin in your hand without going for the food.
2. No luring for this challenge - so you can't put a treat on your dog's nose and get them to put their chin in your hand.  Shaping and capturing are always allowed.  And since this is a targeting exercise, targeting is allowed.  And when working on this, think about reward zones. . .
3. Your video should include some of your training sessions and the final product.  You should also tell, list, or show some of the practical uses for this behavior (extra points!)
4. Your video should be posted to youtube, photobucket, or any other vid sharing website, with the link put in the comments for this challenge.

Points will be awarded in the following categories:

• Clicker mechanics (so your abilities as a clicker trainer - timing, raising criteria, knowing when to give a break, etc)
• Fluency of the final behavior - is it on cue?  
• Advanced training for this behavior
• Original/cute/funny cues always receive extra points
• Points given for every practical use you can tell/list/show for this behavior
• The dog's creativity (sometimes dogs can come up with things we wouldn't even think of)
• Points for just having fun
• Points for sharing bloopers.  :-D  

Please have your video links posted by August 25, 2011.  Winner will receive the On Cue Challenge Winner Tote Bag.


Ready. . . Set. . . Go!

And the winner is. . .

I am friends with both ladies who entered the challenge this month, so I'm going to be extra-hard on their critiques. I know they won't get upset, and I hope others can learn from it.

First up, Stacie and Rex (the red Aussie).
Training Method - 5
Clicker Skills - 3
On Cue - 5
Originality of Cue – 5
Dog’s Performance - 5

In the beginning, timing of click was great – right when his head was under the cushion. One time, he put paws on the chair instead, then hopped off and you clicked. Remember your criteria and what you are clicking for. Do you want paws on? Then when you switched to using a toy under the cushion, you were clicking when he got the toy to you or when his head was on top of the cushion. . . not when his head was under the cushion. Again, remember criteria – click the behavior you want.

Love the training by putting the toy under the cushion. Great idea! And the cue? Way too cute for words – maybe he’ll come search under all my cushions for lost change!

One more idea that may make it easier. . . when rewarding, place the reward under the cushion. That’s where you want him, so place the reward there so he goes back to it.


Now for Ruthann and Wally (the Australian Terrier)
Training Method – 4
Clicker Skills - 4
On Cue - 5
Originality of Cue – 5
Dog’s Performance – 5+

In the beginning, it felt like you were “lumping” – expecting too much from him. But you did start to break it down – instead of expecting him to get his head under the pillow, you clicked his nose touching the edge of the pillow – great beginning step! Your rate of reinforcement is low – not many clicks/treats in a minute. Remember to break it down into little steps to keep him motivated and working.

Remember that where you place your reward can really help training too. By placing the reward where you want him, he’ll be more likely to get there again. You did start to do this in the second training session you videoed, but then went back to giving the food away from the pillow. You want him to be saying, "Hey! My food's supposed to be under here! Where is it?"

I love the cue, and I love how he doesn’t just put his head under the pillow – his whole body goes under! Maybe he’s a gopher? And his little twist at the end? That earned him the "+" for his performance.

So Stacie and Rex received a 23. Ruthann and Wally received a 23+. The winner is Ruthann and Wally!

June's Challenge - Unroll a Mat/Carpet

For this challenge, you will need something that can be rolled up and unrolled. A yoga mat, a hall runner, a towel (maybe - may be too soft).

Rules:

1. The goal is for your dog to unroll the mat with their nose.

3. Targeting is allowed

4. Creative placement of food is allowed.

5. Shaping is always allowed.

6. Video submission must include some training scenes and the final behavior on cue. Your dog must offer the behavior when cued (verbal and signal cues are allowed). The cue must be under stimulus control - we must see that your dog waits for the cue and does not perform it just on environmental cues.

7. Deadline for video submission is June 20.

8. Leave the link for your video submission in the comments to this post.

9. The winner will receive an On Cue tote bag.

This behavior is a Foundation behavior for Treiball, so you'll be 2 steps ahead if you decide to try that sport!



Let's roll! (erm. . . unroll?)

May's Entries

We had two entries for our May Challenge.

Stacie and Rex:


Ruthann and Wally:


You still have until the end of the day to submit your videos. So don't be afraid to get them in. I'm about to head out of town, so the winner will be announced Monday!

May's Challenge - Hide Your Head Under a Cushion

May's challenge is to teach your dog to hide its head under a cushion.

Rules for this challenge:
1. Shaping is preferred (but remember that judicious placement of your reward after your click is always allowed).
2. Extra points for coming up with a cool cue for this.
3. Have fun!
4. Videos are due by May 20. You can post a link in the comments.

April's Challenge - Shut the Door

The goal of this challenge is for your dog to push a door to shut it. Here are the rules:

1. The goal is for your dog to shut a door by pushing it. The type of door does not matter.

2. The dog may use nose, paw, or another body part to shut the door.

3. Targeting is allowed

4. Luring is not allowed.

5. Shaping is always allowed.

6. Video submission must include training scenes and the final behavior on cue. Your dog must offer the behavior when cued (verbal and signal cues are allowed). The cue must be under stimulus control - we must see that your dog waits for the cue and does not perform it just on environmental cues.

7. Deadline for video submission is April 20.

8. Leave the link for your video submission in the comments to this post.

9. The winner will receive an On Cue tote bag.



Are you ready? Let's go!