Teaching To Wait For A Release Command

[quangle]

Hi everyone, I am after some advice.

I have a 16 month old springer spaniel. We started off well on the training, but things have slipped a little. I also have a husband who is not quite on the same wave length as me in regards to training and doesn't always understand how the dog thinks (ie. he tells her off AFTER she has done something and doesn't understand that that she doesn't know what she is in trouble for)

Anyway, she has been trained to go to her mat on command, and she does this well. However, I want the 'go to your mat' command to mean, go to it and stay there until you are told you can get off. At the moment, she goes to it fine and lies down, but knows she can just get up and leave at any time.

Now that we already have this pattern in place, how do I go about teaching her to stay there until I say she can get off?

I am using a clicker and I have been following the training techniques from the Kikopup techniques on youtube which has been working really well, but I just don't know how to 'undo' or change something that she has already learnt.

Any tips would be great. Thanks

[Kavik]

I can think of two things off the top of my head.

One is to treat it like you would any stay exercise. Build up duration, distance and distraction slowly, start with only a very short amount of time, and ALWAYS give your release command when you want her to get off.

The other option is to do Crate Games with her - this is how Susan Garrett teaches her duration stay behaviours and understanding of release command. This behaviour is then transferrable to the mat.

[megan_]

Does she actually know a release command? If not, I'd train that separately. I use the release command for everything (eg I ask sit, they have to sit until I say "play", I don't use a "stay" at all).

I'd start with something she knows really well (eg sit) and do "sit, free" then reward in really quick succession and repeat this lots. Then "sit *pause* free". If she gets up doing the pause a light "ah ah", put her in sit then release.

For my dogs, a clicker is a marker + a release, so I phase out the clicker pretty quickly for things that require duration.

[Kavik]

Yes, I did assume she had a release command :laugh: If not, teach that first (this can be taught through CG as well :) ). Click for me does not always mean release. Depends on the exercise.

[quangle]

Thanks.

She does have a release.

So to clarify, do I click/treat when she lies on the mat and then click again when she responds to the release cue, or do I say 'go to your mat' and not click at all until I release her?

Secondly, given that she has thoroughly learnt that she can get off the mat at anytime, is it going to be much harder to proof the staying?

And thirdly, hubby uses the 'go to your mat' command when he wants her to get off the carpet (her mat is on the floorboards, she is not supposed to lie on the rug). It would make more sense to me to use an 'off the rug' type of command, as we don't necessarily need her to go to her mat, just to not lie on the rug. Is this sensible and do I teach this by putting her on the rug and sending her off?

Thanks again. Starting work on it tomorrow!

[Kavik]

What exactly are you doing at the moment? How did you teach it? Did you shape it or lure it?

[quangle]

I taught it by luring. Can't remember exactly how, it was one of the first things she learnt, but I guess just a standard throw a treat onto the mat.

I say 'on your mat' and point, and off she goes.

I am not sure how to teach the release. eg, she has gone and is lying down. Do I say my release cue and lure her off the mat to me with a treat, clicking as she gets off?

This works if she has just gone there is watching me, waiting for my next cue.

But if I leave her there a while and she settles down for a nap, she is not necessarily anxious to get off, so I don't want to say my release cue and have her ignore me. One thing the videos and books seem to say is to not add in the cue until you can guarantee the behaviour. Should I be making sure to only leave her there less than a minute so she is still keenly watching me?

Sorry, I just want to get it right this time. I would have been alright if I had taught it properly in the first place, but hey, we live and learn.

[Kavik]

OK, so you can start by giving your cue 'on your mat' and reward when she gets on there. Then give your release cue (mine is Free or Break) and throw your reward off the mat so you know she will get off to go get it. Then you start extending her time on the mat slowly before giving your release. You will also need to add distractions such as not being right near the mat (so that she will stay on the mat when you go away and do something else) but again start slowly, like one step etc. And other people walking by like your husband etc. But first you want her to understand get on the mat when you say, get off the mat when you say.

[quangle]

Awesome, thank you very much. :)