Triangle Of Temptation

[Steve K9Pro]

K9: I have had a massive amount of success with this program. I started it when working dogs in drive & have spent many years building it into a program that can be used on any dog. It has no down sides when carried out correctly. I have yet to come accross a program that can be used on every dog with this much success.

This is a training in drive program.

When I explain drives to people, I explain that there is a trigger, threshold, drive initialisation, drive peak & drive satisfaction.

I explain that this program puts the dog into the area of its drive in which it can learn most effectively.

Drive is a subconscious reaction to stimuli, its also an adrenalin based behaviour.

So this makes for a very fast complying dog that learns very fast...

I have used it for general pets, competition dogs, sport dogs, working dogs, problem dogs, puppies & dogs with phobias, all with great success.

It serves perfect for the basis of obedience training & bond building, it ensures that the old rule of training is carried out effectively, which is

"The command is an opportunity to earn a reward"

Each time the dog recieves a command in the Triangle, it ends with the dog eating which is drive satisfaction, its very hard to go wrong.

The excercises also are taught in drive which is the most effective training method in the world.

You end up creating a list of commands that are all thought of (by the dog) as positive...

There are no corrections applied in the triangle.

Whilst it looks like a simple feeding program, I have spent many years perfecting every step both from the perspective of a behaviourist & a trainer.

I must have prescribed this to well over 20 000 people, not one failed to have results with it...

It enhances the Alpha status of the person who commands the triangle, this can be anyone or every one in your home. It prevents rank issues both with human & dog pack members. It can be modified slightly to cure existing rank issues...

Its a diagnostic program that can give a strong insight to how the dog views the handler, simple observation of the dog when it is released to eat can tell you if the dog has trust (see's you asthe Alpha) or not. Does the dog run straight to the food & eat or circle the bowl so it may watch you when it eats...

I personally wont start training a new dog of mine until it eats without watching me... If it doesnt see me as the Alpha, I cant trigger pack drive, my training will go slowly if at all...

It is a training in drive with distraction program also, it can be taken anywhere, a dog experienced in the TOT can have it taken on the road.

The temptation can be anything your dog wants, it teaches the dog to ask your permission to partake in anything...

I released it on DOL in August 2004. In this thread http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=13260

Many have used it & recommend it here & many other places.

More recently in this thread http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...63394&st=60

I am putting the base program here & Troy has agreed to pin it so that people can access it easily & have the same successes others here have had.

I would be happy to hear from others having success using it.

The only condition I ask for is that if this is distributed, its done by linking to this page & my contact details are included. This ensures I can be contacted for any difficulties...

Triangle of Temptation.

This is a behaviour, pack structure & obedience program that takes nearly no time from your day. I created this program after many years of working with dogs.

This is the basic/generic version of the program, I modify it slightly with the same basic technique to solve problems & go into advanced learning.

It's remarkably effective for gaining control with no force. I have used it with dogs for many years that have been trained to engage a man in combat & would not hesitate to attack me if it were not for this program. I have also used it to rehab extremely fearful dogs that would otherwise not even look at me.

It's also the basis of the bonding program I specify to all my clients…

The bases of this program is to have the dog look to you for guidance & permission to partake in anything you say that the dog can, including food, toys, game etc. Our goal is to have the dog engage self control out of respect for you. This teaches the dog to control its drive & strengthen its mind.

To begin the program we must follow basic training principles, they are the learning phase, the correction phase & the distraction phase.

This means start the training with no other distractions around, no dogs people etc.

The key to starting is to have a food driven dog, if you don't have a dog with a high food drive, miss the meal before you start or at least reduce it by ¾. Fasting is healthy for dogs.

Now you have a dog that wants the food, this means the dog will have drive for the food.

This is a training IN drive program.

Training in drive uses the drive concept that "drive is a subconscious reaction to stimuli", this program works fast on any dog.

Next back tie your dog with a flat buckle collar (non correctional collar) & rope to something solid in your yard. Make sure all other dogs are out of site, we are looking for as low a distraction as possible. Learning is best done under no distraction; we are trying to trigger food drive, not possessiveness, so no other animals.

Prepare the meal inside & this should be done after all higher members have eaten. Your dog will learn, through positive results in this program that being tied out will end in drive satisfaction ie: Positive reinforcement. This is good if you have a dog that whines on a tie out.

At the end of the program you will have a list of things, such as being tied out, long sit stays etc that are all thought of as positive to your dog.

Allow your dog to relax on the back tie, a few minutes is usually enough. Don't go out to a whining dog.

Now bring out your dogs food, show it to your dog, & begin to walk out in front of your dog, your looking for that moment in distance that your dog looks like the food wasn't for him or her after all. Basically taking the dog just out of full food drive.

Your trying to trigger the dogs' high food drives but not so high as to make self control impossible, this would be called drive peak. This distance for some dogs is 2 metres, other 10 metres.

Now you will find our dog looking at the food, possibly trying to get to it, this is what you want.

If the dog is going to hysterics, move the food further away. (This would be an example of full food drive peak)

What it shows is that the dog thinks that he is entitled to the food, but that's not the case.

Approach your dog & stand at his right hand side, stand quietly whilst the dog gets all excited for the food. Look at your dog & wait. Say nothing.

One of two things will happen, either the dog will go on & on & just stare at the food or he will look at you.

If he doesn't look, say the dogs name. You want to see the dog look at you, when he/she does be quick to "mark" the look with "yes" then release the dog with an OK (free) command & let the dog loose to eat the food, you should sound very happy.

Many people tell me they already do most of this, do it exactly as described. Missing the verbal marker & the free command will change the outcome…

The next evening you will repeat the same. This exercise is very effective, as you need to feed your dogs anyway, so they may as well learn at the same time.

You are looking to repeat this until when you place the food down, the dog looks at you & not the food. I can have most dogs do this in 2 – 4 days. The dog does not need to give you total attention unless you're looking for competition level results.

Looking at you means the dog sees you as the person in charge; he has given up staring at the food as he knows that it's you who say when he can have it, & he can only have it when you say so.

Now its time to add the sit command when you stand next to the dog. As soon as the dog sits, you verbal mark with yes.

Bend down & unleash the dog, give OK command so the dog may eat. Always go inside when you release the dog. Dont allow the leash to steal your respect.... Make sure the dog only releases when the "ok" command is given, not the snap of the leash...

The triangle is formed by drawing a line between you, the dog & the temptation.

When you have a good sit, as that is what is being built here, you can add time, by saying stay & then verbal mark yes after 10 seconds, then 60 seconds & so on.

Remove the back tie & keep it in your hands, if the dog should break the stay, you begin again.

Your looking to increase the time the dog has to stay sitting by reasonable increments per day until you get over three minutes. This is all standing right next to your dog. Think of the achievement so far, your dog will tie out happily; it will sit, stay & give you attention, all in the presence of food.

When three minutes has been gained & you will be certain you can go farther, start to increase the distance between you & the dog, whilst holding the tie out rope.

You should increase this distance by increments of 1 - 2 metres.

Up until you did this, the dog was viewing the food (temptation) as unobtainable, & you as unbeatable.

Now by increasing the distance the dog will start to feel the food is obtainable & you just might be beatable.

The long rope will teach the dog very quickly that you are not.

The rule you need to remember is:

Time before distance before distraction.

This is essential for a marked improvement every day.

When you find yourself able to wander inside while the food bowl sits there UN touched by the dog, you're ready to add distraction.

Allow a second dog now to eat from its own bowl perhaps, remain out of site for a period of time, and change the environment to outside the front gate perhaps. These are just some ways to add distraction.

Build reliability into your dog by working it.

When you're at this level you will never have a dominance problem with your dog, you can't have, he looks at you to make the big decisions, like when he can have his treasure.

Feel free to substitute the food for another treasure, such as a treat, ball, toy or an open back door or front gate.

The key is that this gives you control of all the treasures in life, each repetition is positively rewarded at the end by allowing the dog the treasure, when you say he can have it.

This is the generic version of this program, we modify this program many ways to suit different applications, from nervy stressful dogs to rank aggressive dogs to high level competitors.

I use a prey item in the TOT to teach bite work, comp heeling etc etc…

The power words your dog learns are yes & ok, these should translate into the teaching & training of every commend you teach your dog…

We can tailor this program to suit all applications.

This article is copyright protected (2000) © and can not be used or distributed without K9 force consent. You are, however, allowed to distribute this link to direct people to this site.

Steve Courtney

K9 Pro The K9 Professionals.

Accredited Dog Behaviour Consultant.

Accredited Dog Obedience Trainer.

Accredited Law Enforcement Dog Trainer.

www.k9pro.com.au

[email protected]

Edited February 26, 2012 by K9Pro

[Staranais]

May I ask a question, K9?

If you have a dog who is already quite accustomed to waiting for permission before he eats his dinner, and is perfectly reliable at this, will this programme help?

If so, would you still need to start him on a tieback?

Thanks.

[Steve K9Pro]

K9: the back tie teaches dogs that being tied out is ok, like when you go for coffee etc, teaches the dog not to whine etc...

Its essential that the words yes & "ok" be used. I dont use commands like "eat" or "go get em" etc.

I use a free command, my word is "ok".

This extends into other styles of training as does the marker yes.

It isnt about sitting & waiting for food, its about getting attention & teaching the dog its a positive thing, then adding obedience commands, many as you like...

Then taking this program training anywhere you are...

The position of the food, the way its presented also have a strong impact... You must create food drive, or you lose the effect...

So yes I would say start from scratch, like I said its far from simple as it looks on the outside.

[reddog21]

'Now bring out your dogs food, show it to your dog, & begin to walk out in front of your dog, your looking for that moment in distance that your dog looks like the food wasn't for him or her after all. Basically taking the dog just out of full food drive.'

What does 'walk out in front mean'

I take it you are carrying the food in the bowl. Do you mean walk past the dog?

[Steve K9Pro]

K9: yes the dog is back tied, you walk out in front of the dog, with the food.

[Teebs]

Great program

been doing it with kaos, and just started Atlas with it

kaos will NEVER let me tie her up - at obedience if i need to leave her for a few mins, she goes off her head!! She was like this the first few times - but is slowly stoping!

(steve, does NILIF make her sook more? She crys all the time now when she doenst get what she wants!! how long till it stops??)

[shekhina]

I also have a question...how long does the dog need to look at you? I have been using this program with my two boys, Kovu has been doing this since he was pretty much 10 weeks old, but I've found that Daegon is much more solid in watching me, where as Kovu will look at me, look at the food then look back at me, Daegon will now just look straight to me as soon as the bowl is on the ground, so I say "yes" and he will not take his eyes off me until I say "ok". Is this right??

I want competition level with BOTH dogs...so how do I get Kovu to JUST look at me and not the food?

I am not using the tie out anymore, neither of my dogs have EVER had a whinging problem if I need to leave them tied for a few minutes, and neither will move towards their food till I say it's OK anyways.

And, sorry...

Where do you put the food when you're increasing distance? On the ground right in front of the dog or halfway between me and the dog?

Edited May 21, 2006 by shekhina

[wyvernblade]

Would you start this program with a puppy? And would you expect a puppy to stay sitting? Or would you just start with being happy if the puppy looked at you and then let it eat?

[Ianto]

(steve, does NILIF make her sook more? She crys all the time now when she doenst get what she wants!! how long till it stops??)

Hi Tuberculosis I started NILIF with my girl 3 years ago and from memory it took 2 or 3 weeks for her to stop whining & howling to get what she wanted. She was very spoiled & used to getting her own way

When she whined & howled I would turn my head away & ignore her & wait for 5 minutes of quiet. I think it helped that she could see I wasn't reacting to her cries.

[Steve K9Pro]

how long does the dog need to look at you?

K9: Initially, only a glance will do, you can build up this time by delaying the release...

so I say "yes" and he will not take his eyes off me until I say "ok". Is this right??

K9: The dog doesnt have to look at you the whole time. Its goal dependant, if you need attention for longer periods of time, then work on that.

Increase the distance, make sure you have him at the off leash sit stay level. Then when he looks away, never release him, but when he looks back release him straight away...

Where do you put the food when you're increasing distance? On the ground right in front of the dog or halfway between me and the dog?

K9: The food is placed in the position where the dopg forst showed less interest, this may be 2 meters in front of the dog, you should be at the dogs right hand side. When you add distance you start by doing it to the right hand side.

Would you start this program with a puppy?

K9: yes for sure...

And would you expect a puppy to stay sitting? Or would you just start with being happy if the puppy looked at you and then let it eat?

K9: the puppy needs to look first then be taught to sit... Yes they will do it all, a little slower than an adult. But I have had puppies in sit stays at 6 weeks...

[Griffo]

is there a reason you have to be on the right hand side? or as long as you increase distance can it be on either side??

ta

[Steve K9Pro]

K9: Any side is fine however if you want to heel your dog later the right side of the dog can be helpful...

[shekhina]

Thanks for that! I am wanting my dogs to watch me the whole time as I'd like to trial them both, I'm surprised that the Rotty is doing better than the GSD actually

[Staranais]

Thanks for the reply, K9.

One more question. You say that: "The basis of this program is to have the dog look to you for guidance & permission to partake in anything you say that the dog can, including food, toys, game etc. "

To do this, once you have worked your way through the entire TOT programme with the dog's dinner, do you start again at the beginning of the programm using other temptations? Do the whole thing again with toys, then other dogs, then cats, etc?

Or is the self control gained through TOT supposed to transfer over to these other situations with no (or little) further training?

Thanks heaps!

[Steve K9Pro]

To do this, once you have worked your way through the entire TOT programme with the dog's dinner, do you start again at the beginning of the programm using other temptations? Do the whole thing again with toys, then other dogs, then cats, etc?

Or is the self control gained through TOT supposed to transfer over to these other situations with no (or little) further training?

K9: yes, with very little training the results are gained with the use of the respect gained at food level.

[Staranais]

K9: yes, with very little training the results are gained with the use of the respect gained at food level.

Is that true even if the "new" temptation is of far more interest to the dog than the food ever was?

(Edited to add: I'm particularly thinking of dogs with low food drive but high prey drive. Is it possible that they'll learn TOT with their dinner easily because the dinner isn't very tempting to them, but find it hard to transfer the results to working with very tempting prey distractions?)

Incidentally, do you ever think you'll release a DVD?

Edited May 22, 2006 by Amhailte

[Steve K9Pro]

Is that true even if the "new" temptation is of far more interest to the dog than the food ever was?

K9: if its done right, you create drive, so yes it will work.

Incidentally, do you ever think you'll release a DVD?

K9: If I ever get time, or I bump into someone who can do it, yes...

[Staranais]

K9: if its done right, you create drive, so yes it will work.

Thanks!

[Teebs]

Well, have to say, today was the first time Atlas actually looked at me without me having to say his name to get attention!!

Kaos sits and looks at me from the moment i walk out with the food - but i am keeping her on a tie out because she normally hates being tied up - so it might help her later on if she needs to be tied!

She is now sitting for EVERYTHING - started bringing the drop into it - and because she is such a talky dog, i am also teaching her to speak, and shake hands.

Had a visitor the other night - instead of jumping all over them like normal, she went and sat infront of them for a pat!! She also used to go and annoy my flatmate when i wasnt playing with her -she will now just sit with me without needing to be all over me

i love you steve :D

[Griffo]

i love you steve

back off! he's mine!! LOL