Free Shaping Ideas

[leopuppy04]

Hi guys!

Calling all clicker trainers!!!

i've only just started doing some 'free shaping' with my dog and i'm loving it ! We haven't really focused on much but just getting him used to the idea of 'offering' behaviours. He is getting this idea and will start looking for objects to interact with or he'll start going through his own repitoire of tricks. I've done a bit of work with the cardboard box and he now pushes it along the ground . I'm also doing things like putting the rings on the quoit pole and *trying* to teach him to ride a skateboard etc (Nb: I cheated this one a little and lured a bit to get the idea in his head!). I am curious about some other ideas that people have??? What do you do in your 'free time' with your dog? do you have a particular goal in mind or do you just wait and see what the dog dishes out? If you have a particular trick/ behaviour in mind (eg: crossing legs, bowing etc) do you free shape it, lure it, or what?

What are some ideas you could give a free shaping newbie (dog and owner!) on attacking next??? I want him to be able to offer behaviours with objects as well as with himself...

What are some good ways to introduce this to a puppy (ie free shaping, thinking for itself).

Did anyone 'free shape' a walking backwards, or was did you do this by walking into the dog?

Is it considered 'free shaping' if you present a target stick and the dog touches it without direction???

Thanks guys!!!

[Tassie]

In pure free shaping, behaviour comes from the dog - i.e. without luring or targeting. That said, you can introduce objects, like you've done, and as the dog experiments, you can shape different interactions with the objects. I've seeen some cute stuff done with a kid's shopping trolley.

If I wanted a particular behaviour, I'd probably lure it and shape it up - i.e. click for a good try, then refine the criteria the dog has to meet for a C/T - similar to free shaping, but you're using lure and/or target to give the dog a head start. (That's 'cos I'm impatient.)

A couple of things from the recent Mary Ray camp that CTD and I (and others?) were at .. try throwing the treat, rather than just delivering it by hand - gets the dog more active. And try different positions yourself. Mary saya she gets different behaviours from the dog in free time depending on whether she's sitting, standing or lying down on the floor - and she demonstrated it.

In free shaping, try to get a reasonably rapid rate of reinforcement happening, so that you don't get frustration on either the dog's part, or yours.

Haven't got time to look, but there's probably some good articles on Karen Pryor or Melissa Alexander's sites

www.clickertraining.com or www.clickersolutions.com - or have a look at the clicker training links on www.k9events.com

Have fun!

ETfix the links so they'd show up properly. Blinking BB code!

Edited December 4, 2006 by Tassie

[leopuppy04]

Thanx Tassie That was exactly what I was looking for.

Like you, I'm too impatient if i'm looking for a particular behaviour to get my dog to free-shape all of the way. But I think 'free time' is good as I think getting your dog to 'think' for itself rather than blindly follow is better in sooo many ways. I can still see myself going through 20 dogs before I get it right though!! LOL!

Yes - throwing the food helps.... if nothing else, it certianly helps with setting the dog up to try again.... really useful!

I'll check out the links! gotta love the K9 events one!

[Kavik]

The trick I most recently taught Zoe is putting an object in the bin (can be used for putting toys away). I used toilet paper rolls and a wicker basket bin.

I used the bin as a target, then progressed to putting head in the bin. Then I introduced the toilet paper rolls. Zoe already knows how to retrieve. I got her to hold the toilet paper roll right over the bin and then gave the 'bin' command, so she put her head in the bin, then c/t, and she let go. Then I gradually moved the toilet paper roll further away from the bin, and she picked it up and put it in the bin.

Now I can have her in a sit stay, put the toilet paper roll on the other side of the room, and she will get it and put it in the bin. Took a few months though

[whatevah]

I actually have been doing free time with Moses and he offered 5 rollovers in a row, going different directions. Moses knows that sometimes I won't reward the first behaviour, so he will offer the same one again, and then I will reward that one. The next time I might reward the 3rd and then bounce around and do the 1st.

The next thing he in free time was to cross his paws, he does this naturally but I have never taught it. I have now got it nearly on cue. He also did the head nod.

Get the Book "Quick Clicks" it is a shaping book and sets out the exact steps and what to reward. It is available from VCA library.

Cross Your Paws

Multiple Roll Overs

Nodding Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Fbr7r9uQo

[leopuppy04]

Thanks CTD - i'll look that up!

[Rebanne]

I haven't done much with Fern yet but I have totally free shaped that when we have food Fern is to go and lay down, away from us, with her back towards us and lo and behold food comes from the heavens Didn't even use a clicker.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I don't use much free shaping, I will tend to lure first if I can, for the dogs benefit.

The fallout can be that the dog shuts down when they get frustrated. From watching a Veteran Sea-World trainer work with dogs I have learnt that the threshold for each dog is different. Some dogs can work for quite a while with shaping/luring and others can only last about 30 seconds.

OR that they start to throw any old behaviour/s at you 24/7 hoping to get clicks. Be sure if you want to work on it heavily your dog knows clearly the difference between 'work' time and 'chill out' time, that is the most important thing that they can relax. Free shaping can be hard work on a dog - not saying that is a bad thing - just that you need to acknowledge it and keep it in mind.

Mel.

Edited for Grammar.

Edited December 6, 2006 by Staff'n'Toller

[Tassie]

Good point SnT. That was another of the (many) things we were reminded of at the Mary Ray seminar - end all your training sessions with a formal ending - something like "All done" - some sign to the dog that that session is over.

As far as the throwing behaviours thing goes, she said - just ignore when you don't want it.

[whatevah]

Have done heaps of free shaping with Moses, he has quite a long attention span and will keep trying new things and does not throw behaviours 24/7. He knows by my body language and where he is whether to be working or not.

[Kelpie-i]

Don't you just love it when they offer you their entire repertoire of tricks just to get that click/treat happening!!!

Have been working on the following with two of my dogs:

Jumping through my arms (a little difficult coz I need an extra person to help with this one)

Leg lifts (ie. sort of doggy dancing style).

Both of these are still "green" but we are working on perfecting them.

I only wish I had more time in the day to work with them....hey, no time like the present!!!

[helen]

Sounds like a great place to start.

If you want to try a couple of easy exercises to teach free shaping with a goal in mind try these.

1 - teach the dog to go to a plastic cup/bottle a distance away and knock it over. Typically the dog would start looking at the cup, take a step forward etc etc. - This one was learnt from Karen Pryor. A few years ago now she taught a group of us clicker training on line and this was our first excercise to teach the dog once the clicker was charged. It is a simple enough trick and teaches the theory of splitting behaviors down very well and demonstrates the importance of timing. For some of the dogs a little bit of luring was required by throwing food on the far side of the cup. This was free shaped and the idea was to be sitting down while the dog did all the work.

2 - go to your mat. A very useful one, taught in a similar way but at the end you might want your dog to sit or lay down.

Edited December 7, 2006 by helen

[wheres my rock]

for through your arme i teach it to start with a pole against the wall then i reduce the pole to my arm once they are jumping the arm them i add the other arm ovr the top then move away from the wall eliminates ned of other person

[whatevah]

For through your arms go here.

http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=10197

[Belijae]

There's some pictures posted by "clicking mad" in the 101 Dalmatians thread (photos,photos,photos) you might like if you haven't seen them. I don't know if they all fall under the free shaping banner, but closing the cupboard door would right?

101 dalmatians page 4

[leopuppy04]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys! This is exactly what I was after! Luckily Leo is fantastic at 'free time' when an object is presented (we decided 'touching' the cat was worth a treat yesterday), but when it comes to free shaping with himself, that is where I get stuck!

Love to hear more ideas!