We knew we had company coming on Saturday afternoon, so the morning was spent catching up on some chores, AND another clicker training session with Mocha. This time, before I even got myself all situated with treats and clicker at the ready, she was offering the sit behavior. "Let's get going!" she seemed to say.
I think this offering of recently rewarded behavior is part of the reason people are concerned about teaching their show dogs to sit. When any behavior has a recent high rate of reinforcement, that behavior will be "offered" more readily. For example, the most recent trick I've taught my Terv is to cross his legs when he's laying down. Now, if he thinks treats are on offer but he doesn't know what will earn them, the crossed paw behavior is the first thing he thinks of to offer. It's a learning stage. I've always taught my dogs both show ring procedure and obedience at the same time and have not had a problem with it. The dogs really learn the difference! And even if my dog did sit in the show ring, I also teach a verbal stand from the sit position - which would probably impress a conformation judge! (Especially if he went into a nice self-stack!)
For now, I've been focusing on "sit" and "down" for Mocha, and haven't been working on a show stack since she's not destined for a show home. I was VERY impressed with how quickly she was learning. I'm still luring with food, but the response is much quicker and in good style (most are tuck up and not rock back sits). Bolstered by this excellent progress, I decided to try the "down" which had been more of a challenge the day before. Once again, she was much quicker to respond correctly and seemed very comfortable in the down position, even waiting there which gave me a chance to click and treat for "duration" - holding the position. What a CLEVER girl!
After a good training session and a brief romp outside, it was time for a nap (see left). I love the way she brings her back legs all the way up to her head. (None of our non-sighthound breed large dogs do that in quite the same way.) Every time I look down at her when she's sleeping it seems she's in an even more interesting position than the time before!
Barbara, Tazo and Rowan Kroczak came over to play on Saturday afternoon. Yippee!! Mocha was so excited to see our visitors that she squeezed her way through an interior fence/wire paneling, in order to go greet them. Then she LEAPT up and touched Barbara's nose with her nose. (Several times!) EXCITEMENT!
(Unfortunately, Ethan was NOT pleased to have two intact males "waltz in" to "his" territory - so Ethan went in for a while so that our company could enjoy a little romp around.)
Neighbors Lisa, Elia and Levi also joined us as they had been wanting to meet Mocha, but we hadn't found a good time to connect. Mocha was happy to see everyone!
We enjoyed our visit with Barbara, Tazo and Rowan. Tazo and Rowan also got to try out the agility equipment for some extra fun and treats! I was impressed that Mocha would still do her "sits" and "downs" with extra dogs, the neighbor dog barking, the kids, and all the excitement. Of course I still have treats to lure her with, but many dogs wouldn't be able to hold it together through all that to offer behavior just learned!
Thanks to Barbara Kroczak for taking many of the photos of our visit displayed on this page!
Later in the evening, Ethan, Mocha, Capri (the cat) and I shared the couch and watched a couple of movies. Mocha was tired and so I'm not sure she ever realized the cat was there. They have been getting along better and better lately. Mocha is interested in the cat, but doesn't have any ill intentions towards her, I think she just expects her to play more like a dog! Mocha backs off as soon as the cat tells her to, and will even leave the cat to respond to her name if I call her.
Well, in conversation with Mocha's breeder, Karen, it seems that this is a behavior Mocha has offered for some time - and Karen admitted she thinks it's cute too. So perhaps one criteria for her new home will be that they think it's cute also!
Instead of working "against" her tendencies, I'm (hopefully) providing an outlet for it by working on getting it on cue. Also, training her to sit and down, will give other options for her when greeting other people - something we put to use on our second visit to agility class. People were able to lure her into a sit with food and therefore she didn't jump up on them, but when cued to jump up in my arms, she did so and everyone thought it was a neat trick.
Bottom line, if this was a behavior I considered to be truly troublesome, I would approach it much differently, but I see potential there for some fun times, so let the laughter continue!
"Up Mocha, Up"! <grin>
Okay, Kyla, you 'guilted' me into adding a comment. Mocha looks like a sweet little girl and you seem to be having a good time 'fostering' her for a couple of weeks. Love the daily blogs but kind of miss seeing Ethan's smiling face on a few of them.
I have one teeny little critical comment to add, Oh Miss Trainer Extraordinaire! How many times have I heard you make comments about people thinking puppy activity is cute and not training against it??? Hmmmmmm? And yet YOU (of all people) are allowing Mocha to 'get away' with something that could be negative in her future simply because it "cracks" you up???? Yes, I read the part where you wrote that you were working on training her to do it on cue and not reward her when she does it all on her own, but you KNOW that your laughter is all the reward she really needs or wants. BAD KYLA! :-)
Continue to have fun with Mocha and train her to be a wonderful pet. All of you will benefit from it.