That's so great! What did you do to get that first step? How did you get her to stop using you for support?
Thank you
As I felt her using me less and less for support I first moved my finger back from her paw (she had a tendency to reach out with her paw for my hand at first) down to first the middle of her leg, then once she was moving well with my finger supporting her in the middle of her leg I moved it further back to her elbow. I just held it very lightly, barely touching her, under her elbow, I stress though once I knew she had the muscle memory and was ready to take that first unaided step. I could feel 'knew' she was almost there, didn't try the elbow until I was sure of that.
We did that a few times. Then as she went to step off I quickly removed my finger, but still kept it ready to support if needed. Also I used verbal 'cue' and encouragement - like 'you can do it'. At first when she started to drop her paw, a very light touch under the elbow and a cue, kept her paw up. Then the break through, the first unaided step, paw up and one limp step! I am still using a lure (she's food orientated) but only sometimes, i.e. first time a lure, next time without a lure even though she can now do four limps in a row. She's a dog who needs her 'rewards' until she has a trick off so well she will voluntarily 'offer' me the trick
Plus prior to actually working with her I quietly sat down with her and 'visualized' her doing an unaided limp. I did that a couple of times and that's when she really started to 'get it'. I just sent her a 'visualization picture' of what I wanted. I've used visualization before and found it does work.
We also did a lot of repetitions, taking a break to do other tricks which she loves and knows, then going back to limp. Leaf likes to train for at least half an hour at a stretch, which does help, she's got a great work ethic
. But with a hard trick we work on that for a while, then I let her choose a trick she wants to do usually bow or a jumping trick or say your prayers, then back to her new trick.
That works for Leaf, may not work for all dogs though
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And of course, when she did her first unaided step yesterday BIG JACKPOT and lots of dancing, leaping on her part, around the room in celebration of her 'getting it'
Same again today, she thrives on praise and JACKPOTS.
Oh and I stopped using high value treats, as I said, she's very food orientated and did tend to mug me for a high value treat, so we dropped back to 'ordinary' treats. Again, this works with Leaf, may not work for all dogs.
Hope this helps and I know Chloe will soon be limping away like a pro!
He's just gorgeous, that plumed, wagging tail always reminds me so much of Rakins, different colored tail but the same plume and wag
Leaf got a JACKPOT treat cuz well, first limp step without support deserves a super jackpot!
Glad I've got D.T.A. to brag on about my clever little lady!
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