Trick Challenge: Stand Tall Back To Back

[running_dog]

With the stand tall, he does a twist in anticipation of the treats and puts his paws up on my shoulder. Any tips on how to keep him straight? I am not luring at this point, but we still use a hand signal, so I am also twisting a bit.

What made everything much simpler with Zac (and I don't think you can see it on the video although I am using this handsignal/lure towards the end in the earlier one I posted) is rather than twisting to lure/signal (which just confused Zac as he takes a lot of cues from my body position) I just put my arm across behind me with my hand in the centre of my back without moving the rest of my body. If you experiment a bit you'll be able to reward him facing away from you from this position. Reward him lower at first, before he starts to twist until he figures out the new system, then reward him in stand tall, then fade the lure and then the hand signal and don't reward until his feet are back on the ground.

Don't worry about the video, although we'd love to see video we'd love you to join in MUCH more

 

[MaryK]

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!! Leaf here. Honestly next trick challenge should be how to train your humans and also how to get your camera crew (O.K. all of one Daddy) to SAVE the video so a gal doesn't have to perform twice in one day! I mean to say Dahlings really I'm a DIVA that's D-I-V-A and having to perform the same scene twice in one day - with no decent break and in the rain - is just asking too much!!!!!!!!!! Scandelous!!!!!!!!

O.K. Leaf you've had your say! Yes we had a wee problem my partner forgot somehow to save the video, so poor Leaf had to 'work' all over again - something she strongly dislikes doing! Fortunately she kinda managed to perform, though she kept giving Bow to remind me to 'end' her performance.

Anyway, warts and all here is her video. It is a bit long, sorry, but she only learned the trick the day before and I wanted to show her progress.

 

[MaryK]

Brody's Mom re your video lightening problem. You can lighten videos considerably in video software. I had the same problem with Leaf's Arrival video - partner still cannot work out how to lighten using my camera (which does have good lighting options). So I managed to lighten it up considerable in a video/movie program.

Otherwise, weather permitting, film outside.

 

[brody_smom]

Brody's Mom re your video lightening problem. You can lighten videos considerably in video software. I had the same problem with Leaf's Arrival video - partner still cannot work out how to lighten using my camera (which does have good lighting options). So I managed to lighten it up considerable in a video/movie program.

Otherwise, weather permitting, film outside.

Thanks, Mary. I'll have to do some playing around sometime. Outside is not a good option... so many distractions in our area as we have noisy neighbors on 3 sides, plus squirrels and birds in trees. Captain Distractable can barely be relied upon to return a ball, much less pay attention to me!

 

[MaryK]

Thanks, Mary. I'll have to do some playing around sometime. Outside is not a good option... so many distractions in our area as we have noisy neighbors on 3 sides, plus squirrels and birds in trees. Captain Distractable can barely be relied upon to return a ball, much less pay attention to me!

I know what you mean, Madam "The Diva' Leaf is also distracted by - wait for it - low flying aircraft coming into land at the airport nearby (parts at the bottom on the road it's GHASTLY here), very noisy neighbors (a child who spends his life screaming) flies (there are swarms at times) and ANTS which bite like h*ll!!!!!!!!!! And she really for such a young dog has awesome focus. But we have more distraction than any dog or human should have to bare! I have to try to time videos when the planes are at their quietest, otherwise all you'd hear would be their engines!

What you need to do is make yourself VERY, VERY, VERY EXCITING to Captain Distractable (love that nick). Even if you have to make a complete and total idiot of yourself jumping up and down and generally carrying on like a mad circus clown. Plus make your treats seriously high value (and smelly if he's a way away from you let a delish pong waft his way), that can be hard with some dogs - Leaf's easy FOOD is a seriously good treat anyone would think she's underfed sometimes - but if treats aren't his thing, tug toys, something which you can wave at him or a dog whistle if you're like me and can only manage a mouse like squeak

 

[brody_smom]

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!! Leaf here. Honestly next trick challenge should be how to train your humans and also how to get your camera crew (O.K. all of one Daddy) to SAVE the video so a gal doesn't have to perform twice in one day! I mean to say Dahlings really I'm a DIVA that's D-I-V-A and having to perform the same scene twice in one day - with no decent break and in the rain - is just asking too much!!!!!!!!!! Scandelous!!!!!!!!

O.K. Leaf you've had your say! Yes we had a wee problem my partner forgot somehow to save the video, so poor Leaf had to 'work' all over again - something she strongly dislikes doing! Fortunately she kinda managed to perform, though she kept giving Bow to remind me to 'end' her performance.

Anyway, warts and all here is her video. It is a bit long, sorry, but she only learned the trick the day before and I wanted to show her progress.

You seem to be having trouble getting her to hold her sit while you move into position. I think most of us have found it easier to train this starting with the dog walking through our legs then sitting in the position before going into the sit pretty/stand tall. With Brody, I lured him to "go through" as I stood with my legs apart, then asked for a quick sit when he was part way through. Then I could reward him heavily for just being in that position, and repeated that until he was happy working there. Once that was established, I could ask for other behaviors and he wouldn't try to move away before doing them.

 

[MaryK]

You seem to be having trouble getting her to hold her sit while you move into position. I think most of us have found it easier to train this starting with the dog walking through our legs then sitting in the position before going into the sit pretty/stand tall. With Brody, I lured him to "go through" as I stood with my legs apart, then asked for a quick sit when he was part way through. Then I could reward him heavily for just being in that position, and repeated that until he was happy working there. Once that was established, I could ask for other behaviors and he wouldn't try to move away before doing them.

I originally tried that way of getting her to sit in the back to back position but Madam Leaf spun around so fast it was impossible to get even close to clicking - she can 'motor' when she wants too usually when I don't want her too Possibly she got confused, as she learned a while back to 'sit at my back NOT back to back", so I had to keep the sit at the back but also get her to understand I sometimes wanted back to back - if that makes sense.

We've worked more on the 'sit back to back' and now she's really coming good, thank goodness, and will now turn into the sit back to back easily without any fuss. Still working on getting a good 'stand tall', building up her muscle memory on this and today she did a really good stand tall back to back - so good I almost 'blew it' by nearly turning around to see what she was up too

 

[running_dog]

Outside is not a good option... so many distractions in our area as we have noisy neighbors on 3 sides, plus squirrels and birds in trees. Captain Distractable can barely be relied upon to return a ball, much less pay attention to me!

You do work him out there though don't you? I had to start working Zac with prey half a field away and he would spit out the best treats even when I shoved them in his mouth, I just kept him leashed and kept asking for behaviours until he thought he might as well pay attention to me, now I can work him (still on leash) with prey at about 6 paces and his attention is up to about 50/50. Your distracting yard sounds like an absolute gift for training.

 

[brody_smom]

You do work him out there though don't you? I had to start working Zac with prey half a field away and he would spit out the best treats even when I shoved them in his mouth, I just kept him leashed and kept asking for behaviours until he thought he might as well pay attention to me, now I can work him (still on leash) with prey at about 6 paces and his attention is up to about 50/50. Your distracting yard sounds like an absolute gift for training.

To a degree. But as we have discussed on other threads, he is very reactive, not to mention barrier and territorial aggressive. He has redirected frustration onto my leg quite severely in the past, which tempts me to muzzle him while desensitizing/counter-conditioning, in order to lower my stress. We have large gaps in our fencing, and small children on one side who are prone to poking fingers through. Our yard is also quite small, so it is difficult to create that all-too-important distance when dealing with triggers. I generally keep him leashed until I know that the dogs and children are not out in their yards. Even then, depending on weather and time of day, I often let his leash drag in case I need to pull him away from the fence when he is barking. Going in for a collar grab can be dangerous.

 

[running_dog]

To a degree. But as we have discussed on other threads, he is very reactive, not to mention barrier and territorial aggressive...

I was thinking about on leash really - especially if he's easily distracted - and just a couple of cues between him doing whatever he normally does. However it sounds like you are well on top of what you can do with him, sorry for my naive comment. I forget sometimes what an easy ride Zac gives me until I start to hear about your experiences with Brody.

 

[southerngirl]

I originally tried that way of getting her to sit in the back to back position but Madam Leaf spun around so fast it was impossible to get even close to clicking - she can 'motor' when she wants too usually when I don't want her too Possibly she got confused, as she learned a while back to 'sit at my back NOT back to back", so I had to keep the sit at the back but also get her to understand I sometimes wanted back to back - if that makes sense.

We've worked more on the 'sit back to back' and now she's really coming good, thank goodness, and will now turn into the sit back to back easily without any fuss. Still working on getting a good 'stand tall', building up her muscle memory on this and today she did a really good stand tall back to back - so good I almost 'blew it' by nearly turning around to see what she was up too

Lol Leaf sounds like Piper. Thankfully I've got her to go through my legs now and not spin.

 

[MaryK]

Lol Leaf sounds like Piper. Thankfully I've got her to go through my legs now and not spin.

LOL glad there's another Ms.Swift around Glad you've managed to get her through your legs now and not spin.
The problem with Leaf is that she does thru my legs and into another trick, chained a few of her tricks together, so of course naturally she now thinks that thru my legs means something different.

Happy to say though, we've been working on the back to back (as well as the new challenge) and she now turns behind my back with ease. Also when she did the video somehow my partner didn't save it the first time, not sure what he did, and so she had to repeat it all! Asking Ms. Leaf to repeat is somewhat B-O-R-I-N-G Y-A-W-N so she shows her displeasure by failing to do even the simplest of things like sit . She's a real Diva!

 

[Ripleygirl]

Really interesting seeing the individual achievements and issues everyone is having and lovely to see you guys are joining in too! Sorry I have been A.W.O.L. for a while. Trying to catchup!

 

[MaryK]

Really interesting seeing the individual achievements and issues everyone is having and lovely to see you guys are joining in too! Sorry I have been A.W.O.L. for a while. Trying to catchup!

It's motivating having a trick challenge. Even if we don't achieve a perfect result first time around it's good to have new tricks to keep working on.

 

[Anneke]

Gosh I completely missed this!! Going thrugh the thread and watching everyones vids I got exited to try this one out.
I have been training stand tall with Jinx for a bit and it is just a matter of building muscles now. She took a long time with sit up too. So I thought I'd try the sit up back to back first. Problem I forsaw was, we have this trick for the start of our frisbee freestyle routine, that she absolutely LOVES. Every time I turn my back she does it. I stand with my back towards her and she does a sit up with her paws on one of my legs. Then she has to do a spin and I will trhow the frisbee. So ofcourse she did this
And she only has the sit pretty with me facing her. It was fun watching her trying to put her front legs up on my leg when I moved to her side, to get behind her. She would try to twist her body while sitting pretty
So figured I'd try and see if she would come between my legs and sit. She did a bow... I love how she thinks!
But then she did it. And with my hand behind my back she did the sit up!!!
Then my boy moved in. I want to do it too, mum!!! He is so clever! Made him do a sit up a few times with me changing position, moving to his side and a little behind him. And because he had been watching Jinx, he did it a lot faster than her!!
Then moved on to coming between my legs and sit. He thought that was strange at first, but did it.
I have taught him to sit up against my legs, because he has a bit of a back problem, so this was the same thing to him, only with me facing the other way.
So then I went back to Jinx. Ask her to come between my legs and sit, and she offers the sit up against my back on her own, without a lure or a cue!!
Gosh they surprise me so often!! So the sit up against my back has been done in one session!!! Have to proof it now and think of a cue for it.
Then when she gets a more stable stand up, I'll work that.
Stupid of me for not recording it, but it was a "get up and try this" thing. It is almost one am right now and I should be in bed... Didn't think they would be so quick to get this
I'll have to put the bow thing between my legs on cue too. We already do this facing the same direction, never thought of doing it in opposite direction. That's the second trick she came up with on her own
pondering on what to use for cue's...

 

[Anneke]

A bit of a chaotic training session But here is what we can do so far.
This is the second session.

 

[MaryK]

Congratulations getting it in one session! Love the video, they work so well together too.

Dogs are amazing aren't they, always surprising us and thinking for themselves! I just love the way they do that!

 

[Ripleygirl]

A bit of a chaotic training session But here is what we can do so far.
This is the second session.

Brilliant work, especially with both dogs!