Tailoring Training Games to the Individual
Goals, goals, goals. Humans are very goal-oriented, and we tend to let the simple approach of “go directly to Point B” seep into the training we do with our dogs. Of course, we are bound to have objectives, but they are important not to our dogs but to us. We are apt to be greedy when we train: we can imagine the destination, but our dogs cannot, yet we are in a hurry to get there.
How can we collaborate with our dogs to reach the goals that are important to us while helping our dogs stay engaged and happy?
Whether it’s walking nicely on leash, learning to do weave poles in agility, executing a perfect retrieve, or just climbing a flight of stairs, the best approach is to take tiny, “bite sized” steps, mix in lots of positive reinforcement, mix in games and fun, and carefully progress towards the goal.
I’d like us to shift our thinking from having a goal of say, simply “getting to Point B,” to the goal for our learner to “be confident and happy every step of the way.” This approach requires us to split the process into many tiny pieces, “rungs” if you wish, on the “ladder” of learning. If each step is taken with confidence and joy, Point B is easily achieved. If we ask our learner to do too much, too soon, we will lose them, generate frustration in both of us and make the goal even less achievable. We might get frustrated to the point of giving up and not wanting to try again.
I love this drawing because it so clearly illustrates how, when we present a task with too few steps, we are unsuccessful. If the same journey is divided up into small but doable pieces, it’s a breeze! Another significant advantage of this is that if we are unsuccessful at one rung, there’s one right below that is reachable: we haven’t lost much ground.
Example: Mastering the stairs
Human wants dog to do a flight of stairs (let’s say, up, not down for this example). The typical scenario involves dog at bottom of stairs and owner trying to lure or pull or otherwise cheerlead the pup up the flight. Up the entire set of stairs. This would be an example of the ladder on the right in the illustration.
Let’s look at this from the dog’s perspective. She’s seeing a strange and mountainous obstacle in her way. Is there a reason to get to the top? Is it physically safe for her to do so? Is her body ready to take on the challenge? Do the stairs have good traction?
Possible Approaches
A. Help your pup feel more comfortable on novel objects. This is socialization, no matter the age. Help her learn about her hind legs, that she can, in fact, step up rather than reach, reach, reach forward with her front end.
B. Introduce your pup to other, easier stairs. This might require you to go elsewhere. Reward your pup generously! Go SLOWLY. Keep her on leash. Racing up and down stairs can be dangerous for canines and humans alike, and it doesn’t help a pup learn about body awareness. Slow is good!
C. One step at a time, but starting at the END. (This is “back-chaining”). Put something super enticing on the floor at the top of the stairs, place your pup’s hind legs on the step one down from the top and the front feet on the floor. Let her go.
• Repeat until pup goes up without hesitation. Make sure it’s really enticing stuff that awaits.
• Start one step down from where you were. Repeat as above.
• If you repeat this, being sure she is confidently climbing each step slowly and thoughtfully before you move to the next one down, your pup will soon have an “ahah! moment” and realize she can, in fact, do the stairs. You can skip a few. Keep sessions short and don’t expect the full flight in the first few sessions. If your pup has had bad experiences on the stairs, it will take longer.
• You can do the same thing descending the stairs, too.
Caveats
Dog must be comfortable being picked up for Option C. I prefer to do this with puppies who have had lots of reimbursement when it comes to being picked up. Don’t stress your dog out – it’s supposed to be a fun game!
Stairs must be very comfortable and safe.
Stop if there are signs of avoidance or anxiety. It’s supposed to be a game! There’s nothing wrong with making it easier.
You will get there, one rung at a time, and it will be with confidence and care and joy. From there, much more is possible!
What are some training challenges you have had that you are curious to know how to break up into smaller pieces?
Diana Logan, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed
Pet Connection Dog Training, North Yarmouth, Maine
www.dianalogan.com | 207-252-9352