Cool tip to teach attention and focus.

Muckdogs · #1 10-16-2002, 02:15 PM

Heard this from someone that went to a trial this past weekend. Aparently been around for a while, but I never heard of it. Anyway, all of us strive for nice attention and focus during the heeling pattern, but sometimes have problems keeping the dog looking at our faces, particularly when about two weeks prior to trial, no more tug or kong under the arm. Well, I was told about a guy that used hats (baseball style) as prey items in lieu of tugs/kongs/balls, etc.. as rewards. Guess what?? Duh, when he wears the hat in trial, what do you think the dog is looking at the entire time. Yup, the hat. Probably go through a lot of em during training, but what the hell, if it works, you can get cheapie hats for about two bucks apiece. Cool idea.

TrinityRun · #2 10-16-2002, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Muckdogs
Heard this from someone that went to a trial this past weekend. Aparently been around for a while, but I never heard of it. Anyway, all of us strive for nice attention and focus during the heeling pattern, but sometimes have problems keeping the dog looking at our faces, particularly when about two weeks prior to trial, no more tug or kong under the arm. Well, I was told about a guy that used hats (baseball style) as prey items in lieu of tugs/kongs/balls, etc.. as rewards. Guess what?? Duh, when he wears the hat in trial, what do you think the dog is looking at the entire time. Yup, the hat. Probably go through a lot of em during training, but what the hell, if it works, you can get cheapie hats for about two bucks apiece. Cool idea.

I've seen the balls/toys hidden underneath the hat and it works very well, indeed. But I've never seen the hat itself used.

Good training tip!

valdes43 · #3 10-16-2002, 02:36 PM

Muck,

That's no doubt a great idea.

I like to make the dog think I always have the reward. That's why he never sees it. I have the toy behind my back and my dog knows how to "push my buttons" by giving me attention. The deal is he gives me attention and I dispense the toy. This way he always gives me attention without having to see the motivator in front of his face.

Muckdogs · #4 10-16-2002, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valdes43
Muck,

That's no doubt a great idea.

I like to make the dog think I always have the reward. That's why he never sees it. I have the toy behind my back and my dog knows how to "push my buttons" by giving me attention. The deal is he gives me attention and I dispense the toy. This way he always gives me attention without having to see the motivator in front of his face.

I try to do the same thing, but disinterest sets in eventually. I see a marked difference in focus when he can see the reward. That's why I think that the hat trick is so cool.

valdes43 · #5 10-16-2002, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Muckdogs

I try to do the same thing, but disinterest sets in eventually. I see a marked difference in focus when he can see the reward. That's why I think that the hat trick is so cool.

Interesting. It made me think for a min. Let me ask you this (just trying to stimulate thought) Let's say you drive your dog absolutely crazy for your hat. Cool, now you have the issue of teaching him that he can only get the hat when you allow him to. No problem, you teach him. Now how do you teach him to maintain interest in the hat through the whole routine. If you were to put 50 cents in a coke machine and a coke doesn't come out, how many times will you try to shake the hell out of the coke machine?

The answer to keep the dog interested is variable reinforcement. Why wouldn't you be able to do the same with the toy behind your back? Did that make any sense?

Muckdogs · #6 10-16-2002, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valdes43

Interesting. It made me think for a min. Let me ask you this (just trying to stimulate thought) Let's say you drive your dog absolutely crazy for your hat. Cool, now you have the issue of teaching him that he can only get the hat when you allow him to. No problem, you teach him. Now how do you teach him to maintain interest in the hat through the whole routine. If you were to put 50 cents in a coke machine and a coke doesn't come out, how many times will you try to shake the hell out of the coke machine?

The answer to keep the dog interested is variable reinforcement. Why wouldn't you be able to do the same with the toy behind your back? Did that make any sense?

makes perfect sense. I think that the answer, at least to me, as to why it works is twofold. First, we all know that it is far, far eaasier to cap drive than to create or promote drive when it jsut isn't there. That said, I think it would be easier to cap the dog's desire to grab the hat rather than trying to entice the dog to focus when either it has little drive or the drive has diminished via boredom, stress or just too much repitition. Also, the second prong correlates to something that Flinks promotes. It is the anticipation of the reward that creates the drive, not the actual reward. Once the dog has the reward, the need for drive is not present. Drive is what makes the dog perform the tassk and ther anticipation of the reward is the motivator to keep the drive at its peak. That's why the hat trick just might work, i.e. anticipating the reward the he knows is there because he can see it. Another reason I think is might work is that you can reward-train right up to trial and not have to go through the usual transition of having the reward in plain sight, then little by little masking is under your arm and finally undr your shirt and then behind your back and then not having it at all. You can intensly train up to the 11th hour and keep the dog at its peak. I'm going to give it a try to see what happens.

laurlitt · #7 10-16-2002, 04:19 PM

You better just hope the judge isn't wearing a cap ;) I've thought about this before too... but what do you do if you show up to the trial and forget your cap... I'd sure like to think my dog would still go out there and heel for me even though I'm capless! Speaking of training aids, I've heard of competitors competing in their heavy jackets in the dead of summer... hmmm, how's that for a training aid...

Muckdogs · #8 10-16-2002, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by laurlitt
You better just hope the judge isn't wearing a cap ;) I've thought about this before too... but what do you do if you show up to the trial and forget your cap... I'd sure like to think my dog would still go out there and heel for me even though I'm capless! Speaking of training aids, I've heard of competitors competing in their heavy jackets in the dead of summer... hmmm, how's that for a training aid...

Well, I guess I'd just have to make a cap out of a pair of underwear.

Rottlva · #9 10-16-2002, 05:19 PM

A friend of mine is very involved in ring sport. I attend a few of the practice sessions now and then, and one of the trainers does that!!! I actually brought my rottie over once and gave it a whirl.... If you get the right type of hat it works like a charm...Funny how the brightest of ideas are sitting right in our closet!! :)

poohbearsmom · #10 10-16-2002, 06:47 PM

However, my husband remembers a judge at one of the German style shows (conformation, not your bag, I know...lol), that swiped his hat in front of dogs' faces to see what kind of reaction he would get.....lol.... I wonder if the judge would DQ a dog for eating his hat???????????????? roflmao.....

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work-n-show · #11 10-16-2002, 07:39 PM

I also have heard of judges making you remove your hat for OB if you weren't wearing it throughout the day.

Muckdogs · #12 10-17-2002, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by work-n-show
I also have heard of judges making you remove your hat for OB if you weren't wearing it throughout the day.

I know of no rule that prohibits wearing a hat at any time, irrespective of when you put it on. What if someone has skin cancer and the ob part is in the middle of the day in the blazing sun. Total BS, imho. I'd tell the judge to eat crap.