You discover many things when you train late at night. Like the fact that when Mr. N sits or steps on bubble wrap, it doesn't pop. Why was he sitting on bubble wrap at midnight?
Next month's Positive Pet Training Blog Hop theme (co-hosted with Cascadian Nomads and Dachshund Nola) is Positive Training Fun with a Box! 101 things to do with a box is a clicker and shaping game where you treat the dog for any interactions with the box and shape it into a useful (or not so useful) trick.
Mr. N's default box behavior is to get in and sit in it.
Your dog may prefer to paw, pick up or sniff the box. Whatever it is, short of outright destruction, it's good! It's the beginning step into shaping a behavior.
And then you can expand into all sorts of other props and behaviors. Like sitting on top of the Boo Bucket that Mr. N won from Jones Natural Chews. Warning: this is not recommended for dogs just learning to shape. The bucket still has all the treats in it and dogs may decide to just tear the lid off and graze on all the treats instead of working.
I admit to giving Mr. N a "paw up" with that particular pose. He'll jump on top of the box on cue but it's a little unwieldy without practice to jump up on the bucket as well.
Hi Y'all!
ReplyDeleteWhy Mr N, you look like you're a statue in a park.
Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
I need to remember this hop! Looks like a good one. We just played some box games last night. Amazing how much fun you can have with a box!
ReplyDeleteHope you join us! It reminds me of how kids sometimes have more fun playing with the wrapping paper.
DeleteHmm...I'm gonna need a stronger box for Jack. Fun tricks though - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteRefrigerator box?
DeleteHow cute! When we see boxes we think either a treat shipment or nose work. You, however, are doing some fine balancing work!
ReplyDeleteThat was actually the box the Boo Bucket came in! He's pretty good about ignoring food though.
DeleteSo cute! Good job posing Mr. N!
ReplyDeleteFrom mom's cat days she always thinks of cats and boxes not dogs and boxes. This does look like fun so we have made a note about the blog hop. If mom can think of anything outside of the box we'll be there! Love Dolly
ReplyDeleteHope you join us, Dolly!
DeleteWe love playing 101 thing to do with a box! :-D Mr. N is so cute!
ReplyDeleteSuch cute pictures! When we started noseworks, we were building value for boxes during the first couple weeks and Barley thought she was supposed to sit in them, too! She had the whole class laughing at her as she'd run and grab the treat out of the box and then dive into it with the rest of her body :) I don't think she could actually sit on the box or the treat container without crushing them, though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it took Mr. N a few seconds to arrange his feet comfortably. I can't imagine Barley sitting on the bucket!
DeleteThis is a great idea for working human brains as well. I find shaping tough. It takes some thought and creativity.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the dog or the person benefits more?
Free shaping can be difficult! I normally have something in mind though. And shaping with props is easier.
DeleteI know I am supposed to appreciate the brains here but that first picture is just so darned cute! We've been working on photos for a post about next months hop but my boys just want to find the treat (from their Nosework training!)
ReplyDeleteThe boyfriend accused Mr. N of practicing cute poses while we sleep once. I think we've conditioned him to stick out his tongue more often because we tell him how cute he is and he seems to be doing it more.
DeleteThat can be a problem! Mr. N either thinks I want him to look for food in boxes or jump in/on it for a photo.
This looks like fun! I'm not sure we'll be ready for Luke to try this by October 6th....we're still working on basics....but you never know! And I definitely want to join in on that hop in the future. I'm excited to be learning the clicker training....this is the first formal training we've done with any of our dogs, and it really is fun, and so rewarding when it goes well!
ReplyDeleteYou could just pull out a box and see what Luke does with it. Hope you join us when you're ready!
DeleteIt is amazing how many things you can do with a box. I love shaping work; you learn so much about your dogs learning abilities and I love seeing them think for themselves. Mr. N. looks really at ease on top of the Bow Wow Boo Bucket :)
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