Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Neat-o!

I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE when training suggestions work! Even though it makes sense that the suggestion should work it is so exciting the first time it works for you.

Katrin and Brenda suggested I try using the premise of the perch to encourage Bug's tuck sit. I should ask him for a sit while he has his front feet on the perch. A smaller perch, like an actual brick, would be best because then his front feet wouldn't have as much room to move around and adjust themselves. I actually have some loose bricks handy. In the summer I put a brick under my guinea pigs water bottle; the g-pigs lie on them because they stay cool and they have ineffecient cooling systems.

Last night after Ike's agility class (which I will post on later) I practiced Bug's perch work. He is REALLY getting the hang of moving his rear end and is really enjoying himself. After we practiced the perch work we moved onto the "tuck sit." The first time I asked him for a "sit" he did a lovely fold-back down with his feet still on the brick. Silly! The second time I asked him he moved his rear forward and sat without moving his front feet. Brilliant boy!! I didn't expect it to be that easy. I couldn't decide what to call this, since "sit" means sit and then move your front feet back. I slept on it and I think I will call it "tuck." The word is one syllable and it part of the name of the actual behavior I am teaching, which will hopefully make it easy to remember.

I told John how great Buggie is doing and he commented on how smart he is. It's true. He is totally different than Ike, and he learns differently, but he is quite brilliant. It's easy to forget because he is such a total goober and love bug!

4 comments:

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

YEA! what a smartie pants, I love when there are solutions that WORK! I will have to remember that little trick.

Katrin said...

YAY!!!!! So glad it worked!! Made my night when I got your text about it! :-)

K-Koira said...

That sounds awesome. I might try that with my dogs for their sit too, as I get a lot of shifting around.

Brenda said...

Hooray Bug! Such a smart boy! It sure is fun to see them learn new things.