Week 2 “Clean” – Toys in the Box and Next Trick

Posted on October 12, 2015October 12, 2015 by lauraperkinsanimalbehavior@gmail.com

Okay, this week was much easier for us than last week. The video below is our second training session. The trick needs fine tuning, but he is starting to really get it.

Next Trick!

For week 3 we are going to work on “hold”. The goal is for Dan to take and hold an object (a variety of objects will be used) until released. I am hoping to work up to 30 seconds of duration on this one. He can sort of do this trick, but we have never formally worked on it and he only holds the object for a few seconds.

Also, I think I need to change my posting schedule. It has been difficult to post on Sunday nights, so the final trick and the new goal will be posted on Mondays instead from now on. An update and shaping plan will be posted on Thursdays.

Don’t forget to post a photo of your dog doing one of the tricks from 52 Weeks to be entered in the October raffle!

Laura

Sammy’s Big 15th B-Day

Posted on February 28, 2015February 28, 2015 by lauraperkinsanimalbehavior@gmail.com

Tuesday was Sammy’s 15th birthday! Can you believe it? Sammy - 15th Birthday

She is doing pretty well, but definitely has her off days. She sometimes is stiff, slips on the wood floors, barks for no real reason, and occasionally has accidents in the house. BUT she also still loves to play fetch, go for long walks, cuddle at bedtime, and sleep at my feet all day long.

Here are some pictures from our birthday outing to the park:

Birthday Selfie

And our recent trip to the beach:

And here she is in her usual sleeping spot:

Happy 15th Birthday Sammy!

Laura

Dog Treats Everywhere…

Posted on February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 by lauraperkinsanimalbehavior@gmail.com

Remember my post “Always Training All the Time”? (If not, you should read it here). Well, in order to be always training, you’ve got to be always ready! One way to always be ready is to be armed with reinforcers at any moment! I use lots of reinforcers other than treats, but treats are usually the most valuable for my dog. This makes treats my go-to reinforcers for new or challenging behaviors.

The Treat Drawer

This means that we have dog treats everywhere. And it also means I put more dog treats through the washing machine than I care to admit! I did a whole-house tally and here’s the list of the places I keep dog treats:

In my car
In my husband’s car
In the kitchen
In the treat drawer
In every coat pocket
In my office
In our bedroom
In the fridge
In the basement training space
In the training bag(s)
In my purse

Do you have other strategies for being ready to train at any time? Leave your comment below!

Happy training!
Laura

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 26, 2014December 26, 2014 by lauraperkinsanimalbehavior@gmail.com

This week, we are taking a break and enjoying some family time. Holidays with pets are always entertaining. We have been enjoying my Mom’s cats, Leo and Remmy this week. They have been chasing ribbon (sometimes attached to the gifts…), sleeping under the Christmas tree, and enjoying the endless attention they are getting from me, my husband, and my sister. And they were a big help in making cookies, as you can see in the video here.

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday and have a great start to 2015