From: jo-wolf@webtv.net   
      
   Drop in to rec.pets.dogs.behavior.   
      
   Before you can begin to shape, you have to take the "exercise" apart   
   into it's smallest parts.   
   Then you teach each part seperately, and put them together, adding one   
   piece at a time.  Is that your understanding of "shaping"?   
      
   Let's look at the simplest basic exercise.  Sit. Are you going to use a   
   vocal command?  Hand signal?  How does the dog know when it may get up?   
   Vocal command?  Hand signal?  What will you do when the dog fails at any   
   part of the process?   
      
   For starters, Sit means to assume that position and remain there until   
   told to do something else.  It does not just mean "touch fanny to   
   floor".  It means Plant fanny on floor.   
      
   So I start by building muscle memory for the position. (yes, I know that   
   puppies sit all by themselves.... stay with me here....)  Pup is on   
   collar and leash.  NOTE: YOU WILL NEVER GIVE A COMMAND MORE THAN ONE   
   TIME!  I lure the pup into a sit by moving a food lure (no bigger than a   
   Pea) past the nose, over the top of the head toward the tail (no more   
   than a few inches above the top of the head).  Nose goes up to follow   
   treat, rump goes down. Click, treat, verbal praise.  This is repeated a   
   number of times.  Now, I do the same thing with the treat, and as rump   
   hits floor, I say "sit". Click, treat, verbal praise.  Repeat several   
   times.  Next, I do the same thing with the treat, and as the pup's body   
   is moving toward a sit, I give the command.  Click, treat, verbal   
   praise.  The next phase is giving the command as the hand holding the   
   treat begins to move.  Then the final phase for the action part is   
   holding the treat in an unmoving hand, and giving the command.   
      
   So.... in theory, the pup now knows how to get into the sitting position   
   on command.  But what will you do if the pup fails to sit?  Why not?   
   Was it too far away for you to enforce the command?  You goofed.  Was it   
   not paying attention to you? You goofed. Did you do something   
   incorrectly? You goofed. YOU WILL NOT REPEAT THE COMMAND.  But you have   
   to do something quickly.  For the first day, you back up to the   
   beginning.  After that, you immediately help the puppy assume the   
   position in a non-threatening way.  Don't stand there and wait to see if   
   you get results.   
      
   I use a blend of training methods, not just clicker and a lure.  I   
   simply reach down with my non-treat hand and gently squeaze in the pup's   
   waist.... which causes the knees to collapse, and he's sitting.  Voi la!   
   No pain, no fear.  But when I have to help, no click, no treat, just a   
   subdued bit of verbal praise.  NEVER push down on the dog's rear....   
   he's likely to lock his knees.  Sometimes a light finger tap on the rear   
   works, though.   
      
   So... now he assumes the position on command and you know several ways   
   of getting him there.  You already know that a baby puppy has the   
   attention span of a gnat, but you don't want him to get up before you   
   tell him it permissible.  Be prepared to step AWAY from the direction   
   the pup is looking, so he has to get up and actively turn toward you.   
   Give command, pup's rump hits floor, you count to one, tell him Okay! in   
   a gleeful tone AS you move.  He pops up, (click) faces you.  Hold treat   
   down against your leg and he gets it only when he comes right up there   
   to get it.... with verbal praise.   
      
   Time is increased Slowly.  The word "stay" ain't Even in sight yet.  Be   
   prepared to step into the pup's front if he starts to get up, and tug   
   Gently straight up on the leash for a millisecond.  If he Gets up, help   
   him back into position as above, release with "okay" after a shorter   
   time.   
      
   Once pup is up to 5 or more seconds of reliably sitting, you can start   
   to "proof" that sit.  Holding leash paralell to the floor out to the   
   Side of the pup, put a couple of seconds of LIGHT steady finger pressure   
   on the collar, relax it, move it to the other side, repeat.  Release the   
   pup, praise, treat.   
      
   Slowly increase lengths of the sit, but do not do so in a straight   
   sequence of numbers... vary from 2 seconds to one to five.... etc.  Do   
   not expect the pup to stay for much more that 5-20 seconds in the Quiet   
   house.  Start to phase out the use of the clicker, keeping verbal praise   
   and treat.  Then phase out the treat.  Add distractions.... a toy   
   dropped from your hand nearby, someone else walking by if available.   
      
   Now you take your act outside the house to a quiet location, then a   
   location with more going on.  Ask someone to talk to the pup (not using   
   it's name) and try to coax it away.  Be prepared to correct the pup back   
   into position about 3-4 times.  This is normal.   
      
   Remember, sit means sit and don't get up or lie down until released from   
   that position by a new action command (let's go and walk off) or "okay",   
   which means, kinda, "at ease and stand by".  Hand signals are taught   
   seperately, by the way.... because while you're dealing with leash,   
   clicker and treat, you run out of hands, but in the same sort of   
   sequence.   
      
   I STRONGLY recommend a good puppy kindergarden class for baby pups under   
   4 months of age at the start. You will learn MUCH about puppy growth and   
   development, a little about how to teach, some socialization, how to   
   survive the puppy crazies and behavior phases. EVEN MORE STRONGLY, I   
   recommend a good basic obedience class (NOT at a chain pet store) for   
   pups from 4 months and to adult years.  Ask the front desk folks at vet   
   clinics which obedience classes they recommend.... go watch.  Pick one   
   and sign up.  Every one will be different!  You will have a skilled,   
   experienced coach to show you the ropes, individualized to your pupster.   
   You will get where you want to go MUCH faster, without having to back up   
   and reteach something.  New classes will be starting in September.  I   
   could have shown you and walked you through this whole process in 10   
   minutes, and you'd have understood it better.  And this is a simple   
   exercise to shape.   
      
   Jo   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)