Brand Spanking New :)

[amamy]

Hi all, Amy here!

I live alone here with my cute and very lazy English bulldog Dopey-Brain. DB for short

He's about to to turn 3 years and sadly I've yet to teach him any tricks. He already knows all the basics (sit, stay, come) from previous owners, but I've had him almost a year now and I'd love to have fun with him.

So I joined here!

I'm not planning on competing or anything with him, just to have some fun, for us to bond and him to learn some humiliating tricks :msngiggle:

I read through this cool site and I already decided on a few tricks I can teach him. I want to start with an unusual but useful one though. He's sleeping (like always) under my desk now and I'm using him as a footrest. Was wondering how I can make that into a command so that he does it when he's awake. Useful after a long day at the office! :msnhugegrin:

 

[charmedwolf]

That seems quite handy though my fuzzy foot rests wouldn't agree. I would probably train this as the same behavior as a down but with different criteria. So training would go like:

Down stay under the desk.
Down stay under the desk while I move one foot onto back.
Down stay under the desk while I rest one foot on back.
Down stay under the desk while I move two feet onto back.
Down stay under the desk while I rest two feet back.
^^Then add command.
^^^ Add with duration.

After that it is just the matter of generalizing it so he can do it anywhere. Remember, to start back close to the beginning when somewhere new for at least the first few times. He'll catch on quicker in a new location after a couple of tries then you won't have to remind him but he'll just do it on command.

 

[amamy]

Hey, thank you for the feedback

Question though, how much time should I start with in terms of duration and what is the limit I should work up to?

Thanks again!

 

[charmedwolf]

I start with 1 sec and work my way up by 2 seconds. Usually you can progress quickly. If he starts having trouble at 10 seconds drop back down to 9 for at least 3 reps before trying 10 again. After you get to about 30 secs you can count up by 5s. Always reward in position it will help more than you can imagine.

I usually work up to 5 minutes at the least because well that's what my duration is on anything though my pups usually don't move even if 5 minutes have past.

 

[amamy]

Ah cool, so you already trained this specific trick? Darn I thought I invented it! :msntongue:

Right now I seem to be having trouble with him staying and not wandering off. Should I keep him on a leash? Also should any corrections be used at all? And what command do I make it after he has been used to it, like a one word thing like "sit"?

Sorry I know it's a lot of questions lol, newbie :msntongue:

 

[snowblind]

Gonna give it a go but I am rather new here so take it with a grain of salt...

Leash is a good idea if he keeps wondering off but just for keeping him near, not correcting. If you are still questioning about the cue, then corrections are not on the table at all. I am not saying ever but it is way too early to be thinking of it now.

Try increasing the time little by little. But not only increasingly like 1 second, then 2 seconds, then 3 seconds, then 4 and so on. More like 2 seconds, then 1 second, then 4 seconds, then 3 seconds so the dog never knows when the exercise is over and reward available. With time, ofcourse, you get out of seconds and into minutes but the yo-yo effect should stay with you and keep some exercises really short as well. And keep intermittently rewarding after once in a while even when the dog knows and performs the behaviour well on regular basis.

 

[amamy]

Thank you

Today was pretty good all in all. I had him lay down on his side in a play dead position but he kept wandering off so I put a leash on him as suggested. He kept back sliding so I had to keep restarting the time frame. I think he was confused because he was being clicked for laying there with his head on the floor one time, and accidentally clicked just as he raised his head off the floor another time.

Now I need to find a good simple cue to use as the marker if our next session goes good.

 

[charmedwolf]

Nah I haven't taught this trick. My boys are just more than willing to sleep anywhere no matter what I'm doing to them. Comes with the Mastiff territory. :msnwink:

I would use the leash to keep him close then drop the leash to the ground (still close enough to grab) and work your way off leash. I would probably call this trick "foot rest" but I'm pretty unoriginal when it comes to names.

 

[amamy]

Thank you, and yes "footrest!" is the cue I used.

I've pretty much got it now, I'm keeping the leash on him and just letting him drag it around, testing it out every so often in different places around the house. Also I always make him work for his food, asking for a sit, or a down. Should I incorporate this one into the routine too so he practices it more?