So I' m trying to teach my dog how to cock his head on command but he seems to lay down and get distracted way too easily... I' ve tried to teach him for a while now but he seems to only cock his head when I make a weird noise and then by the time I try to give the command that I' m trying to familiarize him with, his head isn't cocked anymore. So if i could get some tips on how to teach him this that would be very helpful, Thank You.
Head Cock
- Thread starter joshua
- Start date
fickla
Experienced Member
First off, you need to be getting the behavior you like before you put a cue to it. So make the noise, click and treat. Repeat until the dog is starting to offer cocking his head. Capturing behaviors can take awhile. And I usually find that there is a point where the dog's body starts doing it but before he is consciously aware of what is earning him that treat.
Secondly, when introducing the cue you want to do it BEFORE the behavior. With a simple sit, I would say "sit" right before I thought the dog was going to offer it. Or if I was luring the sit, I would say "sit", wait a second, and then lure the dog into position. I wouldn't say it after he had already done it. With this trick, you would give your verbal cue, wait a second, then make the weird noise. Although like I said earlier, I would personally wait to add a verbal cue until I didn't need the noise anymore.
Secondly, when introducing the cue you want to do it BEFORE the behavior. With a simple sit, I would say "sit" right before I thought the dog was going to offer it. Or if I was luring the sit, I would say "sit", wait a second, and then lure the dog into position. I wouldn't say it after he had already done it. With this trick, you would give your verbal cue, wait a second, then make the weird noise. Although like I said earlier, I would personally wait to add a verbal cue until I didn't need the noise anymore.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
I'm having trouble with this one, too. My dog always has trouble with head-postioning type tricks, are always hardest for him to 'get'.
i will try again. I'd shelved that trick for a while, and often, when i REintroduce a trick, after it's been not done for a while, THEN Buddy 'gets it'.
i will try again. I'd shelved that trick for a while, and often, when i REintroduce a trick, after it's been not done for a while, THEN Buddy 'gets it'.
leema
New Member
... I trained my dog to cock his head on, "What do you think about the state of the economy?"
Actually, no, I trained it for "what do you think" and my tone of voice, but it's still a neat party trick. The thing is, this was a very natural behaviour for my dog - he did this whenever something was a little out of the ordinary. And I actually don't even remember explictedly rewarding this.
Regardless,it sounds like you're cuing a behaviour your dog doesn't understand. Work on marking (with "yes" if your clicker is not handy) and rewarding head cocks that you see.
Actually, no, I trained it for "what do you think" and my tone of voice, but it's still a neat party trick. The thing is, this was a very natural behaviour for my dog - he did this whenever something was a little out of the ordinary. And I actually don't even remember explictedly rewarding this.
Regardless,it sounds like you're cuing a behaviour your dog doesn't understand. Work on marking (with "yes" if your clicker is not handy) and rewarding head cocks that you see.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
TOO FUNNY!! The question i was working with was, "Buddy, do you have any money?" with strong emphasis on the word "money"!! ha ha.
I was doing this, i had a squeaker in my mouth, and i'd ask question, blow into the squeaker, and click when he cocked his head, and give treat.
can you spot anything i'm doing wrong?
I was doing this, i had a squeaker in my mouth, and i'd ask question, blow into the squeaker, and click when he cocked his head, and give treat.
can you spot anything i'm doing wrong?