Training Plan

abigail83

New Member
Hi i am a student studying advanced animal behaviour and training, i have to train an animal of my choice to do a complex behaviour, or a chain of easy behaviours making one big complex one. I have access to my brothers dogs both are Cairn terriers one is still a puppy at 7 months old the other is just over 2, both are male.
I was wondering if any of the members on here would have some ideas they could throw my way and help me get underway with a training plan.
I have 4-5 months to perfect the routine or behaviour.

Thanx Abbey
 

Maura

Well-Known Member
What do you think would be useful? I think putting toys away is a pretty good trick. So is putting socks in a drawer.

I've seen videos of dogs who ride a skateboard, it involves putting the front paws and one rear paw on the skateboard and the other rear paw pushing off until there is enough speed to coast.

Removing decorations from a Christmas tree and putting them in a box.

Bringing a towel to the beach, unfolding it, then going back and getting an umbrella and putting it up, then laying on the towel. If you do a utube search you can find all kinds of cool stuff.
 

Mutt

Experienced Member
Like asked above, do you have something in mind yourself?
Perhaps a video of a trick you would like to teach (youtube is your best friend ;))?

Some tips for your training plan:
- cut the trick in pieces. For example the beach trick described by Mauro: bringing towel - unfolding towel - getting a umbrella - putting a umbrella up - lie down on a towel.
These are 5 seperate tricks/behaviors. Train those first seperately and proof them before continuing.
- I use backchaining for tricks which involve several actions. This means you start with the last trick of the sequence and work your way backwards. So with the beach trick: lie down - putting up a umbrella and than lie down on a towel - get the umbrella, put it up and than lie down on a towel and so on.
- Walking with the dogs and doing other kinds of activities/tricks is something I would advise (but I think that one is a no brainer ;)).

I'd love to see how it goes (progress and the final result)!
 

blacknym

Experienced Member
Very good advice here. I agree that YouTube is a great tool!

Cleaning up toys, fetching a name toy, stacking cups, a dance routine, a bit of agility are some suggestions. :)
 
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